20 Jul 2015
Words
Brooke Kelly
Regional Snapshot - Mandurah, Western Australia
WE SHINE A SPOTLIGHT ON KEY REGIONS TO REVEAL WHAT IS DRIVING TOURISM AND ACCOMMODATION INDUSTRY GROWTH
Meeting Place
Mandurah is one of the most vibrant regional cities in Western Australia, and has been a popular water holiday destination since the early 1900s. In fact, the name Mandurah is derived from the Aboriginal word, ‘mandjar’ meaning ‘meeting place’.
Voted twice as Western Australia’s Top Tourism Town, Mandurah welcomes people from throughout Australia and around the globe to enjoy its relaxed coastal lifestyle. The city covers an area of 173.5sq km along beautiful coastline about 72km south of Perth – just an hour by car or train from WA’s capital.
The city prides itself on offering a mix of inner city and semi-rural living between the Indian Ocean, the expansive waterways of the Peel-Harvey Estuary, and the lower reaches of the Serpentine River.
Mandurah and the wider Peel region have experienced continuing rapid growth in the last 30 years. Once a small fishing village that boomed during holiday periods, the city now has a thriving population of more than 80,000, a number that is forecast to exceed 123,000 by 2026.
Thriving Destination
As the gateway to Western Australia’s South West Region, Mandurah is now one of the state’s top tourist destinations, offering spectacular waterways and first-class holiday accommodation.
According to Tourism WA (Mandurah Overnight Visitor Fact Sheet), the average annual number of visitors to Mandurah from 2011 to 2013 was 338,800, 85% of which were intrastate visitors, with 9% from interstate, and 7% international.
Total visitor nights averaged 1,321,000 p.a. The majority of domestic visitors to Mandurah came for holiday or leisure (52%) while 36% were visiting friends and relatives and 9% were on business.
Mandurah and Peel Tourism Organisation Inc (MAPTO) says more recent statistics show rising visitation. Tourism Research Australia’s latest National Visitor Survey data shows, in the 12 months to the end of September 2014, the Peel region recorded 492,000 domestic overnight visitors. At the same time, international visitor numbers for the year reached a record 30,300.
A key domestic market is short-drive overnight visitors from Perth. The intrastate market has traditionally been the major source of visitors, and will continue to be a key focus. However, longer term destination development also aims to attract a greater percentage of interstate and international leisure visitors, with particular focus on business tourism and events.
Attracting Opportunity
The Peel region is home to unique treasures of nature – the largest thrombolite reef in the Southern Hemisphere at Lake Clifton, an estuary twice the size of Sydney Harbour, sensational beaches, and beautiful state forests and national parks. The blue-green waters of the estuary are crisscrossed by pleasure boats and jet skis. Visitors swim, paddle kayaks in the sheltered bay, and cruise the waters on dolphin-watching tours.
Tourism is a major generator of business opportunities and a vital contributor to the local economy. In 2013-14, tourism and hospitality sales in the City of Mandurah totaled more than $340 million.
Visitors flock to the region’s wineries, antique shops and galleries. While retaining its relaxed, holiday atmosphere, the city has flourished with a growing number of restaurants and retail attractions. Mandurah also hosts a multitude of annual and special events, such as Crab Fest in mid-March, the Stretch Arts and Community Festival in May, and the Mandurah Boat Show in mid-October.
The Mandurah Ocean Marina Precinct is alive with the buzz of boardwalk cafes, restaurants, bars and shops. It is also home to the stunning Mandurah Performing Arts Centre that boasts sweeping views over the city and showcases an impressive array of visual and performing arts.
Visitors Flocking
Driven largely by interstate and intrastate visitors, in the YE September 2014, there were 8.1 million overnight visitors to Western Australia who spent $6.7 million and stayed 62.2 million nights.
The critical role tourism will play in supporting WA’s economy in the wake of the State’s resources slowdown has been widely recognized. Tourism WA received its biggest budget ever for the current financial year, and the latest State Budget has allocated an additional $21 million to support events over four years, and $11 million for regional tourism marketing.
Mandurah, as part of the ‘Experience Perth’ tourism promotion region, is a city set to go from strength to strength as a destination of choice.
