Perth’s central business district (CBD) is strategically positioned between the Swan River to the south and east and Kings Park to the west, with the northern boundary defined by the railway reserve. Recent urban redevelopment, including the Perth City Link project, has transformed the area by sinking a section of the railway line, allowing seamless pedestrian access between Northbridge and the CBD. The Perth Arena, a hub for sports and entertainment, has received multiple architectural accolades from the Design Institute of Australia, the Australian Institute of Architects, and Colorbond. St Georges Terrace remains the city’s commercial spine, while Hay Street and Murray Street host the majority of retail and entertainment venues. Central Park, the tallest building in Perth, exemplifies the city’s post-mining-boom skyline, alongside developments like Brookfield Place.

The Perth metropolitan area stretches approximately 125 kilometres from Two Rocks in the north to Singleton in the south, and around 50 kilometres from the coast to Mundaring in the east, covering 6,418 square kilometres. With an urban footprint of 1,722 square kilometres, Perth ranks among the world’s 70 largest urban areas and is noted for its relatively low population density. The metropolitan region includes 30 local government areas, incorporating suburban and coastal communities as well as Rottnest and Garden Islands. Greater Perth, in broader statistical terms, also includes the City of Mandurah and parts of the Shire of Murray.

Geologically, Perth sits on the Swan Coastal Plain, a flat, sandy area flanked by the Darling Scarp and the Indian Ocean. Its major waterways, the Swan and Canning Rivers, are central to the city’s identity, with Derbarl Yerrigan (Swan River) named for its native black swans. Colonial-era development occurred largely on the Perth Wetlands, a chain of freshwater wetlands running east to west. To the east, the Darling Scarp forms a low escarpment, while surrounding areas include the Perth-Gingin Shrublands, Banksia Woodlands, and other ecologically significant landscapes, which continue to shape Perth’s metropolitan and natural character.