Guide to Hamelin Bay

Hamelin Bay is a wonderful coastal spot found in the Leeuwin-Naturaliste National Park. A little north of Augusta, this beach and holiday park in the Margaret River region is a stunning part off South Western Australia. Hamelin Bay is about 3.5 hours drive south of Perth. Stay there at the Hamelin Bay Holiday Park (very busy at peak summer times) or visit for the day when staying in the south west.

Hamelin Bay is a pretty spot, with remnants of the old jetty still sticking out of the sand. The jetty was built in 1882 to service a nearby timber mill. As the bay is open to strong winds, these caused the loss of five boats in the early 1900s. A few years later, Hamelin Bay was abandoned as a timber port, so sadly the jetty became derelict and was later burnt down.

The Hamelin Bay Stingrays

One of the things Hamelin Bay is known for is the friendly stingrays. They can be seen swimming up and down the shallow waters of the bay, south of the boat ramp, looking for fish scraps from people filleting their catch.

Many people gently touch the Hamelin rays and you should be sure to be respectful and keep a distance, away from their stingers. They are beautiful to watch, gliding through the water and can grow up to two meters. The stingrays tend to visit the shore more in summer months.

Hamelin Bay Beach

The kids just loved playing at the beach. We’ve been a few times in January, and you can expect the ocean to be flat as a pancake with a clear beach, or wavy, windy and lots of seaweed.

Throw down your towels at the southern end by the limestone cliffs, which can get shelter from the sea breeze, or head to the popular north end and set up a beach shelter to shade you for a few hours.

Other Things to do at Hamelin Bay

The waters are very shallow and calm, ideal for canoeing, snorkeling, paddle boarding, boating and fishing.

For snorkelers and scuba divers, Hamelin is home to lots of fish and marine creatures, as well as eleven shipwrecks and caves to explore. The WA Maritime Museum has a “Hamelin Bay Wreck Trail” featuring four visible wrecks; the Agincourt (1882), Chaudiere (1883), Katinka (1900) and Toba (1930s/1940s).

Beach fishing is popular too. By boat, or from the sand you may catch whiting, skippy and herring.

It’s also a great place to go off-grid! There’s generally no mobile reception or WiFi available at Hamelin Bay. You may be able to get a signal at the beach through the Telstra network.

Facilities at Hamelin Bay

There are a couple of car parks for day trippers. In summer, particularly on weekends and in the school holidays, it’s very busy and can be hard to find parking.

Toilet facilities, change rooms and showers are found close to the beach.

The Hamelin Bay Holiday Park

While we didn’t stay at the holiday park (I have lovely memories of staying there as a child), it offers ocean view cottages, ensuite cabins, powered and unpowered camping and caravan sites. There are plenty of mature trees for shade, privacy and is home to many native birds, including sweet blue fairy wrens.

Other camp facilities include a kiosk for essential grocery items, milk, bread, lollies, bottled water, ice and fishing tackle. They offer take away coffee and ice creams too.

Find more info on staying at the holiday park, including rates and bookings on their website – hamelinbayholidaypark.com.au

Find Hamelin Bay at the end of Hamelin Bay Road, Hamelin Bay, near Augusta.

Discover more things to do in the Margaret River Region here.

Find more camping spots in WA

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About Amanda Carlin

Amanda Carlin has her own food and travel blog. Established in 2013, through "Simply PERTHfect", Amanda loves getting out and about in Perth and WA. She enjoys brunching, lunching or something a little fancy in equal measures. With her parents in tow, Amanda always has plenty of senior-friendly eating options to recommend. Be sure to check out Simply PERTHfect.

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