Australind Between Water and History

Australind combines a distinctive waterscape with trails and places that tell stories of nature and history. The Leschenault Peninsula separates the mouth of the Collie River from the Indian Ocean. There are also activities on the water, a walking loop around Leschenault Inlet and traces of early European settlement. If you’re looking for holiday accommodation in Australind, you can choose based on whether you’d like to focus mainly on the landscape, outdoor activities or historical discoveries during your stay.

Waterscapes and Nature

Swimming and snorkelling are popular activities on the Leschenault Peninsula. The peninsula is an important point of reference for travellers who want to spend time by the water. More than 60 bird species have also been recorded there, between the beach and the forest. The combination of these landscape features gives the peninsula its distinctive character: as well as water activities, birdlife is one of the highlights of a stay in Australind.

The Leschenault Waterways Eco Museum, also known as the Discovery Centre, is located on the shore. Visitors can learn about the estuary’s surroundings and local plants and animals there. This offers different ways to experience nature: outdoors, the peninsula’s landscape; and on the shore, a place that introduces the estuary’s surroundings and its plant and animal life.

Trails by the Inlet and Along the Shores

The Leschenault Inlet Walk is a five-kilometre loop around Leschenault Inlet. Its circular route and stated length make it a clearly defined way to include the inlet in your day’s plans. If you’d prefer a trail connecting two places and several waterside landscapes, the Eaton–Australind Historic Trail is designed for walking and cycling and runs between Eaton and Australind along the banks of the Collie River and the Leschenault Estuary.

The measurements for the Australind Jetty are also useful for planning your visit. The jetty extends for about one kilometre over the sheltered waters of the Leschenault Estuary, also known as Derbal Elaap. The Australind Jetty Walk is 1.1 kilometres long; including the return journey, the distance is 2.2 kilometres. These two figures describe different things: the jetty’s approximate length and the length of the walk with or without the return journey.

The Leschenault Heritage Drive Trail begins at the Heart and Home statue on Old Coast Road in Australind. This starting point offers clear directions for anyone interested in the heritage trails. The trails have different focuses: the Inlet Walk loops around a body of water, the Eaton–Australind Historic Trail combines walking and cycling along the shores, and the Heritage Drive Trail starts at the statue mentioned above.

History and Local Discoveries

The Australind Memorial commemorates the first European settlers who arrived in the area in 1840. It offers a specific historical point of reference alongside nature and water experiences. Saint Nicholas Anglican Heritage Church is a state-heritage-listed pioneer church built from jarrah. Both places invite you to learn about Australind’s history without losing sight of the landscape.

In 2025, heritage trail signs were installed in Australind and Leschenault. They enable visitors and members of the local community to take a historical walk through time. Together with the memorial, the heritage-listed church and the starting point of the Leschenault Heritage Drive Trail, they show that historical discoveries in Australind take different forms: a memorial site, a building and signposted heritage trails.

An Outing with Different Focuses

For families looking to combine nature and shared discoveries during their stay, Karragarup Play Space at Ridley Place Foreshore offers a specific destination. Its features include a mangrove-tree maze. This adds a play area to the trails and nature experiences without replacing the character of the other attractions. Depending on whether you’d rather enjoy activities on the water, explore a route on foot or by bike, or learn about the area’s history, you can use your different interests as a guide when choosing holiday accommodation in Australind. The options described range from swimming and snorkelling to loop and waterside trails, nature learning, heritage trails and the play area at the foreshore.

For the broader travel overview: Shire of Harvey.