This has been on my list for years and the opening of a brand new play space gave me the nudge I needed. I was not disappointed with the playground or the wetlands! Mary Carroll (1891 - 1971) was a well-known naturalist and taught at Gosnells Primary School from1923 to 1956. She would regularly take her students on nature walks around these wetlands. The reserve was created in 1971 and named after Mary Carroll. Mary Carroll Park is a major bird sanctuary encompassing two wet

The easiest and shortest way to access this old railway tunnel in John Forrest National Park is from the old Swan View Railway Station on Pechey Road. We spent an hour ambling the 3km loop up to the tunnel, walking through and then around it to return. If you are riding bikes it is ever so slightly uphill there and downhill on the way back. Have your torch handy as you enter the western end of the tunnel as it is very dark and sometimes muddy as you walk through! You emerge

Herdsman Lake is a wonderful trail for a walk or a cycle but at 7km it is perhaps a bit long for little legs. Why not try the shorter loop around picturesque Floreat Lakes from Popeye Lake either on foot or by bike? The best place to start this trail is the Herdsman Lake Regional Car Park off Jon Sanders Drive. The lake here is named Popeye Lake and there is a small dated playground here. The shared use path goes right around the lake and we have walked this loop on a diffe

Perth Zoo is a great day out with over a thousand different animals to see, a fabulous play area and special attractions and events throughout the year. If you plan your day ahead you can book one of the many Close Encounters which will get you up close and personal with the animal of your choice from otters and penguins to giraffes, orang utangs, elephants and more. Bookings for Close Encounters may be made on the day but are subject to availability so it's best to book in

This is a short there and back hike along fire trails in the Stinton Cascades Nature Reserve. There are many trails weaving through the various sections of reserve but for this one you start from Gardiner Road. As you turn off Brookton Highway onto Gardiner Road there is a property immediately on your right with a dirt layover which is the perfect place to park. Walk along Gardiner Road to the edge of the property where you will find the trail head. The trail heads steeply

Bungendore Park was gazetted in 1897, originally as a timber reserve. This remnant piece of bushland covers 498 hectares and is used for research purposes and field studies because it is home to 350 plant species and 160 animal species. Access to the park is from Albany Highway or Admiral Road. We parked at Admiral Road as we had just been exploring Wungong Dam, featured in our 3 Very Different Dams blog. From the carpark a wide fire trail passes behind Southern Hills Chris

This brand new playground opened late in 2022 and it is definitely one to add to your list! Located at Sandy Beach Reserve there is lots of parking. The reserve is quite large and is shaded by magnificent heritage trees. The reserve runs down to the edge of the Swan River and there are some little river beaches so bring the bucket and spades. The playground is quite spread out so you would need to move around with younger kids but the equipment is solid enough for you to join

Jenna Bidi Yorga means “women’s feet walking on the path” in Whadjuk Noongar. This trail traverses the ancient lands of the Whadjuk Noongar people from Djoondalup (the Point Walter Sand spit) along Jenalup "the place where the feet make a track" (Blackwall Reach) to Kwoppa Kepa "beautiful water" (Bicton Foreshore). It is a culturally significant trail which carries the Dreamtime story of Djunda the Charnock woman. Jenalup is traditionally a place for women and children to le

September is Waterfall and Wildflower season so we decided to hike the four trails within Ellis Brook Reserve in Banyowlah Regional Park. Most visitors hike the 60 Foot Falls Trail taking in the magnificent waterfall and Barrington Quarry but the lower walks are easier and have more prolific wildflowers. Blue Wren Ramble Trail Blue Wren Ramble is a 1.4km trail which winds it's way uphill linking the lower carpark and Honeyeater Hollow picnic area with the upper carpark and

Roley Pools is located along the Canning River (Djarlgarro) below the Canning Dam in Roleystone. It can be accessed from Soldiers Road, Collins Road (stairs) or Thompson Road. This is a place of Noongar stories - past present and future. Traditionally Roley Pool was an important place to gather bushfoods and hunt kangaroos but it also has a long history as a swimming hole and even had a diving board and change rooms installed here in more recent history. Construction of the

Yanchep National Park has such a wide variety of trails there is one to suit everybody from the flat 2km Wetlands Walk Trail around Loch McNess to the Coastal Plain Trail which is 51km long! After hiking the 12km Ghost House Trail in July we returned in early August to explore the shorter 4km Caves Trail. The trail is a loop trail and the most popular starting point is from McNess House Visitor Centre where the trail passes by the koala enclosure, crossing the road for a sect

We first visited this amazing play space late in 2017 and it was my first blog! Finding ourselves in the area we decided to revisit the various trails attached to Piney Lakes Reserve and were delighted to find them just as memorable as the first time! The Sensory Play Park is a discovery in itself! This all abilities, inclusive playground features many artworks and sculptural elements including the letters in the word SENSORY which are out to play, scattered throughout the

This walk is about 2 km in length and takes 30 minutes each way. Parking is always at a premium along this stretch of coast so you can start your walk from anywhere and then backtrack as necessary. With lots of lovely places to dine or stop for a coffee this is a lovely relaxing weekend walk with superb views up and down the coast. If you prefer a longer walk you can continue along the coastal path to Trigg or further to Scarborough or head inland at Trigg to explore some o

In between showers during a crazy wet July we decided to head to Star Swamp Reserve. Wetlands are always at their best during or straight after lots of rain and Star Swamp didn't disappoint. The paths are well compacted so were not at all muddy underfoot. The Star Swamp Heritage Trail is one of 8 trails that run through the reserve. Trails are well signposted at all junctions and there is a brief description of the flora and fauna you might see on each trail. The Heritage

Yanchep National Park is always beautiful at any time of the year. In early winter there were still a few splashes of autumn colour to offset the greens leading down to the lake. The Woodlands Walk Trail and many other trails all start behind the Yanchep Tea Rooms. The shared path for the trails crosses the road and then, after a short walk, the Woodlands Trail splits from the other trails as you take the path to the right. If you get to the camping ground you have gone too

The Nyungar Tourist Trail is located within an important traditional gathering place for the Nyungar people at Wardan Gepa Boodjaralup (the sea shore) at Port Coogee. The trail features Ngarkal (Seagull) Beach and The Lookout plus Kidogo Glass Artworks. The trail includes signage and audio that shares important Aboriginal stories in traditional Nyungar language. We couldn't really hear the audio as we were walking around so decided to listen later and fill in any gaps. Kidog

Fishing Boat Harbour at Freo is not just about the fish and chips! The food might be the main reason you head there but don't forget to have a look around and enjoy the unique heritage the harbour has to offer. Enjoy a ride on the iconic Fremantle Tourist Wheel or wander through the Esplanade Park where you will find a Parkour course, skate park and a playground. Continue towards the railway and make sure you pat Blondie the dog on your way across the tracks before posing

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

We heard that Hepburn Heights was a hotspot for many varieties of orchids so we set off to see if we could find them. On a weekend or during holidays there is ample parking in the bays next to Padbury Catholic Primary School on O'Leary Street. All other access points are off suburban roads so have limited parking. On entering from O'Leary Road we cleaned our shoes on the brushes provided to protect against dieback. There is a good map of the reserve at the entrance point a

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