Follow a trail connecting fairytale giants, get up close with friendly dolphins and enjoy an epic floating feast in Western Australia’s second-biggest city.

Once a tiny fishing town, Mandurah is now a bustling city in its own right, and if you follow the Kwinana Freeway south from Perth for an hour you’ll discover a vibrant coastal community. Perched between the Indian Ocean and a vast estuary twice the size of Sydney Harbour, Mandurah is blessed with an abundance of waterfront views and the rivers, lakes, wetlands and ocean make it an aquatic playground no matter what your adventure level.

Every December, the town swells with crowds flocking to see one of Australia’s most elaborate Christmas lights displays, but you can get up close to incredible ancient life forms, experience the land through the eyes of its Bindjareb custodians and take a selfie with the whimsical Giants of Mandurah all year round. Whether you’re dreaming of a holiday with the kids, a romantic weekend escape or a relaxing break, here are the best things to do in Mandurah.

1. Meet the Giants of Mandurah

Part puzzle, part outdoor exhibition and part nature trail, the four Giants of Mandurah (plus one in Subiaco) were an instant hit when they were installed in a series of stunning hidden locations around town late in 2022.

Standing up to five metres tall and made entirely from reclaimed wood, each figure is expertly integrated into the natural landscape; one giant sits cross-legged and stares out over the Indian Ocean from a hilltop dune, while another rests beside a picturesque wetland filled with paperbarks and jarrah trees while holding a small tree.

Visit them all and you can unlock the location of a final giant, which is reached via a 3.5-kilometre walk through fragrant groves of peppermint gums and towering tuarts.

2. Enjoy an epic seafood cruise

If you want to explore the region in style, you can’t do better that the Wild Seafood Experience on Mandurah Cruises, an indulgent three-hour feast that gives you a chance to see – and taste – the local marine life.

Enjoy a welcome cocktail as you cruise out of the estuary and keep an eye out for dolphins jumping in the ship’s wake and ospreys swooping down to pluck fish from the water, then dig into a seven-course lunch featuring Western Australian oysters, crabs, salmon, octopus, scallops, barramundi and freshly caught rock lobster, all washed down with free-flowing drinks from Margaret River’s Howard Park Wines.

If you’re game, you can even haul up your own lobster pot and watch the private chef cook it up for you.

3. Connect to Country on a Mandjoogoordap Dreaming tour

The modern town of Mandurah lies on Bindjareb Country and its longstanding importance is reflected in their name for this land. Mandjoogoordap means “meeting place of the heart" and the words for river and umbilical cord are the same in the Bindjareb language.

That ongoing connection to the land is one of the key themes of George Walley’s bus, walking and canoe tours with Mandjoogoordap Dreaming, which explore how the seasons, plants and waterways shaped the local culture over tens of thousands of years and allow you to see this remarkable environment through his eyes.

4. See the Mandurah Christmas lights

Every December, the foreshore transforms into a glowing amusement park with a castle big enough to walk through, a combi driven by Santa and a bridge lit up in Christmas colours.

But it’s on the canals that the Mandurah Christmas lights show really goes into overdrive, with hundreds of houses competing to have the most eye-catching display of flashing Santas, sleighs and snowmen.

And instead of driving, you can cruise through the middle of the mesmerising spectacle on a pirate ship that glitters like it’s covered in Swarovski crystals, or get a few friends together and hire a barbecue boat for a self-guided tour of the festive show.

5. See the thrombolites at Lake Clifton

As you breathe in the fresh ocean air blowing over Lake Clifton, spare a thought for the thrombolites just below the pier. These rock-like communities of microbes are among the oldest forms of life on earth and some of them are over 2000 years old.

Even more amazingly, these remarkable organisms have barely changed since they provided the earth’s first atmospheric oxygen some 600 million years ago and you can see these evolutionary marvels up close from the short boardwalk that juts into the aquamarine lagoon.

6. Take a dip at Mandurah’s beaches

Any list of the best free things to do in Mandurah has to include a tour of the local swimming spots, and there are enough options that you could comfortably stay for a few weeks without visiting the same one twice.

Falcon Beach and Town Beach both face north and are protected from the southerly winds, making them great family options, while anyone craving a bit more action will enjoy the swells that roll into Pyramids Beach.

The rock pools and reefs around Blue Bay mean there’s plenty to explore both above and below water, and if you don’t want to clean all that sand off at the end of the day, follow the squeals of delight to the Kwillena Gabi pool on the estuary. The name means “dolphin waters" in the Bindjareb language, and sometimes these curious creatures swim right through the pool, which has an accessible ramp and is suitable for kids of all ages.

 7. Join a dolphin cruise

Almost one hundred bottlenose dolphins live and play in the waters around Mandurah, and if you spend any time in the region you’re almost guaranteed to spot them feeding and frolicking near the shore. But the best way to see them up close is on an hour-long Dolphin Cruise.

