Things To Do in Jurien Bay: Locals Guide

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Jurien Bay is a relaxed fishing town in Western Australia and a popular short break destination from Perth. Visitors enjoy the beautiful white sand beaches and surfing, fishing, and snorkelling in the bay’s protected waters.

As locals we have visited Jurien Bay numerous times and found all the best things to do there.

Free Things To Do in Jurien Bay

There are various free things to do in Jurien Bay, whether travelling as a family, couple, or solo. Most activities are centered around the ocean, including swimming, fishing, and snorkelling, but there are also land-based ones like cycling, four-wheel driving, hikes, and a cave to explore.

Jurien Bay Jetty

Take a walk along the second largest jetty in Western Australia at 162m long. There’s even a floating pontoon at the end with ladders down to the water during the summer months.

The area near the jetty has been redeveloped, making it a popular place to socialise and enjoy the sunset and views. The free BBQs and picnic tables along the foreshore are kept very clean, and the kids can have fun on the playground and skate park.

Beach Activities

The beautiful turquoise waters of Jurien Bay are sheltered by an extensive limestone reef system parallel to the shore, making it an ideal swimming beach for families.

During summer, a strong sea breeze comes in around 11 am most days, making it extremely windy. Make the most of it with some wind or kite surfing.

Jurien Bay Snorkel Trail

Edit: Reports are now that the trail has been covered with sand and is not visible.

The Jurien Bay Underwater Interpretive Trail features an artificial reef made of reef balls placed on the ocean floor near the remains of the old jetty (about 25 m out).

Jurien Bay Marine Park

Extending from south of Wedge Island (South Rocks) to Dynamite Bay in Green Head, Jurien Bay Marine Park is a haven for the rare Australian Sea Lion. Explore the colourful coral and underwater caves – diving and snorkeling are excellent because islands and limestone reefs shelter the bay. You may hear the clicking of western rock lobsters who live amongst the extensive seagrass meadows.

Boullanger Island, just 1 km offshore from Island Point at the southern end of Jurien Bay, offers superb diving and the seagrass meadow on the western side is a wonderful spot for families to snorkel.

The main attraction is the Australian Sea Lions, only found in Western Australia and South Australia. Around 21% of the WA population live and breed in this area. As always, look but don’t touch wildlife, and remember that feeding them is prohibited.

You can fish in Jurien Bay Marine Park, but special rules are applied in some zones. Ensure you find out the zones before fishing. Apart from the western rock lobster (crayfish), you may be lucky enough to land dhufish, pink snapper, baldchin groper, whiting, mulloway, and Australian herring.

See a map of Jurien Bay Marine Park and information regarding the zones in this Jurien Bay Marine Park brochure.

Lesueur National Park

Lesueur National Park, located 27 km northeast of Jurien Bay, is one of the best places to view Western Australian wildflowers. Visit here around August and September, and you may see some beautiful orchids, including pink enamel, purple enamel, cowslip, blue lady, white spider, and donkey orchids. The park is home to 10% of WA’s known flora (over 900 species) like acacias, hibbertias, leschenaultias, melaleucas, and gastrolobiums.

Keep your eye out for the native birds and the 52 reptile species that live here – you’re bound to see geckoes and legless lizards.

A good way to see the park is on the one-way 18.5 km loop drive, especially in spring when the wildflowers bloom. In addition, there are a few walk trails that leave from the scenic drive:

Botanical Path is a 400 m return trail leading to Iain Wilson Lookout with interpretative signs identifying local plants and indigenous culture.

Lesueur Trail is a 400 m return from the Iain Wilson Lookout to the summit of Mount Lesueur, which offers beautiful views of the surrounding landscape.

Gairdner Ridge is a 2.5 km loop which leaves from Drummond car park through heath and low woodlands to Gairdner Ridge.

Fishing at Jurien Bay

Jurien Bay is a popular fishing spot with holidaymakers and anglers. Fish off the jetty for Snapper, Samson Fish, Mulloway, and possibly Spanish Mackerel.

