Palm Beach Jetty

Palm Beach Jetty reaches out into the calm, sheltered water of Mangles Bay on the Rockingham foreshore, less than an hour south of Perth. Built in 1944 to serve the Royal Australian Navy, the jetty now belongs to everyone. The sheltered water is beautiful here. It often sits mirror smooth, which turns the jetty into a natural leading line for long exposures and clean, simple frames. Sunrise is the perfect time to arrive, when soft colour spreads across the bay and the timber structure drops to silhouette. Moored sailboats float just offshore and give you extra subjects once the light comes up. The deck is dotted with commemorative naval plaques and small reminders of the wartime history of the pier that work nicely as detail shots. Point Peron sits along the horizon to adding some depth to wider compositions. There is free parking along the foreshore, cafes sit on the esplanade, and the jetty stays open around the clock. Bring a tripod and be sure to stay through blue hour for the amazing evening colours. (Rockingham, Western Australia, Australia)