Windy Lancelin – Sandboarding, Surfing, and A Seaside Getaway
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- Category: Travel in WA
- Published: Wednesday, 10 April 2013 11:04
- Written by Nita Teoh
Lancelin is a beautiful sea side town around one hour from Perth, and makes for an easy day trip north up the coast of Western Australia. Keep going up the coast and you may just find yourself in Exmouth or even Broome!
The trip to Lancelin is an easy drive along the Indian Ocean Drive. Take the Mitchell Freeway, pass through Joondalup, take the turn for Wanneroo Road, which leads to Lancelin Drive, and then head straight up the Indian Ocean Drive. You’ll pass by Yanchep, and the small seaside towns of Seabird and Ledge Point to get there.
If you have time to spare on the way, two attractions that would make for good side trips for families are Caversham Wildlife Park within Whiteman Park and The Maze in Bullsbrook. The Caversham Wildlife Park is a 30 minute trip from Wanneroo. The Maze is a 20 minute trip from the Joondalup township.
The Maze is a place to get lost for the day….hopefully not for too long, since you’ll want to make time to have breakfast with the koalas if they’re not sleeping or eating gum leaves…two of their favourite things and the probability is high that they’ll be engaged in one or the other of these activities. :-)
For keen astronomers, there’s the Discovery Gravity Centre in Gingin just off Wanneroo Road to visit and learn about the wonders of our cosmos.
Little fruit and vegetable stalls are dotted along the way to the Gravity Centre, including the Strawberry Fields Tea Garden at 2024 Wanneroo Road in Neerabup. The thought of biting into some fresh juicy strawberries might appeal, but be warned that you’ll be put to work to pick these luscious beauties first!
As you enter the town of Lancelin along the main road, you’ll pass a gas station which hires out equipment for sand boarding at affordable rates. In the distance, the gleaming white sand dunes beckon fun loving sand boarders who are ready for their hit of adrenaline.
For sand boarding in Lancelin, you can either do it yourself (DIY) or it can also be done as part of a tour. In addition to sand boarding in Lancelin, this tour also takes in the Caversham Wildlife Park and the Pinnacles desert by 4WD.
Once in Lancelin, on the way to the jetty and beach you’ll pass a strip of shops on Gingin Road. Along this strip you’ll find an IGA (handy for provisions), a chemist, the Vibes pizza cafe, LJ’s fish and chips, Rosie’s chicken and the Silver Coast bakery. The bakery is tucked behind the main row of shops, and offers fresh bread and the usual small town bakery offerings such as fresh custard tarts and vanilla slices.
As we hit the beach, the emerald green colour of the water glistens against the backdrop of the clear blue skies. It’s a gusty, windy day – it should be since it is Lancelin after all! Lancelin is world famous for its breezes and is home to some prominent international events such as the Lancelin Ocean Classic which is the longest running windsurfing event in Australia.
The jetty is busy…and it’s just another day for the fisherman. We take a break along the beach with our snacks and drinks. Two seagulls are having a friendly chase and squabble. I laugh as the thought crosses my mind that they are not unlike humans….the scenario that I think of is the wife chasing after her husband….. "you forgot to get some food, and now we’re going to starve!"
At the jetty, it’s all go as seafood is loaded onto the boat from a Kailis van that does frequent trips back and forth from the jetty. Seafood such as the prized crayfish (aka rock lobster) is one of the primary industries that keeps towns such as Lancelin and Cervantes alive.
Speaking of food, two popular eating and drinking spots are the Endeavour Tavern and Lancelin Bay Restaurant. Both command great views of the ocean.
If you’re planning more than a day trip, then there are a range of accommodation options available including motels, B&B options, camping, backpackers, self contained apartments, and holiday homes. Options include the Lancelin Beach Hotel which has motel style rooms and an on-site Dunes Restaurant and Bar. The Lancelin Lodge YHA on Hopkins Street is a good option for backpackers.
Windy Lancelin, a seaside town 1 hour north of Perth makes for a great day trip or a weekend visit. Enjoy sand boarding the dunes, or just pull up a dune at the beach to watch the world go by and take in the fresh seaside breeze.
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