Perth: The Premium Anzac Bell Tour at the Bell Tower

The most memorable part of this Bell Tower visit comes before the big bell rings: you step into the ringing chamber and chime the ancient bells yourself. Then, at precisely midday, you watch the 6,500-kilo Anzac Bell sound for a full minute from an exclusive viewing area.

I like the hands-on start, and I like that the tour ends with 360-degree views over the Swan River and Perth. The free medallion engraving at the Perth Mint is a thoughtful extra. The main drawback is timing: if you miss the midday departure, you miss the tour’s biggest moment.

Key points at a glance

• Chime the old bells yourself: The ringing chamber gives you an active role instead of a simple museum-style visit.
• Watch the 6,500-kilo Anzac Bell at noon: The bell rings for one minute at exactly midday from a reserved viewing area.
• Hear the Anzac story: Your English-speaking guide explains the legend and meaning connected with the bell.
• Keep a certificate and medallion: Your ticket includes both, and the medallion can be engraved free at the Perth Mint.
• Finish above Perth: The observation deck offers views across the Swan River and Perth City.
• Allow extra time afterward: Your ticket includes all-day entry, so you can continue exploring the Bell Tower after the guided portion.

Why the midday bell makes this tour special

The Anzac Bell is the focus of the visit, and its scale gives the tour real weight. At 6,500 kilos, it is not a small display piece hidden behind glass. You see it ring from a special viewing area on level 5, where it sounds at exactly midday for one minute.

That timing matters. This is not simply a tour of a bell tower with a bell included somewhere along the way. The schedule is built around a live event, so you should plan your visit carefully and arrive ready for the set departure time.

I like the fact that you do not just hear about the Anzac Bell. You first take part in a hands-on bell-chiming demonstration, then hear about the Anzac legend and the meaning behind the bell, and finally watch the main bell perform its daily ring. The sequence gives the visit a clear shape.

The tour lasts 45 minutes, which is enough time to keep things focused. You will not spend half a day on a single attraction, but you also should not expect a slow, extended museum visit. The pace is brisk and purposeful.

Starting at the Bell Tower in Perth

The experience begins at the Bell Tower. Present your ticket at the entrance, collect your tour token, and meet the local staff before heading to level 1 with your guide.

The tower is easy to fit into a day in central Perth, but transportation is not included. You need to make your own way there. The activity returns to the same building, so there is no complicated transfer or separate ending point to manage.

The Bell Tower can be explored by stairs or elevator. That gives you some choice as you move between the levels, and the experience is listed as wheelchair accessible. If you prefer to avoid stairs, the elevator is available.

The staff at the front desk are part of the first impression. One particularly positive account described the women at reception as friendly and helpful, which is useful to know if you need directions or have a question before the tour begins.

Because the tour includes all-day entry, you are not limited to the 45-minute guided portion. You can continue looking around the Bell Tower afterward, making the $29 price more useful than it might first appear.

Chiming the ancient bells on level 1

The first real activity takes place in the ringing chamber on level 1. Here, you step behind the scenes with the guide and take part in an interactive demonstration.

This is the strongest feature for anyone who wants to do more than listen. You are not simply shown a rope or told that bells once played an important role. You get to chime the ancient bells yourself under the guide’s direction.

That hands-on moment also helps you understand the work involved in ringing bells. The activity is simple enough to be fun, yet it gives the tour a physical connection that a standard observation deck visit would lack.

The guide’s role matters here. Jeff received especially strong praise for explaining things clearly, answering questions patiently, taking his time, and even helping with photographs and video. If Jeff leads your tour, you can expect a calm and attentive style based on that experience.

The group is described as small and premium, though an exact maximum group size is not provided. One booking even had a solo participant, allowing Jeff to give individual attention and take pictures during the bell-ringing moment. You should not count on having the tour alone, but the format is designed to feel more personal than a large group visit.

