Last updated: 10 August 2026
The West Test brings Australia v New Zealand to Optus Stadium from 9 to 13 December 2026: the first Test of the trans-Tasman series and the opening match of the Australian summer. The first ball is bowled at 10:20 am AWST and play runs into late afternoon, which shapes your week in Perth. Mornings are short, evenings are free, and arrival day is wide open. Here is the local plan: spend arrival day on a 2.5-hour walk through the city's laneways, book the Eat Drink Walk Perth bar tour for its 6:30 pm start after stumps, and save Fremantle for a spare morning. The stadium sits one train stop, or a walk across Matagarup Bridge, from the CBD, so the Perth CBD tours below start close to your hotel.
The Test-week itinerary
Times are AWST. Confirm session dates on the official cricket.com.au fixture list before booking around them.
Arrival day, or the day before the first ball
- 2:00 pm: Perth's Premier Pathways, a 2.5-hour city walk from Perth Town Hall, finishing about 4:30 pm at Yagan Square.
- Evening: dinner in the city, or a Crimes of Perth true-crime walk if one is scheduled that night.
Match days, 9 to 13 December
- Morning: slow start; the first ball is at 10:20 am, so head for the train or Matagarup Bridge by about 9:30 am.
- After stumps: back to the city for the 6:30 pm Eat Drink Walk Perth bar tour, wrapping up about 9:30 pm.
Spare day, if the Test finishes inside five days
- 10:00 am: Fremantle Convicts, Culture & Street Art, a 2-hour walk through the port city.
- 2:00 pm: Perth's Premier Pathways, if you missed it on arrival day.
Eat Drink Walk Perth: the after-stumps move
A Test match day ends in the late afternoon or early evening, and this 3-hour bar tour starts at 6:30 pm from Perth Town Hall. You visit three of Perth's small bars, spending about 40 minutes in each, with two drinks and grazing food included; extra rounds are at your own cost. It wraps up about 9:30 pm in central Perth, close to the hotels. $89 per adult.
Ideal timing for the West Test: any evening of the match. Stumps to 6:30 pm leaves time to cross the bridge and freshen up.
Perth's Premier Pathways: arrival day sorted
A relaxed 2.5-hour walk on Perth's Premier Pathways runs from Perth Town Hall to Yagan Square through the arcades, laneways and street art the broadcast cameras never show: London Court, the State Buildings, Wolf Lane. It typically departs at 2:00 pm and finishes about 4:30 pm, with a beverage included along the way. $69 per adult, $45 per child.
Ideal timing for the West Test: arrival day or the day before the first ball. It overlaps the playing hours, so it is not a match-day option; it is the spare-afternoon pick if the result comes early.
Fremantle Convicts, Culture & Street Art: the spare-day classic
Down the line in Fremantle, this 2-hour morning walk covers the convict-built port, its characters and its street art, with a morning beverage included. Recent departures leave at 10:00 am. $65 per adult, $45 per child.
Ideal timing for the West Test: the day before the match, or the spare morning if the Test wraps up early. The 10:00 am start clashes with the 10:20 am first ball, so keep it off match days.
Every departure across Test week is on the live tour availability page, so you can match walks to your tickets before you fly.
Prefer true crime to small bars?
Crimes of Perth and Crimes of Fremantle are two-hour true-crime walks at $60, led by specialist guides on selected Saturdays, 4 to 6pm. Dates vary, so check Crimes of Perth and Crimes of Fremantle for a Saturday that lines up with your stay.
Travelling in a group
The remaining Tests are in Adelaide, Melbourne and Sydney, so touring New Zealand supporter groups open their trip in Perth. Every walk above runs privately for groups, up to 100 people by arrangement, and the private-only Scavenger Hunt at $35 per person turns a touring party into competing teams. Enquire through our contact page.
Planning notes and accessibility
Two Feet & a Heartbeat is a registered WA Companion Card affiliate. The card covers the companion's tour cost; it does not automatically cover food, drink or tastings, which the companion pays for if they take part. Companion Card bookings are made by contacting us directly, and our Companion Card guide has the detail. For questions about pace, surfaces and routes on any walk, see the accessibility page. Every tour here leaves from central Perth or Fremantle; no car needed.
Lock in the week
December is peak season in Perth and Test week concentrates the crowds. Book the after-stumps bar tour first, add arrival day in the laneways, and hold the Fremantle morning in reserve for a fast finish. Browse all Perth and Fremantle walking tours and build the week around the cricket.
FAQs
What is there to do in Perth after stumps at the West Test?
The Eat Drink Walk Perth bar tour starts at 6:30 pm from Perth Town Hall and visits three small bars over 3 hours, with two drinks and grazing food included, $89 per adult. Crimes of Perth and Crimes of Fremantle true-crime walks run on selected Saturday afternoons, 4 to 6pm, at $60.
Can I do a daytime walking tour on a match day?
No. Play runs from the 10:20 am first ball into late afternoon, which covers the daytime tour slots. Put Perth's Premier Pathways (2:00 pm) and the Fremantle walk (10:00 am) on arrival day, the day before the match, or a spare day if the Test finishes inside five days.
How do I get from the Perth CBD to Optus Stadium?
The stadium is one train stop from the CBD, or a walk across Matagarup Bridge. Perth's Premier Pathways and the Eat Drink Walk bar tour both start at Perth Town Hall in the city centre, so one base covers the cricket and the walks.
Do the tours accept the Companion Card?
Yes, on any tour you book around the West Test. Two Feet & a Heartbeat is a registered WA Companion Card affiliate: the card covers the companion's tour cost, while paid inclusions such as drinks are at their own cost if they join in. Contact us directly to book with the card. How the Companion Card works on our tours.
