UP RIVER OR DOWN RIVER?
WHICH TOUR SHOULD I CHOOSE?
In boating, we plan every trip prior to casting off. Why?
The answer is twofolds.
1 – It is important to know where you are going. This means that the river is full of clues to keep you safe; markers, sandbars and submerged objects, and being aware of them before you reach them makes the journey easier and safer
2 – What you want to see and maybe experience, will point you in the right “tour” direction. Also the time you spend on the river; say you want to see Elizabeth Quay, then you know you will have to book the Mid-Morning or Afternoon Cruise for 3 hours, which takes you to EQ and back. Or maybe you want to head to Mandoon for the day, then 6 or 8 hours will be your choice.
Each tours is subject to the weather, tide and current. Perth is known for high gusts and sometimes this will slow the boat down and you may not reach your destination. The journey and your crew is more important than the destination, but we have included some of the highlights in each tour below
Let’s dive into the different tour options:
Early Riser
A morning person, worried about your first time on the boat or just want to beat the heat?
The Early Riser is perfect! At 7.45am there are not many people out on the river and you more or less have it all to yourself. It’s quiet and tranquil.
This tour last for 2 hours and can take you up river towards Riverside Gardens in Bayswater and return, or down under Matagarup Bridge and return. It’s two different trips and both are worth while.
It’s either a nature trip or a mix of both…for now.
Going up river you will find houses hugging the foreshore with old private wooden jetties and nature reserves. Ascot Waters Marina and Kuljak (Black Swan) Island is to your right whilst on your left you have the only Amateur BoatBuilding Yard left in Australia and the oldest residential house still standing from Perth Settlement. Tranby House was built by the Hardey Family in 1839 (now called Peninsula Farm), and was their 3rd home on the Peninsula (the other 2 got taken by the flood).
Going towards Garratt rd Bridge can be a bit tricky as you are now driving on the left hand side of the river and you need to follow the green markers to get through the bridge. ANA rowing club and Hinds Reserve will reveal itself when you come through on the other side. There are toilets here if you need to stop, but be wary of the wooden jetty. At low tide, you will not be able to use it.
At Riverside Gardens, residents are out with their pooches, swimming and running around the green lawn, and you might see horses doing laps at Ascot RaceCourse, to your right.
Did you know there used to be a horse pulley across the river? It was the only way the horses could get to the racecourse prior to the bridge being built.
Check your time. If it’s been an hour, it’s time to return to base.
If you want to go downriver on the Early Riser, check out the Sunset Cruise below which will explain what you will see on this trip. In addition, you should have time to stop in Claisebrook and grab a coffee from one of the local venues
Places you can stop:
Tranby House (floating jetty)
Ascot Water Marina (floating jetty)
Hinds Reserve (only on high tide. Wooden Jetty)
Memorial Drive (floating jetty)
Bayswater Boat Ramp (only 5min max if ramp is not busy)
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Mid- Morning & Afternoon Cruise
Welcome to the most popular hire options. The 3 hour cruises have been with us from the start. They start at 10.15am and 1.45pm
1. Upriver is the same as the Early Riser, full of nature, quiet and tranquil. This trip will continue after Riverside Garden and Ascot RaceCourse and you you will head up towards Sandy Beach. On your way you will see more nature, houses and drive through a second bridge, the Tonkin Highway. Claughton Reserve opens up on your left with a boat ramp and toilet facilities. You may stop here, if there are no one launching or retrieving their boats. The toilet block is a good 2-3min walk.
Further up, Ron Courtney Island and Garvey Park unfolds. This is the grounds of Ascot Rowing club and a place where lots of locals come to swim and do water activities. Please go on the left hand side of the Island.
Around the next bend and past the slalom track is Sandy Beach. This is also a popular spot for locals. Do not use the fishing platform to stop at. There are submerged rocks etc and it not a jetty!
This is the end of the 90min trip, it’s time to head back to base.
