Perry Lakes Reserve covers 80ha and has a number of walking trails weaving around the reserve and the two lakes in it's centre. Although it sits right next door to Bold Park it offers a different experience. Bold Park is hilly - Perry Lakes is completely flat so it is kid and bike friendly. Perry Lakes is a great walk and play destination as it has several different play areas. The lakes are very pretty with flooded gums, peppermint gums and bulrushes around the edges. Lik

Think Joondalup and Neil Hawkins Park and Yellagonga Regional Park probably come to mind but walking in and around the city centre is full of surprises. Staring from Lakeside (free 4 hours parking as opposed to metered street parking!) cross at the lights at the intersection of Grand Boulevard and Collier Pass and head straight down the path into Central Park. This is a lovely serene and mostly underused park with boardwalks around the lake, windy paths through the bush and

Fremantle has plenty to see and do and you have probably discovered many of the sights already. This trail takes you off the beaten track a little to discover some less well known parts of the port city while tracing nearly 200 years of Fremantle's European heritage. You can download a map from https://www.visitfremantle.com.au/play/fremantle-walking-trails or pick up a hard copy from the Fremantle Visitors Centre in Walyalup Koort. This is a long trail and the full trail

This swampy wetland was a meeting place for Aboriginal people. After European settlement it was initially known as Smith's Swamp then was renamed Craig's Swamp after the poultry farmer who grew first maize and later tomatoes in the area. As the surrounding land in the area was cleared for residential development the swamp gradually became at first too wet and then too dry to grow tomatoes. Tomato Lake is named for tomato crops grown here in the early 1900's. In the 1940's lo

With a few hours to spare we decided to explore the Bushland Nature Trail in Kings Park. This trail is a 900m loop taking about 30 minutes to walk. Parking is available at the Botanic Garden car park off Forrest Drive or the nearby DNA Tower car park. There are toilet facilities at the Botanic Garden car park and vast green spaces for picnics directly across the road. The Trail can also be accessed from the Pines car park on Lovekin Drive. We parked at the May Drive Car

Ascot Waters is a lovely residential development nestled on the banks of the Swan opposite Ascot Racecourse. We had come here to walk the Kuljak Island Trail but had to explore further when we saw how lovely this area is. Entrance to Ascot Waters is off Garrett Road at either Waterway Crescent to the north or Resolution Drive to the south. Both intersections are marked by a large white racing horse so you can't miss them! Where you start and finish your walk will depend on

There are four Claremont Meanders: Glimpsing the Past trails exploring the heritage and history of Claremont. There are very detailed maps on each walk which can be read in conjunction with historical notes. We set out on several occasions to follow these maps but found there was just too much information and detail on them. Many of the sites on the map are no longer in existence and reading the illustrated map doesn’t differentiate the historical and current sites. In

We particularly enjoyed this trail as it had lots of beautiful historic buildings, a scattering of parks and playgrounds, public art and fabulous river views. Walking the shady streets of Claremont, some covered in jacaranda blossom, was a pleasure even on a relatively warm day in November. This is one of four Claremont Meanders: Glimpsing the Past trails exploring the heritage and history of Claremont. Refer to the Claremont Meanders blog for details of the other three t

The green and shady areas of public open space found in Shenton Park include the tranquil waters of Lake Jualbup, part of the wetlands system of the western suburbs. Lake Jualbup ("a place where water rises in the season of spring") was an important wetland and a source of water and food for the Noongar people who lived in this area and moved with seasonal changes along the Swan River and Swan Coastal Plains. Lake Jualbup is also an Aboriginal burial area and is registered wi

Beeliar Regional Park covers a vast area of 26 lakes and associated wetlands on the coastal plain south of the Swan river. The wetlands and surrounding areas provide important nesting and feeding habitats, as well as acting as summer refuges for a diverse bird population, many of which migrate here from the northern hemisphere. This area is culturally significant to the local Nyoongar people. North Lake - Coolbellup - and Bibra Lake - Walliabup - in particular have spiritual

