Lancelin Western Australia
Where's Lancelin at, you ask?
A good 127 klicks up north from Perth, that's where Lancelin's planted. Right smack on the west coast in the Experience Perth tourist patch, facing the big blue Indian Ocean. It's a spot shielded by a few nifty islets, with massive sandhills boxing the town in from all sides. A really secluded slice of the coast not too far from Perth. Reckon the best shot at seeing what Lancelin's all about is to jump on a tour with the Australian Pinnacles Tour. If you're coming from Perth Airport, best grab a car and hit the road.
What's there to gawk at in Lancelin?
Pinnacles Desert
Fair dinkum, the Pinnacles Desert is something else. A true blue wonder of Western Australia and no mistake. Picture this: stone spires poking up through the sand, a stone's throw away from the beach, looking for all the world like some ancient city's leftovers. If you wanna see this place at its best, make sure you rock up at dawn or dusk.
Windsurfing
Lancelin's your ticket to top-notch windsurfing; it's a gem on the International Windsurfing Circuit. Thanks to the howling winds sweeping through the shallow bays off the coast, the conditions are bang-on for windsurfing. Not a day goes by without the bay being dotted with sailboards zipping about.
Sand Dunes
Right behind Lancelin, you've got the biggest sand dunes in the state. Just pure white sand as far as the eye can see, no greenery messing up the view. They stretch over two klicks and are a ripper spot for sandboarding. Trust me, you haven't seen anything until you've checked them out at sunrise or sunset.
Fishing and Diving
The ocean around Lancelin is chockers with fish, all thanks to many reefs along the coast. There's also a world-famous dive trail sprinkled through the waters here. Diving here is a real treat, with fourteen shipwrecks dotted along the coast. You'll find all sorts of fish and even seals hanging about.
What's the weather doing?
Lancelin's got this Mediterranean vibe going on, a tad warmer than Perth. Cops a fair bit of rain, just like Perth does. Summers are warm, winters are chilly, and the arvo sea breezes are something else, perfect for world-class windsurfing. Summer temps average out at 35°C during the day and drop to 19°C at night. Winter, you're looking at daytime highs of 20°C and nighttime lows around 8°C.
The bit about Lancelin's past
Back in the day, the first folks to set foot in Western Australia had a squiz at the area, but it wasn't till 1928 that things started, thanks to John Hopkins and his knack for fishing. By '47, the cray-fishing business had lured many settlers to the area.
Officially, the place started in 1950 as 'Wangaree', but they switched it up to 'Lancelin' in '54. The town grew around its cracking good fishing spots, and being a hop, skip, and jump from Perth meant it was never too far from the hustle and bustle.