Perth weather
Beaches
Use this page to choose a Perth beach by conditions, transport, family needs, swimming confidence and nearby food or walks. It covers swimming beaches, surf beaches, snorkelling checks, sunset stops, harbour areas and Fremantle beach links.
Last updated: 2026-10-16
The story behind the view
Cottesloe's concrete pylon was built in 1936 as a support for a planned shark-proof swimming enclosure. The enclosure was never completed, but the pylon survived storms, repairs and changing beach use to become the view people recognise today.
Beach Planning
This page is for planning Perth coast stops, from a quick sunset visit to a longer beach day. It groups swimming beaches, surf beaches, snorkelling areas, family beach pages, coastal walks, harbour areas and Fremantle beach links without making safety claims that should come from current official sources.
Good first choices are Cottesloe Beach for a classic western-suburbs beach stop, Scarborough for a busier beachfront, City Beach for open coast, Trigg for surf planning, Mettams Pool for snorkelling checks, and Hillarys or Sorrento for harbour-style family planning. Fremantle beach pages are useful if you are already combining the coast with markets, museums or heritage streets.
Choose by time, weather, budget and transport. For a short visit, pick one beach and nearby food or walking links. For hot weather, plan shade, water and transport carefully. For a free or low-cost day, remember that parking, food and public transport may still cost money. Without a car, check current Transperth information before choosing a beach.
Quick Choices
Best Beaches
Start with these priority beach pages. Conditions, patrols and facilities still need current checks.
Plan a beach walk, swim or sunset at Cottesloe, with practical transport, facilities and access information.
Plan a Scarborough Beach visit with swimming and surf advice, free Surf CAT transport, beach wheelchairs, facilities and a relaxed coastal outing.
Open-ocean swimming beach and foreshore
Plan a City Beach visit around foreshore facilities, current beach conditions, patrol information and bookable accessibility equipment.
Surf beach and foreshore reserve
Plan a Trigg visit for surf watching, ocean swimming and Clarko Reserve, with clear reef, patrol and transport checks.
Plan a reef-lagoon visit at North Beach with clear cautions about changing snorkelling conditions, outer-reef surge and the water-access route.
Ocean beach south of Hillarys Boat Harbour
Visit Sorrento ocean beach with current enclosure, redevelopment, facilities, mobility-equipment and harbour-planning checks.
Hillarys Boat Harbour is a marina and waterfront precinct for Sorrento Quay, AQWA, dining, ferry departures, harbour walks and protected swimming.
Close To Perth
Central and western beach pages for city-based planning, with transport and access details still to verify.
Plan a beach walk, swim or sunset at Cottesloe, with practical transport, facilities and access information.
Open swimming beach with reef and rock hazards
Plan a North Cottesloe visit with clear distinctions between this open beach, the main Cottesloe enclosure and the separate Grant Street dog area.
Reef-lined beach and small foreshore playground
Choose the right South Cottesloe entrance with clear Dutch Inn facilities, toilet, dog-boundary, reef and access notes.
Open-ocean swimming beach and foreshore
Plan a City Beach visit around foreshore facilities, current beach conditions, patrol information and bookable accessibility equipment.
Swimming beach and family foreshore
Plan a Floreat Beach visit around its playground and picnic facilities, current ocean conditions and a masterplan that is not yet completed construction.
Ocean beach with distinct southern and northern sections
Plan the correct Swanbourne entrance with facilities, seasonal patrol, dog-area and northern clothing-optional guidance.
Families
Do not treat these as safe for children. Popular with families only applies when conditions are suitable and current safety information has been checked.
Plan a beach walk, swim or sunset at Cottesloe, with practical transport, facilities and access information.
Open-ocean swimming beach and foreshore
Plan a City Beach visit around foreshore facilities, current beach conditions, patrol information and bookable accessibility equipment.
Plan a reef-lagoon visit at North Beach with clear cautions about changing snorkelling conditions, outer-reef surge and the water-access route.
Ocean beach south of Hillarys Boat Harbour
Visit Sorrento ocean beach with current enclosure, redevelopment, facilities, mobility-equipment and harbour-planning checks.
Hillarys Boat Harbour is a marina and waterfront precinct for Sorrento Quay, AQWA, dining, ferry departures, harbour walks and protected swimming.
Fremantle beach and foreshore reserve
Plan a South Beach picnic and swim with completed changing facilities, access equipment, seasonal matting and transport checks.
Southern Perth swimming beach and jetty
Plan a visit to Coogee Beach and its jetty enclosure without confusing it with the separate Omeo wreck and Port Coogee maritime trail.
