I don’t talk much about Mount Lawley in The Guy from the Internet, save for late in the piece where, admittedly, it sounds a little desolate. But that’s just Holly’s hangover talking — I promise.

In real life, Mount Lawley is a lively precinct once lovingly referred to as Perth’s “hipster central”. It’s a little grubby and a little shiny, with burger places, international cuisine, bars and beer gardens, boutiques, and staple venues for live shows.

Photo by Greg O’Beirne (CC BY-SA)

The main drag, Beaufort Street, is a long arterial road that extends from the city to the northern suburbs. Off it are little streets and avenues lined with quaint houses and apartments with diverse styles. The residential areas of this suburb are really quite lovely.

Though it’s never detailed in the book, Holly lives in a little apartment just inside Second Avenue. The surroundings are idyllic and leafy, though the block of flats is old and not much to look at from the outside. Let’s say it has a retro charm that can be easily turned into a comfortable home if it means as much to you as it does to her.

I won’t post a pic or a link here, but you can easily find the real-life inspiration for the place in Google Maps!

If you ever visit Perth, it’s worth dropping into Mount Lawley. And in case you need a travel checklist, here are my top 5 favourite places to dine:

• el PÚBLICO — a Mexican restaurant with an impressive tequila and mezcal bar
• Yuzu Kaiten Sushi — Perth’s best (in my opinion) sushi train
• Solo Pasta — a by-the-metre pasta restaurant
• Meet & Bun — a trendy burger joint
• Side Door BBQ — an American BBQ restaurant with amazing food and friendly service