Megan Gale shares her top WA travel tips

Australian Traveller Australian Traveller
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The model, actress, brand ambassador, businesswoman and philanthropist on her secret spots to swim, shop, eat and stay and her favourite place in Perth to take her family while on holiday.

As a child, our family holidays were always to…

The south-west, mainly Bunbury. We stayed at the Bunbury Village caravan park, which was a heap of fun and also Lighthouse Beach Resort (now the Quality Lighthouse Hotel), which was on the beach. Busselton was also a popular spot to visit. One of my earliest holiday memories is visiting Busselton Jetty, which happens to be the longest timber jetty in the southern hemisphere.

Cottesloe Beach
Have a relaxing beach day at Cottesloe Beach. (Image: Tourism Western Australia)

Now, if I have time for a short break back in WA, I head straight to…

See my family. If I am only in town for a short spell, my priority is to spend as much time as possible with family and loved ones. As recent times have taught us, with the way the world is, we don’t know when we will ever be prevented from seeing our loved ones, so taking the time while you can has never been more important.

My local’s tip for visitors to my birthplace of Perth is…

To have a swim at Cottesloe Beach, a picnic in Kings Park and Botanic Garden, a stroll around Fremantle Markets and a trip over to Rottnest Island.

Fremantle Markets, WA
Strolling in Fremantle Markets is a must!

My favourite place to dine in WA is…

Bib & Tucker. The setting, the food, the service are all fantastic. My favourite dishes are the fish tacos, and the pumpkin gnocchi. The banoffee bombe Alaska for dessert is a must!

My favourite place to stay in WA is…

Crown Perth is exceptional. There are three hotels to choose from for your accommodation and an array of dining options and pools for the kids to play in. Also, it’s within close proximity to the city.

Crown Perth Aerial shot
Crown Perth is Megan Gale’s favourite place to stay in Perth.

I try to travel more consciously by…

Supporting local businesses, eating local produce and packing light. I make time to be with loved ones, while ensuring I take little moments for myself and try to be mindful of my health, wellbeing and fitness.

When I’m on the road, I’m listening to…

Such a variety of music, it’s crazy. I’ve always had mixed tastes when it comes to music – I love everything from rock to R’n’B, hip-hop music to 1970s’ funk, and chill-out tunes. I’ve created some pretty cool playlists over the years.

My last holiday read was…

Blood, Sweat & Chrome: The Wild and True Story of Mad Max: Fury Road by Kyle Buchanan. A while back, I contributed several short passages in the book, as did most of the cast and crew of Fury Road, and I acquired a copy of the book just before my last trip away. It was good to see different perspectives of the individuals involved in this epic production.

Blood Sweat and Chrome: Mad Max Fury Road Book Cover
“It was good to see different perspectives of the individuals involved in this epic production."

My travel wardrobe always consists of…

Lots of layers. The weather can be so unpredictable these days, so I take different items that I can mix and match. As I get older I tend to travel with less clothes as the kids like to take a lot of stuff!

My carry-on is usually filled with…

Apple AirPods, my phone, a book, my wallet, snacks if I’m with the kids, and a few key beauty essentials to freshen up before landing.

My souvenir of choice is…

On my last trip I bought some beautiful hand-crafted sandalwood beads made from sustainably farmed wood sourced from Kununurra. They were from Heartwood Natural Harmony in Cottesloe.

Busselton Jetty, WA
Busselton Jetty which happens to be the longest timber jetty in the southern hemisphere.

My ultimate ‘best mum in the world’ tip is…

Taking the kids to Adventure World. I used to love going there as a kid and on our last visit we took them there and they had a ball.

The one place in WA that I want to visit is…

The Ningaloo Coast; I’d love to swim with the whale sharks and manta rays and see the humpback whales. I think it would be an incredible experience and it’s definitely on my bucket list.

Need tips, more detail or itinerary ideas tailored to you? Ask AT.

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Your Mandurah guide: art, dining & dolphins await in WA’s coastal gem

    Monique Ceccato Monique Ceccato
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    Discover the perfect road trip stopover between Perth and wine country.

    Western Australia punches above its weight when it comes to coastal hot spots, but no other town or city has seen a tourism boom quite like Mandurah. Named Australia’s Top Tourism Town in 2023, it’s the relaxed, beachside break you’ve been searching for. And it’s perfectly placed, sitting between Margaret River and Perth, as it’s just a 55-minute drive from Perth’s CBD. Which is why we’ve put together your ultimate Mandurah guide.

    Aerial view of Mandurah.
    Plan your perfect coastal escape to Australia’s Top Tourism Town of 2023.

    The best things to do in Mandurah

    Wetlands and rivers, ocean and inlet; Mandurah’s laid-back lifestyle centres around the aquatic. Its waterways cover twice the ground of Sydney Harbour – measuring some 134 square kilometres in total – and form a unique environment for oceanic and estuarine flora and fauna to thrive.

