Jacob's Ladder is a long, steep staircase that climbs the limestone escarpment from Malcolm Street in West Perth up to Kings Park, covering the equivalent of several storeys in a direct vertical assault. The 242 steps are concrete, utilitarian, and punishing — which is exactly the point. Perth's fitness enthusiasts have been running up and down this staircase for decades, and on any given morning you will find a steady stream of people going up and down as part of their training routines, many of them looking significantly more athletic than you feel watching them.
As a casual visitor, the steps are worth climbing once for the view and the satisfaction of having done it. At the top you emerge into Kings Park with a good excuse to catch your breath while taking in the panorama across the city and Swan River. The steps are free, accessible around the clock, and one of those Perth experiences that locals take entirely for granted. If you want to try running them, the accepted challenge is multiple repeats rather than a single ascent — ten times up and down is the kind of thing people mention at brunch. Coming down is harder on the knees than going up. Take water.