The Children’s Forest at Whiteman Park is a gorgeous slice of bushland designed especially for kids to connect with nature. Tucked between the Village and Mussel Pool, this fenced community forest is all about hands-on learning, exploration and a sense of ownership – children are encouraged to see it as “their” forest, growing and changing as they do.
Created in partnership with families and community conservation groups, the Children’s Forest has been planted in stages over the years and now spans 18 stages of growth, with the final stage completed in 2018. Each visit gives you a different view of Western Australia’s native bushland – banksias, wildflowers and understorey plants that provide habitat for local wildlife. Because the area is fenced to keep kangaroos and other larger animals out, it feels safe and contained for little explorers, while still being wonderfully wild.
A great way to explore is to start at the Visitor Information Centre in the Village and pick up the “50 Things to do in the Children’s Forest” list or one of the activity sheets. These include fun “spotto” and learning sheets such as Birds of the Forest, Fauna of the Forest, Flowers of the Forest, Eye Spy and even a Fairy Door Trail, along with age-targeted Seed and Sapling clue trails. They turn your walk into a nature treasure hunt, encouraging kids to look up, down and all around to spot plants, insects, birds and artworks hidden along the paths.
As you wander the looping trails, you’ll discover all sorts of surprises. Children can cross little bridges and stepping stones, duck into bushy “huts”, and search for hidden animal sculptures peeking out from the undergrowth. Keep an eye out for the giant marching ants, colourful birds, a life-sized steel wedge‑tailed eagle’s nest and the Forest’s whimsical “guardians”, the Boy of the Bush and his sister Fern. Members’ tiles are displayed in huts along the way, adding to the feeling that this is a shared, community-grown forest.
The paths meander through natural bush, so you’ll want sturdy shoes, and younger children may need a hand on some of the more uneven sections. Whiteman Park does undertake path maintenance from time to time, so parts of the trail may look a little “loved” or be under repair, but the upside is that access keeps improving for families and prams. With the Forest sitting between the Village and Mussel Pool, it’s easy to pair your visit with a Playground stop, a picnic or a ride on the trains and trams elsewhere in the park.
Entry to the Children’s Forest is completely free, and it’s open every day from 8.30am to 6.00pm. Do be aware that, for safety reasons, the Forest is closed on days when there are Total Fire Bans, local movement bans or Catastrophic Fire Danger Ratings for the Swan sub area of the Swan Inland North fire district; Whiteman Park shares these updates on their Facebook and Instagram stories. On all other days, it’s a brilliant low-cost outing where kids can burn off energy, breathe in the fresh bush air and learn about caring for our native environment in a really playful way.
Whether you’re working through the “50 things” checklist, hunting for fairy doors or simply enjoying a slow wander under the trees, the Children’s Forest is one of those Swan Valley gems you can return to throughout the year and watch it change with the seasons – just like the children it was created for.
Children’s Forest, Whiteman Park
Address: Whiteman Park, 99 Lord Street, Whiteman WA 6068, between the Village and Mussel Pool (Location 16 on the park map)
Opening hours: Open every day, 8.30am to 6.00pm (closed on days with Total Fire Bans, movement bans or Catastrophic Fire Danger Ratings for the Swan sub area)
Website: https://www.whitemanpark.com.au/wildlife/childrens-forest
Find more things to do in the Swan Valley
Find more walks and picnic spots
- About the Author
- Latest Posts
After spending 11 years in London working in the television industry for the BBC, Jennie McNichol made the move to Perth in 2010. As the Co-Founder and Editor of Buggybuddys, she has been able to use her experience and passion for helping families to create a trusted online resource for parents across Perth.
Jennie is the proud mother of two daughters, aged 16 & 14 and is a big advocate of the family-friendly lifestyle that Perth has to offer.
[…] Whiteman Park is not only home to many playgrounds, picnic spots, museums and attractions, it’s also home to some brilliant bush trails for the whole family to enjoy. The Children’s Forest is a community initiative aimed to teach children about revegetation and environment in Australia. This area of the park is fenced to keep it free from Kangaroos. Grab a list of “50 things to do in the Children’s Forest” from the Visitor Centre and explore huts, bridges, stepping stones, hidden animals and much more for kids to spy along the way and mark of their list. The forest is located between the village and mussel pool and entry is free. See the Buggybuddys guide here. […]