Family and dog friendly beaches

With more sunshine hours than any other capital city in Australia, vast expanses of pure white sand and crystal clear water the Perth coastline is a great place for the whole family to enjoy some fun in the sun!

During the summer months most of the major beaches in Perth are patrolled daily by the Surf Life Saving guards. They keep a close watch on our beaches and ensure that all the swimmers are kept safe. You can help them out by always making sure you and your children swim between the yellow and red flags. If you are visiting a beach without patrols please take extra caution and be aware of dangers like rips, currents and swells.

Also be sure to SLIP, SLOP AND SLAP before heading down to the beach, pack your umbrella or sun shade and take lots of water to avoid dehydration throughout the day.

Cottesloe and city beaches

Two of the most popular beaches in Perth with lots of grassed areas for picnics, great facilities and shady trees. The waves can get quite big here when the swell is up and the sea breeze kicks in, so be careful with the younger children. The older kids will have heaps of fun body surfing though!

Northern beaches

The stretch of northern coastline from Trigg to Hillarys is home to many protected beaches that are surrounded by shallow limestone reef. This creates wonderful rock pools and perfect conditions for swimming and snorkelling. Some of the most popular northern beaches for the whole family to enjoy are Mettam's Pool, North Beach, Watermans Beach and Sorrento Beach.

Rottnest Island

There are over 60 beaches on Rottnest Island, all accessible by bicycle!  Being an island means that no matter what direction or strength of the wind you will always be able to find at least one beach that is protected and wonderfully calm! With a water temperature noticeably warmer than mainland Perth, Rottnest really is a must do destination when considering any Perth beach! The lack of cars also means you can let the kids head off on their own without the fear of the roads and traffic. A perfect family holiday destination!

Rockingham foreshore

The stretch of beach along the Rockingham foreshore is one of the few north facing coastal locations in Perth. This means when our reliable ‘Fremantle Doctor’ blows up the beaches here are still wonderfully calm and wave free. It is also very shallow stretch here - your kids could walk out 10 metres and still only be waist deep!

Marina’s

Perth is lucky to have some wonderful marinas and boating harbours and the best thing is that you don’t even need a boat to enjoy them! The Hillarys Boat Harbour and the Mandurah Ocean Marina both have great children’s beach areas that are very safe and loads of fun.

Warnbro Sound

The beaches within Warnbro Sound are quiet, peaceful and safe. The long stretch of pure white sand that makes up Waikiki beach is wonderful for a relaxing sunbake or some fun sand castle action! The nearby Penguin Island is also a wonderful place for the whole family, hitch up your shorts and walk across the shallow sand bar in search of the elusive residents. On the way over you may even be lucky enough to spot a friendly Bottlenose Dolphin!

Dog friendly beaches

Give your pooch a treat and take them for a run and some fun at one of Perth’s dog friendly beaches. Most of the beaches mentioned below have log stretches of white sand for the dogs to play fetch as well as grassed areas where dogs can be taken off their leads for additional exercise. It is fun for the whole family and a great social outing for your pooch!

Here is a list of beaches around Perth where you and your dog can wallow in the water together! The beaches have been given a rating by www.gooddog.info so you get the inside scoop on how they all compare!

Northern beaches

Peasholm Dog Beach, South Scarborough (4.5 stars)
Bennion beach, between Kathleen and Bennion Streets, Trigg (2 star). Watermans Dog beach, between Castle and Ada Streets, North Beach (2.5 stars).

Central coast beaches

North Cottesloe dog beach, Cottesloe (0.5 stars)
South City dog beach, Swanbourne (4 stars)

Southern beaches

C.Y. O'Connor Beach, Cockburn, Fremantle (2.5 stars)
South Beach, between Marine Terrace and the Fremantle Sailing Club, Fremantle (3 stars)
Cockburn Dog Beach (0.5 stars)
Mosman Beach, between Beach Street Groyne and the City of Fremantle boundary (4 stars)

For more information on the dog beaches listed above, visit the Walking the Dog website.