Port Coogee Marina

Port Coogee Marina, home to sheltered Ngarkal Beach, is a fantastic spot for families to enjoy a relaxed day by the water. Tucked into the Port Coogee estate in North Coogee, around 10 minutes south of Fremantle, the marina feels like a little seaside village with calm swimming, a fun splash pad and cafés all within a short stroll.

The beach here is very pram‑friendly, with a gently sloping, protected shoreline that is perfect for babies and toddlers to sit and splash in the shallows. The water is usually glassy‑calm thanks to the marina walls, making it ideal for nervous swimmers. Families do still need to keep a close eye on little ones, as there is a noticeable drop‑off a little further out, where the water deepens quickly and changes colour. Confident swimmers and older kids can enjoy the deeper water and, at times, a pontoon is moored offshore for jumping and bombing into the marina.

Right on the sand you’ll find the small Ngarkal water play park. This simple splash pad features ground jets and fountains that spray and bubble up, just right for toddlers and young children to cool off without heading into deeper water. The splash pad usually runs daily from 8am to 6pm during the warmer months, October through to May, and is turned off over winter or during maintenance periods, so it’s worth having a back‑up plan for play if you’re visiting in the cooler months. Surrounding the water play are the eye‑catching “dinosaur egg” style sculptures and timber beams that kids love to climb over, balance along and turn into their own imaginative play spaces.

The whole Ngarkal Beach area has been designed with accessibility in mind. There are sealed paths, ramps, accessible parking bays and universal access toilets and change facilities close to the beach and water play area. The City of Cockburn offers free hire of several types of beach wheelchairs at Ngarkal Beach, including floating and sand‑friendly models, helping more families to enjoy time in the sand and water together. Bookings for beach wheelchairs and further accessibility details are available via the City of Cockburn’s Port Coogee information pages on their website, as well as on their dedicated beach wheelchair hire page on the same site. Nearby you’ll also find bike racks if you’re arriving on two wheels.

Facilities are well thought out for picnics and longer stays. Grassy areas and tiered gardens behind the splash pad offer spots to spread out a picnic rug, and there are shaded and semi‑shaded picnic tables with built‑in barbecues overlooking the marina. These are popular for birthday parties on warm weekends and school holidays, so if you are planning a celebration it’s a good idea to check with the City of Cockburn about bookings. Public toilets, showers and change rooms are located close to the beach, making it easy to rinse off sandy kids before heading home.

For those arriving by boat, the public jetty at Port Coogee Marina offers short‑stay berthing, with up to two hours of free mooring between 6am and 7pm, making it easy to hop off for a café stop or a quick play at the beach. The marina itself has plenty of parking for visitors arriving by car, including bays along Medina Parade and a car park near Maraboo Loop, and there is additional parking slightly further away if it is busy on peak summer days.

Food and coffee are a big part of the appeal here. A Dome Café sits beside the marina right by the car park, with alfresco seating and lovely views over the boats. It’s an easy spot to grab takeaway coffees, ice creams or a casual meal. A short stroll away within Port Coogee Village you’ll also find additional cafés, small shops and a brewery, giving families a few options for lunch, snacks or an early dinner after a beach session.

One of the best things about Port Coogee Marina is how much there is to explore just beyond the sand. A wide marina boardwalk wraps around the water, perfect for prams and scooters, and little ones will love peering into the clear harbour to look for fish and the occasional visiting dolphin. The area forms part of the Nyungar Tourist Trail, which takes in Ngarkal (Seagull) Beach and nearby lookouts, acknowledging the cultural significance of this coastline to Noongar people. From here, it’s only a short walk north to the Coogee Maritime Trail and the historic Omeo shipwreck, where families can snorkel over underwater artworks and reef structures just off the shore. Coogee Beach and its eco‑shark barrier are also close by, offering another safe ocean swimming option if you want to turn your visit into a bigger coastal adventure.

Overall, Port Coogee Marina and Ngarkal Beach are a brilliant choice for families with children of all ages. Toddlers will love the shallow water and splash pad, older kids can swim and explore, and adults can enjoy great facilities, easy access and a relaxed, holiday‑at‑home atmosphere. With accessible design, a water Playground, café options and some of Perth’s best coastal walks and snorkelling experiences on the doorstep, it’s well worth adding this spot to your summer bucket list.

Port Coogee Marina

Address: 5 Maraboo Loop, North Coogee WA 6163 (near the corner of Maraboo Loop and Medina Parade)

Opening hours: Ngarkal water play splash pad operates approximately 8am–6pm daily from October to May (seasonal and subject to weather and maintenance; beach and marina are generally accessible year‑round)

Official website: Port Coogee Village Attractions – City of Cockburn