Geraldton: Foreshore, Art and History

Geraldton offers clearly distinct points of interest to help you plan your trip: activities along the foreshore, views of Seal Rock, and places of art, architecture and remembrance. The sites also differ in format. Alongside individual buildings and the memorial, there are exhibition programs and a trail with multiple stops. You can therefore shape your stay around whether you primarily want to spend time outdoors or explore selected cultural themes in greater depth.

Foreshore and views

Geraldton Foreshore is ideal for walking, running, cycling and group training. At the centre of the foreshore is the Waterpark, with numerous spray jets and other water features. Exercise and the Waterpark’s facilities offer different focal points within the same area. For planning purposes, you can consider foreshore activities and the water features as separate points of interest.

At the southern end of Geraldton Foreshore is the Esplanade. Its viewing platform offers a 360-degree view, and Seal Rock can be seen from the Esplanade. Along the path, information boards tell visitors about the sea lions there. The signage complements the view with information about the animals at Seal Rock. The Yellow Submarine was also publicly displayed on the Esplanade at Geraldton Foreshore in 2024, following extensive restoration work.

Art, architectural history and remembrance

The Geraldton Regional Art Gallery is housed in the former Town Hall, built in 1907. The building was added to the State Register of Heritage Places in Western Australia in 1997. The Gallery’s exhibitions draw on local, state, national and international sources. Each exhibition period includes educational and workshop offerings, such as artist talks, film evenings and lectures. These accompanying formats are also part of the options to choose from, alongside the exhibition themes; they are tied to the relevant exhibition period.

St Francis Xavier Cathedral in Geraldton was completed in 1938; its foundation stone was laid in 1916. Point Moore Lighthouse is 34 metres high and the oldest surviving lighthouse in the Commonwealth in Western Australia. The two buildings offer different points of interest: for the cathedral, two dates mark its construction period, while the lighthouse stands out for its height and status as the oldest surviving lighthouse.

The HMAS Sydney II Memorial is the second memorial outside Australia’s capital, Canberra, to be recognised as nationally significant. The Geraldton Voluntary Tour Guides Association offers a tour there every day at 10:30 am, covering the memorial’s five symbolic elements. Check the tour time before your trip. The Bluff Point Lighthouse Keepers Cottage Museum preserves historical photographs, research and reference materials, and presents exhibitions on historical ways of life. Books on regional history are also sold there.

Multiple sites and practical information

The 60 km Yamaji Drive Trail around Geraldton/Jambinu connects 14 Aboriginal sites. Unlike an individual building or memorial, its focus is the connections between multiple cultural sites. If you want to consider several stops rather than a single cultural site, the trail offers a different way to explore.

The Geraldton Visitor Centre is located at 24 Chapman Road, Geraldton WA 6530. When planning your time, it is worth distinguishing between the gallery offerings, which are tied to each exhibition period, and the daily memorial tour at 10:30 am. Check the tour time before your trip.

Discover more destinations: Mullewa.

For the broader travel overview: City of Greater Geraldton.