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Seeing a live show at Red Hill Auditorium is one rare experience that many travellers to Perth never get to do. Tucked high into the Perth Hills on the edge of the Darling Scarp, this open-air amphitheatre delivers something few venues in Australia can; world-class live music with a city-wide sunset backdrop and a sky full of stars.
I recently headed up into the hills with my sister and her boyfriend to see The Last Dinner Party. While their baroque-pop sound isn’t usually my go-to, the setting completely won me over…and that’s the magic of Red Hill. Even if the band isn’t your all-time favourite, the experience absolutely will be.
That said, Red Hill Auditorium’s biggest strength is also its biggest challenge — location.
The venue sits around 30 minutes from the Perth CBD, and closer to 45-50 minutes from coastal suburbs like Scarborough and Fremantle. Parking can fill up, rideshares surge hard after gigs, and shuttle bus queues can stretch long into the night.
So, instead of treating the journey to Red Hill Auditorium as a necessary evil, this guide shows you how to turn it into a half-day Perth Hills adventure.
There are shuttle buses (often branded as the “Red Hill Express”), and they work for some people, but they don’t work for this half-day plan, have fixed schedules and the queues are very long post-show. So, if you want to avoid transport stress & eat well before the show, hiring a car for the day is the single best thing you can do.
| Time | Activity | What You’re Doing |
|---|---|---|
| 6.5 Hours Before | Leave Perth CBD | Depart the city to beat the early afternoon traffic and head for the hills. |
| 6 Hours Before | John Forrest National Park | Arrive at the trailhead. Enjoy a relaxed 1-hour return walk to the Swan View Tunnel. |
| 4.5 Hours Before | Parkerville Tavern | A quick 11-minute drive to the pub. Settle in for an early dinner and a drink in the garden. |
| 3 Hours Before | Head to Red Hill | Aim to arrive at the venue just as doors open (usually 60–90 mins before music starts). |
| 2 Hours Before | The Magic Hour | Secure your spot on the tiers, grab a drink, and watch the sun set behind the stage. |
| Gig Start | Showtime | Music begins as the city lights flicker on in the distance. |
| Post-Show | The Smooth Exit | Head straight to your car (parked near the exit!) to bypass the shuttle bus queues. |
We left Perth at around 2:00PM, deliberately ahead of the gig day traffic, and by 2:30 PM were pulling into John Forrest National Park, Western Australia’s oldest national park. The difference between Perth CBD and this area is impressive as it gives way to dense bushland, cooler air, and a sense of space that makes you forget how close the city really is.
The walk we chose follows the John Forrest Heritage Trail, which runs along the old Eastern Railway alignment. Because it was originally built for trains, the path is wide, steady, and largely flat, making it ideal if you’re already dressed for the evening. There’s no sense of rushing here; it’s a gentle, grounding way to break up the day before the excitement of a gig.
The highlight of the walk is the Swan View Tunnel, constructed between 1895 and 1896. Stretching 340 metres through solid granite and coffee rock, it was the only railway tunnel in Western Australia for more than a century. Walking through it feels quietly cinematic, the temperature drops, the light disappears at the centre and the sound of footsteps echoes in a way that makes you slow down.
A phone torch is important here, and it’s worth watching your footing. It’s also not uncommon to spot some Australian wildlife taking shelter inside during hotter parts of the day.
Parking at the trailhead is straightforward if you arrive early enough. There’s a car park right next to the trail beginning, with a larger overflow area across the road. We noticed walking groups beginning to arrive just as we were leaving, so make sure you come early!
From Swan View Tunnel, it’s an easy 11 minute drive to Parkerville Tavern, and this stop ended up being one of the most memorable parts of the day. The tavern is a classic Perth Hills institution – a historic federation-style building tucked into a wooded valley, surrounded by towering trees and birdsong.
The atmosphere alone makes it worth the visit. Sitting in the expansive beer garden feels worlds away from the city, and the pace is refreshingly unhurried. It’s exactly the kind of place you want to be before a gig; relaxed, comfortable and enjoying some softer, live music.
What really stood out, though, was the allergy awareness. Ordering is done via an app that allows you to clearly flag specific allergies. As someone who has to be extremely careful, I was genuinely impressed when a staff member came to our table to confirm they’d seen the notes and that my meal was being prepared safely. That level of proactive reassurance is rare, and it made the entire experience far more relaxed.
Before heading to Red Hill Auditorium, it’s worth pausing to acknowledge the land itself. The venue sits on Whadjuk Noongar Country, and the Whadjuk people are the traditional custodians of this part of the Perth Hills and the wider Swan Coastal Plain.
This landscape has been lived on, travelled through, and cared for over tens of thousands of years, long before it became an outdoor music venue. As the afternoon light fades and the hills begin to cool, that deep connection to Country becomes part of the experience.
From Parkerville Tavern, it’s a short 12 minute drive to Red Hill Auditorium – close enough to feel effortless, but far enough removed that the venue still feels secluded and special. Arriving from this direction also helps you avoid some of the congestion that builds when everyone drives straight from Perth in the late afternoon.
Red Hill is a natural amphitheatre carved into the landscape, and its design is what sets it apart from almost every other outdoor venue in Australia. Instead of being enclosed, the stage opens outward, framing the distant glow of Perth’s CBD beyond the performers. As the sun begins to set, the sky behind the stage shifts through deep oranges and reds before fading into indigo.
Once darkness falls, the lack of light pollution becomes obvious. Perched on the edge of the Darling Scarp, the stars emerge in numbers you don’t often see so close to a major city. It’s one of those subtle details that elevates the entire night without you quite realising why it feels so different.
While Red Hill Auditorium is spectacular, it rewards a little preparation. A few small choices make a big difference to how comfortable and enjoyable the evening feels:
Parking can still be competitive on sold-out nights, which is another reason for arriving earlier – just make sure you park as close to the exit of the car park as possible!
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