Geraldton

Geraldton was proudly awarded silver in the Western Australian Top Tourism Town Awards 2023.

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 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 watersports enthusiasts and maritime historians.

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 paddleboarding, windsurfing, kitesurfing, diving, snorkelling, fishing or beachcombind. Head to Town Beach during the warmer months (November to April), where you can try flyboarding, jet skiing, wakeboarding or tubing. Geraldton's consistent summer winds have made the city one of the world's top windsurfing and kitesurfing locations, with Point Moore, Sunset Beach, St Georges Beach and Coronation Beach all providing excellent conditions (October to April). Winter is ideal for surfing, with Back Beach a good break for beginners, and Sunset Beach, Greenough and Flat Rocks popular for the more experienced with bigger swells.

Town Beach, situated along Geraldton's Foreshore, is a family friendly space, with BBQs, free Wi-Fi, picnic tables, playground, waterpark and Youth Precinct. Featuring colourful climbing equipment, slides and swings, water fountains and more, the Foreshore area 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 local sea lions sunning themselves on Seal Rock.

The popular Coronation Beach - locally referred to as 'Coros' - is a haven for those who love water-based activities. Coros offers awesome fishing, windsurfing, swimming and kitesurfing opportunities, along with BBQ and camping facilities (for a small nightly fee).

For more information about Geraldton's beaches and their respective facilities, refer to Visit Geraldton's Holiday Planner.

For an immersive experience, explore Geraldton Harbour on an early morning Lobster Pot Pull tour and have a chef cook up your catch. Or, enjoy a Summer Sunset Cruise, taking in an iconic Western Australian sunset from the ocean. Enjoy food, beverages and live music during the warmer months (November to January). Book this tour via the Geraldton Visitor Centre.

An Island Paradise

Just 60km off the coast, the Houtman 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-aboard charter. The Islands were 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.

During your time Geraldton, make sure to visit one of the pearl jewellers to see unique colours pearls and learn about the aquaculture operations on the Islands - and purchase a memento of your time there!

Culture, History & Heritage

Point Moore Lighthouse, with its iconic red and white design, is the tallest 'metal' lighthouse in Australia at 34m tall. Its beam can be seen 26 kilometres out to sea, and it iss the oldest surviving Commonwealth lighthouse in Western Australia. Lighthouse open days are held at various times throughout the year - check with the Geraldton Visitor Centre for when the next open day is scheduled. Nearby, Separation Point Lookout offers incredible panoramic views across the Indian Ocean and the coastal city.

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. Volunteer-run 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.

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 Yamatji Drive Trail featuring 14 sites of significance to local Yamatji 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 Yamatji 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 Yamatji 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.

Geraldton's Fishermen's Wharf

Located in Geraldton's West End within the city's Fishing Boat Harbour, Fishermen's Wharf is a working wharf where you can buy fresh seafood straight off the back of the boat, sit back and enjoy a seafood meal, or set off on an Abrolhos Islands, fishing or lobster pot-pulling adventure.

• Enjoy a local seafood meal, including Western Rock Lobster, at Barnacles on the Wharf
• Buy freshly caught seafood, straight off the back of the boat, at Brolos Fresh - they'll get the fish off the boat and prepare it right before your eyes! It doesn't get much fresher than that.
• Go behind the scenes of a working rock lobster factory at Geraldton Fishermen's Co-operative (note: tours are temporarily suspended until further notice).
• Depart on a day trip or liveaboard cruise to the Houtman Abrolhos Islands with Abrolhos Adventures or Eco Abrolhos
• Set off on a fishing charter or lobster pot-pulling tour