The bell-ringing activity also suits families and curious first-time visitors because it gives you something clear to do. You do not need specialist knowledge about bells to enjoy it.

Understanding the Anzac Bell

After the chiming demonstration, the guide explains the Anzac Bell, the Anzac legend, and the meaning connected with the bell.

The supplied details do not provide a full account of the bell’s design, construction, or dedication, so you should expect an introduction rather than a long historical lecture. The value is in hearing the story in place, beside the bell that carries it.

A good guide can make this part more than a list of dates. Jeff was singled out for thorough explanations and patient answers, while another guide, Tony, was praised for his knowledge but was sometimes difficult to hear. That is a useful practical point: the quality of the explanation can depend on the individual guide and how clearly you can hear in the tower.

If you have questions, ask them during this section. The tour is live and English-speaking, so you can speak directly with the guide rather than relying only on printed information. The 45-minute format leaves room for questions, but not for an unlimited discussion.

I like this middle section because it gives the noon ringing a purpose. You hear what the Anzac Bell represents before watching it sound. That connection makes the bell feel less like a large mechanical object and more like the central symbol of the visit.

The level 5 viewing area and the noon ring

Next, you follow the guide to level 5. This is an exclusive viewing area reserved for people on the Anzac Bell Tour.

The reserved position is an important part of the $29 price. You are not only paying for access to the building. You are paying for a guided route, the bell-chiming activity, and a dedicated place from which to watch the main bell ring.

At exactly midday, the Anzac Bell rings for one minute. The sound and movement are the climax of the tour, and the timing is precise enough that you need to be ready before noon.

One account described paying extra for the Anzac Bell ringing and finding the moment worthwhile and striking. That matches the structure of the experience: if you are already interested in the Bell Tower, the noon ring gives you a reason to choose this premium option instead of ordinary entry.

The main limitation is also clear. You cannot treat this as a flexible drop-in activity. The midday ring is fixed, and the tour departure time controls your day. Check the available starting times before booking and build in enough time to reach the Bell Tower without rushing.

If you are sensitive to sound, remember that you are attending a live bell-ringing experience. The supplied information does not give a decibel level or describe hearing protection, so you may want to ask staff if that is a concern.

Reaching the observation deck on level 6

The tour finishes on level 6, at the Bell Tower’s observation deck. Here, you get 360-degree views over the Swan River and Perth City.

This is a welcome change of pace after the enclosed ringing areas. You can look across the city and river, take photographs, and get a sense of the Bell Tower’s position within Perth. The view is not a side detail. It is one of the tour’s included features and gives you a calm finish after the loud, timed main event.

The guide also plays a World War I tune on the coin-operated carillon. The carillon adds another musical link to the tower and to the period discussed during the visit. Since it is coin-operated, you may want to carry a coin if you would like to use it yourself, although the included description specifically says the guide plays a tune.

You receive your Anzac medallion and certificate here. The certificate records your bell-chiming experience, while the medallion is a small keepsake connected to the Anzac Bell visit.

The medallion can be engraved for free at the Perth Mint afterward. That is a useful extra rather than a throwaway souvenir. If you like meaningful, compact mementos, this may add more value than a generic gift-shop item.

What the $29 price includes

At $29 per person, this is priced above a basic sightseeing stop, but the package includes several separate elements:

• All-day entry to the Bell Tower
• A live, English-speaking guided tour
• The ancient-bell chiming demonstration
• Access to the level 5 viewing area for the noon Anzac Bell ring
• The 360-degree observation deck
• A bell-chiming certificate
• An exclusive Anzac medallion

I think the price works best if you plan to spend time in the Bell Tower beyond the tour. The all-day entry means you can continue exploring afterward, rather than paying for only 45 minutes and leaving immediately.

The value is also stronger for anyone who specifically wants to see the Anzac Bell ring at noon. If you only want city views, a standard visit may be enough. If you want the hands-on ringing, guided story, reserved viewing space, and keepsakes, the premium ticket gives you more to remember.

