Yanchep National Park
Yanchep National Park: a natural bushland reserve close to Perth, Yanchep features over 600 limestone caves and a koala sanctuary. Situated just beyond Perth's northern outskirts, Yanchep National Park gives a snapshot view of the tuart and banksia woodlands of the Perth costal plain. It abounds with native animals, water birds and plants in their natural surroundings. Western Grey kangaroos are commonly seen on the walk trails or grazing on the picnic lawns and golf course. Boat tours are conducted on Loch McNess; daily guided tours of Crystal Cave; Aboriginal cultural demonstrations on weekends. Park entry fee applies.
Contact: (08) (08) 9561 1004. Website. How to get there: by 51 km north of Perth via Wanneroo Rd. Coach tours visit the park daily.
Penguin Island
Penguin Island: Perth's most visited eco-tourism destination, and focal point of the Shoalwater Islands Marine Park. Birdwatching, Fairy penguin viewing, exploring the island's limestone cliffs and sea caves are just some of the activities to be enjoyed onshore. Offshore, there's sea kayaking, snorkelling, scuba diving, boogie boarding, fishing, wind surfing and kite boarding, with tours to view the sea lion colony at Shoalwater Bay or spot dolphins, cormorants, pelicans and sea eagles for those who prefer not to get their feet wet. Tour operator Rockingham Wild Encounters runs a ferry service to the island, tours to the Marine Parks breeding grounds and swims with wild dolphins.
Contact: (08) 9591 1333. Website. Location: south-west of Rockingham near Warnbro Sound. How to get there: by car to jetty at Mersey point, Cnr Arcadia Dve. and Safety Bay Rd; train to Rockingham station on the Manduarah line, bus No. 551 or 552 to Safety Bay.
Caversham Wildlife Park: located within Whiteman Park, a leisure park created around a popular swimming hole known as Mussel Pool. The wildlife park houses about 200 species in a walk-through environment, showcasing many of Australia's unique native animals, including koalas, wallabies, possums, Tasmanian devils and wombats. Visitors can hand-feed kangaroos, have a photo taken with a koala, hear keeper's talks and interact in one of two hands-on shows, all included in the admission fee.
Whiteman Park is also home to the collections of a prominent and popular local identity, Lewis Whiteman (1903-1994). Whiteman built up a wide collection of objects, antique and curious, local and exotic, during his lifetime. A portion of Whiteman's collection, relevant to transport heritage, is now on display at the park. It includes agricultural machinery, tractors, bicycles, a narrow gauge railway, over 120 motor vehicles, Perth electric trams and a fleet of 26 Perth diesel and trolley buses.
Contact: (08) 9209 6000. Website. Location: 22 km north east of Perth near West Swan. How to get there: by road via Reid Hwy or Gnangara Rd, entrances on Beechboro Rd and Lord St.
Mundaring Weir: Mundaring Weir was built across the Helena River in the the Darling Ranges near Perth at the end of the 19th century as part of a daring engineering scheme to catch water in the Darling Ranges and pump it to the Kalgoorlie goldfields 530 km away. The No. 1 pumping station, at the foot of the dam wall, houses the CY O'Connor Museum, which tells the stories of the dam's construction and the engineer who made it a reality. A visit to the weir and museum make for a pleasant half or full-day drive through the Darling Ranges via the semi-rural townships of Mundaring and Kalamunda. Facilities include toilets; picnic tables; dam wall walk.
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Perth Zoo: Western Australia's largest zoo, situated on the banks of the Swan River on the opposite shore of Perth Water to the CBD.
A compact zoo, featuring five major areas - Australian Bushwalk; Australian Wetlands; Reptile Encounter; World of Birds; Asian Rainforest; African Savannah. Facilities include interactive audiovisual interpretive signage; aural keeper talks; picnic area; historic carousel ride; zebra rides. Entry fee applies.
Contact: (08) 9474 3551. Website. Location: Labouchere Rd, South Perth. Contact: How to get there: 5 minutes from the CBD via the Mitchell Freeway and Narrows Bridge; by ferry from Barrack Street jetty; by bus from St Georges Terrace, Perth.
Cohunu Koala Park: a native animal park set in natural bushland, in the southern Perth suburb of Kelmscott. The park has proved popular with overseas visitors as it displays a wide array of native and introduced fauna, including wombats, parrots, dingoes, kangaroos, emus, deer and koalas, as well as a bird aviary in which hand feeding of 20 species of native birds is encouraged. Visitors are fee to walk among and hand feed the wallabies and kangaroos. Daily koala holding photographic sessions are popular. Entry fee applies.
Contact: (08) 9390 6090. Website. Location: 287a Mills Rd East, Kelmscott. Contact: (08) 9390 6090. How to get there: By road, via Albany Hwy or Tonkin Hwy; by bus train on Armadale line to Gosnells, then by bus No. 219.
Aquarium of Western Australia: focuses on the unique marine environments and marine life of Australia's west coast. This Aquarium is home to the world’s largest collection of Western Australian marine life, drawn from the Great Australian Bight to the tropical Kimberley Coast in the state's north, and everywhere in between along the state's 12,000 km long coastline. It is Australia’s largest aquarium and features the country's largest underwater tunnel. Entry fees apply. 30-45 minute snorkel dives with sharks and exploring the Aquarium's reef are available (addition cost, bookings essential). From September to December, Ocean Safaris offering swimming with with sea lions, humpback whales and dolphins are conducted (addition cost, bookings essential).
Contact: 9447 7500. Website
Location: Hillarys Boat Harbour, 91 Southside Dve., Hillarys, 22 km north of Perth. How to Get There: by car via Mitchell Freeway (Hepburn Ave. exit); train to Warwick on the Joondalup line, then bus No.423 to Hillarys Boat Harbour (weekdays) or train to Greenwood on the Joondalup line, then bus No.456 to Hillarys Boat Harbour.
Naturaliste Marine Discovery Centre: hands-on interactive and static displays focusing on the aquatic environments of the Western Australian coast. A museum devoted to the study of Western Australia's marine and freshwater life. Particularly suited to children, the centre is operated by the Dept. of Fisheries with the aim of educating the public in taking care of the state's many unique and fragile marine environments. Entry fees apply.
Contact: (08) 9203 0339. Website
Location: Hillarys Boat Harbour, Northside Dve., Hillarys, 22 km north of Perth. How to Get There: by car via Mitchell Freeway (Hepburn Ave. exit); train to Warwick on the Joondalup line, then bus No.423 to Hillarys Boat Harbour (weekdays) or train to Greenwood on the Joondalup line, then bus No.456 to Hillarys Boat Harbour.
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