CRAB FEST: A fireworks display entertains people watching from the foreshore and boats on Mandjar Bay during the Crab Fest. (Courtesy of Emily Nayar) The seaside resort of Mandurah is renowned for many things: it has beautiful white beaches, magnificent waterways and a relaxing, holiday atmosphere.

But it is the iconic Blue Manna crab, an inhabitant of the warm waters surrounding the area, that for a decade has been celebrated in its annual Crab Fest.

Located less than 80 kilometers south of Western Australia's capital of Perth -- an hour's drive by car or a 48-minute train ride -- Mandurah lies in and around the waters of the Peel-Harvey Estuary, one of Australia's larger natural inlet systems.

Blessed with a unique blend of coast, bushland, industry and inner-city living, Mandurah is a tourist's paradise and offers a popular lifestyle alternative. The city has grown from the quiet little fishing town and holiday getaway for Perth residents it once was, to become the fastest-growing regional city in Australia.

Mandurah is abuzz with large numbers of residents and visitors daily, although history indicates this is nothing new to the area, as the name Mandurah is actually derived from the Aboriginal word mandjar, meaning the "meeting place".

The city's waters are home to a variety of wildlife including dolphins, pelicans and an abundance of marine life including the Blue Manna crab, which has become synonymous with the area.

At the end of every Southern Hemisphere summer, the city holds its annual Crab Fest. People come from far and wide to enjoy the iconic crustacean and the relaxed, seaside atmosphere that Mandurah and its surrounds afford.

Wonderful Waterways

Mandurah's waters are free of major boating and shipping channels and the city is famous for its protected waterways, superb beaches and excellent boating and fishing activities.

Mandurah is also one of very few destinations in Australia where playful wild Bottlenose dolphins can be seen daily in close proximity to residential and public areas.

The freshwater Peel-Harvey Estuary system the city is settled around comprises the elongated Harvey Estuary and the circular Peel Inlet.

It has an average water depth of about two meters and a five-km long channel which passes through the city along tree-lined foreshores into the Indian Ocean. The estuary is also a significant base for migratory waterbirds and home to pods of pelicans.

Crabs Galore along the Foreshore

The Blue Manna crab (Portunus pelagicus) -- also known as the blue swimmer crab, flower crab or sand crab -- was the icon of Mandurah long before the Crab Fest was even initiated.

The Blue Manna is classified as a large crab and is found in intertidal estuaries -- which provide adequate shelter and food -- of the Indian and Pacific Oceans. The species is highly prized as its meat is plentiful and sweet.

The crab mostly stays buried under sand or mud, particularly during the daytime, and comes out to feed during high tide.

However, Blue Mannas can be scooped up easily with a wire scoop net -- the method many people use to collect the crab in the shallow waters of Mandjar Bay and the estuary. Another popular crabbing method involves using baited drop nets with floating buoys to indicate their location. The nets are usually cast from a boat or jetty and then checked for crabs after 15 minutes or so have passed.

The Western Australian Department of Fisheries allows a daily crab-catch quota of 10 crabs per fisher (using the scoop method) and a limit of 20 crabs per boat. This ensures the number of Blue Mannas in the estuary and surrounding waterways is not depleted and is in line with the department's motto of "Fish For The Future".

Celebrating the Mighty Blue Manna

Now a tourism award-winning festival and aptly described as a "feast for the senses", the Crab Fest is set to mark its 10th anniversary next month over the weekend of Mar. 7-9.

The city welcomes thousands of tourists, including many international visitors, to the event every year. The Crab Fest attracted as many as 60,000 people last year -- about half from the region and the other half from Perth and overseas, according to City of Mandurah data -- a mean feat considering the total population of Mandurah itself is just under 70,000.

The weekend-long festival kicks off on a Friday night with a special concert on the city's foreshore. Over the course of the weekend, the Crab Fest features a cooking pavilion where visitors can watch cooking demonstrations by celebrity chefs, participate in "learn how to cook" sessions and see local chefs compete to create food art using Mandurah's favorite crustacean in the famed "crab cook-off". A crab, seafood and wine pavilion is also on offer, where gourmet seafood dishes can be enjoyed together with a glass of locally produced wine.

Three main stages along the foreshore host an array of entertainment over the weekend celebration, including a fashion parade, musical performances and children's activities, to name a few. The foreshore area itself comes alive with a street parade (starring mascot Claude the Crab), market stalls, community group activities, boat and motorbike displays and roving entertainers. Visitors can watch the dragon boat racing action and acrobatic waterskiing displays on Mandjar Bay from under the shade of the sheoak trees that line the foreshore.

The event's Saturday night entertainment highlights include a pyrotechnics display, where boats dotting Mandjar Bay shimmer as fireworks light up the clear summer sky and sparkle on the water's surface.

This year, the City of Mandurah is proud to support the global effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by making the Crab Fest a carbon neutral event. Together with the event sponsors and Men Of The Trees, a local environmental NGO, the city will offset the estimated 960 tons of carbon emitted over the event weekend by planting more than 5,800 trees in Western Australia's wheatbelt region. In an effort to alleviate traffic congestion and further reduce the amount of greenhouse gas emissions, the city has also organized a free shuttle service from the newly opened train station, which connects Mandurah to Perth and northern suburbs, to the foreshore.

In this, its 10th year running, the Crab Fest is set to attract more visitors than ever. The city offers a wide range of accommodation and an array of restaurants and cafes to suit all tastes and budgets. Mandurah is a virtual aquatic playground that offers a variety of activities, from surfing and diving, to fishing, canoeing and jet skiing, with cruises on the Mandjar Bay and the estuary among the many highlights. Art galleries dot the foreshore area interspersed with eateries and souvenir shops boasting local produce. Skydiving, horseback riding, eco tours, bushwalking tours, museums and a number of golf courses are right on the city's doorstep. When the Crab Fest is over, there is still so much to do in Mandurah -- the possibilities are endless.

Be sure to pack sunscreen! Although Mandurah has a typical Mediterranean climate with warm summers and cool winters, the Crab Fest is held at the end of summer when temperatures have been known to reach, or exceed, 40 degrees Celsius. So, while enjoying the Crab Fest celebrations, be sure to protect your skin from the sun -- if not, you could find yourself leaving Mandurah looking like, well, like a cooked crab!

For more information on Mandurah and the Crab Fest, go to http://www.visitmandurah.com

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