Three Things I Love: Perth’s most professional adrenaline junkie shares his secrets

Each week, WAtoday reaches out to the Perth community to discover three things people love most about our coastal capital. Today we feature Jess Robson, managing director of data analytics and financial modelling company Access Analytic, who leverages his work training professionals around the world to indulge his passion for adventure sports travel. Robson is also an ambassador for Opportunity International Australia and secretary of the Climbers’ Association of WA. His new book, The Travelling Trainer, is out now.

1. (Rock)-climbing the walls of the northern Perth Hills. Call me crazy – and many do – but I love nothing more than climbing up cliffs only to be lowered straight back down. On weekends, my friends and I often head to Mountain Quarry in Boya. Rock from here played a significant role in the development of many Perth landmarks including Fremantle Harbour, the Kings Park Memorial, the Perth GPO and Forest Chase Commonwealth Bank.

Now, however, it’s much more popular for rock climbing. The huge cliffs and variety of routes provide a challenging experience that’s both frustrating and incredibly rewarding. I love the feeling of achievement when I finally ‘send it’, that is, complete a difficult climb. I also love being out in nature and being with friends from Perth’s incredible climbing community.

During the week, I feed my climbing passion at Adrenaline Vault in Belmont, my favourite indoor climbing gym in Perth. It provides a convenient, fun way to stay climbing-fit and improve my climbing skills. As Secretary of the Climbers’ Association of WA, I almost always see someone there I know … so it feels like home. Whether I’m tackling a new boulder problem or working on my endurance, AV keeps my hands calloused and my climbing passion alive.

2. Everything at the State Buildings, Perth (Cathedral Avenue). I’ve been to every restaurant at the State Buildings so many times and have never had a bad experience. I spend so much time within the walls of these beautifully restored heritage buildings, they feel like my second home. Whether it’s the casually elegant Petition Kitchen (my favourite), the bar Wine Merchant, the exquisite Wildflower, Sue Lewis chocolates, Mello House, or the florist Fox and Rabbit, the State Buildings never disappoint – for clients, a date or even for a day out with my Mum.

3. Forget Christmas, Perth’s Fringe Festival is the most wonderful time of my year! Fringe also incorporates the “Festival of Jeff” (aka my birthday) and transforms the city into a vibrant hub of creativity, fun, silliness and artistic expression. From theatre and comedy to music and dance, the festival showcases an amazing array of talent from Perth and around the world, making every visit a crazy, unpredictable adventure. Fringe’s eccentricity and unexpectedness are exactly what The Travelling Trainer encourages because it’s experiences like these that truly enrich your life.

I love that Fringe doesn’t take itself too seriously, and that really resonates with the open-mindedness and joy of travel that I encourage in my book too. The acts don’t pretend to be perfect … but that’s all part of its charm. Occasionally I’ve walked away going “What the heck did I just see?” but most of the time, I’m having the time of my life and paying a fraction of the value the shows deliver.

It just keeps getting better every year, so there’s always something new to see! And I love how it brings Perth to life with young, old and everyone in between feeling comfortable wandering the streets of Northbridge, even after dark.