10 incredible family experiences under an hour from Perth

ROCKINGHAM, just 45 minutes’ drive to the south of Perth is the destination for BUCKET-LIST ADVENTURES that the whole family will be talking about for years to come.

SUP, EXPLORE AND BOOST YOUR FAMILY FITNESS SUPS ARE HUGELY POPULAR IN ROCKINGHAM BECAUSE THE CONDITIONS ARE PERFECT MORE OFTEN THAN NOT AND THERE’S PLENTY TO SEE. POP INTO WASUP AND TAKE THE WHOLE FAMILY ON A GUIDED LESSON THAT SHOWS OFF THE SIGHTS OF MANGLES BAY. ONCE YOU’VE MASTERED THE BASICS, FOLLOW THE SUP TRAIL FOR A NEW PERSPECTIVE ON WATER FUN.TOO EASY? TRY SUP YOGA AND SEE IF THE KIDS CAN OUTBALANCE YOU ON SUPS ANCHORED IN WAIST-DEEP WATER JUST OFF THE FORESHORE. HERE’S THE TIP: DOLPHINS HAVE BEEN KNOWN TO MAKE A GUEST APPEARANCE DURING THE CLASS.

SWIM WITH WILD DOLPHINS

Rockingham boasts one of the best dolphin encounters in the world, with some 180 wild bottlenosed dolphins calling the waters off Rockingham home. And they love company. Get onboard ROCKINGHAM WILD

for a close ENCOUNTERS encounter of the unforgettable kind. Don’t be too distracted by the bottomless coffee, hot chocolate and lunch on offer; once the dolphins appear, it’s straight in the ocean for a sensory overload.

THUNDERING HOOVES, WHITE SAND… HORSE RACES, ROCKINGHAM BEACH STYLE The children will get quite the surprise when they see horses thundering down the beach for the nation’s only beachside thoroughbred racing carnival: CUP. ROCKINGHAM BEACH

A firm favourite on the social calendar each November, you can observe the action from the ticketed area in the marquee, take up a more laid-back position from the comfort of your picnic rug, or, hire a boat and watch from the water. MEET THE WORLD’S TINIEST PENGUINS (AND THEIR FRIENDS) in the heart of PENGUIN ISLAND

PARK, is a small SHOALWATER MARINE destination that punches above its weight with cute inhabitants that fascinate adults and children alike. The island, a short ferry ride from JETTY, is home to MERSEY POINT about 600 little penguins, countless aquatic birds and lizards. Visit the PENGUIN

to watch the penguin DISCOVERY CENTRE feeding then spend the rest of the day swimming, snorkelling or birdwatching.

DISCOVER DREAMTIME STORIES AND SOME MILITARY HISTORY

History is hidden in plain sight along the coastal paths of Point Perron. Take a walking tour and discover 40,000 years of culture with DREAMING. Traditional DJURANDI owner Justin Martin will introduce you to ‘Father Ocean’, and the Bay of Fires and give kids a taste of delectable bush tucker. While you are there, explore the Second World War gun battery and tower at the top of the hill. Put in place to defend the West Australian coastline, the structure will intrigue little people and some not-so-little people as well. BOUNCE, SLIDE AND SERIOUSLY SPLASH YOUR WAY TO WATER PARK NIRVANA TEENS CAN BE HARD TO IMPRESS, BUT WE ARE CONFIDENT THEY WILL LOVE PERTH AQUA PARK. IMAGINE 100 GIANT INTERCONNECTED INFLATABLE OBSTACLES ON A LAKE,ADD SOME FASTWATER SLIDES, AND YOU HAVE FOUND TEEN HEAVEN.THE PARK ALSO HAS A CAFE AND SHADY SPOTS TO KICK BACK.

DIVE IN AND EXPLORE SOME OF THE PRISTINE UNDERWATER SIGHTS

Grab some gear from and check out the SURF MANIA local snorkel sites. Point Peron’s coastal cliffs are home to a host of marine life with beautiful limestone swim-throughs and nearby Penguin Island is perfect for little kids trying to master the skill. Dive deeper along the less than SAXON RANGER DIVE WRECK TRAIL 50 metres from the shore on a tour with local dive company SCUBANAUTICS.

CATCH IT OR WRAP IT; FEAST ON FRESH LOCAL FISH (AND CHIPS)

Rockingham is one of the easiest destinations to catch a feed of fresh local seafood, straight off the beach or boat. Hire a rod and bait from and do it ROCKINGHAM BOAT HIRE yourself. The company even supplies eskies to keep your catch fresh. Want someone else to do all the hard work? ARCADE FISH AND cuts up fat, fresh local spuds to make CHIPS some of the best hand-cut chips in the State. Around the corner, ROCKINGHAM BEACH FISH has been winning awards since it AND CHIPS turned on the fryers back in the 1980s. also DHUEY’S FISH MARKET AND TAKEAWAY deserves a mention. Phone the takeaway shop from the beach and get one of the kids to collect the order.

EXPLORE ROCKINGHAM ON AN EPIC SEA KAYAKING ADVENTURE Explore Shoalwater Marine Park by paddle power and spot wildlife on an epic CAPRICORN SEAKAYAKING adventure. It’s an action-packed day visiting and SEAL PENGUIN

ISLANDS, and the children will love seeing the resident wildlife swim beneath their kayaks. TWO WORDS THAT GO TOGETHER: BEACH + ICE-CREAM

is an institution, EYESCREAM ON THE FORESHORE serving up 30 different flavours from the West’s favourite ice-cream creator, Simmos. Your mission is to make your way through a super-sized cone or homemade banoffee waffle with a serious drizzle of rich, thick caramel sauce. The decor is old school, the ice-cream is thick and soft and everything it should be. You’ll find old favourite across the BASKIN-ROBBINS road if it is a double ice-cream kinda day.