Perth: The Premium Anzac Bell Tour at the Bell Tower

Bells, history, and a noon-time ritual. The Premium Anzac Bell Tour gives you a close look at Perth’s Bell Tower, lets you chime ancient bells yourself, and takes you to an exclusive viewing area for the powerful 6,500-kilo Anzac Bell. I especially like the hands-on ringing demonstration and the thoughtful keepsake: an Anzac medallion that you can have engraved for free at the Perth Mint.

The 45-minute visit also finishes with 360-degree views of the Swan River and Perth City, giving the tour a pleasant visual payoff. The main point to consider is timing: the Anzac Bell rings at exactly midday, so you need a tour start time that lines up with that event. One guide, Tony, was difficult to hear at times, although Jeff received especially strong praise for his clear explanations, patience, and help taking photos.

Key points at a glance

• Chime the ancient bells yourself: You step into the ringing chamber for an interactive demonstration, rather than only looking at the machinery from behind glass.
• Hear the Anzac Bell at noon: The 6,500-kilo bell rings for one minute at precisely midday, and the tour includes access to a viewing area reserved for this experience.
• Learn the Anzac meaning: Your guide explains the story and purpose behind the bell, giving the sound a human and national context.
• Take home a useful keepsake: You receive an Anzac Bell medallion and certificate, with free engraving available later at the Perth Mint.
• Finish above Perth: The observation deck on level 6 offers views over the Swan River and the city.
• Expect a short, focused visit: The guided portion lasts 45 minutes, but your ticket includes all-day entry if you want to explore more of the Bell Tower afterward.

Why this Bell Tower tour is different

The Bell Tower is easy to treat as a quick photo stop beside the Swan River. This tour gives you a reason to go inside. Instead of simply riding up to an observation deck, you get access to the working bell area and take part in the ringing.

I like that the experience mixes three kinds of sightseeing. There is the physical act of pulling or operating the bells during the demonstration, the historical explanation of the Anzac Bell, and the broad city view at the end. None of these parts needs a full day, but together they make the visit feel more complete than a basic tower admission.

The small-group format also matters. A compact group allows the guide to explain the bells and answer questions without turning the visit into a crowded lecture. One booking even had Jeff guiding a single participant. He patiently allowed time for ringing, took photos, and recorded a video. You cannot count on having a private tour, but this example shows the kind of personal attention the format can allow.

The tour has a 4.9 rating from 31 bookings, with bell ringing, the certificate, the medallion, and the guides receiving the strongest praise. That matches the design of the experience: the most memorable moments are active ones, not just facts delivered from a podium.

Starting at the Bell Tower in Perth

You begin at the Bell Tower, where you present your ticket and collect a token for the tour. A staff member then takes you toward level 1 and introduces you to the local guide.

There is no transportation included, so you make your own way to the tower. That is simple enough if you are already exploring central Perth or the riverfront, but you should allow time to reach the entrance before your chosen starting time. The tour itself is only 45 minutes, and the midday bell is fixed rather than flexible.

The Bell Tower can be explored by stairs or elevator. That gives you a choice based on comfort and mobility, and the tour is listed as wheelchair accessible. Since the route uses several levels, the elevator is useful if stairs would make the visit tiring.

At the beginning, expect a short orientation rather than a long welcome talk. The aim is to get you into the ringing chamber quickly, where the visit becomes hands-on.

Chiming ancient bells on level 1

The first main stop is the ringing chamber on level 1. Here, your guide shows you how to chime the ancient bells and lets you take part in the demonstration.

This is the best part for anyone who prefers doing something to simply watching. The bells are old, and the chamber gives you a sense of how bell ringing works from the inside. You are not just standing near a famous building and taking a picture. You are handling part of the process that makes the tower function.

The activity also suits families and curious adults who may not normally choose a history tour. Bell ringing is direct and easy to understand. You hear the result immediately, which gives the guide a natural way to explain the bells, their sound, and their role.

You should expect the guide to control the pace. The tour is not an open-ended bell-ringing session, and everyone needs a turn within the short schedule. Still, the interactive section gets enough attention to feel like the main event rather than a rushed extra.

