Places to explore by mobility scooter around Joondalup

Joondalup sits at the heart of Perth’s northern corridor, around 25 kilometres north of the CBD. With Lake Joondalup on one side and the coast only a short drive away, it is an easy starting point for exploring everything from bushland and wetlands to beaches, marinas and waterfront restaurants.

Head west and you’re soon at Mullaloo and Hillarys. Follow the coast north and you’ll reach Mindarie and Quinns. Keep going and Yanchep National Park gives you a completely different day out again.

For mobility scooter users, many of these places also have the advantage of good paths, accessible facilities and plenty of places to stop along the way.

A slower morning at Lake Joondalup

Neil Hawkins Park is a lovely place to see the quieter side of Joondalup.

The park sits on the edge of Lake Joondalup in Yellagonga Regional Park, with large shady trees, picnic areas and plenty of birdlife around the water. It is particularly pleasant in the morning before the day warms up.

From here you can join the Lake Joondalup Circuit. The full trail is around 16 kilometres, but there is no need to treat it as a circuit. Follow the lake for a while, enjoy the boardwalks and views, then turn around whenever you're ready.

Much of the route is sealed or hardened, and Neil Hawkins Park has accessible parking, toilets and an accessible viewing platform.

This is somewhere I'd bring coffee rather than an itinerary.

Joondalup after dark

The city centre is at its best when something is happening.

Towards the end of the year, the Joondalup Night Markets bring food trucks, stalls and live music into Central Walk. Christmas markets follow through November and December, along with festive lights through the city centre.

It is an easy evening to build around dinner: arrive before dark, look through the markets, have something to eat and stay for the lights.

At other times of the year, Joondalup's event calendar is worth watching too. Central Park has hosted large-scale light and sound events such as Bloom Joondalup, while the wider Joondalup Festival regularly brings performances and installations to locations around the city and coast.

Lakeside Joondalup is close by if you want to combine the outing with shopping or escape the weather, and there is a Changing Places facility in the centre.

Breakfast, ocean views and the coastal path at Mullaloo

Mullaloo works particularly well at either end of the day.

In the morning, grab breakfast or coffee around the foreshore and spend some time at Tom Simpson Park, directly behind the beach. There are lawns, seating and paved paths with the ocean just beyond them.

The coastal shared path gives you the option to keep going without having to venture onto the sand. The recently upgraded section between Mullaloo and Hillarys is around five kilometres long, with a wide, smooth surface and uninterrupted stretches of ocean view.

You certainly don't need to travel the whole five kilometres. A shorter ride followed by lunch works just as well.

If you'd rather come later, Mullaloo is also a good sunset stop. Swell overlooks the beach, while the Mullaloo Beach Hotel is just across the road if you want to stay for a meal or drink.

For anyone wanting to get onto the beach itself, accessible beach equipment is available at Mullaloo, including a beach wheelchair and all-terrain walker, with beach matting installed seasonally. A standard mobility scooter should remain on the hard surfaces.

An afternoon at Hillarys

A little further south, Hillarys Boat Harbour gives you much more than the beach.

Sorrento Quay has cafés and restaurants around the marina, shops to browse and plenty of places to sit overlooking the harbour. It is easy to spend several hours here without needing to move the car.

AQWA is also within the precinct, making Hillarys a useful option when the weather isn't ideal for an entirely outdoor day. The aquarium has ramp and lift access along with accessible toilets.

There are accessible beach facilities around Hillarys and neighbouring Sorrento too, including beach wheelchairs, seasonal beach matting and a Changing Places facility.

And Hillarys can be the beginning of a much bigger outing.

Rottnest Fast Ferries can accommodate mobility scooters on suitable vessels, provided arrangements are made when booking. If Rottnest is somewhere you've wanted to visit, it is worth knowing that taking your scooter across from Hillarys may be an option.

Lunch and sunset at Mindarie Marina

Keep following the coast north and the atmosphere changes again at Mindarie Marina.

This is somewhere I'd time around lunch or late afternoon rather than simply drive through. The marina is compact, with restaurants and bars overlooking the boats and the Indian Ocean beyond.

The Boat is the relaxed waterfront option, while Indian Ocean Brewing Company is nearby if you'd rather settle in for lunch or a drink.

Late afternoon is particularly good here. Have something to eat, wander along the marina and stay as the sun starts to drop towards the ocean.

During the warmer months, you can also combine Mindarie with nearby Quinns Beach. The City of Wanneroo provides a Sandcruiser beach wheelchair there during the beach-access season, which can be booked free of charge.

That gives families or groups a little more flexibility when not everyone uses the same mobility equipment.

A longer day out at Yanchep

For somewhere completely different, continue north to Yanchep National Park.

The landscape changes from beaches and marinas to bushland, wetlands and open lawns where kangaroos are often seen, particularly in the cooler parts of the day.

The Koala Boardwalk is an easy place to start. At around 240 metres long, it takes you through the trees on a raised boardwalk, with accessible parking and toilets nearby.

You don't need to turn a visit to Yanchep into a bushwalk. See the koalas, spend some time around the main visitor precinct and lake, stop for lunch or bring a picnic and enjoy the park at a slower pace.

Spring is particularly attractive when wildflowers begin appearing through the park, while an early morning or late-afternoon visit gives you a better chance of seeing kangaroos out on the lawns.

When to go

The northern corridor changes noticeably with the seasons.

Spring suits Lake Joondalup and Yanchep, especially if you enjoy birdlife and wildflowers.

Summer shifts the focus towards the coast. Mullaloo is good early in the morning before the heat arrives, while Hillarys and Mindarie work particularly well later in the day when you can stay for dinner and sunset.

November and December bring night markets and Christmas activity into Joondalup City Centre, while seasonal beach-access equipment is available at several coastal locations during the warmer months.

There isn't really one outing that represents the area. That's part of its appeal — lake, city, coast and bush are all close enough to choose between depending on the weather and what you feel like doing that day.

Choosing a scooter for where you want to go

These outings also show why there isn't one mobility scooter that suits everyone.

A compact scooter may be ideal for shopping centres, AQWA and marina precincts. Longer trips along the coastal path or around places such as Yanchep may put more emphasis on range, comfort, suspension and ground clearance.

If you're considering a new mobility scooter, visit Motobility Joondalup and tell our team where you'd actually like to use it. Trying different options with your own routine in mind is a much better way to find the right fit. Alternatively, find out more about mobility scooters, and which type would be the best fit for your lifestyle, in our Mobility Scooter buyers guide.