Yanchep National Park and Perth in Spring

For our holiday up north, we purchased a national parks 4 week holiday pass. The pass was still valid when we returned from our two week trip and we tried to use it to see some of the parks nearby in the remaining two weeks. Yanchep National Park is about a 50 min drive from Perth city making it the perfect day trip. We have been wanting to visit the park for a while and having a park pass was the perfect opportunity to do so.

Attractions at Yanchep National Park include a family of koalas, grey kangaroos, limestone cave tours, walking trails, picnic spots, and camping. Although not native to WA, Yanchep has been home to a colony of koalas since 1938. They live in their natural environment, outside in the trees, but are provided with extra fresh eucalyptus leaves every day. A short boardwalk for viewing the koalas winds through their tree area. We spotted several of the bears snoozing in the trees; I’m still amazed at how they manage to sleep in some very uncomfortable looking positions. And we were lucky to see one walking about at the feeding area. Moving to another tree was too much effort so he fell asleep propped up amongst the fresh leaves. The park is also home to many western grey kangaroos, we saw many including joeys grazing and snoozing.

An awake, walking and eating koala bear

Western grey kangaroo and joey 

There are 9 walking trails through the park ranging from 500 m to 55 km. We were hoping to do some of the intermediate distance walks. However, we admired the koalas for too long and it started raining shortly after we started walking. A light manageable shower soon turned into a downpour, luckily we were able to shelter near the start of one of the cave tours for the worst. Despite the rain we enjoyed and managed to complete the 4.5 km caves loop and the 2.7 km wetlands loop around the lake. We had hoped to do the 12 km ghost house walk as well but it was less appealing when already soaked and with thick grey clouds still looming.

Scenes from the wetlands loop walk at Yanchep National Park 

We really enjoyed visiting Yanchep National Park. It’s so close to the city yet still fully wild bushland. It is an ideal weekend outdoor and picnic spot for families and is a good first impression of the natural WA bushland environment for visitors. Doing the walks during the cooler months of the year is definitely a win and maybe we’ll be back next cool season.

Since the holidays the weather has started improving with more sunny days and colourful spring flowers to be seen in abundance. We have been cycling and walking on the beach most weekends and also enjoying the wildflowers in Kings Park. Enjoy this selection of photos from Perth in Spring!

Until next time xxx

View of Perth city from the newly opened Elizabeth Quay 

Bronze statue of civil rights activist Bessie Rischbieth at Elizabeth Quay with the city in the background

The footbridge at Elizabeth Quay

Perth city at sunset from the foreshore on the south bank of the Swan River 

The city at sunset from Kings Park

Boab tree in Kings Park

Colourful changing cabins in Fremantle

The boathouse on the Swan River at sunset

Cycling! 

We are enjoying the cooler weather for our 25 km cycle route through Kings Park and along the river.

Parrots on the south bank during one of our cycles

City Beach, our favourite beach for long walks

On a grey day,

And on a sunny day

One week we found this little guy on the beach. He is a fresh water oblong turtle and clearly lost. There is a storm water drain nearby which comes at least partly from one of the nearby lakes so he must have washed up through there. Another couple walking past said they knew someone who would know what to do with him so they took him. We looked up oblong turtles when we got home and just as well since we found another one on the beach two weeks later. 

A little oblong turtle we found on the beach. 

We called the number for an oblong turtle rescue organisation and took him to a lady who is rehabilitating him. When he is big enough, catching his own food and hiding from predators he will be released back into the lake. He is only 5 cm long, with his head and neck making up half of that, and weighed 4.8 grams when we found him. Even though he is so tiny, he is perfectly formed and has such defined features. We are glad we could help you little one! We hope you live a long and prosperous life. Thank you to the people who give up their time and put so much into wildlife rescue and rehabilitation here.

Coral trees in bloom on Kings Park Road. 

The Jacaranda trees will start flowering soon too. 

Everlasting daisies in Kings Park

Kangaroo paw in our garden 

(Well, garden is a strong word; a few flower beds along the edges is more accurate.) 

We planted this one in March and it has flowered right through the winter. 

The souvenir de la malmaison rose tree has also flowered throughout the winter.

we love these intricate flowers and their delicate scent.

PS: Thank you for 50 000 + page views! =) 

#WAroadtrip2016: Part 3 Wildflowers

We had a wonderful time in Exmouth and were sad that our time there was over. But we still had a few days of holiday left and looked forward to wildflower hunting!

