Mandurah: Dolphin & Giant Sightseeing Cruise

The best part of this cruise is the view of Seba’s Song, a huge recycled-wood sculpture that faces the water rather than the shore. From the boat, you see the Giant in full, a viewpoint you cannot get from land. The trip also takes you through Mandurah’s canals and open wetlands, so the sculpture is only one part of a much bigger outing.

I like the two-part appeal: wild dolphins in their natural setting and a strong sense of place as you cross the Peel-Harvey Estuary. I also like the large SuperCat, with open front areas, upper and lower decks, and wide windows for changing weather. The main consideration is speed and water movement. This is not a slow, sheltered sightseeing ride, and you need to be comfortable on water with small waves.

Key points at a glance

• Seba’s Song from the water: See Mandurah’s fourth Giant from the one angle that reveals the whole sculpture.
• Wild Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins: Look for Mandurah’s resident dolphins as the boat crosses the estuary and Dawesville Cut.
• A two-hour route with variety: The cruise combines wetlands, birdlife, canals, luxury homes, and open water.
• Large SuperCat seating: Use the open front, upper deck, lower deck, or broad windows depending on the weather and your preference.
• Optional fish and chips: Add lunch from Cicerello’s Restaurant through Mandurah Cruises, or bring your own snacks.
• Good value at $53: The price covers the cruise, commentary, dolphin search, birdlife, and the special view of the Giant.

Why Seba’s Song is the cruise’s best reason

Mandurah’s GIANTS exhibition turns recycled wood into enormous human figures placed around the region. The five sculptures are set at secret locations, and finding four helps reveal the location of the fifth. That gives the project a playful, treasure-hunt feel, but the real point is environmental: the Giants draw attention to the beauty of the natural places around them.

Seba’s Song is especially unusual. The figure faces away from the land and looks out across the water. From shore, you cannot see the sculpture properly. The boat approaches from the angle the artist intended, giving you a full view at the water’s edge.

That makes this more than a standard dolphin cruise with a sculpture added at the end. The Giant gives the trip a clear destination, while the water journey explains why Mandurah was chosen for the exhibition in the first place. You see wetlands, channels, open estuary, and bird habitat before reaching the sculpture.

Bring a camera. You get time to photograph Seba’s Song, and the boat offers a better chance of capturing the whole figure than a land-based visit would.

Setting out from Mandurah Terrace

The meeting point is at 73 Mandurah Terrace, Mandurah, and you should arrive at the jetty 15 minutes before departure. All-day parking is available close to the boarding point at Ormsby Terrace, which makes this easier to fit into a day in Mandurah.

The cruise lasts two hours. That is long enough to reach the wider waterways and spend time watching for dolphins, but short enough to combine with lunch or another Mandurah activity. Check the available departure time when booking, since the starting time can vary.

The SuperCat is built for sightseeing rather than simply getting from one point to another. You have a large open front, upper and lower decks, and expansive windows. On a sunny day, the front gives you the most direct view. In cooler or wet weather, the windows and covered areas make the trip more comfortable.

The boat is faster than Mandurah’s regular dolphin cruise. That matters. You cover more water and reach areas such as the Dawesville Cut, but the ride can include small waves and noticeable water movement. If you prefer a very slow, quiet boat trip, this may not be the best choice.

Crossing the Peel-Harvey Estuary

Once the boat leaves the more built-up waterways, the character of the trip changes. The Peel-Harvey Estuary opens out, and the cruise takes on a wilder feel. You are still in inland waters, but the boat travels at higher speed than a standard dolphin cruise.

This is where the dolphin search begins. Mandurah is home to a large residential population of Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins, and the crew looks for animals moving through the estuary and nearby waterways. The dolphins are wild, so sightings happen in their natural environment rather than at a controlled display.

The experience is best approached with patience. You may see dolphins beside the boat, moving through the water or playing near the vessel. Several outings have produced numerous sightings and enough time for photographs. On one trip, the skipper’s careful handling allowed close-up views while the boat followed the dolphins rather than rushing past them.

