Sun, Stars, and Seafood: Exploring Mandurah Near Perth

Mandurah is a coastal city in Western Australia, about an hour's drive south of Perth. Its name comes from the Bindjareb people of the Noongar Nation, who called it Mandjoogoordap, meaning 'meeting place of the heart.' The city is full of natural waterways, canals, beaches, and wildlife. Some people even call it the Venice of Western Australia.

A travel writer and her friends visited Mandurah for four days in March. They rented electric bikes and cycled along the shore, passing fancy waterfront homes, groups of black swans, and snorkelling students. Their route led them to Santi Ikto, one of six giant wooden sculptures hidden around the region. Made by Danish artist Thomas Dambo from recycled wood, the 7-metre figure sits cross-legged with its arms raised toward the sky.

On their second morning, the group woke before dawn to kayak on the Serpentine River. The water was peaceful and shallow, and they spotted many birds along the banks, including spoonbills and black-winged stilts that migrate all the way from Russia. As the sunrise turned the river pink and orange, their guides spotted a mother dolphin and her calf about 200 metres away. The group listened quietly as the two dolphins clicked and squeaked to each other in the shallow water.

The group then drove south to Lake Clifton in Yalgorup National Park for a stargazing night. A professional astronomer showed them Jupiter, the Orion constellation, and the Carina Nebula — a region 8,000 light years away where new stars are forming. They also saw the Pleiades star cluster, which inspired the name and logo of the Subaru car brand. The lake's distance from city lights made the sky remarkably clear and full of stars.

Back in Mandurah, the group enjoyed the city's famous food scene, including fresh blue manna crab and lobster dishes. Their visit happened to fall during the annual Mandurah Crab Fest, which draws more than 100,000 visitors each year. Local residents say Mandurah is a city on the rise, full of natural beauty, good food, and a strong community spirit. Whether cycling, kayaking, stargazing, or eating, there is something for every kind of explorer.