Serenity is second nature at Frasers Landing

Just under an hour from Perth lies the city of Mandurah, blessed with magnificent beaches, gorgeous weather, and an estuary twice the size of Sydney Harbour. One of Western Australia’s top tourist destinations, Mandurah – which means ‘meeting place of the heart’ in the local dialect of the region’s Bindjareb people – has the laid-back, sun-kissed charm of a place that operates according to its own rhythms and oneness with nature.

Nestled on the banks of the Serpentine River, just a few minutes from town, lies a microcosm of Mandurah magic, Frasers Landing by Frasers Property Australia. Surrounded by pristine bushland, the 52-hectare riverine community incorporates a freshwater lagoon, riverside parklands, and 10 hectares of protected woodland that’s home to resident ospreys and assorted wildlife including kangaroos, bandicoots, tawny frogmouths, and splendid fairy wrens.

It is, says Frasers Property Development Director Stuart Carter, a hidden gem that’s home to wildlife and humans living side by side in harmonious coexistence.

“The conservation zone at Frasers Landing is something that has influenced the design of the entire estate,” explains Stuart. “We’ve created parklands around stands of significant trees, revegetated the river corridor, and ensured that invasive plant species and weeds are kept out of wooded areas that are home to native animals and flora. It’s meant we’ve been able to create a haven for wildlife and give local residents a close connection to the best of Mandurah’s natural appeal.”

The close connection is perhaps best illustrated by the steps local residents and Frasers Property have taken to create a home for a pair of ospreys that return to Frasers Landing’s lake foreshore each year to nest.

“We had a pretty bad storm that took down the tree that the ospreys used to nest in,” says Stuart. “But we didn’t want that to put an end to the migration they make here each breeding season. So, with help of residents and Mandurah City Council, we built a purpose-built osprey nesting pole that would provide plenty of space for them and hold up to any big winds and storms that might come along in the future. Then we waited to see if they’d come back, and I’m glad to say they did. In fact, we see them every year.”

The ospreys have become a bit of a drawcard with locals dropping by during nesting season to check in on their progress. The lake’s shaded and meandering walking paths pass nearby to the nesting pole, providing an opportunity to spy on what the ospreys are up to as well as spotting the occasional wild orchid and listening out for the distinctive call of a ‘Twenty-Eight’, the colloquial name for the Australian Ringneck Parrot.

Ed Boyes and his wife Claire retired to Frasers Landing last year for its tranquillity and welcoming sense of community.

“It’s a very easy place to live in,” says Ed. “You can see the values that Frasers Property puts into the estate – the harmonious building styles, the attention to the natural elements, the walkways that fit the environment. It feels private, yet it’s not gated. It’s very well maintained, it’s quiet, and it’s easy to walk around and enjoy the bushland and the birdlife.

“We see parrots, families of Twenty Eights, willy wagtails, bandicoots, and bobtails. We even see a local kangaroo hopping down the street from time to time. I often accompany Claire on her walks through the estate, it’s very beautiful. We really lucked out with this move.”

It’s not all quiet contemplation and walking in nature though. The Frasers Landing community maintains an active social calendar, participating in wine tasting events from local producers, arts workshops, and culture experience including a recent bush tucker walking tour with local Nyungar couple Kerry and Trevor Stack from Goolamwiin Tours.

“It’s a wonderful community, and people can be as involved as they want to,” says Ed. “We all recognise each other on our walks and when we say hello, it’s a genuinely friendly greeting. Claire and I are on the social committee. There are some exciting events coming up – a wine tasting, the regular Neighbour Day and Cuppa on the Common. We’ve renamed our local social committee ‘The Culture Vultures’ and we go to dinner, absorb the local culture and discuss the topics of the day.”

For more information about Frasers Landing and other Frasers Property communities in WA, including Queens Riverside, Port Coogee, Baldivis Grove and Baldivis Parks, call 13 38 38.