Oh my it is so hard to choose my 5 favourite walks/hikes for 2020! In the end I chose walks and hikes that were a little off the beaten track and which were a real surprise. These are in no particular order as they were all amazing walks. Of course the time of year can make or break a walk so I have included when I did the walk/hike so you can choose the same time of year. Salter Point to Clontarf This walk was undertaken in June and it was just beautiful walking along th

Discover Subiaco and it's surrounds, including 6 local parks, using the Nature Passport developed in partnership between the City of Subiaco and Nature Play WA. The Nature Passport will have the kids creating, imagining and exploring nature through activities such as inventing a scent, building a muddy sculpture or going on a "wildlife" safari. Suitable for all ages, the Nature Passport is available to collect from all City Facilities (we picked ours up at the Library) or y

After spending the cooler months hiking Perth's amazing trails we decided to opt for an urban "hike" discovering urban art and parks in Armadale. We parked at the Visitor Information Centre, where you can pick up a handy pocket sized map of the Rediscover Urban Art Trail. You can also download the art trail map in PDF form at: https://www.perthhillsarmadale.com.au/sites/default/files/assets/ReDiscover_Armadale_Map.pdf The first mural as we headed west along Jull Street was

Joondalup has a green belt running through the centre of the suburb which allows for a short but pretty walk. As the parks are local there are no parking bays but we managed to park on the kerb in Aswan View at the Water Tower Park. You could also park at nearby Candlewood shops. Water Tower Park has a small playground and a viewing platform (which looks as though it is an evening gathering place for teens so just give it a quick once over if the kids are playing here). As

We finally completed the last section of the Swan River Ramble. Garvey Park is the start, or end point, for this fabulous trail which follows both banks of the Swan River (Derbarl Yerrigan) upstream of Windan Bridge. This trail is ideal for walking (in sections) as there is lots to see including stunning river scenery. It is also ideal for a bike ride as the trail covers almost 25km in total and cycling will allow you to cover more distance while still allowing you to stop at

The wreck of the Omeo is located about 40 metres off the coast north of Coogee Beach. It lies submerged in about 2-4 metres of water and is clearly visible from Omeo Park. Omeo Park has a viewing platform so you can climb the stairs to look down at the wreck or, if you wish to explore the Coogee Maritime Trail, a 300m dive and snorkel trail in 2-3 metre deep waters, you can access the trail by entering the water from the stairs leading down from the platform. The platform a

We wandered through White Gum Valley on our way to find more street art after discovering all the magical street art in South Fremantle. As we wanted to explore Booyeembara Park as well we parked there and used it as our base. I think this would be a lovely walk for mums and bubs in prams as there are interesting things along the way, including a great little park for toddlers. Starting from the corner of Montreal Street and Stevens Street we headed east along Stevens Stre

We set off to explore WA history by following the Heritage Trail at Fremantle Cemetery but soon realised that we hadn't printed a complete list of the heritage sites and we were missing the names for almost half of the gravesites. Note to self: check the printing parameters next time! We did however have a mostly complete map with the trail and the sites marked on it. You can download the Heritage Trail Map here and more detailed information about the gravesites on the tra

Success Hill Reserve backs onto the Swan River opposite Fishmarket Reserve on the Guildford side. The river has steep banks on this side so Success Hill Reserve sits up high with views across to the hills in the distance. We came here as we had heard it was thought to be where Captain Stirling landed on his way upriver so we thought we would check it out. Success Hill Reserve is heritage listed for it's significance to indigenous people. Traditionally these lands were the hu

New Norcia is Australia's only monastic town and is still home to around 9 Benedictine Monks. Founded in 1847 by Spanish Benedictine Monks, the town has had many purposes; a mission, a monastery, a provider of education and now as a place of spiritual retreat. You can wander around town on a self guided tour and can download the New Norcia Town Map here or you can pick one up at the the Visitor Centre, open 9.30am -4.30pm every day except Christmas and Boxing Days. There ar

