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Lancelin

If it’s a mix of action adventure and laid-back, fishing village charm you’re after, it’s hard to go past Lancelin for your next day trip or getaway.

This coastal township, just over 100 km north of Perth, hosts a riot of adventure sports, both marine and land based including surfing, jet skiing, sandboarding, diving, four wheel driving, fishing and much more. Even with these high energy pursuits, Lancelin offers one of Australia’s most beautiful coastal settings with its pristine shores, sheltered bays, offshore reefs and islands. With the town’s chill-out coastal lifestyle, this makes for a truly relaxing getaway. Its great appeal lies in its holiday ambience.

Each year in January, the prestigious Lancelin Ocean Classic is hosted, which draws windsurfing and kitesurfing enthusiasts from around the world. Lancelin truly is one of the world’s great windsurfing venues and holiday spots.

The area is also noted for its excellent wildflower displays which occur in spring.

Explore... Lancelin

Top Things to Do in Lancelin

  • Pristine White Sand Dunes – Nestled directly behind the township, the sand dunes are the largest in the state containing absolutely nothing but pure white sand and no vegetation. This is the perfect spot for sandboarding and four wheel driving. Also, a spectacular sight at sunrise or sunset.
  • Wind surfing and Kite surfing – As one of the world’s greatest windsurfing venues a day does not go by that the bay isn’t busy with fast moving sailboards. The famous Ocean Classic wind surfing race is held annually here.
  • Fishing and Diving – The waters around the area are teeming with fish due to the large number of reef systems along the coastline. This allows for great fishing whether on the beach or if you have access to a boat. These waters are also popular for divers as there is plenty of reefs and marine life to explore. The Grace Darling (1914) shipwreck lies approximately one kilometre North of the Lancelin Island and 800 metres from shore.
  • The Lookout – This recently upgraded lookout provides stunning views of Lancelin Island, the Indian Ocean and even glimpses of the sand dunes behind. Entry can be accessed from the Lancelin Beach Hotel front garden or Hinchcliffe Street.
  • Dolphin & Seal Spotting – Take an early morning walk along the bay and you will often find dolphins in very shallow water rounding up a feed or playing. Lancelin Island is often a popular sunbathing spot for the seals.
  • Lancelin Island – If you have a boat and can venture over to the main island, you won’t be disappointed. Beautiful beaches, amazing views and great swimming and diving spots. There is a boardwalk, to help explore the island. You can observe a variety of seabirds, lizards and resting sea lions.

History of Lancelin

Lancelin was established in the mid 1940’s as a hub for the cray fishing industry. The town was gazetted as a town in 1950 and at the time it was named Wangaree. In 1953 the town name was changed and takes its name from the nearby Lancelin Island which was named by the French expedition under the command of Captain Baudin in 1801. The name honours P F Lancelin, a scientific writer and author of the World Map of Sciences.

Today you can still see the cray fishing boats moored in the bay. The town has grown and becoming a stopover for visitors travelling up the coast to the Pinnacles.