Unmissable Spring Walks in WA's South West
Now that temperatures are warming up, skies are bluer and days are getting longer, it’s the perfect time to take a spring walk with the family.
Whether you’re staying in Perth, Busselton or Bunbury, here are ten of the South West’s best spring walks the whole family can do.
10 Walks in South West WA the whole family can do
WHISTLEPIPE GULLY, FORRESTFIELD
If your kids have ever wanted to be in a fairytale, let them live out their fantasy at Whistlepipe Gully
Home to enchanted woodlands and ruins, Whistlepipe Gully, only 40 minutes from Perth, is the perfect place for little ones to be swept into a fairytale.
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This 3.5km loop features beautiful wooden bridges and magical views over the city’s skyline, providing never-ending adventure to spark children’s imagination. While spring may be the best time to head out on this magical walk, be sure to wear gumboots because there may still be a few puddles from the winter rains.
GLEN BROOK TRAIL, JOHN FORREST NATIONAL PARK
Staying in Perth and want to take the kids on an adventure?
The Glen Brook Trail is the walk for you! Located in John Forrest National Park, an hour’s drive from Perth, this 2km walk is the perfect length for little legs and boasts stunning bushland and bridges.
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With granite boulders to climb, ducks to spot in the water and villages from the 1900s to explore, there is plenty to llove about this spring walk.
WHITEMAN PARK, WHITEMAN
One of the best things to do in Perth in spring is to head to Children’s Forest in Whiteman Park for a family-friendly walk.
Although it’s hard to cover every little part of Whiteman Park because of how big it is, there is one place you can’t miss: Children’s Park. Located 200 metres from Whiteman Village, the forest is a perfect place for kids to learn about the beauty of WA’s native bushland.
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With winding trails taking you past statues, artwork and interactive exploration, it’s the ultimate walk the whole family can enjoy. Because of the park’s size, you can explore this walk for 300 metres or a couple of kilometres.
LESMURDIE FALLS, LESMURDIE FALLS NATIONAL PARK
Lesmurdie Falls Walk. Source: Trails WA
Western Australia is home to some impressive waterfalls, and while many of them aren’t child-friendly, you’ll be pleased to know that Lesmurdie Falls is.
If you’re staying in Perth and want to take the kids to see something they won’t forget, then the 2.5km loop trail to Lesmurdie Falls is just what you’re looking for. Only a 40-minute drive from Perth, the 2.5km loop takes you from the top of a breathtaking 40-metre waterfall through the forest to the base of the waterfall and back.
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Spring is the perfect time to go on this family-friendly walk because of the gushing water from winter’s rainfall and the vibrant wildflowers you’ll see along the way.
BUTTERFLIES, BIRDS AND BRIDGES, CANNING RIVER REGIONAL PARK
If the name of this spring walk isn’t enough to convince the kids to go, we don’t know what will.
Located in the Canning River Regional Park, the Butterflies, Birds and Bridges 4km return walk takes you through forest, meadows, wetlands and over waterways. Home to over 97 species of birds, be sure to look up and spot as many different species as you can while wandering through this beautiful part of Perth.
After completing the walk, there are plenty of picnic areas to have a bite to eat at while taking in the beautiful surroundings.
KARAK (RED TAIL) TRAIL, COLLIE
If you’re heading out of Perth for the weekend and staying in beautiful Bunbury, the Karak Trail is one of the best spring walks to do with the kids.
This 3.6km trail starts at the western end of the Collie Cemetary and winds its way through lines of jarrah, sheoak and paperback trees. This walk is family-friendly because the entire path is bitumen, so it’s accessible for children in prams and young ones on bikes.
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The best time to do the Karak Trail is in spring when the entire trail comes to life with wildflowers, including spider and cowslip orchids.
BIG SWAMP WALK, BUNBURY
Staying in Bunbury and looking for a great walk the whole family will love? Look no further than the Big Swamp Walk.
Kids will love spotting different birds as they walk along the path which is home to over 60 different species, including the Australasian grebe, white-faced heron and purple swamphen.
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The path through the swamp has plenty of lookouts, including a wooden boardwalk through paperbarks and a bird shelter in the middle of the wetland. By observing this, you witness native birds in their natural environment.
CAPE NATURALISTE TO SUGARLOAF ROCK TRAIL, CAPE NATURALISTE
Cape Naturaliste. Source: Tim Wilson | Unsplash
If you’re staying near Busselton, the drive down to Cape Naturaliste is a must for this epic family-friendly walk.
At 3.5km long, this walk puts you among some of the region’s best coastal scenery, and because it is such a popular family walk, those with babies will be happy to know that prams are accessible on the trail due to its timber boardwalks and level bitumen.
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If you do this walk early enough in spring, there’s a good chance you’ll catch a glimpse of majestic southern right whales that travel through this stretch of coastline on their way to warmer waters.
BROWSE DISCOVERY PARKS - BUSSELTON
CAVES TRAIL, YALLINGUP
Another one of the best things to do in South West WA in spring is to complete the Caves Trail. Ngligi Cave is one of Yallingup’s most popular attractions, and the 600m Caves Trail is a great way to start exploring the area.
This fantastic short walk takes you through a peppermint tree forest along the Yallingup coastline and past stunning wildflowers. Just like the walk, Ngligi Cave is worth a visit as the kids will love exploring the underground caves and tunnels.
PELICAN TRAIL, AUGUSTA
Finally, what list of family-friendly spring walks would be complete without adding a walk where you can meet wildlife?
Located in Augusta, a one-hour drive from Busselton, Pelican Trail is where you can walk and give your kids the chance to meet some of the area’s favourite residents - a local flock of pelicans. This 1.2km mix of boardwalk, bridge and bitumen path follows the beautiful Blackwood River.
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Explore paperbark tree forests along the way before heading down to the rocks and jetties, where the local pelicans feed and rest. The best time to do this walk is in the early evening when the sunset turns the sky a range of gorgeous pastel colours and brings dolphins to the area.
