What’s Happening with the Old Carnival Site at Mandurah’s Western Foreshore?

I’ve been watching closely the debate around the old King Carnival site on Mandurah’s Western Foreshore — south of the waterway, near Hall Park — and I’ve felt pulled between nostalgia for what was and curiosity about what might be next.

For more than 75 years, King Carnival was part of everyday Mandurah life — a place families, kids and visitors all knew by sight and sound next to the estuary. It finally closed in early 2025 after its long lease expired, marking the end of an era for many of us who grew up with that patch of grass, shade, and rides by the water.

What’s unfolding now is something very different: a proposal to transform part of that site into a commercial precinct, including a restaurant, a microbrewery, a mini-golf course, a café, and other attractions.

Land Status

That spot of land forms part of the Western Foreshore Leisure Precinct, much of which is designated as an A-class reserve — meaning it’s protected for its high community and conservation value under Western Australian law.

Because of that classification, the City of Mandurah needs State Government approval to “excise” — essentially reclassify — a portion of the reserve before it can be leased for commercial purposes such as the brewery.

Council material explains that removals from an A-class reserve aren’t taken lightly. The intention is to retain the park’s overall classification while carving out a small section for a specific commercial purpose.

Council Says

Mandurah councillors have framed the proposal as part of a broader effort to activate the foreshore and attract investment, describing it as a way to bring life to a small section of the area while keeping the wider precinct accessible and family-friendly year-round.

It’s also been stated that the commercial footprint represents only a small fraction of the total foreshore space, that landscaping and tree retention are priorities, and that any income generated would flow back into local infrastructure and maintenance.

People Speak

Public reaction has been mixed.

Some locals welcome the idea, seeing it as a way to boost Mandurah’s appeal and support local jobs. Others argue the land doesn’t need to be excised at all and that revitalisation can happen without handing public reserve land over to commercial use.

Opposition voices tend to focus on preserving open public space and resisting permanent development on land many see as belonging to the community as a whole.

Me Think

I remember afternoons at the carnival — the noise, the lights, the casual joy on warm evenings — and I also recognise that the foreshore hasn’t stood still. Before the homes and canals were built, the green space covered a much larger area and was used by many for camping. Over the years, the council ended that practice and allowed the canals to be developed. The green area shrank and evolved, with playgrounds, walkways, skate spaces, and the ANZAC memorial, which has become a quiet and important part of the landscape.

I won’t pretend there’s a simple or comfortable answer. This is the kind of issue that taps into memory, identity, and people’s sense of ownership over shared places.

If change is coming, I hope it’s done carefully — with respect for green space, consideration for families, sensitivity to the nearby memorial, and room for the public to keep enjoying what is, undeniably, one of Mandurah’s most valuable shared spaces.

Whatever the final outcome, this conversation matters. Not just because of what gets built there, but because it reflects how we balance growth, memory, and public land in a city that continues to grow.

–Michael (Dark fiction. Author of SEETHINGS (the first book), free for a limited time)