Mantra Geraldton on Western Australia's Coral Coast

David has a golden rule when it comes to holiday accommodation. Find the best place in town and stay there - who can argue with that - and so we found ourselves at Mantra Geraldton on the Coral Coast of Western Australia. This was meant to be a quick stop over on our way further north but Geraldton turned out to be a hidden gem. Four and a half hours from Perth by road, it is the last large town for more than a thousand kilometres. It has a 'leaving civilisation' kind of feel to it. You want to stay somewhere nice because it might be a while before you get the luxury of good accommodation again.

Our Apartment

We stayed in a Harbour View Superior 2 Bedroom Apartment.

Location

Mantra Geraldton is right on the harbour. As the name suggests our apartment was at the front, with a 180 degree view looking out across the harbour to the vast expanse of the Indian Ocean. We stayed at Mantra Geraldton twice, once on our way north and again on our way back to Perth. The first time the ocean was calm but coming south we were struck by a storm. Ferocious waves crashed onto the breakwater directly in front of us providing a dramatic glimpse of the prevailing southerly winds for which the town is famous. There is nothing in the world quite like feeling safe and warm inside while watching a storm rage outside.

Check-in 

The girls at reception were efficient and pleasant - even when we accidentally set off the fire-alarm. Fortunately we already had the overhead fan going and once we opened the balcony doors it shut off very quickly.

Facilities 

Our apartment had two bedrooms, a separate living/dining room and a large balcony. The king size bed in the main bedroom was made up with crisp, good quality sheets while the lounge/dining room was comfortably furnished and had a good sized dining table - everything we needed for a home away from home.

The apartment was serviced each day.

Facilities included  

• a full kitchen including oven, hotplates, microwave and fridge/freezer,
• two ensuite bathrooms, one with a full size bath,
• a washer/dryer combination machine, and
• a flat screen T.V. complete with Foxtel and blue-ray DVD player.

I know the prospect of cooking while on holiday is not everyone's idea of fun but I am not always in the mood to go out. If I am going to cook though, I want an oven. Kitchenettes with nothing more than a microwave and a couple of hot plates just don't cut it. There is nothing simpler than sticking a couple of chicken kievs and a few veggies in the oven and sitting back with a glass of wine waiting for dinner.

The only thing needed to improve the kitchen was better pots and pans. A newer, cleaner frying pan would have been nice.

If you do intend to cook make sure you stock up on supplies early. Geraldton closes down after 6 pm. If you get caught out, Rigters Supa IGA on Durlacher St is open until 8 pm.

As to the laundry, I love the convenience of having my own washing machine/dryer to deal with all that sweaty active wear at the end of a long day on the tourist trail.

Attractions in Geraldton 

• The Abrolhos Islands - Half an hour's light plane flight off the coast of Geraldton are the Abrolhos Islands. Have you heard of the wreck of the Batavia? The Batavia was a Dutch East India Company merchant ship which struck Morning Reef off the Abrolhos in 1629.  250 of her passengers and crew escaped the sinking vessel only to find themselves without food and water on what was little more than a coral atoll. Over the course of the next few months 125 men, women and children were murdered by the most senior Dutch East India Company employee on the island and a group of his followers. Read the tragic story of the Batavia in my post on The Abrolhos Islands and the bloody story of the wreck of the Batavia.    

The Abrolhos Islands are fringed by the southernmost coral reefs in the world and are a snorkelling and diving paradise. We spent a day on East Wallabi Island exploring the island and its underwater gardens and searching out the local tammar wallabies.

Beacon Island (Batavia's Graveyard) from the air.

•  Museum of Geraldton - This is a great place to learn a bit more about the Batavia and other Western Australian shipwrecks.

• Greenough  - Greenough Historic Settlement is a cluster of preserved 19th Century buildings in what was once a thriving community. A National Trust of Western Australia site, it is just twenty minutes south of Geraldton and open to visitors year round. Don't miss the Leaning Trees of Greenough. Two kilometres from the historic settlement, along the Brand Highway, there is a great example of one with a place to pull over and take photos.

One of the famous, and very photogenic. leaning trees near Geraldton.

• The  HMAS Sydney II Memorial - Set high on a hill overlooking Geraldton the beautiful domed memorial commemorates the loss of the Sydney and her crew of 645 sailors during World War II.

• St Francis Xavier Cathedral - Designed by Monsignor Hawes an architect turned Catholic priest, this Byzantine style church is the most impressive of Geraldton's many beautiful historic buildings.

St Francis Xavier Cathedral

• Point Moore Lighthouse - The lighthouse is not open to the public but its dramatic red and white stripes make a great photo.

Would I recommend Mantra Geraldton?

Absolutely!  Next time we will stay longer.

My tips 

• Book an apartment facing the harbour. The ocean view is worth it.

• Give yourself plenty of time to explore Geraldton. We had two and a half days and it wasn't nearly enough. We are already planning a return trip.

Other blog posts on Western Australia - 

The Kimberley

• Berkeley River Lodge: A wilderness resort in the Kimberley.

• Amalia Gorge: Would you go swimming with a crocodile?

• Zebedee Springs and Chamberlain Gorge: Disappointment in the Kimberley

• Wille Creek Pearl Farm & The Perfect Pearl

• El Questro Station Bungalows: The best kept secret in the Kimberley

The Coral Coast

• The Abrolhos Islands Fly & Flipper Tour

• Hutt Lagoon: A pink lake you can drive to

• Pinnacles and Stromatolites: Ancient formations and living fossils

The South West: Perth to Esperance

• Springtime tulips at Araluen Botanic Park, Western Australia
• Wildflowers in Western Australia: Kings Park, Perth
• Fraser Suites, Perth - a review
• The National ANZAC Centre, Albany
• Albany Harbourside Apartments and Houses
• 7 things to do in Amazing Albany
• 2 Weeks in Western Australia: A road trip itinerary

Note: David and I received a media discount during our stay at Mantra Geraldton.

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