The Moore River Estuary in Guilderton, just one hour’s drive from Perth, is a favourite place of mine for a truly relaxing and fun family day out.

The spot is where the Moore River reaches the Indian Ocean. The river mouth opens and closes depending on the seasons. During the summer months it appears as closed lagoon with a large island of sand separating the river from the ocean.

A big drawn for families is the sheltered calm water which is perfect for swimmers of all ages. The water is usually quite warm and shallow close to the shore. We like to take along a blow up rubber dingy and the kids enjoy pottering around the river in it for hours! There is also lots of fish so take along a fishing net for extra fun!

If you fancy being a bit more energetic you can hire a canoe, pedalo or paddle boat. Hire is available during weekends, school holidays and public holidays.

Moore River is a popular spot for social gatherings and many people bring along gazebos and pitch them along the grassy river bank.

Here you’ll find BBQs, picnic shelters a small playground and toilets.

There is a large car park although it can get quite full on busy days, but in all of our visits we have only not been able to get a space in there once – and I think that was on a public holiday.

Next to the car park is a café which serves the usual stodgy fair of fish and chips, burgers, sausages, pies and other fried goods. The beer battered chips were sooo good! Depending on how busy they are it can be a bit of a wait for food.

Attached to the café is a small convenience store which seems to sell just about everything!

If you fancy staying longer than a day then check out the Guilderton Caravan Park which commands the perfect location right next to the river’s edge.

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About Jennie McNichol

Jennie McNichol is the Co-Founder and Editor of Buggybuddys. She moved to Perth in 2010 after 11 years of living in London, working in the television industry for the BBC. She is the mother of two daughters aged 12 and 10 and loves the family-friendly lifestyle that Perth has to offer.

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