Sorrento Quay

Sorrento Quay is a shopping and dining precinct inside Hillarys Boat Harbour. Come for a meal by the water, a browse through the shops or a harbour outing that can include time at the inner beach. If you are looking for an open-ocean swim, Sorrento Beach is outside the harbour to the south.

The harbour is being upgraded, so check access before building a day around its changerooms or breakwater walks. The shops, beach and boating facilities are different parts of the precinct, with different access rules.

What is at Sorrento Quay?

The Sorrento Quay directory is the place to check the current mix of cafés, restaurants and shops. The neighbouring Hillarys Boardwalk information page also covers visitor arrangements within the retail precinct. Businesses have their own trading hours, even though the precinct is promoted as a seven-day destination.

For a straightforward visit, choose a meal or coffee stop first and leave time to walk around the public waterfront. If someone is meeting you, name the actual business or entrance. “Hillarys” covers a much larger area than a single row of shops.

Do not assume that everything shown in a harbour masterplan is open. In particular, the proposed Youth and Family Plaza on the former Great Escape site is a future project, not an operating water park.

The inner beach and public facilities

The Department of Transport and Major Infrastructure's harbour guide identifies the public facilities around Hillarys. The inner beach is protected from direct ocean surf by the harbour, but children still need close supervision and visitors should follow beach notices. Keep swimming separate from boat access and private marina areas.

At the September 2026 check, the harbour upgrade page said the inner harbour changerooms were closed for refurbishment, with temporary public toilets available. It also reported the northern breakwater fishing platform closed during replacement work. Completion was expected by the end of 2026; that is a target, not a reopening guarantee.

The southern breakwater has a separate maintenance project with signed exclusion areas. Check the current works map before setting off for a walk along it, and use only open public routes.

Parking: free does not mean unlimited

The harbour's timed-parking trial ended on 31 July 2026, but the Department says the trial arrangements remain in place while the results are assessed.

General visitor parking remains free. Busy areas include four-hour bays, while short-stay bays beside the southern boat pens and harbour office have a 45-minute limit. Longer-stay parking is provided in designated areas. Read the sign for your actual bay, especially if you plan to stay for a meal after several hours at the beach.

Boat-trailer parking has separate arrangements. Do not use boating fee information to work out the cost of parking an ordinary car.

Accessible visits and getting around

The City of Joondalup lists beach wheelchairs at Hillarys, with first-come access using an MLAK key or a City-arranged PIN. It also provides seasonal beach matting in warmer months. Confirm the equipment, collection point and open route before travelling, particularly while the changerooms are being rebuilt.

For the shops and boardwalk, check the operator's visitor rules before bringing a pet, bike or scooter. Boardwalk access policies are separate from those of nearby public paths and beaches.

Use the Transperth JourneyPlanner with the specific shop, beach entrance or harbour facility as your destination. Check the walk from the stop and the last useful return service if you are staying for dinner. Older internet directions may use routes or station names that have changed.

How much to fit into one visit

A meal and a waterfront walk make a manageable short outing. Add beach time if your group wants a longer stay, but check parking limits before leaving the car. Harbour attractions or boat trips need their own booking and schedule checks; a restaurant reservation does not cover them.

For an open-coast afternoon instead, see Sorrento Beach. For a route that combines several coastal precincts, our Sunset Coast guide helps you choose a smaller group of stops.

Visitor information checked 25 September 2026. Recheck harbour works, parking signs and business hours before visiting.