The Marina Mindarie

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33 Ocean Falls Boulevard, Mindarie PlateH
Phone: (08) 9305 9305
www.themarinamindarie.com 
A holiday destination at your doorstep 
Travel brochures for Western Australia often feature photos of idyllic fine white sand beaches reaching out into the clear Ocean. Our beaches are a major draw for tourists, and for good reason. Whenever I have friends and family visiting, then in or near the water is the place to go.
StewVWe recently had the opportunity to spend some time at The Marina Mindarie, one of Perth’s premier destination getaways. Mindarie is roughly 40 minutes’ drive north of Perth. It can also be accessed using public transport, by catching the Joondalup line to Clarkson and then taking a short bus ride to reach The Marina. I was last at Mindarie about a year ago for a review of the Indian Ocean Brewing Co. which was in the process of going through renovations to increase its output of beers to cope with increased demand. I remembered being impressed by the quality of beer and food matches we were able to find, and some of the microbrewery’s small batch and seasonal beers had blown me away. As such, I was excited to go back and see what else The Marina had to offer.
For this visit, we decided to stay a bit longer than last time, so we booked a night at The Marina Hotel. It’s situated in the centre of The Marina and is just upstairs from the bars and restaurants. We stayed in the one-bedroom spa suite, which was outstanding. The bedroom and bathroom were both spacious, and beautifully furnished. But the most memorable feature was certainly the view in the morning as the sun came up and gradually lit up The Marina itself.
Our first stop when we got to Mindarie was the Indian Ocean Brewing Co. which, as I mentioned earlier, hasDSC_1976 recently been renovated. A popular haunt of many Perth beer snobs, the Indian Ocean Brewery is the place to go for a beer at Mindarie. Aside from their usual beers, which are all available on tap and can be sampled efficiently with their tasting paddles, they also pride themselves on some of their more unusual seasonal/small batch brews. We were lucky enough to get to try the Fruitulus Lupulus, which is a small batch of New England India Pale Ale that is exceptional. It’s as hoppy as they come, and has a citrus, mango and stone fruit character while maintaining the light, bitterness of an IPA. We ordered some sharing plates and worked our way through a tasting paddle worthy of the brewery’s house-made beers – it’s a great way to explore finding food and beer matches. The staff are friendly and highly knowledgeable about how the beers are made and can recommend food and beer matches if it all gets a bit overwhelming. The food at the brewery is well suited to accompany beer, but there’s also nightly specials so it’s worth checking out their website if you’re planning a visit.
DSC_1968Once we had finished up at the brewery, we moved over to The Boat which is just a short walk down the boardwalk. The Boat is the place to go for seafood, and so we decided to order a seafood platter to share and sat out on the boardwalk to watch the sun go down across the harbour. As the day transitioned to night, the peaceful ambience was replaced by the bustling nightlife. I was lucky enough to have a chat to Sous Chef Shaun Cashen who has been working hard with Head Chef Lisa McCarthy on the special themed nights. Lisa and her team have put together a menu that specialises in locally sourced seafood, but also has plenty to offer for vegan and vegetarian diners. The Boat has a very relaxed atmosphere, and with plenty of outdoor seating it’d be hard to find a better place to sit and watch the day go by.
Between The Boat and the Indian Ocean Brewing Co. there’s several other small restaurants and shops, including the Dôme Cafe where we decided to have breakfast the next day. It was a scenic and very peaceful place to start the day. I can certainly imagine that coffee, eggs and bacon would be exactly what I’d be looking for after a long night of beer tastings in the pub next door.
Upstairs from The Boat, and next door to The Marina Hotel, you can find the Cabana, a Bali-style poolside DSC_1959cocktail bar. This is the newest addition to The Marina and is about to start its third season. The Cabana serves beer from the neighbouring brewery, but their specialty is cocktails. It has its own unique menu which is focused on tapas and various sharing plates. The Cabana is bustling from Friday to Sunday 11am until late. It’s usually fine to just walk in without a reservation, but cabanas are available for hire and are suitable for groups up to 12 people per cabana, and the entire bar can be hired out for exclusive functions for groups of up to 250 people. For more details on visiting and/or planning functions at the Cabana see their website. In addition to the Cabana, there’s also The Pavilion which comprises of two large function rooms with floor to ceiling windows that look out over the harbour. These are suitable for corporate events and weddings.
DSC_2008Aside from the various eateries and accommodation at The Marina Mindarie, there’s also fishing charters, dive tours, plenty of surfing, snorkelling and swimming beaches. The Marina also hosts several free festivals each year including the Beer Festival, the Chilli Festival, Australia Day fireworks, Toast to the Coast, and The Christmas Markets. So, whether you’re considering where to stay while visiting Perth on vacation or are a Perth resident looking for a nice little staycation retreat, The Marina Mindarie certainly has a lot to offer.
By Dr Floyd Holmes
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