As a Perth resident, I have always been intrigued why the city centre is actually quite small in area.
I know of smaller towns in the UK that have a larger centre than Perth.

Im not knocking my new home town, but wonder why it hasnt expanded?

The suburban areas stretch out for miles in contrast.

One could hardly call Perth a visionary city. It's very local yokelised. And with that I will refrain from further negative comment as I think I have succinctly and adequately summed it up. Aren't I getting good

'cause it does not take many to count the money when it comes in $billions?

Is it not that perth just seams small too you ? Are you infact very big ?

I find it nice that you can walk from one side to the other or the centre to kings park in no time.
Walking round Sydney gave me a blister

Because it stretches accross the state?

To minimise the POM's coming in Only kidding.

M

May I ask what bodysize I have has to do with this post?

Maybe I am 25 feet tall and Perth is just a model village?

I hope not!

Don't know Perth very well, but if it's like Sydney then almost all new development is out in other centres in the suburbs. In Sydney the CBD is the same size it was when I arrived 25 years ago. That's not to say that there's been no CBD development at all - but what there has been is just re-development of existing sites. The actual size of the CBD hasn't changed a bit.

Nowadays all new office blocks, shopping malls etc. are built away from the CBD in other regional centres - I guess that's for reasons of cost. Sydney CBD may not have changed in size but the regional centres here (like Bondi Junction, Chatswood, Hurstville, Miranda etc) have all changed enormously.

Hey, that sounds like it makes sense. I've noticed here in Melb that the CBD hasn't expanded much but there are these mini-cities springing up in the subs. I've also noticed that it's very pricey to actually drive into the city and park there. Maybe that's the new plan to prevent congestion on the roads?

Yup, here in Sydney you just don't drive into the city - particularly during the week - as it's impossible to find a park that costs less than about $20 (and you only get a couple of hours for that). Public transport is the only way in.

In reality, unless you're unfortunate enough to work there, there's very little need to ever go to the CBD. Almost all the city shops are duplicated in the large, suburban malls where parking is mostly free. The only reasons I need to go are for a couple of specialist shops, the occasional theatre visit and with visitors from overseas!

I'd imagine that it's the same in Perth and Melbourne.

I dunno but if you are the Wildcats could use you

What, Wakefield Wildcats?

If I compare to say Amsterdam, yes, it small, especially area size.
But don't forget all the malls underneith, and above.

And there's still also quite a few shops when you walk west.

Btw, they'll be redeveloping soon, the trainline will go in a tunnel, and that whole area around the Entertainment Centre will be redeveloped.

Anyway, it's big enough for me, and I hardly go there anyway.
And when you live in the outer suburbs you don't go, cos it could be an hours drive!! And you can find all the shops closer.

As a Trinity fan through thick and thin (or more accurately "thin and thin") I'd like to think you were on the right lines but its more likely that they mean the Perth Wildcats basketball team.

To comment on your question, as far as finance, banking, healthcare, ISP 's etc etc are concerned, Perth is a "branch economy". Big projects and big decisions are run out of the head offices over east and Perth's white collar economy is mostly there to keep things "ticking over". Hence Perth's CBD is fairly small.