Peel Inlet, Mandurah

Mandurah
Large commuter town south of Perth
Located 73 km south of Perth at the entrance to Peel Inlet, Mandurah is a large centre with a population of nearly 45 000. It is essentially a commuter town for people working either at the Aluminium Refinery in Pinjarra, in the heavy industry at Kwinana, or workers prepared to make the daily trek north to Perth.

In recent times the complexion of the township has changed. A decade ago it was a mixture of retirement town and pleasant seaside resort. Today, while it continues to be a popular seaside resort, it is the southernmost point of Perth's ever-expanding commuter belt.

The first European to settle in the Mandurah area was Thomas Peel. He named the area as a corruption of the Aboriginal word 'mandjar' which probably meant 'trading place' or 'meeting place'.

Peel, cousin of the famous British Prime Minister Robert Peel, had developed a scheme to settle 10 000 people in Mandurah-Pinjarra district. The British Government had granted him 1 million acres (404 million ha). He was preparing to sail to Western Australia when the Secretary of State for the Colonies, Sir George Murray, demanded that the colony be started by 1 November 1829. Peel arrived late and his grant was cut to 250 000 acres (101 000 ha). The scheme came to fruition on 15 December 1829 when 169 settlers arrived at Cockburn Sound, north of Mandurah. Like all well intentioned schemes, Peel's proposal looked good on paper but did not work in reality. These first settlers were left on the beach until Peel decided to move south to Peel Inlet. A few followed him but most were disenchanted with the scheme and moved north to the Swan River colony.

In fairness to Peel when he finally got organised his plan did enjoyed some success. He can be credited with the early development of the Mandurah area. He sold land, surveyed roads, and imported stock. Still this was not an ideal area for pastoralism. The tiny settlement struggled on. In 1850 it was connected to Perth by a coastal road and in 1876 an inland road was completed. The arrival of the railway in 1893 saw Mandurah decline in importance. The railway passed through good inland pastures which new settlers preferred to the poor coastal soils.

For the next fifty years Mandurah, deprived of its role as a port, declined. By the 1950s it was nothing more than a tiny fishing village. The combination in the 1950s of an increase in tourism (especially day trippers from Perth) and the development of Kwinana as a major industrial centre, saw Mandurah grow rapidly. The development of the town was further assisted by the establishment of the alumina refinery at Pinjarra in the early 1970s.

Things to see:  

Mandurah Tourist Bureau
The obvious starting point for any visiting Mandurah is the Mandurah Tourist Bureau at 5 Pinjarra Road, literally 50 metres from the old Estuary bridge across Peel Inlet.

Modern Mandurah lacks an extensive historical base. Most of the brochures on the district focus on Cooper's Mill, a number of cottages which date back to the early settlement, the grave of Thomas Peel and the Christ Church with its interesting graveyard.

Halls Cottage
Halls Cottage in Leighton Road, Halls Head (cross the inlet from the town centre and head north) was built in the 1830s, restored in 1975, and is a very good example of the earliest dwellings in the area.

The National Estate register records that 'This vernacular cottage is built of local limestone with a high hipped roof and two verandahs, front and back. The interior walls are made of rough untrimmed limestone blocks and rubble held together by lime mortar and limewash. The interior features pit-sawn floor boards, and open fireplaces. The buildings is typical of the period. The Historical Society has a useful sheet on the cottage.

The original owner, Henry E. Hall, was the first person to develop a fishing industry in the Mandurah district. Halls Cottage is now a museum of local history.

Christ Church
On the corner of Pinjarra Road and Sholl Street is Christ Church which was consecrated in 1871. The cemetery attached to the church includes the grave of Thomas Peel the founder of Mandurah. Near the church is the anchor from the James Service which was wrecked off the coast on 31 July 1878 with a total loss of life of all passengers and crew. Many of the bodies which were washed up on the beaches in the area are buried in the church cemetery.

Coopers Mill
One of the delights of the area, although access is extremely difficult, is Cooper's Mill which is located on Culeenup Island and is only accessible by boat.

This was the first flour mill in the Murray region. Joseph Cooper built it by collecting limestone rocks and, every morning, sailing them across to the island. Cooper began work on the mill in 1843 but he was killed in an accident before it was completed in 1850. The mill was used for only a short time. A combination of floods and bushfires effectively brought milling operations to a halt. It was used as a smokehouse for curing fish and then in the 1950s it was restored. The result is a beautifully white washed building. It is possible to visit the mill as part of the MV Peel Princess tours of the Inlet and Town Waters. Contact either (09) 535 4058 or the Tourist Bureau.

