The Railway Reserves Heritage Trail loops between Bellevue and Mt Helena with both a northern and southern trail. While previously we have walked the northern trail notably within John Forrest National Park and through the Swan View Tunnel we only recently discovered the southern trail exists and it is well worth a visit! We started at Darlington at Little Nook Cafe directly opposite the trail which is a great place for a drink and a meal either end of your walk. The pict

The 3km Werrilyiup bush trail loops around Horse Swamp, a natural palusplain wetland that comes to life in the winter months, but is usually dry for the greater portion of the year. In the past when horses in the Swan Valley region went missing they were commonly found roaming in the lush pastures surrounding this wetland on the southern edge of what is now Whiteman Park. The area became known as Horse Swamp. Note the different spellings Werrilyiup and Werillyiup are both us

Situated between Toodyay Road and the Great Eastern Highway at Chidlow, Lake Leschenaultia is a large man made former railway dam in the Perth Hills. The lake is ideal for swimming and paddling and the mountain bike and walk trails are centred around the café and playground area. In Spring and Summer visitors flock to Lake Lesch, as it is affectionately known. White sandy beaches and calm water make it ideal for children of all ages to swim or paddle in safety. We walked arou

Mundaring Weir is one of the world's greatest engineering projects. Completed in 1903, the Weir was the start of the water pipeline, designed by C Y O'Connor, that pumped water 700 kilometres to the Kalgoorlie goldfields. This is a popular day trip destination and there is plenty to fill your day. Mundaring Weir is located in natural bushland in the Perth Hills and there are a number of bushwalking trails you can enjoy before settling down for a picnic and exploring the herit

This is a longer 8-9 km walk through Beelu National Park starting from The Dell and following a loop trail via South Ledge picnic area where you can detour to the Golden View Lookout. It is a lovely forested walk with views down the Helena River Valley and across to Mundaring Weir and C.Y. O'Connor Reservoir. Parts of this trail follow the Munda Biddi Cycle Trail, the Winjan Track and the Bibbulmun Track respectively. We parked at The Dell off Mundaring Weir Road. The Mu

The Victoria Dam Trail is is a gentle 7.2km loop through lovely bush in Korung National Park with the added interest of the dam and it's history. There were very few walkers on the occasions we walked the trail so we almost had the place to ourselves. The entrance to the dam is off Masonmill Road in Carmel. There is a small car park with additional roadside parking at the entrance gates on the road to the reservoir. On weekends when the gates are locked you will need to wal

We discovered not one but two amazing parks in the northern suburbs. Discovery Park in Banksia Grove is a massive green space with lots of features. A stream runs along the western perimeter with several bridges crossing over it and picnic benches and barbecues alongside it. The best part about this shallow stream is the rocks.....conveniently placed for the kids to cross over the stream, wade through the stream or just wander along the path or grassed areas alongside it.

After an early start to enjoy a delicious breakfast at Mason and Bird Cafe in Kalamunda our group set off to explore Whistlepipe Gully in Mundy Regional Park. We parked at the end of Orange Valley Road which is a residential cul de sac so parking is limited. An alternative start point is the car park at the bottom of the gully on Lewis Road. Get your preferred version of a trail map at https://kalamunda.wa.gov.au/recreation-tourism/outdoors/walk-trails/walk-trail-details/whil

The first day of Spring needs to be celebrated outdoors so we set off for a quick walk before tackling the weekend chores. EDIT: Site improvements and carpark redevelopment along Ocean Reef Road will begin mid 2026. Vehicular access is still available from Ancestor Retreat in Woodvale near Cockman House. Beenyup Swamp lies within Yellagonga Regional Park on the south side of Ocean Reef Road in Woodvale. The trail is an easy, flat 2.4 km loop on it's own or it can be inco

We returned to Mundaring for our mid winter bush walk. Previously we had tried to walk the Portagabra Track but due to a lack of information and maps we walked the O'Connor Trail instead. This time we had completed a bit of research and found a review of the Portagabra Trail which provided a much needed guide. (Thank you). It took us 80 minutes to complete this trail which is a 3.5 km loop through pristine bushland. After having this trail on our walk again list for some t

BELLS RAPIDS Bells Rapids is a favourite place for Perth people to go hiking and no wonder. There is plenty of parking available although best to get there early (before 10) on a sunny weekend as the bays are not marked and it can be a bit of a free for all. There is a toilet block and a few benches but no picnic or barbecue facilities. Lots of families set up their own chairs and barbecue (fire bans permitting) next to the car park and settle in for the day. This is a fa

The Dwerta Mia Trail is a short trail through the bush and into Boomerang Gorge at Yanchep National Park. The 500m loop trail into Boomerang Gorge near the Henry White Oval Camping grounds is a Universal Access pathway suitable for wheelchairs, prams and scooters. There is limited parking at the entrance to Boomerang Gorge. If you are starting from the Visitor Centre or Koala enclosure head past the Chocolate Drops Tea Rooms until you see the trail marker. The first part

John Forrest National Park was established in 1900 and has been a popular picnic and walking spot ever since. There are large picnic areas with lots of tables scattered around the main area near the car parks. There are plenty of barbecues available and there are bigger gazebos for large groups. There is a centrally located toilet block opposite the Ranger's office. There is also a tavern there. The picnic benches are in heavy demand from about 11am onwards - before th

The Wetlands Walk Trail is a 2.6km loop trail around Loch McNess in Yanchep National Park. If you walk down the path from the McNess House Visitor's Centre to the lake you can turn right or left and follow the edge of the lake to find the trail. This trail is represented by a bulrushes icon on the trail markers. We did the trail in a clockwise direction heading past the old boat and raindrop sculpture in the picnic area. If you do this as a regular walk it would be interest

This blog was originally written for the 2km loop trail around the dam but in August 2023 park management extended this trail with a 2.5km trail up the gully beyond the dam. The new 4.5km trail has been renamed the Glen Brook Walk Trail and we have now included the extension in this blog. You can choose to walk the shorter loop around the dam or extend to the more challenging hike beyond the dam. It was a sunny winter's day after a wet week so we headed to John Forrest Nat

We walked this trail again in 2025 as part of the Yaberoo Budjara Heritage Trail - Neerabup Road to Hester Avenue section. The 10th Light Horse Heritage Trail is a 1.2km loop trail with a separate access trail to join the Yaberoo Budjara Trail. Access for both is from the carpark off Wanneroo Road just north of Neerabup Road. There are several parking bays but no other facilities. Pass through the gate and veer left to the 10th Light Horse Heritage Trail sign and then follo

It is always enjoyable going for a weekend drive to the country. Toodyay, just over an hour outside of Perth is a lovely country town with plenty of character. I regularly travel to Toodyay to visit family and always enjoy the drive, noticing how the different seasons affect the landscape. I prefer the drive along Muchea East Road off the Great Northern Highway. This becomes Chittering Road and then turn right at Julimar Road. This is a very pretty drive through rolling h

This is one of my favourite places to hike. Normally we go in winter when the river is full and you can hear the water rushing along as you hike Syd's Rapid Trail. This time we went in Autumn and it was a different experience. The river is still very pretty even though the water was so much lower than previous visits. I did miss hearing the water rushing by and the path didn't quite feel like the river walk I am used to. Walyunga is open between 8am and 5pm daily. Please