Open 7 days, 9:00am – 4:00pm

A circular emblem with a ship wheel design featuring a lighthouse, a ship, a train on tracks, and a dome in the background, symbolizing Carnarvon’s rich history and its renowned heritage park.

One Mile Jetty Precinct

A Day of Discovery Awaits

Plan your visit to the One Mile Jetty Precinct

Whether you’re here for a few hours or the whole day, there’s plenty to explore at the One Mile Jetty Precinct.

From immersive museums and historic buildings to coastal walkways and hands-on exhibits, it’s an experience that brings Carnarvon’s past to life. Take your time, soak up the stories, and don’t forget to stop for a bite at our onsite café.

What you’ll see at the Precinct

Single-story modern building with a wood exterior and deck, set on a grassy area in the Carnarvon precinct, featuring a signpost and clear sky in the background.
A weathered metal lifeboat is displayed on a platform behind black railings in a museum exhibit, set within a heritage park precinct, with projected images and text exploring its history on the surrounding walls.
A detailed scale model of the HMAS Sydney warship is displayed in a glass case, complemented by a plaque and informational panels that highlight the history of this iconic ship within the heritage park precinct.
A small theatre room in the heritage park precinct with rows of red chairs facing a screen displaying an image of the sea and ships, evoking a sense of history.

One Mile Jetty Museum

Step inside the One Mile Jetty Museum to uncover the powerful wartime story of the biggest naval disaster in Australian history, that occurred off the coast of Carnarvon. At the heart of the gallery is the preserved lifeboat from the German raider HSK Kormoran, which brought 46 survivors ashore after the 1941 battle with HMAS Sydney II. All 645 crew aboard the Sydney were lost, and the museum honours their memory through immersive exhibits and daily film screenings.

A documentary in the onsite theatre recounts the dramatic 2008 discovery of both wrecks. Soon, a restored wooden passenger carriage – used on the Tramway for 53 years with a major link to the transporting of the Kormoran survivors to a POW camp – will join the collection.

Interactive displays and interpretive panels highlight Carnarvon’s strategic role in Australia’s maritime history, including a scale model of the largest shore based whaling station in the southern hemisphere which sent its whale oil out to the world across the one mile jetty.

Babbage Island Rail Museum

This visual display and hands-on museum celebrates Carnarvon’s rail legacy with an impressive collection of heritage locomotives, wagons, and historical artefacts. The star of the show is the Kimberley steam train, brought down from Broome in the 1950s to replace the Gascoyne on the Tramway. The Gascoyne and Kimberly were twin trains, both manufactured in Scotland in 1920, and came to WA that year. The Gascoyne was a much busier train and the steam tank became unusable in 1950. The Kimberley is believed to be the only train of its kind left in the world.

The museum explores how the jetty tramway once carried goods – and even schoolchildren – from the town to the jetty head, and tells the story of how the island’s unique geography led to clever transport solutions. Alongside the locomotives, you’ll find shearing and pastoral exhibits, vintage vehicles, a full sized naval cutter and heritage items connected to Carnarvon’s diverse history.

A black vintage steam locomotive labeled "Kimberley" is displayed indoors at Carnarvon’s historic One Mile Jetty, with corrugated metal roofing and other machinery partially visible in the background.
Open-sided vintage railway carriage with "Carnarvon Heritage Precinct" signage, displayed indoors in the heritage park alongside framed historical photos and another relic of railway history.
Outdoor display of vintage train engine, red railcar, and old machinery on grass and dirt in the precinct near One Mile Jetty, with a tall rusty structure and string lights in the background—perfect for those interested in history.
A wooden sign reading "Entry to Museums" marks a walkway leading to outdoor exhibits at the heritage park, including a vintage train car, under a partly cloudy sky.
A historic yellow cottage with green trim and a covered porch, located in the Carnarvon precinct, featuring an informational sign titled "The Lighthouse Keepers Cottage" in front, surrounded by grass and plants that echo its rich history.
Antique laundry mangle with labeled vintage items—including a blow torch, water cans, saddle, and galvanized bath tubs—showcasing Carnarvon precinct history against a white wooden wall.
A red and white lighthouse lantern room is displayed on a lawn in Carnarvon’s historic precinct, with an informational sign in front; blue sky and shrubland are in the background.

