Round 1: Leighton 2026-27

Leighton Beach sits on the edge of a distinct geographical corridor where the Indian Ocean meets the mouth of the Swan River. As you push off from the sand, you are swimming in a dynamic environment shaped by the confluence of oceanic currents and river discharge. The water here is clear, offering visibility that allows you to track the seabed as you navigate the course. North Fremantle itself is a narrow peninsula, and from the water, you get a rare perspective of this transition zone between the vast ocean to the west and the calmer river waters to the east.

Landmarks along the course

Swimming the longer distances, you will find your orientation anchored by several prominent local features. Looking toward the shore, the Great Southern Roller Flour Mills is impossible to miss. The silhouette of a red dingo painted on its side by Les Nash in 1940 acts as a static guardian over the beach, a reminder of the area's industrial past that has long outlasted the original owners. Further out, the elevation of the Buckland Hill reservoir provides a high-ground marker, standing as the most westerly point of the Perth metropolitan water supply system. If you take a moment to look up, you can trace the horizon toward Rottnest and Garden Island, framing the scale of your swim within the wider Perth coastline. This is a region deeply rooted in history; areas like Preston Point, known to the Noongar people as Niergarup, or the 'place of the salmon', have served as significant coastal gathering sites for millennia.

Race day and community

This event, organized by Swimming WA, is scheduled for November 7, 2026, and caters to a wide range of abilities with distances from 500m to 5km. It is a community-focused morning that draws inspiration from the region's marathon swimming legacy. Figures like Andrew Donaldson, who famously completed the Oceans Seven challenge in a single calendar year, are local touchstones for the endurance ethos found here. The atmosphere is distinct from the more sheltered river swims, such as those found during the Fremantle Ports Swim Thru, providing a true coastal experience that challenges your sighting and pace against the open swell. Whether you are a local or a visitor, the event offers a chance to experience the North Fremantle peninsula from the unique vantage point of the Indian Ocean.