Places you can stop UpRiver:
Tranby House (floating jetty)
Ascot Water Marina (floating jetty)
Hinds Reserve (only on high tide. Wooden Jetty)
Memorial Drive (floating jetty)
Bayswater Boat Ramp (only 5min max if ramp is not busy)
2. Downriver is completely different. Check out Sunset Cruise below. When you reach Matagarup Bridge, your trip may continue all the way to Elizabeth Quay. The only way to get there is through the Causeway Bridge (another bridge will be built in 2024) on the right hand side of Heirrisson Island.
Did you know we have city kangaroos living on the Island?
Here, the Perth Waters opens up with views to South Perth to your left, Kings Park straight ahead and East Perth and Perth on your right. Riverside Drive is a long stretch containing Langley Park (once planned to be a botanical garden when the first settlers arrived), tall apartment blocks and hotels, before you reach Barrack St jetties which is home to all the charter boats in Perth.
They and the Ferry have right of way, so do look out.
At the entrance to Elizabeth Quay, named after Queen Elizabeth II, you will see a beautiful architecturally designed pedestrian bridge. Inside the Quay, you have restaurants, pubs, the Ritz-Carlton, residential apartments and mining giants. This is where the city meets the river..again (this part of the city was once filled in to create more space).
90min have passed, and it’s time to return to base.
Places you can stop DownRiver:
Claisebrook Cove (only when it is safe. wooden jetties)
Burswood Jetty/Optus Stadium (15min stop max)
On A Point (only if you are dining at the restaurant)
Elizabeth Quay (only if you have time and only on the righthand side/visitor jetty )
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Sunset Cruise
Chase the sun down to East Perth on our 90min return sunset tour. Starting at 5.15pm
This tour takes you past vast land on either side of the river. To your right, Maylands Golf Course hugs the foreshore with a view over to Burswood Peninsula. It houses Belmont Race Course (soon to include a huge new development). After the golf course the Barringa Park wetlands enfolds and the old chimney from yesteryears Maylands Brickworks reaches for the sky. Maylands Yacht Club is next, on the weekends, lots of sailing dinghies will fill the river. In the olden days, the jetty used to reach the middle of the river and diving competitions were the highlight.
Banks Reserve with its beautiful beach and 2 courtesy buoys is beaming with swimmers in the hotter months.
Keep an eye out for East Perth Power Station and its old jetty (no mooring). This place will be a future food heaven. Hopefully we’ll have a jetty to stop at.
You can only drive under the bridge between the red and green marker – remember Red and Green Stay Between.
Welcome to the halfway mark and where you will turn around. In this perfect triangle you have Optus Stadium, Matagarup Bridge and Claisebrook Cove.
Upon your return, the sun will start setting in the background as you drive along the Burswood Peninsula. If you look at the map, it is the tip of the Swans beak as you return to Maylands Boat Ramp
Places you can stop at:
On this trip you won’t have the time to stop as the closest jetty is Claisebrook, which is approx 45min from base
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Custom Cruise
This is something special. Here you can choose 6-8 hours on your own on the river. Any of the tours above can be done in a 6-8 hour tour by mooring onto a buoy for a relaxing time in the sun or cool of in the river, maybe head to South Perth or the Swan Valley. Or you can do something really special and let us custom make a cruise which could entail the following:
1. Wine tasting at Mandoon Estate
2. History tours of the Swan River and the settlement houses
3. Boat and kayak tours
4. Bush tucker tasting at Dale Tilbrook
5. Wine making at Mandoon Estate
6. Boat and zip line at Matagarup Bridge
7. A proposal or your wedding
The custom cruises cannot be found online as they need to be booked directly and way before your hire date. Contact us for a chat and to see what we can do for you.
Please remember that the boat cannot be left unattended on any jetty.
One person (over 18) should always be with the boat. If you do a custom cruise, myself or a tour guide will look after the boat whilst you enjoy your land based experience