Burns Beach: coastal walks and foreshore works

Burns Beach is worth considering for a walk beside the ocean, especially if you enjoy a coastline broken up by rock and reef. It also needs a more careful plan than an old photograph of the foreshore park might suggest. The City of Joondalup has published a staged redevelopment programme affecting the park, roads and parking.

Make the coast your reason for coming, then check the current works notice before choosing where to arrive. The new park and proposed café should not yet be the centre of your plans.

Check the redevelopment programme first

The City's project page schedules the main construction stage from winter 2026, with Burns Beach Park closed during its upgrade. It gives winter 2027 as the park reopening target and autumn 2028 for the new café/restaurant. These are project targets, subject to the contractor's programme; they are not evidence that a particular stage has finished.

Road works and parking also form part of the project. The more detailed project update says access to the foreshore, existing café and caravan park is to be managed through a traffic management plan. Check that update close to your visit and follow the signs in place. An older map or café review may not describe the current approach.

If a playground, accessible toilet or predictable short route is essential to your outing, confirm the specific facility before setting off. Do not rely on the proposed park's facilities until the City confirms they are open.

Walking beside the coast

A coastal walk gives you more flexibility than arriving with a fixed swimming plan. Follow the signed public route that is open on the day, choose a turnaround point that suits your group and keep enough energy for the return. A path on a map is not permission to pass construction fencing or enter a dune rehabilitation area.

Bring drinking water and sun protection even for a short visit. For a sunset walk, allow enough daylight to return through any unfamiliar access arrangements. Walking shoes are a more practical choice than bare feet if you intend to spend most of the visit above the beach.

The photograph here shows the coast in 2015. It is useful for the landscape, not for checking the present park layout, parking or construction boundaries.

Swimming and snorkelling

Joondalup lists Burns Beach among its coastal snorkelling locations. That is a reason to investigate conditions, rather than a promise that the water will suit beginners. Rock, reef, swell and visibility all matter when deciding whether to enter.

Check Beachsafe, on-site warnings and SharkSmart. Do not assume a nearby surf club means a patrol is covering the place where you intend to swim. Look for an operating flagged area and follow the lifesavers' advice. If swimming is the main purpose of your trip, it is sensible to have a second beach in mind before leaving home.

For a visit built around a surf club and established foreshore facilities, read our Mullaloo Beach guide and check that day's patrol information.

Getting there and planning a stop

Enter Burns Beach as your destination in the Transperth JourneyPlanner, using the actual date and return time. Public transport may involve a connection and a walk; check the final stop against the current works information rather than assuming the usual footpath is available.

If driving, use signed public parking and allow time to find a legal space. Keep access for residents and businesses clear. The development programme includes parking changes, so a fixed claim about the number of available bays would quickly become unreliable.

Pack a snack if you want to avoid depending on a food outlet's opening hours. For a longer coastal outing, our northern beaches guide compares Burns with Mullaloo, Mettams Pool, Floreat and City Beach. Choose one or two stops that suit the day rather than trying to cover the entire coast.

Visitor information and published works programme checked 25 September 2026. Confirm current access with the City before travelling.