Top 5 Sunset Spots in the Northern Suburbs

by Tom Zaunmayr (subscribe)

Perth is well renowned for it's beautiful sunsets and the northern coast offers keen viewers some of the best vantage points to watch the daily miracle. Here is my pick for the top 5 sunset spots in Perth's north.

Note: for the purposes of this article the northern suburbs are north of Karrinyup road/Morley drive, east of Great Northern highway and south of Two Rocks.

Watermans Beach
Any beach along the northern coast - or the whole Perth coastline for that matter - is great for sunsets, so this is really more to do with the fact it's close to home. We are blessed with a pretty special coastline after all.



Watermans is a particularly good sunset spot because it offers more than just amazing views. There's a barbeque with benches, a pretty decent playground, grassed area and a nice private bay. Unlike Scarborough, Trigg and many others with similar facilities, Watermans doesn't have the huge crowds and doesn't attract antisocial behaviour.

Lake Joondalup
The Indian Ocean makes a great foreground for sunset photos, but it's not the only feature in Perth which can bring the evening to life. The Northern suburbs has an abundance of lakes and wetlands, the biggest of which being Lake Joondalup.



From the eastern side of the lake you can watch as the sun pierces through the trees, bouncing off the calm waters of the lake. There's plenty of natural items here to make your snaps unique including fallen branches, reeds, bird life, islands and everything else you'd expect to find in a suburban wetland. Wetlands are a great spot when there's no cloud cover as the clear skies really bring the still waters to life.

Mt Flora Water Tower
Want uninterrupted 360 degree views of Perth just a stones through from the ocean in the Northern suburbs? It's possible. Mt. Flora in North Beach is a high point sandwiched between Star Swamp and Marmion Marine Park. And just to make it a little taller, some genius decided to put a water tower on top of it, which has since been decommissioned and open to the public.



These days the water tower houses a museum with relics of the local area. You can access the roof of the museum to get one of the best views of Perth west of the hills. Once on the roof you're surrounded by an ocean life painting and stunning views any way you look. The sunrise and sunsets here are a special moment very few outside North Beach know about.

Hillary's Marina
Hillary's Boat Harbour has a whole host of great spots to watch the day come to a close. The grassed area on the north side overlooking the inner harbour is a favourite for families and romantic couples and has the convenience of BBQ's and shaded seating.



The south rock wall gets you out beyond the shoreline, leaving nothing but ocean between you and the setting sun. At the end of the north rock wall has an accessible lighthouse at it's point. From here you get a great view above our famous coastline, with the picturesque marina right below you.

Gnangara-Moore State Forest
There are plenty of scenic spots to watch the sun set in the expansive "Gnangara Pines" forest. You will need a 4wd to access most of the area but the isolated, eerily calm views are well worth the effort.



In the south eastern corner of the pines are a few sand mines that can be scaled to get vistas over the forest, or alternatively you can just climb one of the many large trees if you're game. There are many lakes and clearings scattered throughout the forest as well offering photographers the chance to get creative with their sunset snaps.

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Why? watch the sun set

When: 6-8pm

Where: Perth

Cost: free

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