Surf
Do not rely on this page for surf advice. Check current surf conditions and local signs before entering the water.
Surf beach and foreshore reserve
Plan a Trigg visit for surf watching, ocean swimming and Clarko Reserve, with clear reef, patrol and transport checks.
Plan a Scarborough Beach visit with swimming and surf advice, free Surf CAT transport, beach wheelchairs, facilities and a relaxed coastal outing.
Open-ocean swimming beach and foreshore
Plan a City Beach visit around foreshore facilities, current beach conditions, patrol information and bookable accessibility equipment.
Plan a beach walk, swim or sunset at Cottesloe, with practical transport, facilities and access information.
Snorkelling
Check current conditions before snorkelling. Do not use these pages as safety guidance.
Plan a reef-lagoon visit at North Beach with clear cautions about changing snorkelling conditions, outer-reef surge and the water-access route.
Small beach and foreshore reserve
Plan a smaller coastal stop with beach, playground, toilets and barbecues, plus current swimming and nearby walk checks.
Southern Perth swimming beach and jetty
Plan a visit to Coogee Beach and its jetty enclosure without confusing it with the separate Omeo wreck and Port Coogee maritime trail.
Sunset
Use these pages for west-coast beach planning, with access, parking and facilities still to verify.
Plan a beach walk, swim or sunset at Cottesloe, with practical transport, facilities and access information.
Open-ocean swimming beach and foreshore
Plan a City Beach visit around foreshore facilities, current beach conditions, patrol information and bookable accessibility equipment.
Plan a Scarborough Beach visit with swimming and surf advice, free Surf CAT transport, beach wheelchairs, facilities and a relaxed coastal outing.
Surf beach and foreshore reserve
Plan a Trigg visit for surf watching, ocean swimming and Clarko Reserve, with clear reef, patrol and transport checks.
Ocean beach south of Hillarys Boat Harbour
Visit Sorrento ocean beach with current enclosure, redevelopment, facilities, mobility-equipment and harbour-planning checks.
Coastal regional planning guide
Plan one manageable Sunset Coast cluster from Cottesloe towards Two Rocks, with beach, harbour and transport comparisons.
Food Nearby
Use these coastal precinct pages for food-nearby planning, then check current local information before relying on it.
Beachfront recreation precinct
Plan a Scarborough beachfront day around the ocean, heated pool, Whale Playground, free Surf CAT and access equipment.
Beach foreshore and park
Use Cottesloe Foreshore for a coastal walk, picnic or beach view while checking parking, access and the seasonal main-beach enclosure.
Hillarys Boat Harbour is a marina and waterfront precinct for Sorrento Quay, AQWA, dining, ferry departures, harbour walks and protected swimming.
Waterfront shopping and dining precinct
Plan waterfront food, shopping and an inner-beach stop at Hillarys, with current timed-parking and harbour-works information.
Beach area comparison guide
Compare the different locations, facilities and access arrangements at Bathers, Leighton, Port and South Beach, with nearby Coogee kept distinct.
Dog Rules
Dog rules vary and can change. These pages should not state dog access until checked against official council information.
Ocean beach with distinct southern and northern sections
Plan the correct Swanbourne entrance with facilities, seasonal patrol, dog-area and northern clothing-optional guidance.
Reef-lined beach and small foreshore playground
Choose the right South Cottesloe entrance with clear Dutch Inn facilities, toilet, dog-boundary, reef and access notes.
Southern coastal planning guide
Compare selected coastal stops from South Fremantle to Rockingham for swimming, picnics, walks and accessible facilities.
Northern and western beach comparison guide
Compare selected coastal stops from City Beach to Burns Beach by swimming conditions, reef visits, family facilities, access and current works.
Without A Car
Do not add bus numbers, train routes or travel times until checked. Check Transperth before travelling, as routes and timetables can change.
Plan a beach walk, swim or sunset at Cottesloe, with practical transport, facilities and access information.
Open swimming beach with reef and rock hazards
Plan a North Cottesloe visit with clear distinctions between this open beach, the main Cottesloe enclosure and the separate Grant Street dog area.
North Fremantle swimming beach and reserve
Plan a North Fremantle beach visit with picnic facilities, designated dog sections and bookable mobility equipment whose collection hours need checking.
North Fremantle ocean beach
Plan an ocean-beach stop in North Fremantle with current facilities, parking, access and shoreline-work checks.
Plan a Scarborough Beach visit with swimming and surf advice, free Surf CAT transport, beach wheelchairs, facilities and a relaxed coastal outing.
Compact Fremantle beach
Plan a compact beach stop beside Fremantle's West End, with current enclosure, access-equipment and public-transport checks.