It had been years since we had visited Rockingham Beach and Foreshore so with news that the area has been recently redeveloped and the extra enticement of the Castaways Sculpture Exhibition being on display we headed down the freeway. The Castaways Sculptures, made from recycled materials, were scattered along the beach with a few on the boardwalk and the school entries on the grassed areas. See separate blog on these unique and inspiring sculptures. It is good to see t

We ventured out to York in 2019 during the York Festival (late September to mid October) to catch the Wara Art Trail. It is a lovely drive to York (97km from Perth) and depending on the time of year it can be verdant green (winter) glowing yellow (early spring when the canola is in flower), dull yellow (wheat harvest) or shades of brown (summer). The Wara Art Trail showcases spectacular larger than life straw sculptures. In 2019 the sculptures depicted a Murray River Cod

The Canning River Regional Park offers a number of walking, cycling and kayak/canoe trails following the Canning River up or down stream from the Kent Street Weir. There is a lovely park at Kent Street Weir with picnic and barbecue facilities including toilets, a small older playground and a canoe launching facility. There is a River Park Interpretation Node providing valuable information about the local environment, Whadjuk Noongar heritage and the cultural and historical s

Burswood Park is home to a unique collection of bronze sculptures celebrating Perth's historical figures. The sculptures have been designed and produced by artists Joan and Charles Smith. Make sure you get up close and look at the intricate details and facial expressions of the sculptures. The Heritage Sculpture Trail meanders through the park and along the riverfront showcasing the bronze sculptures and other public works and landmarks. It is an easy 30-45 minute walk an

Lake Claremont is a beautiful wetland which is a nesting site for turtles, swans and other waterbirds. You can walk or cycle around the lake's 2.5 km flat dual use path. The well shaded path around the lake takes around 45 minutes to walk but with a bird hide, three playgrounds, a cafe and lots of wide open green spaces you could easily make a day of it! We started our walk from the Claremont Golf Course car park on Lapsley Road. The Tee Box Cafe is located within the golf

Whiteman Park is a 4000 hectare piece of bushland located close to the Swan Valley in Perth's north. As well as being a biodiversity hotspot offering many nature activities it also houses a wildlife park and several museums. Entry is from Beechboro Road North (off Tonkin Highway), Drumpellier Drive or Marshall Road. Access is also available from the Whiteman Park Train Station with shuttle bus (weekends only) or Heritage Tram connections (check timetable) into the Park. Th

Tucked away in the middle of the Kingsway Regional Sporting Complex is the gorgeous Dinosaur Playground. A great way to entertain the little ones if your older kids have sporting commitments but also a fabulous playground to visit at any other time. Named for it's large life size climbable (baby) dinosaur this playground has a mix of sensory and nature play features making it ideal for younger children but also interesting for older kids to explore. The splashes of colour

This wonderful piece of bush is an internationally recognised biodiversity hotspot with numerous unique species and habitats. The Warwick Bushland Jarrah Loop Trail is a 1.3km flat packed limestone trail to the north of Warwick High School and opposite the Warwick Stadium. Information signs have been erected along the trail detailing the flora and fauna found in the reserve. We walked this trail early in September on a Spring Wildflower Walk organised by Friends of Warwick B

We parked in the carpark on Maddox Lane off Jersey Street in Jolimont. This car park is alongside Henderson Park playing fields so parking may be tricky if games are scheduled but there are also street side bays along Jersey Street. The path from the car park features inserts describing the Noongar Six Seasons. Mabel Talbot is ideal if you have a multi aged family as the playing fields, the basketball hoop or the flat grassy areas can keep older children busy while you and

I came across the North Perth Walk on a website and thought it looked interesting. This is a part of Perth I am not familiar with so we decided to explore. The North Perth Walk takes you on a self-guided historical walking tour of the North Perth Town Centre. The 16 sites showcase early life in the suburb by identifying places that once stood here along with existing historic buildings from the early 20th century to the 1950s. The walk takes in sections of Angove, Albert, Vi