With 134 square kilometres of calm inland waterways, Mandurah is the ultimate water playground and a true paddler’s paradise. The Osprey Trail is part of the wider Peel Harvey Estuary Paddle Trail network exploring the shallow Peel Inlet (commonly referred to as ‘the estuary’) which stretches from Mandurah’s Estuary Bridge to the Dawesville Cut.
Both the Peel Inlet and the Harvey Estuary to its south are listed under the Ramsar Convention as a wetland ecosystem of international significance. There are frequent sightings of Ospreys, Dolphins and Black Swans along the trail so keep your binoculars on hand.
Osprey Waters Foreshore Reserve, where the paddle trail commences, is roughly two kilometres from the Mandurah city centre and provides a great starting point for the exploration of the northern part of the Peel Inlet and the canals of nearby Mariners Cove.
Setting off from the Estuary Bridge at Osprey Waters, the Osprey Trail follows the foreshore through Sticks Channel before returning around Boundary Island which provides a good spot for a rest.
Paddling this trail is an enjoyable experience all year round but perhaps most optimal during the cooler months, when tides are at their highest.