Boranup Beach, Margaret River, WA: Karri Forest, driving & surfing

Boranup Beach in the Margaret River region in Australia offers white sand and decent surfing. But the Hamelin Bay stingrays and giant karri trees in the forest behind the beach are the star attractions.

Boranup Beach is one of the longest beaches in the Margaret River region of south-west Western Australia. There are several reasons to add it to a holiday itinerary in the region, too.

The first is that Boranup Beach is at the end of an absolutely beautiful drive. The route from Margaret River passes through tall karri forest, and it’s a privilege to pass under the canopy of these giant trees.

9 Margaret River experiences worth booking

1. Wine tours. 2. Wine & chocolate tasting. 3. Whale-watching. 4. River canoeing. 5. Cave tours to Lake Cave, Ngilgi Cave, Jewel Cave and Mammoth Caves. 6. Nature and culture tour. 7. Surfing lesson. 8. Stand-up paddleboarding. 9. Coffee discovery experience.

Boranup Beach four wheel drive track

The forest is part of the Leeuwin-Naturaliste State Park, which the beach backs onto. There’s a four wheel drive track from the Boranup camping area that leads to the northern end of the beach.

The northern end of the beach is the section that surfers tend to prefer. There is some decent surfing here, but Boranup Beach isn’t one of the more legendary surf beaches in the area. It’s

Boranup Beach stingrays

The southern end of Boranup Beach at Hamelin Bay is easier to access, however. It’s also the most popular part of the beach, as this is where stingrays glide around in the shallows. The stingrays of Hamelin Bay have grown accustomed to human contact over the years. You can stand with your feet in the Indian Ocean and stroke a stingray’s back. Just be careful to stay out of the way of the barb on their tails.

The remains of the old jetty at Hamelin Bay make for a good photo, too. The wooden posts stretching out to sea from the white sand frame very nicely.

Driving along Boranup Beach, Western Australia — If you’ve got a 4WD, you can drive along Boranup Beach in Western Australia. Photo courtesy of Tourism Western Australia.

It is also possible to drive on Boranup Beach. But you’ll need a 4WD vehicle to do so, and probably some sand driving experience. That white sand might look delightful, but it is often very soft and easy to get bogged in.

Boranup Beach is 7.8km long. The drive from Perth to Boranup Beach is 313km long.

Why you should stay in the town of Margaret River

There are plenty of great places to stay in the Margaret River region. But stay in the town itself has one massive advantage – you can walk to the bars and restaurants in the evening after a day’s wine-tasting.

If you’d like to avoid driving in the evening, these are the best accommodation options in the town of Margaret River.

For apartments with a pool (honestly, this is the best choice): Margarets In Town.
For chalets by the river: Riverview Tourist Park.
For a centrally-located motel: Margaret River Motel.
For a bit more style: Prideau’s of Margaret River.