This is also the point where a good guide makes a clear difference. Jeff was praised for explaining things thoroughly, answering questions patiently, and helping with photos and video. If you want a picture of yourself ringing the bells, it is sensible to ask the guide politely. Assistance may depend on the group and the guide, but it has been part of the experience.

Understanding the Anzac Bell and its meaning

After the ancient bells, the guide explains the Anzac Bell. This is the quieter part of the tour, but it gives the noon ringing a purpose.

The bell weighs 6,500 kilos, so its sound and movement are not a small ceremonial detail. The guide connects it with the Anzac legend and explains what the bell represents. That context helps you hear the midday ringing as more than a loud signal from a tower.

The Anzac story is an important part of Australian and New Zealand public memory. The tour does not present the bell as just another piece of equipment. It explains why this particular bell matters and why a daily ringing has been given a set time.

The quality of the explanation depends on your guide. Jeff’s patient, detailed approach was a real strength. Tony was described as very informed, but his voice was sometimes hard to hear. This is worth keeping in mind if you have hearing difficulties or if the group is larger. Stay close to the guide when possible and ask for a point to be repeated if you miss it.

I like the balance here. The tour gives enough background to make the bell meaningful, but it does not fill the whole visit with dates and speeches. You get the story, then move toward the moment when the bell rings.

Watching 6,500 kilos of bell ring at noon

The tour continues to level 5, where Anzac Bell Tour customers have access to an exclusive viewing area. From here, you watch the Anzac Bell ring for one minute at exactly midday.

This is the part that makes careful timing worthwhile. The bell is not rung whenever a group arrives. It has a fixed daily moment, and the tour is planned around it. If the sight and sound of the Anzac Bell are your main reason for booking, check the available starting times before you pay.

The one-minute ringing is brief, but the scale gives it weight. You have already learned what the bell represents, so the sound carries more meaning than it would at the start of the visit. You also see it from a position arranged for tour participants, rather than trying to catch the moment from somewhere else in the tower.

There is a practical drawback. If your schedule does not work with midday, the interactive bell-ringing section and observation deck may still be worthwhile, but you would miss the signature feature. I would choose this tour only after confirming that I can be at the Bell Tower for the noon event.

The midday timing can also shape the rest of your day. The tour lasts 45 minutes, so allow room around it if you plan to eat, take a river walk, or join another activity. The Bell Tower itself remains available to explore after the guided portion, thanks to all-day entry.

Reaching the level 6 observation deck

The final guided stop is the observation deck on level 6. From here, you get 360-degree views over Perth City and the Swan River.

This is a good finish because it shifts your attention from the bells to the setting. After hearing the tower from inside, you get a wider picture of where it sits in Perth. The deck gives you time to look around and take photographs without the same sense of urgency as the noon bell.

The view is included in the tour price, not treated as an extra upgrade. I find that important when judging value. A short activity can feel expensive if the main feature is over in a few minutes. Here, the ringing demonstration, Anzac Bell viewing, story, certificate, medallion, and observation deck are all part of one compact visit.

The guide also plays a World War I tune on a coin-operated carillon. That is a small but memorable detail. It links the sound of the tower with the period connected to the Anzac story and gives the final stop a musical ending.

You can spend more time on the deck after the guided tour if you wish. The all-day entry ticket also allows you to explore the Bell Tower further rather than leaving as soon as the 45-minute route ends.

The medallion, certificate, and free engraving

At the end, you receive an Anzac Bell medallion and a certificate connected with the bell-chiming experience. The medallion can be engraved for free at the Perth Mint afterward.

These items make the tour easier to remember than a standard admission ticket. The medallion is small and practical, while the certificate records that you took part in the chiming demonstration. Stella specifically valued the bell ringing, certificate, and coin, which captures the appeal of the package.

The free engraving adds a useful extra, especially if you are buying the experience as a gift or marking a family trip. The engraving does not take place during the Bell Tower tour, so you need to visit the Perth Mint afterward. The supplied details do not state how long that process takes or the Perth Mint’s opening hours, so check those before planning it into your day.

I would not book the tour only for the medallion. The keepsake is a nice finish, but the real value comes from the combination of participation and access to the noon bell. The certificate and coin simply give you something tangible to take home.