You should still allow for variation. One outing produced only a few dolphins, although the guide and captain continued to provide useful information. Weather and animal behavior can change the experience from day to day. The tour includes a dolphin guarantee, but the animals remain wild, and the exact quality of the sighting cannot be controlled.

The strongest dolphin outings appear to be those where the crew can slow down and stay with the animals. A guide may identify individual dolphins and explain their details and history. That kind of commentary gives the sighting more meaning than simply pointing toward a fin in the distance.

Wetlands, pelicans, and open-air commentary

Mandurah’s waterways are also important bird habitat. The cruise passes internationally recognised wetlands protected by the United Nations, with birdlife that can include pelicans, ospreys, and other species.

The birdwatching is not a separate stop with a set viewing platform. Instead, it forms part of the cruise as you move through the waterways. Keep your camera ready, but do not expect every bird to appear on schedule. The value is the setting: the boat shows you how closely Mandurah’s wildlife, wetlands, and waterways are linked.

Live commentary covers the dolphins, birdlife, marine environment, and the region’s past and present. The quality of this narration matters because the boat is moving through a large area, and the guide helps connect what you see with the place itself.

Past trips have included clear explanations of local birdlife, dolphins, and the surrounding area. The crew has also been praised for continuing the commentary and making the most of poor weather. You do not need a specialist interest in wildlife to follow it, but the information adds value if you like understanding what you are seeing.

Seeing Mandurah’s canals and waterfront homes

The cruise also passes through Mandurah’s distinctive canals, known for their large and luxurious homes. This is a change of pace from the estuary and wetlands. You move from open natural water into carefully developed waterfront areas, where the houses and private jetties become part of the view.

I like this contrast because it shows two sides of Mandurah in one short trip. The canals explain the city’s reputation as a water-based holiday destination, while the estuary and wetlands show the natural setting behind that reputation.

Do not book the cruise solely for the canal homes. They are an interesting part of the route, not the main attraction. The strongest reasons to go are the dolphins and the water-only view of Seba’s Song. The canals fill out the experience and give you a better sense of Mandurah’s layout.

The approach to Seba’s Song

The arrival at Seba’s Song is the most distinctive section of the cruise. The Giant sits at the water’s edge, looking outward across the water. The boat provides the only full view, so you do not simply stop near a sculpture that you could have photographed more easily from shore.

The crew gives you time to take photographs. That is useful because a figure of this size is difficult to frame from close range. From the boat, you can appreciate the scale, the recycled-wood construction, and the unusual pose facing away from the land.

The sculpture also fits the setting. The Giants exhibition is intended to encourage people to notice and protect the natural world, and Seba’s Song makes that message physical. You see a large human form contemplating the water, surrounded by the wetlands and waterways that make Mandurah special.

The Giant is not an art museum display with labels and indoor lighting. The experience depends on the weather, the boat’s position, and the surrounding water. That is part of its appeal, but it also means the view feels more like a short outdoor encounter than a formal art stop.

Lunch, drinks, and what to bring

The $53 price does not include lunch. You can contact Mandurah Cruises to add fish and chips from Cicerello’s Restaurant, a well-known local option. This is worth considering if you want the cruise to function as a complete half-day outing, but check the add-on details when booking.

Soft drinks and light snacks are available to purchase on board, and you can also bring your own. Some passengers would prefer a wider snack and drink selection, so bringing something small is sensible if you know you will want food during the two hours.

A camera is the one item specifically recommended. Wear clothing suited to changing conditions, though the boat’s covered areas and windows give you alternatives if the weather turns cool or wet. You should also be ready for wind and boat movement, especially on the faster open-water sections.

Pets and smoking are not allowed. The cruise is not suitable for wheelchair users, so accessibility needs should be checked before booking.

Is $53 good value?

At $53 per person, this is a fair price for a two-hour cruise that combines several separate experiences. You are paying for the boat trip, live English commentary, a dolphin search, wetland and birdlife viewing, passage through the canals, and access to the special water view of Seba’s Song.