Fremantle beach and foreshore reserve
Plan a South Beach picnic and swim with completed changing facilities, access equipment, seasonal matting and transport checks.
Coastal Walks
Access, closures, beach conditions and path details can change. Check current information before walking.
Beach foreshore and park
Use Cottesloe Foreshore for a coastal walk, picnic or beach view while checking parking, access and the seasonal main-beach enclosure.
Beachfront recreation precinct
Plan a Scarborough beachfront day around the ocean, heated pool, Whale Playground, free Surf CAT and access equipment.
Surf beach and foreshore reserve
Plan a Trigg visit for surf watching, ocean swimming and Clarko Reserve, with clear reef, patrol and transport checks.
Hillarys Boat Harbour is a marina and waterfront precinct for Sorrento Quay, AQWA, dining, ferry departures, harbour walks and protected swimming.
Ocean beach south of Hillarys Boat Harbour
Visit Sorrento ocean beach with current enclosure, redevelopment, facilities, mobility-equipment and harbour-planning checks.
Beach area comparison guide
Compare the different locations, facilities and access arrangements at Bathers, Leighton, Port and South Beach, with nearby Coogee kept distinct.
Markets
Coastal market dates, seasons, weather cancellations and locations need current official checks before visiting.
Beach market
Winter markets run on Saturdays through 24 October 2026. The organiser announces summer Thursday evenings from 5 November 2026 to 29 April 2027; confirm visitor hours and holiday exceptions.
Seasonal market planning guide
Choose a Perth night market with published dates, venue details, transport advice and clear seasonal updates.
Families
Popular with families when conditions are suitable. Check current beach conditions, patrol information and local signs before swimming.
Beach guide
A family beach is usually decided by what surrounds the sand: toilets, somewhere to change, room to take a break and a route back to the car or train. Calm-looking water can change quickly, and an enclosure is not a substitute for watching children in the water.
Plan a beach walk, swim or sunset at Cottesloe, with practical transport, facilities and access information.
Open-ocean swimming beach and foreshore
Plan a City Beach visit around foreshore facilities, current beach conditions, patrol information and bookable accessibility equipment.
Plan a reef-lagoon visit at North Beach with clear cautions about changing snorkelling conditions, outer-reef surge and the water-access route.
Ocean beach south of Hillarys Boat Harbour
Visit Sorrento ocean beach with current enclosure, redevelopment, facilities, mobility-equipment and harbour-planning checks.
Hillarys Boat Harbour is a marina and waterfront precinct for Sorrento Quay, AQWA, dining, ferry departures, harbour walks and protected swimming.
Fremantle beach and foreshore reserve
Plan a South Beach picnic and swim with completed changing facilities, access equipment, seasonal matting and transport checks.
Southern Perth swimming beach and jetty
Plan a visit to Coogee Beach and its jetty enclosure without confusing it with the separate Omeo wreck and Port Coogee maritime trail.
Wildlife
Marine wildlife sightings are not guaranteed. Use official access information and licensed operators where relevant.
Plan a visit to AQWA at Hillarys: shark tunnel, seadragons, coral displays, tickets, seasonal hours, family facilities and accessible transport advice.
Marine wildlife guide
The water around Perth holds more than one kind of wildlife outing. A short shore snorkel reveals reef and seagrass life; a boat trip around Shoalwater may pass dolphins or Australian sea lions; a Rottnest day offers another coast altogether. These are wild animals in changing conditions. Plan for the place and the experience, not a guaranteed encounter.
Penguin Island is a small conservation island off Shoalwater with seasonal public access, seabird habitat, boardwalks and ferry-based visitor trips.
Dolphin tour
Rockingham’s sheltered bays and islands give visitors a chance to see wild dolphins south of Perth. You can watch from shore, take a wildlife cruise or book a licensed in-water trip. Those are different experiences with different rules. No guide or boat can promise a dolphin will appear at a set time.
Seasonal marine wildlife planning guide
Compare Perth whale-watching seasons, cruise departure points, current published fares and Rottnest shore lookouts.
Map
Browse beach links by area without loading a heavy map script on this page.
FAQ
Swimming suitability changes with conditions. Check local signs, official beach safety information and current conditions before entering the water.
Patrol information can change. Check official beach safety information before visiting.
Some beaches are popular with families when conditions are suitable, but this does not mean they are safe. Check patrols, signs and current conditions before swimming.
Some beach pages are grouped for car-free planning. Check Transperth before travelling, as routes and timetables can change.
Dog rules vary and can change. Check official council information before visiting.
