The Bell Tower (Swan Bells): Perth's Waterfront Icon Worth the Climb

What Is The Bell Tower?

The Bell Tower, also marketed as the Swan Bells, is a purpose-built bell tower on the Swan River foreshore in Perth, Western Australia. Completed in 2000 to mark the new millennium, it was designed to house a remarkable gift: twelve bells from the London church of St Martin-in-the-Fields, eight of which date to the 17th century and are believed to have rung to mark the departure of the First Fleet to Australia in 1788. Combined with six locally cast bells, the tower now holds 18 bells in total, forming one of the largest sets of change-ringing bells in the world.

The structure itself is hard to miss. Rising 82.5 metres above the waterfront, its copper-and-glass spire tapers to a point against the Perth sky. At ground level, the base fans out in a triangular form clad in copper that weathers to a greenish patina. It is undeniably a statement building, and opinions on its aesthetics vary among Perth residents, but from the river or from the opposite bank at South Perth, it reads as a clear landmark.

The Bells Themselves: Why They Matter

Change ringing is a distinctly English tradition with roots going back to the early 17th century. Unlike carillon playing, where a single musician presses keys to play melodies, change ringing involves a team of ringers each controlling one bell, working through mathematical sequences called 'changes.' The discipline requires coordination, timing, and considerable physical effort. The bells at The Bell Tower weigh between 50 kg and 6.5 tonnes, and the largest takes real skill to control.

The provenance of the St Martin-in-the-Fields bells gives the collection genuine historical weight. St Martin-in-the-Fields, on Trafalgar Square in London, is one of England's most famous churches. When those twelve bells were gifted to Australia in 1988 as part of the Bicentenary celebrations, Western Australia eventually secured them for permanent display and active ringing. Bringing them to Perth took years of negotiation and planning before the tower opened in 2000.

Inside the tower, interpretive displays explain the history of the bells and the craft of change ringing clearly enough that visitors with no background in bell ringing leave with a genuine understanding. The exhibits include tactile elements and hands-on demonstrations, which makes this section particularly good for children and anyone who prefers learning by doing rather than reading panels.

Visiting the Tower: Floor by Floor

Entry is through the ground floor, where you buy tickets and pick up any audio guide materials. The lift serves all publicly accessible floors and has automatic accessible doors, making the tower usable for visitors who cannot manage stairs. The lower levels focus on the historical and musical story of the bells, with display cases, timelines, and audio elements.

The ringing chamber is the visual centrepiece of any visit. When ringers are present, you can watch them work from a viewing position. Even on days without live ringing, the bells hang visibly within the chamber, and the sheer scale of the largest bell makes an impression. The acoustics in the chamber mean that during a ringing session, the sound is powerful. Hearing protection is available at the attraction, and it is worth taking up that offer if you are sensitive to loud sound or bringing children.

Upper floors offer progressively better views over the Swan River, Elizabeth Quay, and the CBD skyline. On a clear morning, the light on the water is particularly strong. The view north toward the city and south toward the Narrows Bridge and Kings Park gives useful spatial orientation to visitors still finding their feet in Perth. Photography through the glass requires care with reflections, but the upper outdoor or semi-open positions give cleaner shots.

The tower sits at the eastern end of Elizabeth Quay, a foreshore precinct redeveloped in the mid-2010s. After your visit, the waterfront path connects you directly toElizabeth Quay, where cafes, restaurants, and ferry connections to South Perth are a short walk away.

How the Experience Changes by Time of Day

The tower opens at 10:00 am daily, and the first hour after opening tends to be the quietest. Morning light from the east illuminates the copper exterior warmly, and the river is usually calm at that time, which makes for cleaner reflections if you are photographing the exterior. Arriving close to opening time on a weekday generally means small crowds and relaxed pacing through the exhibits.

Midday and early afternoon bring the peak visitor numbers, particularly during school holidays. If you are visiting with young children who need structured activity, this is fine. If you prefer a quieter experience, earlier is better. Late afternoon, approaching the 3:45 pm last entry, is typically quiet again, and the light on the river at that time of day has a warmer, lower angle, but you should not count on having time to linger if you arrive near the cutoff.

Summer temperatures in Perth regularly exceed 35°C, and the glass-and-copper structure can become warm inside during the hottest part of the day. The building is air-conditioned, but arriving in the morning is more comfortable than visiting in the early afternoon heat of January or February.

Getting There and Getting Around Nearby

The Bell Tower sits on Barrack Square, Riverside Drive, on the Perth CBD waterfront. Elizabeth Quay Train Station and Busport is approximately 400 metres away, roughly a ten-minute walk along the foreshore path. This station is served by multiple Transperth rail lines connecting to the wider metropolitan network. The free Blue CAT bus, part of Perth's free inner-city bus network, stops at Barrack Square and is a convenient option if you are arriving from elsewhere in the CBD.

Limited paid parking is available in the surrounding area, but driving into this part of the CBD on a busy day is rarely the most efficient choice. For detailed route planning, use the Transperth journey planner. For broader orientation around the central city, thegetting around Perth guide covers transit options across the network.

The tower's waterfront location makes it a natural pairing with other nearby attractions.Elizabeth Quay is immediately adjacent. The Perth CBD extends north from Barrack Square, with the cultural precinct and Northbridge a short walk further.

Accessibility

The Bell Tower has a lift serving every floor, wheelchair-accessible automatic doors, and an accessible toilet on site. Tactile exhibits are incorporated into the displays. Guide dogs are welcome throughout the attraction. Hearing protection is provided for visitors who need it during ringing sessions. For visitors with sensory sensitivities, it is worth noting that live bell ringing is genuinely loud at close range, even with hearing protection.

Is The Bell Tower Worth Your Time?

For a general visitor on a tight two or three day itinerary, The Bell Tower is a reasonable hour's stop that combines waterfront scenery, architectural interest, and a slice of Anglo-Australian history that is genuinely not replicated anywhere else in the country. The combination of legitimate historical artefacts and a working bell ringing tradition lifts it above a purely decorative landmark.

It is not, however, a half-day attraction. Visitors who expect an exhaustive museum experience comparable to the WA Museum or an immersive cultural institution may find the content light. The appeal is strongest when a live ringing session is scheduled, and considerably thinner without one. If you are time-poor and have to choose between this and a longer experience like a visit to Kings Park or a ferry across to the South Perth foreshore, weigh your priorities accordingly.

Travellers planning a first trip to Perth can find The Bell Tower folded into broader itinerary suggestions in the 3 days in Perth itinerary. For visitors with more time, the one-week Perth itinerary places it in context alongside the city's other waterfront and cultural sites.

Who should skip it: travellers who have no particular interest in architecture, bells, or Anglo-Australian history and are prioritising beaches or natural landscapes will find their time better spent elsewhere. The Bell Tower is not the right first stop for families whose primary goal is outdoor or wildlife-based activity.