From Exmouth we travelled to Geraldton, the longest travel day of the trip with 8.5 hours of driving. The amount of flowers in the fields and on the side of the road had doubled in the 10 days since our journey north had started, it was quite amazing and showed promise for our wildflower exploring the next day. The next day we travelled inland from Geraldton in search of wildflowers!

Wildflowers in Kalbarri National Park 

The search started in Mullewa at the waterfalls along the northern loop. Although there were flowers, it wasn’t the fields of colour we were hoping to see. But it was a sunny day and we were happy to be outside. From the waterfalls we made our way to Pindar Road in search of the wreath flower. The wreath flower is a rare wildflower unique to a tiny patch of sandplain 150 km by 400 km in Western Australia and they flourish in this small stretch of graded red sand in Pindar Road. Growing low on the red soil, the fleshy branches radiate out from the centre with flowers blossoming on the edges so when viewed from above the plant has the appearance of a wreath. I was surprised that the narrow leaves are velvety soft to the touch since most of the native plants here that look soft and pliable are actually stiff and spikey. We were also amazed at how fine and detailed the individual flowers are. The colours vary from white to a soft yellow to a deep pink on the same plant and even the same flower. They are truly special and we were glad we had the opportunity to see them.

The waterfalls on the Mullewa Northern Loop

The beautiful different rare and super special wreath flower

From Pindar Road we continued on to Coalseam Conservation Park, so named for the discovery of coal by the Gregory brothers in 1846 and the first site of coal mining in WA. The deposits proved to be narrow and of poor quality leading to the site being abandoned with only a few shafts dug. The area is of geological interest for where the Irwin River has cut through the local rock exposing an interesting cross-section of sedimentary layers including siltstone, sandstone and coal representing millions of years of the earth’s history and one of the few places coal can be seen at the earth’s surface. The area is also interesting for the number of marine fossils embedded in the riverbank. In spring the area is known for its display of wildflowers, especially carpets of pink and white everlasting daisies and yellow pom pom heads. We enjoyed a lovely afternoon in the park searching for mine shafts and flowers. It was still early in the season so the variety of flowers was limited and there was only one area with a field covered in flowers but it was still worth the drive and day out.

Yellow pom poms

An orchid

Wildflowers in Coalseam Conservation Park

The Irwin River at Coalseam Conservation Park 

At last! Fields of colour. 

We spent the night in a lovely cosy cabin on the sea cliffs in Dongara before starting the last leg of the journey home to Perth. We chose the coastal route and enjoyed the scenery and small coastal towns such as Jurien Bay, Green Head and Lancelin passing by. The final stop of the holiday was the Pinnacles in Nambung National Park. We had stopped off once before but it’s always worth seeing the mysterious and eerie sandstone pillars rising out of the yellow desert. When we got home our wonderful neighbours Shirley and Gary surprised us with a cooler bag full of goodies to get us through the first night and morning back. Thank you so much guys!! That was so thoughtful and kind of you and very much appreciated.

Sunset in Dongara

The Pinnacles in Nambung National Park 

Saturday was spent doing boring but necessary post-holiday admin such as unpacking, laundry and washing the car (3 hours! Thank you Pookey xxx). At least it was sunny and reasonably warm. Sunday was a much more fun but also much more rainy day. We met up with our new Swiss friends Nadine and Luca for some sightseeing around Perth. The day started with breakfast at one of our favourite Perth cafés, Gordon Street Garage, followed by a stop at City Beach and Cottesloe Beach. Unfortunately beach time was cut short by the wind and rain. After the beach we headed to Fremantle and had a fun afternoon browsing the markets, roundhouse and Glen Cowan’s marine photography studio. The last and possibly best stop of the day was a late lunch at Little Creatures, our favourite WA craft brewery. Thank you for spending your last days in Perth with us! It was so wonderful to meet you. We miss you guys already and look forward to the day we see you again.

Justin, Bron, Nadine and Luca at City Beach on a rainy windy day

And then it was officially the end of the holiday.

Justin was back at work on Monday while Bron tackled the mountain of home admin. Luca and Nadine came over for a last dinner on Monday night and Bron dropped them at the airport on Tuesday morning (Why did you guys have to leave?!? Come back!!). And then it really was back into normal routine.

All in all it was a really great holiday and we can highly recommend northern WA as a holiday destination!

Until next time xxx

Tree in blossom at Nature's Window in Kalbarri National Park