Destination: Leeuwin boat ramp, Fremantle to Elizabeth Quay, Swan River.
Time Boating: Approximately 30 minutes.
Best Bits: Free boat parking for 3 hours in the middle of Elizabeth Quay.
After hearing so much about Elizabeth Quay on the Swan River, and still not having the chance to explore it for myself, I decided to take the family out on the boat and up the river to have a look.
We launched the hire boat at the Leeuwin boat ramp in East Fremantle and cruised up the river to Elizabeth Quay.
It was a pleasant journey that took approximately 30 minutes and the slight rocking managed to put both kids to sleep.
When we got there, we pulled straight into a pen on the jetty and stepped off the boat into the middle of Elizabeth Quay.
Boat parking was free and available for public use for up to 3 hours at a time.
Once we stepped off the boat we had a quick look around and settled on ‘The Lucky Shag’ as a good place to grab some lunch. There was plenty of shade and it provided a great view of the Swan River. We ordered the Seafood Basket and Chicken Parmigiana and both were delicious. They even provided Alby, our 2-year-old son, with some crayons and colouring in pictures to keep him occupied whilst we enjoyed our lunch.
After lunch when we were heading back to the boat, Alby pulled me over to have a look at what he called a ‘pirate ship’. I later found out that it was the Duyfken Replica and that you can in fact take a guided tour on the unique sailing ship.
Before jumping back on the boat, we treated ourselves to an ice-cream from Gusto Gelato. With so many delicious and unique flavours to choose from, it was a nice way to end our short visit to Elizabeth Quay.
On our way back to the Leeuwin boat ramp, we stopped off at Rocky Bay. We anchored up in the sheltered spot and dived in for a quick swim. It was a little chilly to begin with but quite refreshing on such a hot day.
We managed all of this in about 4 hours but could have easily spent the whole day there.
Useful link for planing your trip along the Swan River to Elizabeth Quay:
Map and boat parking guide at Elizabeth Quay.
