Renowned for its vast waterways, jovial dolphins, and outdoor lifestyle, Mandurah is adored for its endless summer allure. Named Australia’s Top Tourism Town in 2023, Mandurah also boasts stunning walks and wetlands, highlighted by Thomas Dambo’s Giants of Mandurah who are the protectors of Mandurah’s natural environment and wildlife. While the destination shines in summer, its trails are equally perfect for exploration all year round. Located just an hour’s drive from the hustle and bustle of Perth, these trails offer a serene and rejuvenating nature escape.
Here are our top picks for an active and rejuvenating day out in Mandurah’s great outdoors.
Halls Head Coastal Trail
The Halls Head Coastal Path is a fantastic coastal walk boasting sweeping Indian Ocean vistas. If you’re looking for a place to go for a beachside morning run, cycle, or walk with the dog, this is a great option. Not to mention plenty of opportunities to jump off the path and stop for a caffeinated brew or bite to eat. There’s also a new high-quality coastal shared path between Janis Street in the south and Sharland Street (Doddi’s Beach) to the north.
Distance: 10.5 kilometres
Difficulty: Easy
Estimated time: Two hours and five minutes
Joseph and Dulcie Nannup Trail
The Joseph and Dulcie Nannup Trail is a flat and scenic, four-kilometre (eight-kilometre return) family-friendly walk along the Serpentine River from Goegrup Lake to the Pinjarra Road Bridge. The trail is named after the Nannup family who used to reside in bush camps along the river and lived on fish caught from the area’s waterways. Here, you’ll spot diverse birdlife, the native quenda, and possibly dolphins, as well as a range of vegetation.
The trail consists of sealed pathways, unsealed compacted limestone, and accessible boardwalks wide enough to fit most wheelchairs. There are also multiple entry and exit points to the trail along the waterfront.
If a guided walk is more your thing, Down Under Discoveries has a holistic Mindful Trails & Creative Tales experience led by a certified nature and forest therapy guide and eco-therapist. They also offer a range of other guided nature and kayak tours which are available on select dates throughout August.
Distance: 4.3 kilometres
Difficulty: Easy with all abilities access
Estimated time: Between one and three hours
Nature Trail at Len Howard Conservation Park
Suitable for the whole family, this short but tranquil Nature Trail in the Len Howard Conservation Park traverses the Ramsar-listed Peel-Harvey estuary — the largest and most diverse estuarine complex in the south of Western Australia. Keep your eyes peeled for dolphins and hundreds of waterbirds, including large numbers of migrant shorebirds from the Northern Hemisphere. If you’re walking in the early morning or evening, you may even spot one of the resident kangaroos or a quenda foraging in the soil for earthworms and fungi.
Distance: 1 kilometre
Difficulty: Easy with gentle hills or occasional steps
Estimated time: Less than an hour
Samphire Cove Trail
The Samphire Cove Trail takes you through the gated nature reserve and continues to a long boardwalk over the wetlands. Not only is it an excellent birdwatching spot, but a great way to view some of Mandurah’s magnificent canal homes.
Samphire Cove Nature Reserve is located on the north-western side of the Peel Inlet, adjacent to the Port Mandurah residential estate and north-west of the Mandurah Bypass Bridge. There’s a carpark near the entrance and toilets are available in the park, south of the bridge. Just note that dogs aren’t allowed due to species nesting on the ground.
Distance: 1.5 kilometres
Difficulty: Easy with all abilities access
Estimated time: Less than an hour
Mariner’s Cove Trail at Creery Wetland Reserve
Mariner’s Cove Trail is an easy three-kilometre loop which takes you through Creery Wetlands, which is completely gated to protect wildlife from foxes and stray cats. It’s a fabulous spot to watch waterbirds including 22 species of migratory shorebirds with two boardwalks overlooking the estuary featuring information panels, a viewing platform, and a bird hide. These extraordinary birds spend the southern summer on lakes and beaches in Australia, then fly north to catch the summer in their Northern Hemisphere breeding grounds. The reserve is also home to a population of Quendas — a native marsupial.
Distance: 3 kilometres
Difficulty: Easy with all abilities access
Estimated time: Between one and three hours
Possum Loop, Island Point Reserve
The Island Point Reserve Possum Loop is the shorter of the two trails available in the biodiverse reserve which traverses the Ramsar-listed Peel-Harvey estuary. A mix of compacted pathways, grass, and sandy paths, the trail is a terrific way to discover this region of Noongar significance, with interpretative historical signage, vibrant flora, and fauna.
There are several seating alcoves along the way, where if you’re quiet enough, you may see western bearded dragons basking in the sun or ospreys soaring through the skies above. This walk stars an abundance of plant life all year round including Samphire, Saltwater Sheoak, Saltwater Paperbark, and Shoe Rush. But in spring, the reserve comes alive when native orchids put on a colourful display with Pink Enable Orchids, Cowslip Orchids, and Leaping Spider Orchids all in bloom.
Distance: 2.3 kilometres
Difficulty: Easy with gentle hills or occasional steps
Estimated time: Between one and three hours
Bobtail Loop, Island Point Reserve
Alternatively, the 3.3-kilometre Bobtail Loop is available for those after a longer trail option. The track offers ample opportunity to witness an abundance of flora including orchids, fungi, banksias, peppermint, tuart, and flowering Christmas trees. The reserve is also brimming with birdlife and fauna such as ospreys, splendid wrens, western bearded dragons, and bobtail lizards.
Distance: 3.3 kilometres
Difficulty: Easy with gentle hills or occasional steps
Estimated time: Between one and three hours
Lakeside Loop Trail and Lake Clifton Thrombolites at Yalgorup National Park
As the name suggests, Lakeside Loop Trail is an easy five-kilometre loop walk beside Lake Clifton in Yalgorup National Park. Here, the vegetation consists of paperbarks, melaleucas, peppermints, and tuarts. Lake Clifton also contains the largest known community of living thrombolites in the Southern Hemisphere. These rock-like structures are built by microorganisms and are living communities of diverse inhabitants which represent the earliest forms of life on earth, producing oxygen which enabled other life forms to develop. The thrombolites are best viewed from the Thrombolites Boardwalk which is a short walk from the information shelter at the start of the trail.
Or, if you’d prefer a guided option, Salt and Bush Eco Tours offer a Thrombolites Discovery Tour.This is your golden opportunity to immerse yourself in nature because owner and tour guide Jamie van Joneswas named Australia’s Top Tour Guide in 2022.
Distance: 5 kilometres
Difficulty: Easy with gentle hills or occasional steps
Estimated time: Between one and three hours
Goolamwiin Overnight Camping Tour
For something a bit more adventurous,Goolamwiinhosts anAboriginal cultural experience and overnight bush campwithin Yalgorup National Park. The tour features a Noongar welcome, bush walking tour, bush tucker tasting, language session, Aboriginal dance, cultural healing ceremony, campfire dinner, overnight camping, storytelling, and a camp breakfast.
The Bike Kiosk
With 600 kilometres of cycleways tracing the ocean and estuarine waterways of Mandurah, you won’t be short on places to ride your e-scooter or e-bike. If you’d like to cover more ground with ease and fun, hire an e-scooter or e-bike from The Bike Kiosk. They also offer guided Ride The Giants e-bike tours that are a great way to discover Mandurah’s magnificent landscape while learning about the mythical Giants of Mandurah.
Relax and reconnect with Mandurah’s spectacular nature trails, just a short drive from Perth. For more information and to plan your visit, head to the Visit Mandurah website.