Almost every day of the year, the playful creatures will leap out of the water beside the boat and ride its wake, and the crew have such a high success rate that they offer a Dolphin Guarantee.

8. Catch your own seafood for lunch

The entire Peel region is known for its seafood, and no list of fun things to do in Mandurah is complete without a mention of the famous blue swimmer crabs. Morning and evening are the best times to catch them, and the tasty crustaceans are so plentiful that you don’t need a licence (though there are bag limits) and you can catch them from a jetty, a boat or even by wading into the shallows with nets. If you prefer a line and reel, the proximity of both estuary and beach means there’s great fishing for herring, black bream, mulloway and King George whiting.

9. Hit up Mandurah’s golf courses

Queensland might have the Gold Coast, but the abundance of courses within easy reach of Mandurah has led some locals to dub this the Golf Coast. Among the best options is The Cut, an internationally recognised network of rolling dunes and immaculately kept fairways in a jaw-droppingly beautiful location right next to the Indian Ocean. Nearby Meadow Springs has hosted seven Western Australian opens, while golfers at Mandurah Country Club are often joined by kangaroos that emerge from the surrounding bush in the afternoon to graze on the fairways.

10. Talk (and dress) like a pirate for the day

If you’re looking for exciting things to do in Mandurah with kids, it’s hard to go past a voyage on the floating fancy dress party that is the Pirate Ship. Crack open the treasure chest full of pirate hats and eye patches, then set sail along the canals as you get to know your “ahoys" from your “avasts".

There are telescopes on hand in case you spot any dolphins, and little ones will love the chance to ring the boat’s bell and steer from the junior captain’s wheel right on the front deck.

11. Go birdwatching in a kayak

It’s not just marine life that benefits from the vast estuary surrounding Mandurah. The entire region is also a hotspot for waterbirds, and it only takes a few minutes of paddling to leave the suburbs behind and find yourself in bird heaven. You’ll likely see more than a dozen species in that time, including ospreys, sea eagles, spoonbills and waders from as far away as Siberia.

And as Australia’s Top Tour Guide, Salt & Bush Eco Tours owner Jamie Van Jones can help identify any species that you’re unsure of. Silent kayaks let you get surprisingly close to the birds without disturbing them, and the unique foot paddling system means you can keep your hands free to grab the perfect shot.

12. Check out Mandurah’s local brewery scene

Once you’ve worked up a thirst, follow the craft beer and wine trail to find a range of thriving craft breweries that have popped up in recent years.

The family-owned Three Rivers Brewing Company uses just four ingredients to brew a dozen classic styles that adhere strictly to the 500-year-old German purity law, while the lakeside Boundary Island Brewery is always busy thanks to a core lineup of hop-forward pale ales augmented by limited edition brews like the surprisingly refreshing pina colada beer.

Stay for lunch, and you can take advantage of a menu that follows a similar theme with pub classics like a smoked brisket burger alongside more adventurous options like the zucchini pomegranate salad.

13. Join a Paddle, Pint and Pub tour

If you can’t decide between kayaking and sipping a few local brews, combine the two on the unique Paddle, Pint and Pub Tour. You’ll spend an hour meandering lazily along glassy river systems before arriving at a waterfront pub located in a protected bird sanctuary. Then you can rest up while enjoying some classic pub grub and a cleansing ale before hopping back on the water and following the current back downriver.

14. Rent an e-bike to explore the region

Mandurah is an easy town to explore on foot, but if you want to cover a lot of ground your best bet is to head to The Bike Kiosk on the foreshore. Rent an e-bike or scooter and you’ll be able to feel the wind in your hair as you explore some of the many cycling trails that follow the canals and beachfront, or you can let the owners guide you around the region on a tour of the Giants of Mandurah or the Mandurah Christmas lights.

15. Stay at Seashells Mandurah for its waterfront views

Sandwiched between ocean and estuary and riddled with dozens of canals, Mandurah has no shortage of waterfront accommodation options. But even in this land of plenty, it’s hard to beat the views from Seashells Mandurah.

You can gaze far out over lagoon-like Town Beach from the enormous fifth-floor apartments, or stay in one of the breezy ground-floor villas with shaded decks that are literally metres from the sand. And if even that’s too far to walk for a swim, just wander over to the heated mineral pool and drink it all in.

16. Choose your own adventure on the water

If you can think of a way to move on water, rest assured you can do it in Mandurah. Avalon Point and Pyramids Beach are great places to ride the swells on a surfboard (if you need some tips, take a lesson from an expert), or if you crave a bit more power you can race over the waves on a jet ski.

And with dozens of beaches facing in different directions, you can practise paddleboarding on a glass-like bay, harness the wind with a fast-moving sail kayak or get some serious air while kitesurfing, often on the same day.