Leschenault Waterways Eco Museum & Australind Jetty

Extending about one kilometre over the protected waters of Leschenault Estuary (Derbal Elaap), the Australind Jetty is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Australind.

It offers breathtaking views of the estuary, and you can also watch the windsurfers surfing further down the estuary. Be sure to spot people wading through shallow water scooping blue swimmer crabs, as well as fish and prawns.

On the foreshore is the Leschenault Waterways Eco Museum (also known as the Discovery Centre), where you can learn about the estuary environment and the local plants and animals.

Originally part of the Leschenault Inlet system, the Leschenault Estuary is approximately 13.5 km long and has a maximum width of approximately 2.5 km. Formed only 8,000 years ago, the estuarine lagoon is separated from the ocean by a thin peninsula of dunes called the Leschenault Peninsula and forms part of the ecologically valuable Swan Coastal Plain. The Leschenault Peninsula dune system is part of the Quindalup Dune System, which here forms a unique, extensive linear barrier (Semeniuk and Semeniuk 1990).

The Estuary is one of Western Australia’s most significant migratory bird wetlands. It is also home to many Black Swans (Cygnus atratus) and a resident pod of dolphins.

This area forms part of the Kalgulup Regional Park.

History

The Australind Jetty was formerly Laporte’s Boardwalk and pipeline causeway. Laporte Titanium (Australia) Limited opened its titanium dioxide pigment-producing premises on Old Coast Road on 1 January 1964.

The arrival of this plant altered the mineral processing landscape of the wider South West and the surrounding community’s social and educational fabric.

Following the pipeline’s decommissioning in the 1990s, the jetty has been a popular attraction for walking and fishing.

Since the settlement of Australind, the Leschenault Estuary shoreline has been a popular site for recreational activities, including picnics.