Lighthouse Head & Lighthouse Keepers Cottage

Step back into the early 1900s as you walk through this beautifully preserved cottage once home to Carnarvon’s lighthouse keepers and their families.

Built in 1898, the four-room timber and reed board home reflects the daily life of the people who kept watch over the coastline. The interior is filled with original domestic items, from kitchen tools to handmade clothing, offering a window into family and social life in the Gascoyne region. In the cottage yard, you’ll also find the fully restored lighthouse head – now flashing once again in its original sequence – and a restored chain pump used for remote pastoral water supply.

In the Lighthouse Keeper’s yard is the original Lighthouse head.  It has been fully restored, including lights which flash in the same sequence as they did when keeping watch over Shark Bay for passing ships.

Walkways from the Precinct

Take your time exploring the walking trails that surround the One Mile Jetty Precinct. These scenic paths guide you along walk trails to the mouth of the Gascoyne river, to the mangrove boardwalk, across the Fascine, and toward important cultural and natural landmarks.

Visit the Don’t Look at the Islands statue – acknowledging the Aboriginal people who were confined to Lock Hospitals on Bernier & Dorre Islands, situated approximately 50km to the west – and wander past remnants of Carnarvon’s early historical and cultural remains. With over 140 species of birdlife, tidal flats teeming with crabs and fish, and ever-changing river and ocean views, the walkways offer a peaceful and thought-provoking way to connect with the land and its layered stories.

Two people walk on a wooden boardwalk elevated above dense green mangroves in Carnarvon’s heritage park, under a clear blue sky, with a shaded structure nearby.
Bronze statue of a person with wind-swept hair points toward Carnarvon’s coastal landscape and the iconic One Mile Jetty under a cloudy sky in the heritage park.
A person stands on the wooden boardwalk at One Mile Jetty in the Carnarvon precinct, overlooking a marshy landscape with green shrubs under a clear blue sky.
A long, straight pier in the Carnarvon heritage park precinct extends over coastal vegetation toward the ocean under a blue sky with scattered clouds.
A long wooden bridge with metal tracks, known as the One Mile Jetty in Carnarvon, runs straight over water and sand, bordered by white railings under a clear blue sky.
A long boardwalk, part of the historic One Mile Jetty precinct, stretches across green marshland toward a sandy beach and the ocean under a clear blue sky.

One Mile Jetty

(Currently Closed)

The One Mile Jetty is one of Carnarvon’s most iconic landmarks and a powerful reminder of the town’s past. Built in 1898, it once served as the lifeline of the Gascoyne – transporting wool, livestock, fresh produce, and passengers to and from ports across the state and the world. 

Though the jetty has been closed since Cyclone Seroja damaged the seaward section in April 2021, its importance remains. The WA Government has committed $4.5 million toward restoration of the remaining 650 metres. Visitors can view the jetty from the precinct and learn more about its construction and decline in the One Mile Jetty Museum.

Relax at the Kestrel Café

Overlooking the jetty and the Indian Ocean, Kestrel café is the perfect spot to recharge during your visit.

Enjoy a coffee, cold drink or light bite while soaking up the coastal views. The café is licensed and offers both indoor and outdoor seating options.

Visit Kestrel Cafe Facebook page

Frequently Asked Questions

We’re open daily, 9:00am to 4:00pm.

The jetty is currently closed due to cyclone damage but can still be viewed from the precinct. The Government has set aside $4.5m to restore the remaining jetty. These works are due to commence shortly. Learn more about its history in our museum.

Absolutely! We have family-friendly exhibits and walking trails to enjoy together. An interactive playground with a train and carriages is been added to the precinct this year. 

Pets are welcome in outdoor areas if kept on a leash.

Many parts of the precinct are accessible, though some heritage areas may have limited access. Please contact us ahead of time if you have specific access needs.

Yes, we welcome schools, bus tours and other big groups to visit the heritage precinct. Guides can be provided on request. If you would like to get in touch with us prior to your visit, please contact us here.

Ticketing & Entry Information

Open 7 days, 9:00am – 4:00pm

Entry tickets are valid for two days and include access to all museums

  • Adults: $15
  • Children (school age): $8
  • Family pass (2 adults + up to 3 children): $38
  • Concession: $10

Tickets available onsite at the heritage carriage. 

Guides are available upon enquiry to answer questions and inform you of the historical relevance of the Precinct to the development and history of the Gascoyne.

Ask us a question