Jurien Habour provides the chance to catch Herring, Tailor, Silver Trevally, Flathead, and Whiting. 

Cycling

Take your bike with you and cycle the Turquoise Way Trail, a 14.2 km sealed path along the coast from Jurien Bay Marina to the Hill River Mouth. It starts flat but gets a bit hilly in the southern half.

A word of warning, though, be prepared for hundreds of flies in the spring (not a pleasant experience!).

Glow in the Dark Gallery

For something different, visit the Glow in the Dark Gallery, which opens after sunset. The unique art, created by local Kiera, uses mainly aerosol and acrylic and gives a mesmerising photoluminescent display.

Entry to the gallery is free, but Kiera is grateful for any donations (or purchases).

Stockyard Gully Caves

Stockyard Gully Reserve is home to several limestone caves that lead to an underground river system. The name derived from stockman who camped here travelling from Geraldton to Perth and used the gullies as a pen to hold their cattle in the 1950s.

There’s a sign as you enter the cave about dangers – consider your options and note that you enter the cave at your own risk.

A 4wd is required to reach the cave car-parks, and AWD/2WD vehicles are not appropriate due to height clearance needed for limestone rocks and soft sand driving on unsealed roads.

You can access the caves from north and south, but the easiest way is from Coorow-Green Head Road in the south and turn onto Cockleshell Gully Road. The north entrance from Coolimba-Eneabba onto Pearson’s Track is recommended for experienced four-wheel drivers only as the path is narrow and rocky. However, we took this route in and didn’t find it that bad.

The easy 1.3 km return trail in Stockyard Gully starts at the Cockleshell Gully Road picnic area and takes you along a sandy gully and into a cool limestone cave. It’s wide and tall, so you don’t feel claustrophobic, but it does require mobility as there are a few rocks to climb to enter the cave.

Make sure you bring a torch as it’s pitch black in the middle of the cave. Look out for the colonies of bats but don’t shine your torch at them.

Natural beehives are at both entrances, so take care not to disturb the bees. They will be more active on hot days (we went in October, and it wasn’t a problem).

Please bring plenty of water with you as it can be sweltering and there isn’t any available in the park. Insect repellent is a good idea for ticks, mosquitoes, and flies.

Sandy Cape

Sandy Cape is 13 km north of Jurien Bay and can be accessed by two-wheel drives. This beautiful beach offers great swimming, snorkelling, and fishing in its sheltered bay and sandboarding on the dunes.

Take your 4wd onto the beach, but stay between the high and low water line, or try out some 4wd tracks in the area. You can find remains of a WWII radar installation, with two intact shelters, original foundations, and an underground tank at North Head, accessible by 4wd only. Park in the parking area and walk the 300 m to the shelters to preserve this important military heritage site.

Fishing is good at Sandy Cape, where you can catch mulloway, tailor, or whiting in the shallows. However, check the signs as there are restrictions in some places.

There’s a campsite at Sandy Cape Recreation Park with 88 unpowered sites accessible by 2wd. You can also camp in the 4WD areas north and south of Sandy Cape. Bring your own water and pay fees to the camp caretaker.

Gas BBQs, flushing toilets, and cold showers are available in the southern part, and bush toilets are at the northern end. Day visitors are welcome to use these facilities too.

Greenhead

Drive up the coast to Greenhead, about a twenty minute drive. Here you can visit one of the best beaches in WA, Dynamite Bay, or hike one of the walking trails with stunning views of the ocean.

Skydiving in Jurien Bay

If you’re braver than me, take to the skies with the multi-award-winning Jurien Bay Skydive. A lot of friends have sky-dived with this company and have been extremely happy with the level of care and experience.

There’s a choice of free-falling from 8,000 feet up to 14,000 on tandem sky dives providing spectacular views (and thrills) of the coast, Jurien Bay Marine Park, and the Pinnacles before a soft landing on the beach.