Transportation is not included, so add the cost and time of reaching the Bell Tower to your plans. The activity itself is short, but the all-day entry lets you treat it as one part of a longer Perth outing.

You can cancel up to 24 hours before the activity for a full refund, and you can reserve now and pay later. Those terms are helpful if your Perth schedule is still moving around, especially because the noon timing makes the day less flexible.

Which kind of visitor will enjoy it most

I would choose this tour if you like attractions that let you participate. The chance to chime the ancient bells is more engaging than simply reading about them, and the certificate gives the activity a clear sense of occasion.

It also suits anyone with a special interest in the Anzac legend or World War I connections. The guide’s explanation comes before the bell rings, so you get context instead of only a dramatic sound.

Families may appreciate the variety. The tour changes setting several times: the ringing chamber on level 1, the Anzac Bell viewing area on level 5, and the observation deck on level 6. That movement helps the 45 minutes pass quickly.

It is also a good choice for a short Perth visit. You get a guided activity, a city view, and a small souvenir without giving up a full morning or afternoon.

I would think twice if you cannot make the midday schedule, do not care about the Anzac Bell, or want a long, quiet visit at your own pace. The premium is tied to the guided experience and the noon ring, not simply to entering the tower.

The tour is in English, so you should be comfortable following spoken explanations. One guide was reported as difficult to hear, though another was praised for clear and patient explanations. If hearing every word is important to you, stand close to the guide and ask for clarification when needed.

Practical tips for a smoother visit

Check the starting times before you book. The most important event happens at exactly midday, and a late arrival could affect the entire point of choosing this tour.

Arrive ready to collect your tour token at the entrance. The activity begins at the Bell Tower, and you will move between levels with the local staff and guide.

Use the elevator if stairs are not suitable for you. The tower can be explored by either stairs or elevator, and the activity is wheelchair accessible.

Keep your certificate and medallion safe during the rest of your Perth day. The medallion is especially worth protecting if you plan to have it engraved at the Perth Mint.

Allow time after the tour for the observation deck and the rest of the Bell Tower. The guided portion ends on level 6, but your entry remains valid all day.

If you want photographs or video of the bell-chiming activity, ask the guide politely. Jeff helped one participant with both, but this depends on the guide, the group, and the moment.

Should you book the Anzac Bell Tour?

Book it if you want a focused, hands-on Bell Tower visit with a fixed highlight. The strongest reasons are the chance to chime the ancient bells, the story of the Anzac Bell, the one-minute ring at noon, and the views from the top.

At $29, it is good value when you use the all-day entry and care about the included certificate and medallion. It is less compelling if you only want a quick look at Perth from above or cannot fit the midday schedule into your day.

For most first-time visitors who are interested in the Bell Tower itself, I would choose the premium tour over simple entry. Just plan around noon, arrive on time, and remember that the guide-led experience is in English.

FAQ

How long does the Anzac Bell Tour last?

The guided tour lasts 45 minutes.

How much does the tour cost?

The listed price is $29 per person.

Where does the tour start and finish?

The tour starts at the Bell Tower in Perth and returns to the Bell Tower.

What language is the tour conducted in?

The live tour guide speaks English.

Does the tour include transportation?

No. Transportation is not included.

Can I ring the bells myself?

Yes. The tour includes an interactive demonstration where you chime the ancient bells in the ringing chamber.

When does the Anzac Bell ring?

The 6,500-kilo Anzac Bell rings at exactly midday for one minute.

Do I receive a souvenir?

Yes. The tour includes an Anzac Bell medallion and a bell-chiming certificate. The medallion can be engraved for free at the Perth Mint afterward.

Can I visit the observation deck?

Yes. Access to the 360-degree observation deck is included.

Is the Bell Tower wheelchair accessible?

Yes. The activity is listed as wheelchair accessible, and you can explore the tower using stairs or an elevator.