Natural playground on doorstep

Fishing, kayaking, bushwalking and more

It’s a day trip for many Perth families, but Bullsbrook locals are lucky enough to have Walyunga National Park on their doorstep.

Covering 1,800 hectares of the Darling Range, this spectacular natural playground covers both sides of a steep valley and offers a wealth of activities for nature-lovers, adventure-seekers and families heading outdoors.

It’s popular all year round, but in the spring, the woodland understorey comes alive with wildflowers. In the winter months, visitors can enjoy the spectacle of the Swan River thundering through the valley.

Steeped in indigenous history, the area was an important source of food and shelter for the Whadjuk people. It also provided the chert and quartz they used for making tools. Dreaming tells how the rainbow serpent travelled through the valley, along the river, and left behind these stones for tool-making.

The area has been used as a traditional meeting place for more than 6,000 years and contains one of the largest Aboriginal campsites around Perth. It’s thought the Aboriginal name Walyunga, when roughly translated, means ‘happy place’.

There’s plenty to do and see, which means you might find yourself returning time and time again.

Walk along the banks of the river to Syd’s Rapids, one of the most exciting sections of the annual Avon Descent, or head to Walyunga Pool or Boongarup Pool to picnic under the flooded gums that surround the tranquil waters.

For a more challenging walk, try the Kangaroo Trail, crossing creeks and granite boulders as you climb the hill from Walyunga Pool, or tackle the longer Kingfisher Walk Trail through woodland and past a disused dam.

The Echidna Trail is the most challenging, taking you up Woodsome Hill, the highest point in the park at 260m.

There’s also the chance to learn about the history of Walyunga National Park by following the interpretive signs of the Aboriginal Heritage Trail.