Lightning Swamp Bushland has a number of trails that criss-cross through it. The bushland is designed more for local use as it has no facilities. Access is actually quite difficult to find. We came in off Malaga Drive and did a few circuits before turning off at Mayer Close and parking on the street on Widgee Road. We then had to walk across Malaga Drive and walk up to the turnstile access point. The turnstile does move but makes pram or bike access tricky. A better acces

Wireless Hill has a little bit of everything and really shines in Spring when the wildflowers are out. The surrounding bush is home to many varieties of wildflowers, including orchids which flower between July and November, so it is the perfect place to go on a wildflower hunt. Wireless Hill Museum Perth Wireless Station, established in 1912, was one of Australia’s first links with radio technology and was used for telecommunications during World War One and World War Two.

Banks Reserve, on the banks of the Swan River in Mount Lawley, covers approximately 3.5 hectares and is bounded by Joel Terrace, the Old East Perth Power Station and the Toni Di Scerni wetlands. Banks Reserve is a place of natural beauty with stunning views up and down the Swan River. The reserve rests on land originally known as Warndoolier and was recognised in 2012 as a place of reconciliation. The reserve's significance in Aboriginal cultural is reflected in the monumen

Point Fraser (Boodjargabbeelup) We've walked the loop around the bridges a number of times but have never really stopped to take in the beauty of Lake Vasto, Ozone Reserve and Point Fraser. Point Fraser Foreshore Reserve can be accessed off Riverside Drive. Paid parking is available here and services both the recreational side of Point Fraser as well as the waterfront dining and entertainment at On the Point. You can also park here to explore Ozone Reserve and Lake Vasto on

Following on from exploring the Urban Art in Fremantle we found plenty of pinned posts for art further south in South Fremantle so headed off to explore. We parked at the South Beach Foreshore opposite the South Beach Cafe, which has very unusual roof architecture and excellent coffee! Sadly the muralled toilet facilities have been replaced with a monochrome modern toilet and change room block. There is a large pirate themed playground, full basketball court and picnic faci

After seeing a story about three new walking trails at Hillarys Boat Harbour we set off to discover them. The trails are intended to encourage families to visit the harbour and enjoy the various sites on offer while supporting the many small businesses. We squeezed the trails in over two days as the weather was sunny one minute, pouring the next. I quite like the heavy skies as a background in the photos as it looks gloomy and ominous but you can't beat sunshine and brig

Wadjup, the Noongar name for the Canning flats, refers to the area downriver from Riverton Bridge and includes the Clontarf, Waterford and Salter Point foreshores which cover 34 hectares of land, providing habitat for over 74 species of birds,12 reptile and 6 amphibian species. We had already explored Wadjup from the Redmond Reserve Stairs upriver past the Salter Point Lagoon to Sandon Park. Sandon Park was again our starting point as it has parking, off Eldersfield Road, toi

This is a stunning walk following Djarlgarra, the Canning River, downstream from Sandon Park. The walk from Sandon Park to Salter Point Lagoon, at just over 1km in each direction, will take around 15 minutes each way however if you add in the Lagoon Loop and the River Walk it will extend your walk to around an hour. Parking is available on the eastern side of Sandon Park off Elderfield Road. You will find a traditional playground here along with public toilets, picnic fac

Como Jetty is stunning as it juts out into the Swan River pointing down river towards Heathcote and Blackwall Reach. On this occasion, owing to roadworks, we parked at the South Perth Community Centre and walked from there but you can park closer along Melville Parade or at the Shopping Centre on Preston Street in Como. Wandering through the streets of Como is interesting as the houses are a mix of heritage homes, modern homes and some not so attractive 60s and 70s construc

We discovered wonderful Neil McDougall Park while walking around Como after exploring Como Jetty. Enjoy the birdlife as you walk around the small wetlands lake with it's central island which is a wildlife refuge. The short walk around the (unfenced) lake is perfect for little legs or as a bike/scooter ride. In 1914 Neil McDougall established a dairy farm at this location. The former farmhouse, built in the 1930's, now known as Hazel McDougall House, fronts Clydesdale Stree