Joseph Cooper obviously had a great ability to build structures which stood the test of time. Cooper's Cottage, on Mandurah Terrace, dates from 1845 and was once used as the Travellers Wayside Inn. It is now occupied by a local business.

Other Attractions
Beyond its historical site Mandurah has the usual range of tourist attractions. There is Mandurah Farmworld, a 480 ha sheep and cattle property which offers conducted tours. There's Kerryelle's Collector's Museum with bottles, dolls, coins, spoons, seashells and gemstones. The Western Rosella Bird Park has, apart from the birds, mini golf, a manmade waterfall, kangaroos and emus. Marapana Deer and Wildlife Park has a mixture of fallow deer and native animals. There are potteries and boat cruises and even a Castle Fun Park where models of a Bavarian village, complete with a model of Neuschwanstein Castle, are displayed in an area which also has a mini golf course and a skateboard park. Details on all these attractions are available at the Mandurah Tourist Office. As well as all these commercial attractions there are the usual range of beach and coastal activities - swimming, surfing and boating. There are big jewfish about and Mandurah has some of the best fishing near Perth, particularly around the offshire reefs. Mandurah is also known as 'Crab City' as the estuary is full of blue swimmer crabs.Environmental problems, relating to the Peel Inlet, have been cleared up by the Dawesville Cut which is a great fishing spot in itself.

There is a good book Mandurah: Water under the Bridge by Jill Burgess which was published as part of the Bicentennial year. It is a good general coverage of the history of the area with some interesting anecdotes toenliven the story.

