Love a family day out, surrounded by nature? Head to Yanchep National Park with the kids! Just a 40 minute drive from the city, there’s easy bush trails, a historic pub for lunch, cool caves to explore, koalas hiding up trees, lots of wildlife to spot and even a chocolate café – there’s plenty to see and do.
At the entrance, you’ll pay an entry fee, then you’re free to explore Yanchep National Park.
Things To Do at Yanchep National Park
Caves
The caves at Yanchep National Park are the only ones open to the public in Perth! Each day there are guided cave tours which cost $16 for adults and $8 for children aged 6 – 14 years, kids 5 and under are free. The tour takes you through the beautiful Crystal Cave and kids will spot many stalactites and stalagmites. Check the website for current opening times.
Treetops Adventure
For adventurous kids (and parents!), the high ropes course at Treetops Adventure is a lot of fun! The fun obstacles through the tuart trees include wobbly bridges, tight ropes, cargo nets, ziplines and many more. Read the Buggybuddys review here.
Bush Tracks
Yanchep National Park offers nine walk trails ranging from 500m to 52km, each showcasing the park’s unique biodiversity. Some of the top trails include the 4.4km moderate Ghosthouse Trail, the easy 4.2km Yanchep Caves Walk, and the easy 4.1km Wetlands Walk Trail.
The Yanchep National Park Play Trail is an exciting digital scavenger adventure perfect for families. This comfortable 1.2km trail takes about 45 to 60 minutes to complete, winding through the park’s lush woodlands and cave areas. Along the way, families can explore the lake and enjoy a variety of age-appropriate activities. The trail is part of a series of nine trails that give visitors the chance to discover the natural wonders of Yanchep National Park. You can find out more about the Play Trail App by visiting www.natureplaywa.org.
More information about the walks can be found at the McNess House Visitor Centre.
Tours & Experiences
Daily activities include tours through the underground world of the Crystal Cave, a tour of the park’s wetland area Loch McNess and a fascinating Aboriginal cultural experience. Cave yoga is definitely one for the parents! The Cabaret Cave is a wonderfully unique venue for this relaxing activity run by the Hike Collective.
Koalas
Be sure to say G’day to one of the park’s resident Koalas! Though koalas are not native to WA, you can still see them at Yanchep National Park’s Koala Boardwalk. The 240 metre wooden boardwalk is where you can view several koalashiding out high up in the trees. They’re sure to be snoozing high up in the branches or munching on some gum leaves!
Kangaroos
Yanchep National Park is home to a variety of wildlife, but perhaps the most iconic are the kangaroos. Visitors to the park can easily spot kangaroos grazing and lounging in the grassy areas throughout the park. These marsupials are a beloved sight for both locals and tourists alike.It’s a truly unforgettable experience to see these magnificent animals in their natural habitat.
Wildlife
If you love to bird watch or spot a ‘roo in the wild, Yanchep National Park is home to loads of wildlife. The many water and bush birds can be seen around the wetlands – there’s swans, pelicans, cormorants, egrets, kingfishers, parrots, wrens and honeyeaters.
Camping
Did you know that you can even stay at the park! Book a camp site at Henry White Oval Campground on the Explore Parks website.
Dining
Chocolate Drops Tearooms
The quaint Chocolate Drops Tearooms serves up light bites (toasties, soup etc), fantastic coffee (I suspect that their hot chocolates need to be tried too!) and scrumptious handmade chocolate treats.
Picnics and BBQs
Yanchep National Park has been a popular spot for families to gather in a group for decades! It’s beautiful by the lake or why not make use of one of the free BBQs. There’s plenty of lawn to throw down a picnic rug and kick a ball.
Yanchep Inn
The faux Tudor pub offers up simple pub grub, and a choice dining areas – sit on the front veranda, the traditional dining rooms or in the gardens at the rear of the Inn which overlook the pretty lake.
Yanchep National Park – The Details
Find Yanchep National Park at Wanneroo Road, Yanchep.
Cost: $17 per car
Get more information on their website. https://parks.dpaw.wa.gov.au/park/yanchep
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Amanda Carlin has her own food and travel blog. Established in 2013, “The Chef, His Wife and Their Perth-fect Life” has enjoyed an exciting name change in 2021, as “The Chef’s Ex-wife” embarks on new adventures with Simply PERTHfect. Amanda loves getting out and about in Perth and WA, as well as brunching, tapas or something a little fancy in equal measures. With her son “Little Chef” in tow, Amanda always has plenty of family friendly eating options to recommend too! Be sure to check out Simply PERTHfect.
