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

This is another popular walk that pops up on some of the best of lists. Located in Woodlands, Jackadder Lake is another one of the lakes forming the string of wetlands running through Perth. The lake's current name is derived from Jackadup, the Aboriginal name for the lake and its surrounds. It is a small lake and the walk around is 1.3km which will take around 20 minutes to complete. The paved paths are ideal for scooters, bikes or wheelchairs or you can choose to walk alo

Stunning river views are not the only thing on offer around Deepwater Point which sits on the Canning River, Djarlgarro, midway between Canning Bridge and Mt Henry Bridge. There are several walks you can do depending on the time you have available or you can choose any one of these areas and just spend some time enjoying the river or the playground. Apart from the stunning views we found Canning Bridge with it's surprise artwork underneath and Mt Henry Bridge with dedicated

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

I didn't even know there was another island (other than Heirisson Island) in the Swan River until recently. We stumbled across Kuljak (Black Swan) Island while walking Baigup Wetlands and Riverside Gardens a while back and I've had it in the back of my mind to come back and walk the trails around the island. Finally I managed to fit the walk in on a cool December day. The island is mostly flat and the 2.6km trail loops around the island with a number of offshoots for longe

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

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

We chose to spend a day of the school holidays exploring what Burswood Park has to offer and it certainly kept us busy all day! BURSWOOD PARK PLAYGROUND We started our adventure at Burswood Park Playground, a fully fenced shaded playground on the banks of the Swan River. There are parking bays here and toilets, picnic benches and barbecues are a short walk away. Additional parking is available across the road at Burswood Carpark. The Burswood Heritage Sculpture Trail pass

This 4.8km trail starts from the Riverton Bridge Park and takes 45 minutes each way or 90 minutes return. The dog-friendly Lo Quay Cafe is located at Riverton Bridge alongside Fern Park Playground, a small but interesting shaded playground with nature play elements. Bring a change of clothes as the playground includes a water play feature. There is plenty of parking and public toilets are also available. An alternative is to head along the northern foreshore from Riverton B

Lesmurdie Falls is a Perth favourite and it easy to see why. With walking trails ranging from easy to more challenging combined with a magnificent waterfall and stunning views across the Perth Coastal Plain this is a great place to spend a day out and about. LESMURDIE FALLS PICNIC AREA This area has picnic benches and toilet facilities and is at the main car park off Falls Road. There is also a large information board and map detailing the different walking tracks and also

One sunny morning with rain forecast we set out to explore the Yaberoo Budjara Heritage Trail from Burns Beach Road. We regularly pass this trail and look at the dirt road going up the hill and think it looks a little boring but today we discovered that this road is an access road for vehicles and the trail starts on the western side of the Yaberoo Budjara sign. The map at the trail head provides information for this section of trail winding through Neerabup National Park