	Tourist Information
	Mandurah Tourist Bureau Mandurah Terrace P.O. Box 1315 Mandurah WA 6210 Telephone: (08) 9550 3999 Facsimile: (08) 9550 3990
	Motels
	Blue Bay Motel 15 Oversby Rd Mandurah WA 6210 Telephone: (08) 9535 2743 Facsimile: (08) 9535 3781 Rating: **
	Foreshore Motel Gibson St Mandurah WA 6210 Telephone: (08) 9535 5577 Rating: ***
	Hotels
	Atrium Resort Hotel Ormsby Tce Mandurah WA 6210 Telephone: (08) 9535 6633 Rating: ***
	Mandurah Gates Resort 110 Mandurah Tce Mandurah WA 6210 Telephone: (08) 9581 1222 Facsimile: (08) 9581 1285 Rating: ***
	Parkridge Hotel Old Coast Rd Mandurah WA 6210 Telephone: (08) 9582 1533
	Resorts
	Mandurah Gates Resort Holiday Units 110 Mandurah Tce Mandurah WA 6210 Telephone: (08) 9581 1222 Rating: ***
	Mandurah Holiday Village 124 Mandurah Tce Mandurah WA 6210 Telephone: (08) 9535 4633 Facsimile: (08) 9535 4429 Rating: ***
	Mandurah Quays Resort 1 Marina Quay Dve Mandurah WA 6210 Telephone: (08) 9582 8300 Facsimile: (08) 9582 8100 Rating: ****
	Bed & Breakfast/Guesthouses
	Yalgorup Country Lodge Guesthouse 1184 Estuary Rd Mandurah WA 6210 Telephone: (08) 9739 1322 Facsimile: (08) 9739 1322 Rating: ****
	Holiday Homes & Units
	Mandurah Holiday Village 124 Mandurah Tce Mandurah WA 6210 Telephone: (08) 9535 4963 Rating: ***
	Cottages & Cabins
	Estuary Hideaway Holiday Cabins Lot 2151 Old Coast Rd Mandurah WA 6210 Telephone: 0407 838 061
	Caravan Parks
	Lucky Caravan Park 20 Henson St Mandurah WA 6210 Telephone: (08) 9535 3313 Rating: **
	Melros Beach Vacation Park Melros Beach Mandurah WA 6210 Telephone: (08) 9582 1320 Rating: **
	Miami Caravan Park Old Coast Rd Miami Mandurah WA 6210 Telephone: (08) 9534 2127 Rating: ***
	Murray River Caravan Park 12 South Yunderup Rd Mandurah WA 6210 Telephone: (08) 9537 6140 Rating: **
	Tathams Caravan Park South Yunderup Rd Mandurah WA 6210 Telephone: (08) 9537 6844 Rating: **
	Waters Edge Caravan Park Old Coast Rd Mandurah WA 6210 Telephone: (08) 939 1011 Rating: **
	Aqua Caravan Park 647 Pinjarra Rd Mandurah WA 6210 Telephone: (08) 9535 1869 Rating: ***
	Belvedere Caravan Park 163 Mandurah Tce Mandurah WA 6210 Telephone: (08) 9535 1213 Rating: ***
	Dawesville Holiday Village Old Coast Rd Mandurah WA 6210 Telephone: (08) 9582 1417 Rating: ***
	Estuary Caravan Park 25 Olive Rd Mandurah WA 6210 Telephone: (08) 9534 2121 Rating: ****
	Mandurah Caravan Park 603 Pinjarra Rd Mandurah WA 6210 Telephone: (08) 9535 1171 Rating: ***
	Peel Caravan Park Pinjarra Rd Mandurah WA 6210 Telephone: (08) 9535 4343 Rating: ***
	Peninsula Caravan Park Ormsby Tce Mandurah WA 6210 Telephone: (08) 9535 2792 Rating: ***
	Timbertop Caravan Park Peel St Mandurah WA 6210 Telephone: (08) 9535 1292 Rating: ***
	Camping & Other
	Coastal Holiday Homes 4 Crystaluna Dve Golden Bay Mandurah WA 6210 Telephone: (08) 9293 5393
	Restaurants
	Atrium Resort Hotel Ormsby Tce Mandurah WA 6210 Telephone: (08) 9535 6633
	Chasers Restaurant & Function Centre Gordon Rd Mandurah WA 6210 Telephone: (08) 9581 7188
	China Wok Cnr Leslie St & Pinjarra Rd Mandurah WA 6210 Telephone: (08) 9535 6249
	Chows Chinese Restaurant 151 Mandurah Tce Mandurah WA 6210 Telephone: (08) 9581 4077
	Edwards Waterfront Restaurant 5a Mandurah Tce Mandurah WA 6210 Telephone: (08) 9581 1248
	Hog's Breath Cafe 115 Mandurah Tce Mandurah WA 6210 Telephone: (08) 9581 1122
	Mei Jing Chinese Restaurant 93 Mandurah Tce Mandurah WA 6210 Telephone: (08) 9581 3626
	Nero's Italian Restaurant 330 Pinjarra Rd Mandurah WA 6210 Telephone: (08) 9581 5200
	Oldbridge Restaurant Bar 2 Pinjarra Rd Mandurah WA 6210 Telephone: (08) 9535 5135
	Outlaws Mexican Restaurant 149 Mandurah Tce Mandurah WA 6210 Telephone: (08) 9535 5525
	Penang House 45 Mandurah Tce Mandurah WA 6210 Telephone: (08) 9535 8891
	Ruffino's on the Terrace 52 Mandurah Tce Mandurah WA 6210 Telephone: (08) 9534 9906
	Souvlaki House 15 Mandurah Tce Mandurah WA 6210 Telephone: (08) 9535 1512
	Stage Door Bar & Brasserie 7 James Service Pl. Mandurah WA 6210 Telephone: (08) 9586 3733
	Sunbreakers Restaurant 84 Mandurah Tce Mandurah WA 6210 Telephone: (08) 9581 5556
	Tai Wah Chinese Restaurant 52 Mandurah Tce Mandurah WA 6210 Telephone: (08) 9535 4309
	Taku Japanese Restaurant Shop 3/52 Mandurah Tce Mandurah WA 6210 Telephone: (08) 9582 7308
	Thai on the Terrace 1/84 Mandurah Tce Mandurah WA 6210 Telephone: (08) 9535 5533
	Cafés
	Amalfi's Cafe Boardwalk Mandurah WA 6210 Telephone: (08) 9582 7144
	Baked 'N' Buttered Shop 18 Mandurah Forum Pinjarra Rd Mandurah WA 6210 Telephone: (08) 9586 1049
	Cafe Bouvard Port Bouvard Marina Rees Place Mandurah WA 6210 Telephone: (08) 9534 6200
	Cafe Kebab Mandurah Tce Mandurah WA 6210 Telephone: (08) 9581 3511
	Cafe On Main Street 84 Mandurah Tce Mandurah WA 6210 Telephone: (08) 9581 5582
	Cafe Pronto Opposite Old Bridge Mandurah WA 6210 Telephone: (08) 9535 1004
	Dome Coffee Australia The Boardwalk Mandurah WA 6210 Telephone: (08) 9581 1666
	Hog's Breath Cafe 115 Mandurah Tce Mandurah WA 6210 Telephone: (08) 9581 1122
	The Terrace for Coffee Smart St Mall Mandurah WA 6210 Telephone: (08) 9581 3335
	Uptown Coffee Lounge Mandurah Forum Shopping Centre Mandurah WA 6210 Telephone: (08) 9535 8341