The value is strongest if you want variety. A simple sculpture visit would cost less, and a short canal ride might suit you better if you are not interested in wildlife. But this cruise covers a wide area and uses the boat to reach a view unavailable from land.

The dolphin element is also important. Because the animals are wild, you should not measure value only by the number of dolphins seen. The crew continues with the natural setting, birdlife, water views, and commentary even when sightings are limited.

The price becomes less attractive if you dislike boat movement or expect a quiet, slow ride. The SuperCat travels faster than the standard dolphin cruise, and the open estuary can feel lively under the boat. For someone comfortable on the water, that speed helps the trip reach more of Mandurah in only two hours.

Who should book this cruise?

I would choose this for anyone who wants a compact introduction to Mandurah’s waterways. It suits families, couples, visiting friends, and anyone interested in seeing dolphins without spending a full day on the water.

It is especially good for people who have already heard about the GIANTS OF MANDURAH and want to see Seba’s Song properly. The sculpture gives the trip a fixed highlight, while the wildlife keeps the route from feeling like a simple transfer.

It also works well for visitors who want a local experience rather than a purely scenic boat ride. The dolphins are wild, the wetlands are part of a protected natural system, and the commentary adds information about the region and its marine life.

I would think twice if you need step-free wheelchair access, dislike small waves, or want a guaranteed close dolphin encounter. The tour includes a dolphin guarantee, but no wild-animal outing can promise exactly how the animals will behave or how long they will remain beside the boat.

Practical booking advice

Book ahead if the cruise is an important part of your day, then arrive at the jetty 15 minutes before departure. Keep the whole morning or afternoon flexible enough to allow for the two-hour cruise, parking, and any meal you plan to add.

The tour is conducted in English. You can reserve now and pay later, which helps if your Mandurah plans may change. Cancellation is free up to 24 hours before departure for a full refund.

The most useful choice is your seating position. Use the open front for the clearest forward view when conditions are comfortable. Choose an upper or lower deck position, or use the expansive windows, if you want more shelter from wind and weather.

Should you book Mandurah’s Dolphin and Giant Sightseeing Cruise?

Book it if you want dolphins, wetlands, canals, and Seba’s Song in one outing. The water-only view of the Giant is the feature that makes this cruise different from a regular dolphin trip, and the two-hour length keeps the commitment manageable.

I would add the Cicerello’s fish and chips if you want an easy meal, and bring a camera plus a small snack if you prefer to keep costs down. Go with realistic expectations about wildlife: you may see many dolphins, but the real strength of the trip is the mix of natural waterways, thoughtful commentary, and a sculpture that can only be properly seen from the boat.

FAQ

How long is the Mandurah Dolphin and Giant Sightseeing Cruise?

The cruise lasts two hours.

How much does the cruise cost?

The listed price is $53 per person.

Where does the cruise depart?

The meeting point is 73 Mandurah Terrace, Mandurah, Western Australia 6210. Arrive at the jetty 15 minutes before departure.

Will I see dolphins?

The cruise includes a dolphin guarantee, and it searches for Mandurah’s wild Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins. The animals are viewed in their natural environment, so the number and closeness of sightings can vary.

Which Giant will I see?

You will see Seba’s Song, described as the fourth Giant in the GIANTS OF MANDURAH exhibition. It faces the water and can be seen fully only from a boat.

Is lunch included?

No. Fish and chips from Cicerello’s Restaurant can be added by contacting Mandurah Cruises. Soft drinks and light snacks are available to buy on board, and you may bring your own.

Does the cruise travel through open water?

The boat crosses the Peel-Harvey Estuary and Dawesville Cut while remaining in inland waters. It travels faster than the standard dolphin cruise and can encounter small waves and water movement.

What language is the tour conducted in?

The live tour guide commentary is in English.

Is the cruise suitable for wheelchair users?

No. The experience is not suitable for wheelchair users. Pets and smoking are also not allowed.