After enjoying days spent in Perth city centre, Fremantle, Rottnest Island and the Perth Hills we turned our attention southwards opting to explore Rockingham and Mandurah.
Rockingham is a coastal town located 50 km south of Perth, the journey taking us just 45 minutes along the Kwinana Freeway. As it was a Monday morning we had no difficulty finding a parking space along the seafront from where we enjoyed a leisurely stroll.
The pristine white, sandy beach and foreshore sits on the edge of Mangles Bay within the protected Cockburn Sound. We enjoyed a stroll along the promenade which winds its way between the sea and Churchill Park. The park provides plenty of shady areas ideal for lazy afternoon picnics.
The focal point of the seafront is its Beach Plaza with its colourful parasols and selection of bars and cafes. We sipped our morning cappuccinos out on the terrace of one of the cafes watching the waves gently roll onto the beach before setting off again.
A little further along the seafront we came to the Rockingham War Memorial featuring a cannon and surrounded by Doric columns. The monument commemorates those from the local area who died in service or were killed in action in the various conflicts in which Australia has been involved.
Another of the town’s landmarks is the Rockingham Museum housed in an art deco building. We would have liked to have popped in for a look around but as it it’s only open 5 days a week and Monday isn’t one of them, it wasn’t possible.
On returning to the car it was then just a short drive to Point Peron where there is a small free car park with access to the beach. Cape Peron sits at the southern end of Cockburn Sound taking its name from the French naturalist and zoologist Francois Péron who encountered the western coast of Australia on his 1801 expedition.
A signpost led us along a short trail to a viewing platform where we enjoyed stunning views of the rugged coastline. Although it was a hot and sunny day, it was very gusty at the viewpoint, as it is exposed to winds from both the south and west. During World War One an observation post for the nearby coastal battery was located on the hilltop with gun emplacements located below. Several remnants of the old buildings remain with information boards explaining their significance.
Between March and May the lookout is one of the best places locally for whale watching. Although we were out of season for whales we did spot a large number of cormorants perched on outlying rocky outcrops.
Back in the car, it was then a 30 minute drive on to Mandurah which received the accolade of Australia’s Top Tourism Town in 2023. The town is located in the Peel region, approximately 50 km south of Perth. Perched between the Indian Ocean and a vast estuary twice the size of Sydney harbour, Mandurah is blessed with an abundance of scenic river, lake and ocean views.
We started our visit at Dolphin Quay with a stroll around the marina which is home to a water park, children’s playground, numerous shops, cafes and restaurants. As our visit was in late November, the town was just putting its finishing touches to its elaborate Christmas display.
Every December the foreshore transforms when the Mandurah Christmas Lights Trail is lined with flashing Santa’s, sleighs and snowmen. Despite the installations not being illuminated, they looked very impressive along with the countdown clock to the big day.
Before returning to the car we popped into the visitor information centre to pick up a map of where the Giants of Mandurah sculptures are located. It’s not as simple as that though as locating the five larger than life whimsical wooden sculptures is part puzzle and part nature trail rolled into one, their exact location being kept under wraps. Created by Danish artist Thomas Dambo, the sculptures celebrate the beauty of Mandurah’s coast and bushland. None of the Giants are to be found in the town centre with the nearest being around a 10 minute drive away.
Standing up to 5 metres tall and constructed entirely from reclaimed wood each figure is integrated into its natural landscape. Deciding to tick the nearest giant off the list first, we drove along to the Coodanup Foreshore Reserve. Tucked away amongst the trees overlooking the bay we found our first giant lying down. Luckily for us, there was no-one else around so we were able to spend a few minutes taking photos and admiring the installation.
A short distance further along the bay was the Creery Wetland Nature Reserve where we followed a boardwalk trail overlooking the estuary. A viewing platform and bird hide have been positioned to view the marshy habitat for the 22 species of migratory birds, and across the natural harbour.
Spurred on by uncovering one of the giants, we returned to the car and headed to Halls Head to find another. After following a fairly steep uphill path from the car park through the sand dunes we were rewarded to find a bushy bearded giant sitting cross legged looking out to sea on the cliff top. Not only was the giant impressive but its stunning location was too.
Sadly, there wasn’t time for more Giant spotting, but we were happy to have found two of them before setting off back to Perth.
