Lancelin

   

Lancelin is a large (200Ha+) sand dune area that is open to motorcycles and quads of all engine capacities as well as 4WDs and buggies.

You need a road-registered bike, or if your vehicle is not road registered you must have Off Road Vehicle registration (available from DoT).  No Rego = No Ride!

The area is under the control of the Shire of Gingin and consists of sand, sand limestone and more sand.

Sand Dunes can change overtime and even overnight or a day.  There are other users, bikes and vehicles.  You must wear a helmet, and full protective gear is highly recommended.  Serious iInjuries and deaths have occurred at Lancelin so it is very important that visitors to the area fully understand the risks and take appropriate precautions.  Please stay away from the main Sandboarding area. 


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Location:Lancelin – Entrance off Bootoo St
Size:200+ Ha
Opening Hours:Every day of the year
Cost:Free
Terrain:Sand and sand dunes, including razorbacks with moderate upslopes and sheer drops beyond peak, many of which have limestone caprock on the landing area below.  Beware! These things can kill.
Condition:Strong winds are constantly re-shaping the dunes, making it important to always check out the area slowly first.
The entry track to the car park can be difficult for 2WD vehicles due to the windblown sand.  Shire of Gingin cleans this up occasionally – but not frequently enough.
Permitted Vehicles:Motorcycles and quad bikes of all engine capacities, 4WDs and buggies.
The area boundaries are marked with orange bouys.  Tracks leading from the area (eg to Wedge Island) are restricted to full road registered vehicles only.
Land Manager:Shire of Gingin
Facilities:None at the site itself.  Please go to the toilket prior and stop and buy some fuel, food and drinks in the local town as many local Lancelin businesses rely on the custom from visitors to the Off Road Vehicle Area.
 Precautions:

 There are many hazards to watch for at Lancelin, but by far the most serious are the razorback dunes.  These may have a gentle upslope, but can have a sheer drop on the other side of the crest, often with limestone caprock below.  Even at low speed these can cause serious injury.  Experienced Lancelin riders work on the basis that if you can’t see the ground in front of you, assume it’s not there.

Riders are urged to take extreme care and to check out both sides of a dune before riding over a crest.

Other hazards include other bikes, quads, 4WDs and beach buggies (particularly where they may be approaching from the other side of a blind crest), and the area is also popular for sand-boarding – so watch out for pedestrians.

Rangers take a no-tolerance attitude towards the wearing of helmets, and have been known to turn away vehicles if they don’t have road or ORV registration.

 

 

Current status –

  • The Council is looking to hand control over to the State Government primarily due to lack of support and dealing with local resident complaints about noise from the Lancelin Off Road Vehicle Area. It is likely that vehicles not complying with Rego requirements will be turned away or their owners fined under the Control Of Vehicles (Off Road Areas) Act.
  • The Shire and the State are now looking at more constructive options on managing the issues at Lancelin.
  • The Shire of Gingin have also constructed a kids are at Ledge Point that is less sandy and more suitable for Junior riders.
  • RTRA has assisted in the development of safety signage for the area.

RTRA POSITION

Lancelin is an extremely popular location, but there is little support from the ORV funding to manage it.  Both the State Government and Gingin Shire needs to take a more proactive approach to management, including improving registration access, alerting visitors to the area about the inherent hazards, and riders need to take more care – especially those who are new to the area – and show more respect for the area and local residents.