Mandurah Crab Fest 2026 to Introduce Innovative Treasure Hunt Trail for Small Business Support
In an exciting development for the Mandurah community, a new family-friendly treasure hunt trail is set to debut during the Mandurah Crab Fest 2026 weekend. Organized by the not-for-profit group JoYo Community Events, this initiative is designed to provide interactive entertainment while actively supporting local small businesses in the area.
Community-Driven Initiative Aims to Boost Local Economy
The trail, which will run from March 14 to April 27, offers both residents and visitors a unique opportunity to explore Mandurah's vibrant small business scene. Participants can engage in a scavenger hunt-style activity, searching for hidden "odd objects" at various host locations, with the chance to win prizes along the way. This event is spearheaded by local fathers Mitch Jones and Tom Yeoman, who founded JoYo Community Events with a vision to create affordable family activities.
Mr. Jones explained the motivation behind the project: "There's not a lot for Mandurah families to do that's also cost-effective. It's all pretty expensive at the moment. We thought this would be a great thing to do with our own kids and figured why not let everyone else do it too?"
Widespread Business Participation and Support
With over 47 local businesses participating as trail hosts and an additional 11 acting as sponsors, the community has shown strong enthusiasm for this initiative. The trail transforms Mandurah into a giant scavenger hunt, encouraging foot traffic into establishments that often experience a decline in sales during large events like Crab Fest.
Mr. Jones highlighted the collaborative spirit: "The whole reason we built this concept was to support local businesses and local families in one. We were blown away by the amount of interest. For the businesses to turn around and want to support us back has been really good."
Event Details and How to Participate
The JoYo Odd Object Trail is designed as a flexible experience, allowing participants to complete it in one go or spread it out over the school holidays. To join, individuals can purchase the JoYo Trail Book for $10 at several locations, including the Visitors Centre, Mandurah Indoor Rock Climbing, Giggleland Playcentre, the Creativity Cove, and Mataya. The book contains trail instructions and vouchers for participating businesses.
Upon completion, participants can submit their finished books at the Visitors Centre collection point for a chance to win a $1000 cash prize. This incentive aims to drive engagement and reward those who explore the local offerings.
Future Plans and Expansion Hopes
Looking ahead, Mr. Jones expressed ambitions to make the treasure hunt an annual event and potentially expand it to other towns. "Since putting the idea out there, we have been inundated with people asking us to expand to their town too. We haven't even run the event yet but have people across Perth offer to sponsor and support, so it's definitely something we'd like to do in other towns, but as Mandurah people, this is where it starts."
This initiative not only promises fun for families but also serves as a strategic effort to bolster Mandurah's small business economy during a key tourism period. For more details, interested parties can visit the JoYo Community Events website.
