The City of Geraldton has established itself as a trendy and diverse seaside city with the emergence of cold-brew coffee, great food, street-art and arts festivals, shopping for coloured pearls, and indigenous drive trails. Blessed with beautiful inner-city beaches and a warm, windy climate - the region is a popular destination for water sports enthusiasts and maritime historians visiting Point Moore lighthouse.
Beaches, Islands + Water-based Activities
Geraldton’s coast is a watersport wonderland, with a range of water-based opportunities such as swimming, surfing, stand up paddling, windsurfing, kiteboarding, diving, snorkelling, fishing or beachcombing. Head to Town Beach during the warmer months (November to April), where you can try flyboarding, jet skiing, wake boarding or tubing. Geraldton’s consistent summer winds have made the city one of the world’s top windsurfing and kiteboarding locations, with Point Moore, Sunset Beach, St Georges Beach and Coronation Beach all providing excellent conditions (October – April). Winter is ideal for surfing with Back Beach a good break for beginners, and Sunset Beach, Greenough and Flat Rocks popular in bigger swells for the more experienced.
The town beach is a family-friendly space with BBQs, free Wi-Fi, picnic tables, playground, waterpark and Youth Precinct. Featuring colourful climbing equipment, swings and slides, water fountains and more, the Foreshore will keep the kids cool and happy. The nearby Esplanade offers fantastic views over the city from its landscaped walkways and viewing platforms. Use the binoculars to check out the local sea lions on Seal Rock.
The popular Coronation Beach – locally referred to as “Coros” – is a haven for those with a love of water-based activities. Coros offers awesome fishing, windsurfing, swimming and kiteboarding opportunities, alongside camping and BBQ facilities (for a small nightly fee).
For more information about Geraldton's beaches and their respective facilities, refer to the Geraldton Holiday Planner.
Just 60km off the coast, the Abrolhos Islands is Geraldton’s very own aquatic playground – one of Australia’s top spots for fishing, diving, windsurfing and swimming, or just relaxing on white sandy beaches. Enjoy a scenic flight or stay on-board a multi-day live-abroad charter. The Islands are only the second location in Australia to be awarded a Hope Spot location by Mission Blue, whose role is to determine vital ecosystems and ignite support to safeguard them as marine protected areas. Whilst in Geraldton purchase the unique coloured pearl and learn about the aquaculture operations on the Islands.
Explore Geraldton Harbour on an early morning Lobster Pot Pull and have a chef cook up your catch with a harbour tour or enjoy a Summer Sunset Cruise as the sun sets over the Indian Ocean. Enjoy food, beverages and live music during the warmer months (November to January). Book this tour with the Geraldton Visitor Centre.
Culture, History + Heritage
Point Moore Lighthouse with it's iconic red and white design stands 34m tall, making it the tallest ‘metal’ lighthouse in Australia. Its beam can be seen 26 kilometres out to sea and is the oldest surviving Commonwealth lighthouse in Western Australia. The annual Point Moore Lighthouse Open Day is on the third Sunday in August.
Located on Mount Scott, the stunning HMAS Sydney II Memorial commemorates the 645 Australian crew who lost their lives during a World War II naval battle in 1941. The memorial is made up of five symbolic elements: the Central Memorial Building including the Dome of Souls, the Wall of Remembrance, the Stele, the Waiting Woman, and the Pool of Remembrance: Closing the Circle. Note: Tours commence daily at 10:30am (donations welcome)
Visit the Museum of Geraldton to find out more about the region's rich heritage of the land, sea and people of the greater Geraldton area. See archaeological riches from four Dutch shipwrecks - Batavia, Gilt Dragon, Zuytdorp, and Zeewijk, in the Shipwrecks Gallery or join the highlights tour (daily at 11.30am). Enjoy the 3D film showing the HMAS Sydney II and HSK Kormoran which lie 2,500m deep in the ocean. Open 9.30am to 3pm daily, excluding public holidays. Find out more about the history of the Abrolhos Islands.
Follow that up with a more modern masterpiece! Some see a snow globe, others a clear marble. You will find this modern art installation, Horizon: Public Art, the city of Geraldton's newest #Instaworthy location, on the Beresford Foreshore at the bottom of Dean Street. The 1.5metre sphere named Horizon comes highly regarded, created by artist Lucy Humphrey. The piece was first featured at Australia’s Sculpture by the Sea exhibition. The very big, clear sphere turns the world upside down due to the water inside. The design is sure to delight at all times of the day because of the way light reflects off it.
Through an interactive display of video, imagery and a diverse collection of artefacts, the Monsignor Hawes Heritage Centre provides an insight into the life and work of Monsignor John Hawes. The Byzantine style St Francis Xavier Cathedral is one of his greatest masterpieces. Guided tours are available for a small fee (Monday, Wednesday and Sunday at 2:30pm and Friday at 4pm). The Cathedral is part of the Monsignor Hawes Heritage Trail.
Explore Geraldton's indigenous culture on the Yamaji Drive Trail featuring 14 sites of significance to local Yamaji Aboriginal people living in the Geraldton, Greenough and Mullewa areas. Pick up a self-guide brochure from the Geraldton Visitor Centre. Back this up with a visit to the Yamaji Art Centre which is Aboriginal owned and operated. The gallery provides professional services to support and develop Aboriginal artists living in the Lower Murchison region of Yamaji Country with a focus on sustaining cultural maintenance and arts practice while creating economic benefit.
Enjoy Geraldton's Art Trail by picking up a map from the Geraldton Visitor Centre, and take a self-guided tour throughout the city of Geraldton, where you will come across colourful street art, local galleries, art installations like the Ilgarijiri (Emu eggs sculpture), and decorated walls (such as the popular butterflies wall), paths and bollards. While in the city, don't forget to visit the Geraldton Regional Art Gallery.
Geraldton is a great festival city, be it an art and jewellery exhibit, weekend music festival, muster and rodeo event, writers’ weekend, comedy festival, or wind-sports event – Geraldton has that extra something happening whenever you choose to visit. Check the Visit Geraldton website for what’s on.
Cafes + Dining
Dine in diversity – from Chinese to Italian, rooftop bars to high tea, sweet treats to tasty tapas along Marine Terrace or otherwise known as 'Eat Street'. Geraldton’s food and drink scene is ever changing and a top reason to stay the night. Your visit isn’t complete until you’ve tasted the locally-caught Western Rock Lobster (crayfish) available at many restaurants in the city and overlooking the harbour.
Explore around Geraldton
Geraldton is a great base from which to explore Wildflower Country, with visitors coming from far and wide to see the spectacular wildflowers (July to October). From the Chapman River Regional Park to the Moresby Ranges, Mullewa and Coalseam Conservation Park, there are hundreds of species to discover, including everlastings, pom-poms, wreath flowers, orchids and Geraldton wax. Learn more about the spectacular wildflowers by speaking to the Geraldton Visitor Centre staff for the latest wildflower report.
South of Geraldton, head to Ellendale Pool, which is a stunning water hole naturally formed along the picturesque Greenough River. Located near the historic town of Greenough, it is surrounded by magnificent gum trees and a rocky gorge, and is just 45km or 20 minutes drive south east of Geraldton. Interpretive signs celebrate the importance the pool has played in Aboriginal and European history. This location is also part of the Yamaji Drive Trail.
Interested in more historical significance, head north from Geraldton to Northampton, one of the oldest settlements in WA outside of Perth. Located 18.5kms south of Northampton, Oakabella Homestead offers daily tours of the beautifully restored building explaining 1851 in its pioneering, stone homestead glory.