    In the city’s estuary lives perhaps the region’s most famed inhabitants – a resident pod of 100 bottlenose dolphins – and the inlet’s silty bottom is home to the prized blue manna crab. Spot the former breaching and playing on an hour-long dolphin cruise through the channels, or try your hand at catching the latter by wading through the estuary’s shallows with a scoop net in hand.

    While swimming at the circular Kwillena Gabi Pool, chance encounters with the local wildlife aren’t uncommon. The sheltered estuarine pool takes its name from the traditional custodians of the land, the Bindjareb people, and directly translates to ‘dolphin waters’. Jutting out of the eastern foreshore, it’s enclosed by a ring of net-free floating pontoons, which allow the dolphins to swim freely through the attraction.

    If that’s a little too close for comfort, book a kayak tour with Down Under Discoveries. The dolphins have been known to cruise beside the paddle-powered crafts, which are a fun, family-friendly way to explore the city’s inner waterways.

    Dolphins swimming in Mandurah.
    Watch dolphins glide by as you explore Mandurah.

    You don’t have to be on the water to appreciate the coastal city’s aquatic beauty, with 600 kilometres of cycleways and scenic walking trails traversing Mandurah’s estuary, inlet and coast.

    Follow the 30-kilometre coastal trail and you’ll come face to face with one of Thomas Dambo’s headline-making ‘Giants of Mandurah sculptures, Santi Ikto, along the way. There are five sculptures around Mandurah in total, hidden among gum-filled reserves or sitting sentry over the water.

    Head to the Mandurah Visitor Centre to pick up a map to pinpoint their exact location and download the traveller’s companion to learn more about the sights along the way. Or join a three-hour e-bike tour from The Bike Kiosk and you’ll stop by two of the giants – Santi Ikto and Yaburgurt Winjan Cirkelstone – as you sightsee central Mandurah.

    The towering Santi Ikto, one of Thomas Dambo’s iconic Giants of Mandurah.
    Meet Santi Ikto, one of the legendary Giants of Mandurah.

    Where to eat in Mandurah

    Mandurah’s culinary scene reflects its laid-back lifestyle, with large, honest meals and locally brewed beer. After visiting Lake Clifton’s 2000-year-old thrombolites, head to the peppermint and gum-shaded beer garden at Thorny Devil Brewery. Tuck into a platter of house-smoked meats and an ale pulled fresh from the tanks. Closer to town and right on the waterfront is Boundary Island Brewery; here, woodfired pizza, pub-style seafood dishes and easy-drinking brews are centre stage.

    On a Murray River Lunch Cruise, the focus is as much on the environment around you as the food you’re filling up on. Help yourself to the colourful salads and freshly cooked meats on the buffet as you meander up the winding, jarrah tree-lined waterway, stopping at the heritage Cooper’s Mill for a quick walking tour along the way.

    Keep your eyes trained on the Creery Wetlands as you pass – you’ll spot much of the region’s migratory birdlife, and, as always, might see the playful bottlenose dolphins in the inlet.

    The most memorable meals aren’t necessarily always the fanciest, and lunch aboard a self-skippered Mandurah BBQ Boat is a testament to that. All food and beverage prep is left up to you as you cruise through the canals, sausages and steaks sizzling away on the central hot plate.

    If seafood is more your kind of fare, board the Wild Seafood Experience, where dolphin cruise meets long table lunch. Eight courses of crab, crayfish and scallops await.

    A table filled with plates of crab, crayfish, and scallops.
    Dine on the water with eight courses of ocean-fresh fare.

    Where to stay in Mandurah

    With so many waterways comes abundant waterside stays. Like the self-contained Seashells Mandurah on the shores of Comet Bay. The calm, oceanic outlook from the one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments and villas is as close to Maldivian as Mandurah gets. Families especially enjoy the property, bouncing between the protected cove and the beachfront pool for endless hours of fun.

    Seashells Mandurah; on the shores of Comet Bay.
    Stay right by the sea.

    The Sebel Mandurah, just a hop, skip and jump from the Mandurah Ocean Marina, has a different outlook entirely, overlooking the estuary and lively foreshore on the other side. It’s also within walking distance of the Mandurah Performing Arts Centre, cinema and a swathe of waterfront bars and eateries.

    But you can’t get any closer to the water than on a vessel from Mandurah Houseboats. You don’t need a skipper’s ticket to hire one, nor do you need comprehensive boating experience; just a full driver’s license and your undivided attention during the pre-departure tuition will do. Then you’re free to take to the estuaries and tributaries for a few nights of peaceful rest, surrounded by the very element that makes Mandurah so special.

    A houseboat cruising in Mandurah along the river
    Captain a houseboat to explore Mandurah at your own pace.

    Plan your next WA getaway in Mandurah.

    Megan Gale shares her top WA travel tips - Australian Traveller