Sunrise over the Matilda Bay boathouse in the Swan River, Perth

© Sara Winter/Alam

Into the blue. A Perth standout all on its lonesome

Nestled neatly on the banks of Perth’s Swan River in Matilda Bay sits one of the most popular boatsheds in all of Australia. We speak, of course, of the incredibly photogenic blue boathouse – notorious not just for its bright blue colour, but the long timber boardwalk that leads to it. Interestingly, the exact origin of the structure is unknown, thought to have been constructed during the 1930s as a home to some type of boat or craft. Since 1941, the shed has almost constantly been held by the Nattrass family, who overhauled it in 2004. Throughout that time, this blue beauty has received a few more facelifts to keep it safe and secure, and has been featured in magazines and tourist snaps around the globe.