We just finished our big seven part series all about the nature and national parks that are all around the city of Perth, Western Australia. Even though Perth is a big metropolis and is one of the fastest growing cities in Australia, it still remains surrounded by nature that is now protected so that it stays that way. If you are visiting Perth, you have got to take the time to explore the various parks, forests, and nature that makes this region beautiful. Perth is unique in that nearby is the Indian Ocean coastline, forests, and a unique and very large cave system. In total there are 15 national parks, 7 regional parks, 3 marine parks, and 3 nature reserves.
Part One: National Park Excursions near Perth
In part one: National Park Excursions near Perth, we took a closer look at five of the national parks near Perth including Avon Valley National Park, John Forrest National Park, Serpentine National Park, Yanchep National Park, and Beelu National Park. Come with us as we explore the Perth Hills, caves, forests, and walking trails in Perth’s surrounds.
Avon Valley National Park
Avon Valley National Park is located 80 km north east of Perth. The wilderness here in the park is made up of the jarrah forest, marri forest, powderbark forest, and wandoo woodlands. Activities in the park include white water rapids, swimming, hiking, bushwalking, camping, and picnicking.
John Forrest National Park
John Forrest National Park Photo Credit: Parks.dpaw.wa.gov.au
John Forrest National Park is located in the Darling Ranges just about a 30 minute drive east of Perth. The park is great for bush walking, mountain biking, swimming in the rock pools, and exploring the picturesque wilderness.
Serpentine National Park
Serpentine National Park Photo Credit: Parks.dpaw.wa.gov.au
Serpentine National Park is located about 55 km southeast of Perth on the Darling Scarp and it takes just about an hour to drive there. Serpentine National Park is known for its most popular attraction, Serpentine Falls.
Yanchep National Park
Crystal Cave in Yanchep National Park Photo Credit: Parks.dpaw.wa.gov.au
Yanchep National Park is situated just off the coast 42 km north of Perth. Cave tours are a big highlight for visitors in Yanchep National Park. There have been over 400 different caves discovered to date. It is one of the most popular national parks in Western Australia attracting more than 240,000 visitors each year.
Beelu National Park
Beelu National Park is closest to Perth with just a 45 minute drive to the east. Take Mundaring Weir Road from Perth. The park is known for the many walking trails throughout the park. Many of the trails originate in the Perth Hills and at the Perth Hills Discovery Centre, which is also located within the park.
Part Two: National Park Excursions near Perth
In part two: National Park Excursions near Perth, we explored five more national parks near Perth including Walyunga National Park, Yalgorup National Park, Wandoo National Park, Kalamunda National Park, and Greenmount National Park.
Walyunga National Park
Whitewater Rafting on the Swan River in Walyunga National Park Photo Credit: Parks.dpaw.wa.gov.au
Walyunga National Park is located 35 km to the northeast of Perth. It is less than an hour drive to reach the park, which spans over 1,800 hectares of land on the Darling Range, over the valley and behind the Darling Scarp. Whitewater rafting is popular in the park, so is picnicking.
Yalgorup National Park
Yalgorup National Park Photo Credit: Parks.dpaw.wa.gov.au
Yalgorup National Park Is located 117 km north of Perth and 25 km south of Mandurah.Yalgorup National Park covers 12,888 hectares of land, which includes 10 beautiful lakes.
Wandoo National Park
Mt Observation in Wandoo National Park Photo Credit: WalkingGPS.com
Wandoo National Park is located about 80 km west of Perth. It takes a little over an hour to drive to this huge, forested 44,000 hectare national park. One of the big draws for Wandoo National Park is the Mount Observation recreation site which is great as a base for the walks and also is an excellent picnic spot.
Kalamunda National Park
Kalamunda National Park is not as frequented as some of the other parks near Perth despite being one of the closest to Perth’s CBD. The Piesse Brook trickles right through the park where trees like jarrah, marri, wandoo, and butter gum make up the woodland.
