10 things to do in Geraldton, what to visit — trip guide

Geraldton is the windsurfing destination of Australia due to its consistent summer breeze. Together with classic surfing, horseback riding, kite surfing, the town attracts visitors after the rush of the rolling curl of Geraldton. The substantial town supports a lobster industry as well as being the regional agricultural service town for inland wheat belt. Being a mix of service towns, a seaside destination combined with a historic precinct Geraldton is a hub for Coral Coast holidays. The HMAS Sydney II Memorial, Saint Francis Xavier Cathedral, Victoria District Hospital and Old Geraldton Goal Craft Centre, Birdwood House Military Museum and the Point Moore Lighthouse narrate their stories. The Museum of Geraldton has a substantial collection of artefacts and documents relating to Houtman Abrolhos Island. The Geraldton Visitor Centre is located in the Original Railway Station on Marine Terrace. The Visitor Centre has a gift shop with the requisite tea towels emblazoned with the town’s name, local artisan products, maps and the visitor focused items we invariably fill our suitcases with.

Geraldton is the gateway to the Houtman Abrolhos Islands. For scuba divers and snorkelers, it’s a bucket list destination with its crystal clear water, a infamous shipwreck, the Batavia and pristine reefs. The Batavia shipwreck lies in four to six metres of clear waters and has been voted the number-one dive spot in Western Australia.

Port Gregory, close to Geraldton is home to the pink lake. A instagram selfie hot spot for its extraordinary hues. The Pink Lake is constantly changing in vibrancy depending on the time of day, month and cloud coverage. The best time to visit is in early morning and at dusk. The light hitting the edges of the horizon is an instagram favourite.

Geraldton is a convenient hub for the iconic Kalbarri National Park. Where the Murchison River meets the Indian Ocean, Kalbarri has soaring rivers, coastal gorges and protected swimming bays. The Kalbarri National Park features layers of reds, bronzes, golds and rust coloured layers creating a palate creating unique scenery. Kalbarri is where the instagram famous Nature’s Window sculptured rock window is located. A visitor hotspot for selfies.

Water sports and Coronation Beach, is said to be one of the world’s best three beaches for the sport. Several operators in town have windsurfing and kitesurfing equipment for hire. St George’s Beach is also a surfing destination, you’ll often see windsurfers tuning their slalom gear over the flat and windy waters.Sandy Cape with its sand boarding and turquoise waters is a popular beach destination. Nearby is Green Heads with the fabulous Three Bays Walkway connecting three swimming beaches with a picture perfect coastal walk.

While a bit of a hike Jurien Bay is worth a day trip with encounters of endangered Australian sea lions for wildlife fans. Turquoise Safaris: Swim with Sea Lions | Fishing Charters describes the half day tour as, “The Australian Sea Lions are the rarest of their species with only approximately 10.000 to 12.000 of them left. They inhabit Essex Rocks, an island located in one of the largest marine parks in Western Australia. Essex Rocks is only a 15 minutes boat ride from our departure point;  learn about the Jurien Bay Marine Park and all the beauty that lies within along the way.”

TIP: To safely swim with wild creatures, respect their habitat and ensure both the sea lions and your safety a guided tour is the responsible way to achieve this bucket list dream of swimming with sea lions.

If you are short of time make time to check Port Denison and the ANZAC soldier sculpture for an Aussie selfie to acknowledge the contributions of the military. It is a great spot for a photo at sunset. Sharp outlined sculpture with the orange burnt background and, of course a selfie. The views of the shoreline, the town and the setting is Australian to its core. For more information about significant buildings check Travel Pack Information for details and location map.

TIP: Members of your family really do not want to spend hours at a beach watching the surfer catching the wave, here’s an opportunity to leisurely explore Geraldton, indulge in checking out the local cafe while the active water sports enthusiasts do their thing.

Tin Heads is an amazing collection of over 7,000 decorative tins. The collection is open to the public every second Sunday of the month or by appointment and group bookings are welcome. Entry is a gold coin donation. For opening details contact the Visitor Centre upon arrival. Odd, quirky and fascinating.

TIP: For fans of unusual collections you are going to wonder what happened to the contents of all the collected tins. It is a lot of biscuits, cake and tea. Ask the question of the collectors and enjoy the response.

Geraldton Regional Art Gallery is the principal arts institution in the region. It has a range of rotating exhibitions throughout the year. The Gallery supports emerging and established local artists whose works are for sale in the adjoining gift shop. Pop into the Gallery from Monday to Saturday between 10am to 4pm.

Leaning tree, instagram location. Geraldton has a constant breeze and leaning tree has become another photo location Buffeted by the strong southerly winds, the leaning trees of Greenough (Eucalyptus Camaldulensis or Red River gum). The common river course solitary tree on windswept Greenough Flats . The leaning tree has graduated to have its own parking area Geraldton has a nickname ‘Windy City’.

Geraldton is the perfect place to Sample the famous local delicacy, rock lobster. Combined with a tour of Geraldton Fishermen’s Co-operative, the largest processor of rock lobsters in the world you will appreciate the difficulties of harvesting the delicate seafood. Then head to a local waterfront restaurant such as Skeetas, which has rock lobster permanently on the menu.