If you live in the Peel Region, Perth Metro Area, and the South West, you’re missing out on a little-known beach right in your backyard! Even though Tims Thicket is not very challenging, especially for seasoned enthusiasts, the beach at the end of the track is stunning! So, the trip to track will be worth it!
Tims Thicket is located more or less 90 km southwest of Perth. It is situated in Cape Bouvard so there are a lot of other beaches and tracks that you can take to maximise your trip. Aside from that, you can also do a lot of different activities besides off-roading, such as fishing, surfing, and whale spotting. You can also explore the charming city of Mandurah and its canals.
So, here’s all the things you need to know about Tims Thicket…
How Do I Get to Tims Thicket?
From Perth, you should get to State Route 2. After merging onto the highway, follow this route:
- After 7.8 km, continue onto National Route 1/State Route 2
- Continue onto Kwinana Fwy/State Route 2
- After 49.6 km, take the exit leading to Mandjoogoordap Dr/State Route 19/Mandurah
- At the roundabout, take the 3rd exit leading to Mandjoogoordap Dr/State Route 19
- After 6.5 km, take the 2nd exit at the roundabout onto National Route 1
- Turn right onto Tims Thicket Rd after 20.5 km
What Should I Know About Tims Thicket?
Tims Thicket is located in Mandurah. It is a city found on the coast of Western Australia. Also, it is about 72 km away from Perth, and it is the state’s second-largest city. In the city’s early history, it was once a small fishing village. But after the 1950s, the city’s boating and fishing industry brought in thousands of retirees. Most of these people reside near the canal developments on the southern portion of the town.
The city is considered to be the gateway to the South West, and it has a lot of tourist attractions that you can visit. You can also go fishing and crabbing in the area. Mandurah even has a festival held every March which is called “Crabfest”.
Tims Thicket is the name of the densely vegetated area behind the beaches in Myalup. The beach starts at the outcrops that form the northern boundary of the Myalup-Preston-Yalgorup-Cape Bouvard long beach. Tims Thicket then heads north onto a series of outcrops that runs along the shore.
The beach has strong waves that break over the reefs and the massive shore break. Also, the beach is bordered by a slightly vegetated dune that reaches up to 20 m high. It also has a few blowouts. Aside from the high dune, there are older dunes further inland that is much smaller.
Tims Thicket beach begins in the lee of the reef, and it curves initially around the north as a protected embayment. Past this embayment, it continues north of the reef for about 2.3 km. This part of the beach also has a few outcrops of beach rock, so you should be careful while driving.
The track off the end of the Tims Thicket Road ends in the centre of the beach, and it is very popular among 4WD enthusiasts. The road is also bordered by slightly active dunes that span about 300 m inland.
Where Can I Drive My 4WD in Tims Thicket?
The City of Mandurah is home to two of the Peel Coast’s best four-wheel driving locations – Tims Thicket and Whitehills. These beaches are the closest southern locations from Perth where you can legally drive on the beach. The next closest is near Lancelin, about two hours north of Perth.
City slickers who only get the chance to give their 4WD a challenge on rare occasions, visit the beaches simply to cruise up and down the coast. About 15km south of Mandurah on the Perth to Bunbury Highway is the turnoff to Tims Thicket beach.
This road eventually ends, and you can either get head to the beach via a pedestrian path that crosses over two dunes or for those looking to get off-road, there’s a 4WD track immediately to your right. After a short drive along the route, a fork in the road will take you down onto the southern end of the beach.
Unfortunately, you can only drive south from the original entry point onto Tims Thicket, as driving on the beach north of here is prohibited. Also, owners of dune buggies, four-wheelers and motorbikes will need to go elsewhere, as only 4WD vehicles registered for road use are allowed on the beach.
Access is restricted to the beach the only ¬– you can’t drive, sandboard or even walk on the dunes, as this can cause significant damage to the environment, which requires hours of volunteer work to repair.
