If you venture south from the town of Onslow along the Onslow Heritage Trail, you will find the ruins of the original townsite of Onslow located by the mouth of the Ashburton River. The original townsite was Onslow came into being in 1883, and was later relocated due to the silting of the river after multiple cyclones. Here, you will be able to catch a glimpse of life in the past, with the historic remains of the courthouse, the gaol as well as the police station visible.

The Mackerel Islands, just 22km off the coast of Onslow is a very good place to visit while you are there. The island group consists of ten islands, with a resort located on the extremely scenic main island, Thevenard, which is a coral atoll. There you can truly escape from life’s bustle and surround yourself with magnificent natural marine sights.

Onslow is the site of a huge salt field that spans 90 square kilometers, where sunwater is pumped for approximately 18 hours per day. The plant produces a whopping 2.5 million tons of salt each year, and has its own storage facilities and an iconic photograph-worthy 1.3 kilometer long steel jetty. A huge stockpile of glistering white salt can be seen at the plant from a distance.

Onslow is located on a small headland, with the Beadon Bay on one side and the Indian Ocean on the other. There are two main beaches in Onslow where activities such as fishing, swimming and snorkelling are prominent. The Sunrise Beach, so named because the sun rises from this side, is a perfect place for early risers to enjoy the beautiful sunrise. Its counterpart the Sunset Beach, offers a shaded picnic area for you to wait for the incredibly magnificent sunset.