File photo: boats and marina jetties at Hillarys Boat Harbour on 11 July 2024. Photo: Orderinchaos / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0. Resized for display.

Hillarys Boat Harbour’s northern breakwater fishing platform is closed for a $1.2 million upgrade designed to make it easier for people of different abilities to fish from one of Perth’s busiest coastal precincts.

The project will expand the platform and add wheelchair stops and rod holders, according to PerthNow’s report of 13 September. The extra space is intended to increase capacity as well as improve safety and access.

PerthNow quoted Hillarys MP Caitlin Collins as saying the design had been developed with input from Recfishwest and Fishability, which supports fishers with disability.

When will it reopen?

PerthNow reported that the platform would remain closed until early November. Transport WA’s published project update gives a broader timetable: it says the platform replacement and inner-harbour changeroom refurbishment have begun and are expected to be finished by the end of 2026.

That means early November is the reported target for the fishing platform, rather than a confirmed reopening date on the department’s project page. Visitors planning a trip specifically to use the platform should check the department’s latest advice before travelling.

A wider harbour investment

The works form part of the State Government’s $14.1 million activation and access package for Hillarys. The changeroom refurbishment includes additional accessible toilets, with temporary public toilets available during the closure.

Transport WA says planning is also underway for an interim Youth and Family Plaza on the former Great Escape water park site. Construction is expected to begin in 2028. The proposal includes recreation and relaxation areas, alongside a new family changing pavilion near the beach.

The department describes the plaza as an interim use while longer-term harbour planning continues. It is a separate project from the fishing platform works now underway.

Access beyond the platform

For fishers who need assistance or adapted equipment, Fishability provides shore, jetty and boat activities run by trained volunteers. The WA charity uses equipment including motorised rods and fishing holders, and offers information about accessible fishing locations.

Its accessible-location map and activity listings offer a starting point for planning another outing while the Hillarys platform is unavailable. Individual venue access and activity availability should be checked before a visit.