Hidden Treasures has been a journey of local discoveries that has led us to urban art trails, suburban museums, jetties, lakes, parks and so much more.

In this penultimate edition of Hidden Treasures for 2021, we’re doing a year in review, we’re naming names, we’re handing out gongs and we’re doing it quicker than the Brownlow. Listen to the audio file below or keep reading, or do both!

What I’ve loved about Hidden Treasures is more than making the discovery, it’s been about sharing the discovery.  Just like returning from those overseas destinations, I have found joy in describing for you Bull Creek and Mirrabooka, Two Rocks and Kwinana and many more of our suburbs.  My Top Ten Hidden Treasures for 2021:

Best Suburban Museum:

2^nd Bassendean Railway Museum: Tells a great story of the railways in WA.

1^st Bull Creek Aviation Heritage Museum: Spitfires, Lancasters, rockets and roaring engines.

Best Sport:

2^nd WAFL: Great standard of suburban tribalism in sport and community.  

1^st Padel:  Never heard of it before we did Hidden Sports Treasures.

Best Food:

A tie for 2^nd – Cray Dog at the Lane Café on Wadjemup and Curry Puff at Bull Creek Oriental Supplies.

1^st – Fish Burger at Preston Beach General Store.

Best Aboriginal Experience:

2^nd Deadly Divas – Wildflower Walkabout and Campfire Stories run by ladies for the ladies.

1^st Yagan Square Nyumbi – Friday evenings, hopefully back for 2022.

Best View:

2^nd Kwinana Chalk Hill – a worthy winner of hidden treasure views.

1^st HALO at Perth Stadium – Don’t just be a spectator, have an adventure.

Best Main Street:

2^nd North Fremantle – a great street to walk and mooch

1^st Bassendean – a main street that in the best traditions of main streets, reminds me of all the country towns I’ve lived in and driven through.

Best Walk:

2^nd Hike Collective – making a good walk as much about mental health as physical health.

1^st West Perth – a middle of the city walk that gives you a great park (Harold Boas), the seat of government, a seat on sliding grass and jaffles.

Best Urban Art:

2^nd Joondalup Urban Art Trail – Including a sculpture that’s a love shack for moths and the worlds biggest periodic table

1^st Mirrabooka Mural – Shaping the Future is about loving the diversity in the place you live by showing local faces from many backgrounds.

Best Free Tour:

2^nd Coogee Common Garden Tour – feel like Peter Rabbit in Mr McGregors garden (without the terror).

1^st Sunset Coast Explorer – Feel like a tourist as you sit back in a double decker bus up the coast from Scarborough.

Best Surprise:

2^nd Community Gardens – Discover where communities come together to grow vegetables, make compost, look after chickens, teach sustainability and just relax while you potter about.

1^st  Staycations – You really can relax just 15 minutes from home.

The pandemic might have been the inspiration for Hidden Treasures but don’t let travel restrictions be the reason to turn your gaze towards exploration at home, make exploration at home a part of your travel life, a regular outing or roadtrip or staycation somewhere in your city that you haven’t been to. 

It’s there and it always will be if we support it.