Discover Onslow: Water, Coast and History

Onslow offers a range of ways to include water, the coast and history in your travel plans. You can choose between water play for children, swimming facilities with a defined season, and activities at the beach. There is also a coastal walking path, a memorial with a special connection to the sun, and places to visit in the surrounding area. Which of these appeals most for your stay depends on whether you want to focus on time in the water, walking, or historical and natural features.

Water Activities and Things to Do at the Beach

Onslow Water Spray Park has two play areas for children of all ages. Its water features include water cannons, ground jets and a tipping bucket. Onslow Aquatic Centre offers a different kind of water experience: a 25 m pool with six lanes, a free-form beach entry area and water play features. The Spray Park focuses on its two play areas and water features, while the Aquatic Centre combines lap lanes with a beach entry. The Centre operates from September to May, so factor this period into your plans for a visit.

At Sunrise Beach, you can fish, swim, snorkel and collect shells. There is also a boat ramp and a beach shelter. These beach activities are distinct from the water play at the park and the facilities at the Aquatic Centre. When planning your time by the water, you can decide whether swimming and snorkelling, fishing or shell collecting matters most to you.

A Walk Along Onslow’s Northern Coast

The Ian Blair Memorial Boardwalk is a 1 km walking path along Onslow’s northern coast. It connects ANZAC Memorial Park with Sunset Beach. Along the way, there are interpretive signs and a lookout over the Old Jetty. The length gives you a clear idea of how long the walk is; the signs and lookout add two different perspectives on the surroundings. If you want to include a walk in your stay, the boardwalk is distinct from water activities at the beach or in the play and swimming areas.

Memorial, Lunar Phenomenon and History

Onslow’s ANZAC Memorial is aligned so that the rising sun shines through it every morning. At the Onslow Foreshore, a different natural phenomenon occurs at full moon: the moon rising over the exposed tidal flats at Sunrise Beach creates the visual spectacle Staircase to the Moon. It depends on lunar and tidal conditions. The sun and moon references are therefore different: at the Memorial, sunrise is part of the alignment, while Staircase to the Moon depends on a full moon and exposed tidal flats.

Near Onslow is the Old Onslow Townsite, a rare example of a historic archaeological site of a former frontier settlement in the north-west of Western Australia. It offers another point of historical interest in the area around the destination. The Townsite should not be confused with present-day Onslow: it is a former settlement, while the water activities and Memorial mentioned here are specific experiences in present-day Onslow.

Tour and Islands Nearby

The Onslow Hidden Treasures Tour is an approximately two-hour, air-conditioned bus tour. If you want to include it in your plans, check dates and availability in advance, as the schedule and tour offering may change. The approximate duration gives you a guide for planning your time, without equating the trip with a walk or time spent by the water.

The Mackerel Islands lie off the coast of Onslow. There are opportunities for fishing, diving, swimming, snorkelling, whale watching, boating and nature observation. The islands add activities offshore to the choices available, but are distinct from the experiences mentioned in Onslow. Check access and seasonal availability before travelling. This lets you include the islands as a separate destination in your plans while keeping their activities distinct from those available in town.

For the broader travel overview: Shire of Ashburton.