The beach at Tims Thicket runs along for about 2km south until you reach a limestone reef. During high tide these reefs can be impassable, so you’ll need to go back along Tims Thicket to the point where you first entered the beach.
If it’s low tide, you can typically drive towards the reef and directly onto a 4WD access track that leads you back across Yalgorup National Park to the entry point. If you choose not to go along this track, your other option is to keep driving past Seal Rock (which is also a limestone headland that is only passable during low tide) and onto Whitehills Beach.
Along the beaches, you should follow simple rules that will help to protect and preserve the area. Stay on the beach and use only the approved entry and exit areas, which are marked. Also, no access is permitted in the dunes and camping is not allowed on the beaches, although you’re allowed to prepare meals using a gas burner. All litter is to be removed – there are bins provided on both Tims Thicket and Whitehills Road.
When setting off on your all-terrain adventure, remember that only fools rush in. You need to be prepared with some essentials, as sand driving is some of the most difficult you’ll experience and just having the right car isn’t enough. Also, the beach can get very soft and boggy, and you can easily get caught. So, you shouldn’t go unprepared, if you don’t want to get stuck in the area.
To avoid this situation, you should take a first aid kit, fire extinguisher, shovel, tyre pump, pressure gauge, compressor, snatch strap (for getting you out if you’re bogged). You should also have rated shackles, and have rated recovery points fitted to your vehicle.
These recovery points are essential for all four-wheel driving and can be picked up cheaply at most good 4WD accessory stores. It’s also a good idea to go in convoy as it’s easy to get into trouble on your own.
What Are the Best Things to Do in Tims Thicket?
Most of the fun attractions are located in Mandurah and the surrounding areas. You will also see a lot of dolphins and whales annually, so it is the perfect place to go whale watching. During the summer, usually in December, the city transforms its canals through Christmas lights and boat cruises.
Two zoos are located on the outskirts of the town, as wells as a tourist railway, miniature village, and national park. But if you want to stay longer on the beach, you can go fishing and surf on the reefs.
What Do Other 4WD Enthusiasts Say About Tims Thicket?
“Hit the beach at the northern entrance at Tims Thicket. We found it pretty easy going. The track in is pretty hard-packed, slightly corrugated but not too bad.
Once on the beach, the sand is pretty soft but seems to be a popular spot, so there are plenty of tracks to follow in which make the going a bit easier. Today wasn’t too busy, so we pulled up in a quiet spot down near Seal Rock and chilled out for a little while.
” -EdgeLectrics via 4x4earth
Where Should I Stay While in Tims Thicket?
There are no campsites in the surrounding area, so your best bet is to stay in the hotels, motels, inns, etc. in the surrounding area. So, you can check here some of best options to stay near Tims Thicket:
- Twins Waters Caravan Park, Dawesville
- C Mandurah Resort & Serviced Apartments, Mandurah
- The Sebel Mandurah
- Quest Rockingham
- Murray River Lodge Luxury Boutique
- Mandurah Quay Resort
Related Questions
What Is Mandurah Known For?
Mandurah is the perfect to start exploring the Peel and Mandurah region. As one of Western Australia’s biggest city, Mandurah is famous for its magnificent waterways and laid-back holiday vibes.
Why Is It Called Peel Region?
Peel Region, which consists of Mississauga, Brampton, Caledon is named after Robert Peel, who served twice as the Prime Minister of the UK from 1834-1835 and 1841-1846. The Peel Police nowadays have a nickname of “no deal, Peel” referring to their hard-line approach to ticketing drivers.
How Far Is Dwellingup From Perth?
The distance between Perth and Dwellingup is 87 km. The road distance is 108.2 km.
Who Was Lane Poole?
Charles Edward Lane Poole (16 August 1885 – 22 November 1970) was an English Australian forester who introduced systematic, science-based forestry practices to various parts of the Commonwealth, most notably Australia.
