Get up close and personal with the Serpentine this winter

For those fortunate enough to live by a river, the peace and tranquillity is an everyday blessing. Everyone living at Frasers Landing understands this! The community of Frasers Landing is situated on the banks of the beautiful Serpentine River - known as Waangaamaap Bilya to the Bindjarep Noongar people, who met, lived, fished and were sustained by it long before white settlement. The Serpentine travels for around 110 km from the Darling Plateau in the east, where the Serpentine Dam is located, before flowing downstream through the Serpentine National Park and across the Swan Coastal Plain. From there it meanders gently through the Lower Serpentine lakes system into the Peel-Harvey Estuary - Australia’s largest inland waterway, and twice the size of Sydney Harbour.

The lower Serpentine and estuarine waterways provide a habitat to many species of fauna and flora, including black swans, ospreys, wild dolphins and blue manna crabs. Even in winter, there are so many opportunities to get outdoors and enjoy it, whether on riverside walking trails, on kayaks or motorboats, or just throwing a line in from a jetty.

The Serpentine River is a stunningly beautiful place right on our doorstep – so get out there and make the most of it!

Start paddling

Paddling the Serpentine is a great way to explore Mandurah's natural bushland. The Serpentine River Paddling Trail starts at Riverside Gardens Reserve, from where you can paddle downstream towards Barragup Bridge. Keep an eye out for birdlife, dolphins, and the riverine vegetation – a mix of sheoak, rivergum and paper parks. Several small sandy beaches offer rest points along the way. Further upstream is Goegrup Lake, a large shallow waterbody best paddled in winter and spring, after good rains – it can dry out over summer.

Source: https://visitmandurah.com/canoeing-kayaking-stand-up-paddling/
https://www.westernaustralia.com/au/attraction/serpentine-river-paddling-trail/5ef18df3abfbcb9e1b4ecc32

Fishing

The Mandurah region is renowned for its fantastic fishing and crabbing. Both the Serpentine and Murray rivers are great for fishing, whether from boat, shore or kayak. The Serpentine produces good bream in its lower reaches, towards the estuary, and at the right time of year is excellent for mulloway and tailor. Remember to pick up the appropriate fishing license from fish.wa.gov.au.

Source: https://visitmandurah.com/fishing-crabbing/
https://www.fishingspots.com.au/s/serpentine-river-western-australia/#:~:text=The%Walkin

Walking

The Joseph and Dulcie Nannup trail is a scenic, family friendly walk alongside the Serpentine River from Goegrup Lake to the Pinjarra Road Bridge. It’s a gentle four kilometres (eight kilometres return) suitable for all abilities, and named after the couple who once lived, with their children, at bush camps along the river. On the trail you can explore the rich history of the Noongar people through interpretive signage. Keep an eye out for wildlife and migratory birds, including a large pod of dolphins who live in the river. A boardwalk provides a safe observation area in an environmentally sensitive area along the trail between St Ives Lagoon and the river, where the vegetation is listed as a Threatened Ecological Community.

Source: https://trailswa.com.au/trails/trail/joseph-and-dulcie-nannup-trail?print=1#:~:text=The%20Joseph%20and%20Dulcie%20Nannup,to%20the%20Pinjarra%20Road%20bridge.
https://www.alltrails.com/en-gb/trail/australia/western-australia/lake-goegrup-boardwalk

Birdwatching

The estuary fringes are a fascinating place to explore by boat, with their network of small islands, channels and wetlands. The Creery Wetlands Nature Reserve is a hidden gem of ecological significance, a serene and pristine wetland ecosystem rich in biodiversity and cultural heritage.

It’s a haven for birdwatchers, with over 130 documented bird species, including the black swan, the rainbow bee-eater, and the magnificent osprey, along with various waterfowl, wading birds and raptors, frogs and reptiles. The Mariners Cove walking trail - an easy three kilometre loop, with a boardwalk that takes you through the wetlands – is a safe way to enjoy the estuary, its birdlife and wildlife.

If you’d like to make your home by the beautiful Serpentine River, Frasers Landing offers the chance to live right next to the serenity of the river’s edge in a peaceful enclave surrounded by bushland, birdsong and beautiful homes, close to all of Mandurah’s established conveniences.

To see it for yourself, come and see us at the Frasers Landing Sales Centre, 1 Landings Boulevard, Coodanup. You can also email Kaylene at kaylene.mcternan@frasersproperty.com.au or call 13 38 38.