Greenmount National Park
Greenmount National Park is a small national park located in the Darling Range Regional Park area on the Darling Scarp. Highlights in the park include the Goat Farm Mountain Bike Park and Mountain Quarry, one of a few different blue stone quarries that attract rock climbers and bushwalkers.
Part Three: National Park Excursions near Perth
In part three: National Park Excursions near Perth, we explored five more national parks in the surround region of Perth including Korung National Park, Midgegooroo National Park, Gooseberry Hill National Park, Helena National Park, and Neerabup National Park.
Korung National Park
Korung National Park is just about a 30 minute drive west of Perth and is located in the Perth Hills. The park covers 6,000 hectares of land. Korung National Park has many bushwalking trails.
Midgegooroo National Park
Jarrah Tree Photo Credit: (Wikipedia) By Amanda Slater from Coventry, West Midlands, UK – King Jarrah. Pemberton WAUploaded by berichard, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=13051170
Midgegooroo National Park is about an hour’s drive southwest of Perth. The park is 2,500 hectares of mostly jarrah forest. The focus on conservation here applies to many plant and animal species that call the park home.
Gooseberry Hill National Park
Gooseberry Hill from Perth’s Statham’s Quarry Photo Credit: (Wikipedia) Von Photographs by JarrahTree…commons.wikimedia.org, CC BY 2.5 au, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=4625371
Gooseberry National Park is a small, 33 hectare park close to Perth and on the edge of Kalamunda National Park. It is about a 30 minute drive due west of Perth. The hilly park features some of the best sweeping, panoramic views of the Swan Coastal Plain.
Helena National Park
Mount Dale Walking Circuit Photo Credit: TrailsWA.com.au
Helena National Park is one of the largest national parks in the Perth region at 8,000 hectares. It is located a little over 60 km southwest of Perth. It ties into the Mount Dale Walking Circuit which is a trail up Mount Dale to the highest point on the Darling Scarp.
Neerabup National Park
Neerabup National Park is less than 30 km north of Perth and less than a 30 minute drive away. It is in the city of Wanneroo. Even though it is so close to Perth, it is isolated and a very peaceful nature scene.
Part Four: Regional Parks near Perth
In Part Four: Regional Parks near Perth features Beeliar Regional Park, Canning River Regional Park, Herdsman Lake Regional Park, and Yellagonga Regional Park.
Beeliar Regional Park
Beeliar Regional Park Photo Credit: Parks.dpaw.wa.gov.au
Beeliar National Park is located 28 km south of Perth. It takes about 30 minutes to drive there from Perth’s CBD. It is made up of two chains of wetlands and includes 26 lakes spanning over 3,400 hectares.
Canning River Regional Park
Canning River Regional Park Photo Credit: Parks.dpaw.wa.gov.au
Canning River Regional Park is just 10 km from Perth, it only takes about 20 minutes to get there. It is the largest of the 8 Regional Parks located in Perth.
Herdsman Lake Regional Park
Herdsman Lake Regional Park is just northeast of Perth’s city centre, it takes just 10 minutes to get to this tranquil oasis where you can bike ride, walk the tracks, and watch for animals in the wildlife viewing centre.
Yellagonga Regional Park
Yellagonga Regional Park Photo Credit: Parks.dpaw.wa.gov.au
Yellagonga Regional Park is about 20 km north of Perth. The park is just 13 km long and 1,500 hectares but is packed full of fun activities with something for everyone.
Part Five: Regional Parks near Perth
In Part Five: Regional Parks near Perth we visited Rockingham Lakes Regional Park, Jandakot Regional Park, Woodman Point Regional Park, and Mundy Regional Park.
Rockingham Lakes Regional Park
Rockingham Lakes Regional Park Photo Credit: parks.dpaw.wa.gov.au
Rockingham Lakes Regional Park is located just about a 45 minute drive south of Perth and is a nature retreat very close to the urban city.