What the $29 price gets you

At $29 per person, this is reasonably priced for a focused attraction visit if you care about the bells. You receive all-day entry, a live English-language guide, the ringing demonstration, access to the level 5 viewing area, the observation deck, the certificate, and the medallion.

The value is strongest when you use the all-day admission. If you arrive only for the 45-minute guided part and leave immediately, you are paying for a concentrated experience. If you have time to explore the Bell Tower afterward, the ticket works better as a half-day add-on to a Perth sightseeing plan.

I also think the price makes more sense for people who want the noon Anzac Bell moment. A basic tower visit may offer views, but this tour adds controlled access and explanation around a fixed ceremony. One booking described paying extra to see the Anzac Bell at noon and found the moment worthwhile, particularly because the guide explained it well.

The tour is less compelling if you have no interest in bell mechanics, Anzac history, or the tower itself. The views are attractive, but a 45-minute guided visit built around bells will not suit everyone. If you are choosing between this and a general city activity, book it for the hands-on ringing and the scheduled noon event, not only for the view.

Who should book this experience

I would recommend the tour to families, first-time visitors to Perth, history-minded visitors, and anyone who enjoys unusual local attractions. Children and adults can both take part in the ringing, and the guide-led format keeps the visit moving.

It also suits solo visitors. A small group can feel more comfortable than wandering through the tower alone, and the guide may be able to help with photos. Jeff’s willingness to take photographs and video shows the kind of support that can make a solo visit more enjoyable.

The tour is a good match for anyone with a tight Perth schedule because it lasts only 45 minutes. Just remember to build your plan around midday. If you want to use the all-day entry, set aside extra time after the guided portion.

I would be more cautious about booking it for someone who struggles to hear spoken explanations. One guide was difficult to hear, and the tour relies on live English commentary. The tower is wheelchair accessible and has an elevator, but the provided details do not describe every part of the route in physical terms, so it is sensible to confirm any specific access needs in advance.

Practical tips for a smoother visit

• Check the start time carefully so you can be at the tower for the bell ringing at midday.
• Arrive ready to present your ticket and collect the tour token at the entrance.
• Stay near the guide during the history section, especially if hearing spoken English is difficult.
• Ask the guide about photos during the ringing demonstration. Jeff has helped participants with both photographs and video.
• Use the elevator if you prefer not to climb between the tower’s levels.
• Keep the rest of the day flexible if you want to explore the Bell Tower after the guided tour.
• Take the medallion to the Perth Mint if you want the free engraving, and check its practical arrangements before you go.

Should you book the Premium Anzac Bell Tour?

Book it if you want more than a city view. The chance to chime ancient bells, hear the 6,500-kilo Anzac Bell at exactly noon, and take home a medallion gives this short tour a clear identity.

I especially like the way the visit moves from participation, to meaning, to spectacle, then ends with a view. The main weaknesses are the fixed midday timing and the occasional concern about a guide being hard to hear. For most people who can work around those points, $29 is fair value, particularly with all-day Bell Tower entry included.

If your Perth itinerary is already packed, choose this only if the Anzac Bell matters to you. If you have a free morning and can stay through midday, it is an easy, distinctive addition to a city sightseeing day.

FAQ

How long does the Premium Anzac Bell Tour last?

The guided tour lasts 45 minutes.

What time does the Anzac Bell ring?

The Anzac Bell rings at exactly midday and continues for one minute.

How heavy is the Anzac Bell?

The Anzac Bell weighs 6,500 kilos.

Can I ring the bells myself?

Yes. The tour includes an interactive chiming demonstration in the ringing chamber, where you can chime the ancient bells with guidance.

What is included in the ticket?

The ticket includes all-day Bell Tower entry, the guided tour, the bell-chiming certificate, an exclusive Anzac medallion, and access to the 360-degree observation deck.

Is transportation included?

No. You must make your own way to the Bell Tower.

Is the tour wheelchair accessible?

Yes. The activity is listed as wheelchair accessible, and you can use the Bell Tower’s elevator instead of the stairs.

What language is the tour conducted in?

The live tour guide speaks English.

Can I cancel for a full refund?

Yes. You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.

Can I have the Anzac medallion engraved?

Yes. The medallion can be engraved for free at the Perth Mint after the tour.