Sandwiched between ghost towns, bubblegum-pink lakes, 17th-century shipwrecks, and paradise islands, the historic city of Geraldton is one of the highlights of the Coral Coast. While it primarily serves as the gateway to the Abrolhos islands and the red-dirt landscapes of northwestern Australia, it's also a great tourist attraction in its own right—it boasts historical and cultural hotspots, great beaches, and some of the best fine-dining north of Perth. While there's no end of things to do in Geraldton, highlights include surfing, fishing, the Shipwreck Gallery at the Geraldton Museum, and the Monsignor Hawes Cathedral.
Geraldton is a popular year-round destination, as the coastal breeze keeps temperatures pleasant even in the hottest months of the year. However, while summer is a great time to hit the beach, winter is especially popular with travelers heading up from Perth to escape the cold of the southwest. It’s also prime time to go whale watching and surfing. Spring, on the other hand, has all of that, as well as some of the best wildflowers in the world.
Although Geraldton has an airport and is also accessible via public transport from Perth—which is 263 miles (424 kilometers) away—most visitors arrive by car. Once you’re there though, the city is easy to access via public transport, which also negates the need to find that last parking spot at the beach. It’s also a very pedestrian and bicycle-friendly city, especially around the foreshore, where you’ll find the majority of the city’s tourist attractions.
Sitting alongside the azure waters of the Indian Ocean, the coastal city of Geraldton has as many water-based activities as it does land-based ones—as well as some that tick both boxes, like the Shipwreck Gallery at the Geraldton Museum. Other watery highlights include fishing, whale watching, and boat tours over to the Abrolhos Islands. Accessible by scenic flight, this coral-fringed island paradise is home to the state’s best scuba diving spot, the 17th-century Batavia shipwreck.
