Channel 7 Mandurah Crab Fest draws big crowd for fun in the sun

Thousands of people keen to crack into some crab attended the first day of the Channel 7 Mandurah Crab Fest on Saturday.

The annual event had a carnival-like atmosphere on Saturday, filled with stilt walkers, live music, kids entertainment and sideshow rides for punters enjoying the delicious seafood in the perfectly sunny weather.

Abel Middleton got stuck into some crab in his first time at the event, enjoying a feed of crab and chips.

The Victorian native was visiting the festival with his family, who are travelling around the country in a caravan.

As big seafood lovers, they decided to make the stop in Mandurah on their way to Perth.

“We’ve been walking around looking at stuff, we went in the Spud Shed. We’re getting ice cream at the end,” he said.

The Waters family from Kingsley spent the morning seeing the sights with Kimmy, 11, as she tried her hand at news reading at the Channel 7 interactive desk.

“We’ve had some nice things to eat,” mum Leanne Waters said.

“I did see a crab paella, that looks really nice, so we’ll give that a run.”

Also attending for the first time was Baldivis youngster Xavier McGaw, 8, who was looking forward to having his first taste of crab — but sister Majella, 6, said she would stick to fish and chips.

Hayley Ralph was working hard behind the counter crab at the True Blue Ocean Feasts van, which boasted a long line of punters eager to get their hands on the delicacy.

Ms Ralph said she expected to sell 1300 of the shellfish on Saturday alone, with both locally caught and Carnarvon crabs on the menu.

Cricketing great and passionate cook Matthew Hayden and his TV presenter daughter Grace, were on hand as event ambassadors at their first Crab Fest, but Mr Hayden had been in town previously — on the invitation of his good mate and Mandurah local Justin Langer.

“JL was always saying ‘oh you’ve got to come down’, boasting about it — which he rightfully did,” Mr Hayden said.

“And I now can see, obviously, having seen a bit more of the place, just how special it is.”

The father and daughter duo plated up a crab linquini at the Spudshed Cooking Stage on Saturday afternoon which Mr Hayden said took inspiration from regional Italy.

“They’re both actually very similar communities to here, being on the water, around the ocean,” he said.

Perth’s spud king Tony Galati also took to the cooking stage on Saturday, plating up a traditional family favourite of eggplant parmigiana and said he was looking forward to having his favourite dish of plain crab with sauce.

“Mandurah is known for crabs, and it’s good to celebrate that and get everybody to come down to Mandurah, because it’s such a beautiful place and you know, sometimes we take it for granted,” he said.

“It’s good to see everybody come down to have a look.”

The glittering estuary came alive throughout the day with pro-wakeboarders in the Mandurah Action Sports Games. The festival also saw a WA Police Force careers expo in Mandurah for the first time with interactive displays bringing in onlookers.

The fun will continue on Sunday with another full day of activities including AFL great Mark LeCras and 7News presenter Samantha Jolley the cooking stage.

The packed weekend will finish up with a performance by 2023 The Voice Winner Tarryn Stokes and alt-rockers Pacific Avenue will close out the festival on the main stage.