Local Tips

I lived around Mandurah as a teenager and the coastal, surfing lifestyle really became a part of who I am. I don’t think that’s anything that will ever change.

As a young adult I spent seven years in the mid-west USA and it was a real culture shock to be so landlocked and experiencing snow and freezing grey skies. I met my wife over there and on the second date I gave her fair warning saying, “I’m going back to Australia someday”.

Our romance blossomed and the rest is history. Luckily she agreed to come home with me. We have three children and have lived in Golden Bay for the past 10 years. We all absolutely love it here.

Running a business and having a young family keeps me pretty busy but the best thing about this part of the world is still the surfing and kite surfing and I get out there as often as I can. Geary’s Beach in Falcon would have to be one of my favourite places in the world.

It’s also hard to go past everything Mandurah’s waterways have to offer when it comes to quality family time. Apart from the phenomenal beaches, the estuary and foreshore offer so many activities.

The thing that really gets me about this area is we have legit stuff here – everything a visitor could want and there’s no reason to travel too far.

I’ve had a coffee roasting business, Frothin’ Coffee for around five years and in 2018 I took a leap of faith and helped my Mum, Lynne Gould, open her coffee business, Groundswell Drivethru on Pinjarra Road.

The response has been fantastic with local coffee lovers and the local business community being really supportive. People might be surprised by the number of people around town who really know their coffee. We’re proud to offer a genuinely good product that has a uniqueness and a lot of passion and love put into it. I think Groundswell is a good example of how Mandurah is continuing to evolve and change and become even more attractive for visitors. I’m just a big fan of Mandurah and I can’t wait to see more visitors drop in for a coffee as time goes on.

THE GOULD’S HOLIDAY AT HOME
One of the most fun family holidays we have had was just a few kilometres from home at Seashells Resort. We did all the touristy things and it was the coolest little break. I highly recommend it.

There’s nothing more relaxing than getting out on the ocean and in Mandurah being relaxed by nature is what it’s all about.

Local surfer Ian ‘Wooly’ Macpherson wouldn’t have it any other way. He’s been surfing in Mandurah since he was a little tacker.

If he’s not chasing the best break, he’s teaching others how to surf, coaching aspiring pro surfers and sharing tips on land at his surf shop – Star Surf + Skate.

Sure, the South West is known for its surf, but Mandurah has loads of popular surfing spots to rival, making it a perfect day trip for Perth surfers. And the best time to hit the surf is now! Wooly says ideal surf conditions occur between autumn and spring, with winter the best time due to large storms bringing swells to the WA coast.

We checked in with the local surfing legend to discover more about the Mandurah surfing scene and why we should all pick up a board and learn to surf.

How did you get into surfing?

I started surfing when I was around 9 or 10 years old at Avalon Bay. My parents’ property was a small stroll from Avalon and my mum was a swimmer, so we spent a lot of time at the beach during the 70s and 80s.

I started off on a ‘foamie’ – a small coolite surfboard made of polystyrene beaded-foam. I remember painting it with house paint so I wouldn’t get a rash. I soon progressed to a second-hand fibreglass ‘single fin’ board and found myself learning at the little rolling lefts of Falcon Bay.

When I was 12 years old, I joined the Mandurah Board Riders Club and I’ve been a member pretty much ever since.

What’s your favourite surfing spot in Mandurah?

My favourite spot is Geary’s – named after a City Beach surfer, Ray Geary. He built a shack there and at 80 years of age he still lives there today!

Geary’s a wave that doesn’t break very often and needs a big swell to start to work properly. It gets very crowded with keen surfers these days, but I have very fond memories of days out there as a teenager surfing with just a few mates.

Tell us a bit about the Mandurah surfing scene

Mandurah has a great surfing community. According to veteran surfboard manufacturer Len Dibben, Perth surfers have been surfing in Mandurah since the 1950s.

The local surf club has been running since 1978 and I’m super privileged to be the first life member of the club. Each break has its own custodians that ‘protect’ the break. I find that most breaks have pretty good order compared to some locations in the world that are a complete circus!

Mandurah has also produced many WA state champions and even a few surfers have gone on to surf in pro events, Chris Fullston and myself included.

Do you have any surfing comps in Mandurah?

Mandurah Board Riders runs a junior series over the summer months and a senior series over the winter. Surfing WA also runs a few state and national events in the City of Mandurah each year.

Why do you love to surf?

Surfing has made up a massive part of my life and has moulded me into the person I am today.

All the places I have travelled evolve around the surf and most of my work has been in and around the surf industry since I was a teen. The feeling of being submerged in the ocean, riding waves is unmatched anywhere in any other sport.

Mandurah has been good to me growing up and having the beach on my doorstep. The local community has been very supportive of my surf school and surf shop since we started.

Why should everyone learn to surf?

Surfing is all about fun. Surfing increases your fitness, strength, balance and flexibility (we stretch before every class). Spending time in and around the ocean positively impacts your health and the more you do it, the more your confidence in the ocean increases.

What kind of surf lessons do you run?

Mandurah Surf Lessons runs surfing and stand up paddleboard (SUP) lessons for all ages. We always have around 6 fully qualified coaches on the roster and most of them work at Star Surf + Skate too.

Our SurfGroms program aimed at 5 to 12 year olds is a national program that makes up a big part of our weekend programs. We teach kids to understand how the ocean behaves and how to be safe while learning to surf. We also include some basics of first aid.

Beyond Waves is a female class we run for girls aged 13 years through to adults. It incorporates some mild yoga and stretches. We also socialise afterwards with a cuppa.

For surfers who are looking to improve their skills, we run a range of Intermediate (Frothers) and advanced (High Performance) clinics. I’m one of the Surfing WA elite state coaches, and we’ve developed a range of programs for surfers competing at a state and national level.

We also run beginner classes for teens and adults, which can be booked as a one-off class or across four sessions.

Where’s the best place to shop for surf gear in Mandurah?

There’s only one true core surf store in Mandurah and that’s Star Surf + Skate. It’s been in the same building along Mandurah terrace since 1998.

Star won the Surf & Boardsports Industry Association (SBIA) Single Door Best Shop in Australia award in 2019, which hasn’t been won by any other surf shop in WA since the awards began.

Our ancestors gave us the name, Mandjoogoordap and its meaning is “meeting place of the heart”.

It is respectful to the land, spirituality and the people. This place is our heartland or kaaleepga and our names are more than names, they are concepts that have names within names which gives a true meaning of the human relationship with land and Spirit.

For me, the thrombolites in the Yalgorup National Park are the most significant visitor attraction and they attract global interest. Thrombolites are the oldest known living bacterial life form, surviving after millions of years of existence. This rare and endangered natural feature is also very spiritual, playing a big part in our creation story. They act as a very visual link to the Aboriginal heritage of the region and when the wind blows, it is a very spiritual experience.

The waterways are Mandurah’s best asset. The co-existence of the waterways as a popular resource, and our most important Spiritual asset, reassures me that there will always be an opportunity to show visitors something special in many places around the area. I find that people who go on our tours are very respectful. I see a range of reactions and changed opinions.

When people become aware of the amazing local Aboriginal culture, they often become emotional as their eyes open to something they didn’t know. Mandurah has become a more attractive place to visit in recent times. It has so much to offer and it’s great to see many tourism businesses making the most of the natural assets such as the waterways.

GEORGE’S TIP FOR A RE-CHARGE GETAWAY

Nanga Mill campsite in Dwellingup. It’s a place we can chill out and get back to nature. The land and the forest give you good energy.