Jandakot Regional Park
Jandakot Regional Park is located about 40 km south of Perth. The park is made up of fragmented reserves surrounded by suburban developments and rural land; the park is filled with plant diversity and supports a variety of animals as well.
Woodman Point Regional Park
Woodman Point Regional Park Photo Credit: AllTrails.com
Woodman Point Regional Park is located near Rockingham about 30 km or a 30 minute drive south of Perth. The point of the park extends outward into the Indian Ocean.
Mundy Regional Park
This is a great escape right within the city limits where you will likely feel like you have travelled far from the city because of the bush landscapes here among the extensive network of walking trails, panoramic views, granite outcrops, and colorful wildflower bloom each spring.
Part Six: Marine Parks near Perth
Part six of our series highlighted the marine parks near Perth Western Australia: Marmion Marine Park, Shoalwater Islands Marine Park, and Swan Estuary Marine Park.
Marmion Marine Park
Marmion Marine Park Sea Lion Photo Credit: Parks.dpaw.wa.gov.au
This marine park covers 10,500 hectares from Trigg Island north to Burns Beach. The limestone reefs are parallel to the coastline and have very unique formations, caves, and platforms, lagoons, and small islands that the tropical fish and marine life call home.
Shoalwater Islands Marine Park
Shoalwater Islands Marine Park Photo Credit: Parks.dpaw.wa.gov.au
Shoalwater Islands Marine Park spans over 6,540 hectares of land and sea from Garden Island Causeway south to Becher Point. There are penguins, sea lions, and dolphins that play in these waters and inhabit the chain of limestone islands within Shoalwater Islands Marine Park.
Swan Estuary Marine Park
Swan Estuary Marine Park Photo Credit: Parks.dpaw.wa.gov.au
The Swan Estuary Marine Park is located within Perth’s city limits on the banks of the Swan River.
Part Seven: Nature Reserves near Perth
Part seven of our series highlighted the Nature Reserves near Perth: Matilda Bay Reserve, Lane Poole Reserve, and Carnac Island Nature Reserve.
Matilda Bay Reserve
Matilda Bay Reserve Photo Credit: Parks.dpaw.wa.gov.au
Matilda Bay Reserve is located right on the Swan River just outside Perth’s CBD in the suburb of Crawley near Kings Park.
Lane Poole Reserve
The Lane Pool Reserve is the largest park in the northern jarrah forest; it encompasses over 50,000 hectares.
Carnac Island Nature Reserve
Carnac Island Nature Reserve Photo Credit: Parks.dpaw.wa.gov.au
Carnac Island Nature Reserve is located just off the coast of Fremantle, south of Perth. The most popular attraction on Carnac Island are the Australian sea lions.
Hiring a Car in Perth
Perth Car Hire Map Photo Credit: Budget.com.au
There are plenty of car rental locations in Perth where you can hire a car so you will find a Budget car hire location that is convenient for wherever your travels are taking you. When you hire a car, you can find the best places to visit and the best deals for your holiday. If you are in Perth City, then you can hire a car there. Other Perth car hire locations include the Perth Airport car rental or the Perth South car hire location near Fremantle or in Burswood. When you are hiring a car, be sure to share your travel plans with the car rental agent so that they can give you the guidelines, roadmaps, safety restrictions, and holiday travel tips. This will ensure your best car rental experience in Western Australia. Click on any of the links to get a great rate quote for hiring a car or 4WD vehicle that will be the best one for getting around Western Australia’s rugged terrain. While exploring this region, check out some of our previous blog posts for ideas on what to do here:
Wine, Waves, and Caves of the Margaret River Region
Make it an Amazing Holiday in Awesome Albany, Western Australia
Esperance and the Southern Coast of Western Australia
The Pinnacles and Nambung National Park
Perth Road Trips: Rottnest Island and Lancelin
Visiting Perth on Holiday
Free Things to do on Holiday in Perth
Holiday Getaways near Perth and Surrounds
Korung National Park in the Perth Hills
Your Taste Buds will Enjoy the Margaret River Gourmet Escape
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