
Recently I embarked on a magical mystery tour of a region of Perth…
There are vines – but it isn’t in the Swan Valley. There are caves – but it isn’t in Margaret River. There is a Lavender Farm – but it isn’t in Yallingup. There are top notch ocean side restaurants, but it’s not City Beach or Cottesloe. We sipped poolside cocktails – but not at Crown. We wandered around lush botanic gardens, but not at Kings Park… We were in the City of Wanneroo! See what things to do in Wanneroo that I’ve found.
I’m very familiar with the City of Wanneroo – I lived in Tapping for 14 years. In that time, I loved to putt putt my way through the Wanneroo Botanical Gardens, enjoying a woodfired pizza at Leapfrogs café, and enjoying a sunset drink or two at a Mindarie Marina bar. In more recent times, the fast-expanding region has produced a few new ocean view restaurants that are worth a visit. Now I’m up in the hills, a visit to Wanneroo was well overdue!
“Discover Wanneroo“, together with Destination Perth took me on a tour to uncover the wonders of Wanneroo, Yanchep and Mindarie – here’s what I found…
Things to do in Wanneroo – Beach & Bush
Yanchep Lagoon
We (me along with one of my work besties, the lovely Jennie aka Buggybuddys) kicked off the day at the beautiful Yanchep Lagoon. This is a very popular swimming beach, naturally sheltered by reef, making it calm for little ones – and picture perfect for a cheeky selfie or two.

Yanchep National Park
We drove to the nearby Yanchep National Park. There’s lots of nature-based activities to do here, including the very fun Treetops Adventure zipline ropes course. We headed underground to explore the Crystal Cave (note this is now closed for essential maintenance – check with the Park for details).

It has had a walkway refurb to make it more accessible. The tour lasts around 45 mins and is fascinating to see what treasures lay beneath the surface.
And how’s this for something a little bit spesh… yoga in a cave! At the Cabaret Cave, the Hike Collective hold relaxing yoga sessions, followed by a fresh squeezed juice and a bushwalk. This would be a fantastic activity to do with friends. Check out the deets here… Cabaret Cave Yoga & Guided Hike

After a bushwalk, we enjoyed an excellent coffee from the nearby Chocolate Drops cafe, while we spotted koalas high up in the gumtrees. The historic Yanchep Inn pub is also found nearby, as well as loads of lovely picnic spots where you’re sure to spot a ‘roo or two.
Yanchep Lavender Farm
Next up, we took a very short drive south to the pretty Yanchep Lavender Farm. Here, we got a sneak peek at the soon-to-be-opened café and sampled scrumptious lavender ice cream. The musk-y flavoured ice cream is made by Millers and well worth a try.

Their beautifully crafted café, which overlooks the lavender fields, is a lovely spot for coffee and cake and all other manner of delicious treats.
Peak season for the lavender flowering (and getting those insta-worthy pics) is December/January. You can grab beautiful photos anytime with a couple of rows of the ornamental lavender that flowers year-round.
Things to do in Wanneroo – Coastal Dining
Oceans 27, Alkimos
The tour then took us coastal. Stopping at Oceans 27, a restaurant found opposite the spooky Alkimos shipwreck. Owner George is passionate about sourcing his own local seafood.

The Beach House, Jindalee
A long lunch at The Beach House, highlighted to me what a quality dining spot this is in the outer north. The guys behind the impressive building wanted to bring something of substance to the northern suburbs, and they’ve nailed it. The wine list is really interesting too.

With a menu, fit-out and view that wouldn’t look out of place in City Beach, this has to be my favourite spot to dine in the northern fringes of Perth.
Cabana Bar, Mindarie Marina
We squeezed in pretty cocktails and dessert at the stunning poolside Pavilion bar at The Marina Mindarie. This spot has all the resort feels, you can even hire a private cabana and laze by the pool. Heaven!
To non-locals, Mindarie Marina is best described as a mini-Hillarys, with pubs and cafes overlooking the pretty marina. It even is home to a hotel, perfectly placed for exploring the region. One of my favourites – Sistas Café (in Burns Beach and Yanchep) is opening up very, very soon in the old Dome spot. I can’t wait!

Wanneroo Botanic Gardens
Then we walked off all that food at the beautiful Wanneroo Botanic Gardens. The well-established gardens have been around since the 1980s and are a beautiful spot year-round. Some may not know that there are 36 holes at this course – with the very well hidden “billiard golf” found in a beautifully landscaped Monet-style part of the gardens.
Be sure to book a table for a post-putt-putt-pizza! The Leapfrogs café has delicious food, and drinks. I’ve been many, many times.

Paul Conti Wines, Woodvale
And we finished off the day with sweet treats by Chef Harry at “Harrys at Contis”. The passionate Chef was trained by the ‘Godfather’ of French cuisine, Michel Roux Sr, along with Alain Fabregues at The Loose Box.

I then enjoyed a glass of Paul Conti Wines, with the legend himself, Paul, in his vineyard. The passionate winemaker is considered a pioneer of the WA wine industry, I loved hearing his tales.

What a day!
There are so many gems in this region. There are many more things to do in Wanneroo than I realised – has so many tourism and hospitality vendors to uncover! It is well worth a drive to Discover Wanneroo. Think you know what Wanneroo has to offer? Think again! You’re bound to find something new in the City of Wanneroo. Sometimes the best gems are right under our own noses and closer to home than we think.
Many thanks to all involved for a magic day x
Re-produced with kind permission from Simply Perthfect