YANCHEP NP

Yanchep National Park is one of the most 'urbanised' of our parks. It is located in what will soon become a major suburban area and it is one of the most popular parks because it is so close to the metropolitan area.

Attractions include boating on the lake, exploring the cave system, lunch or dinks at the hotel or relaxing at one of the many picnic areas or walking around the lake shore.

Land was set aside in the area as early as 1905 but little was done until the 1930s. Charles McNess was one of the main supporters of the park's development and the lake was named after him.

In 1935 a koala colony was established in the park (the koala is not native to W.A.) and the breeding programme was so successful that the koalas remain one of the park's main attractions today.

At last count there were 8 walk trails within the park including one coastal walk that takes 3 days (one way) to complete. Western grey kangaroos are a common sight along the walk trails.

The park is also home to a number of different bird species including grebes, swans, pelicans, cormorants, egrets, kingfishers, parrots, wrens, honeyeaters, and the endangered Carnaby's black-cockatoo.

Although Crystal Cave is the major tourist cave in the park there are other less well known caves that have been open to the public at various times. In the 1930s a cave known as Cabaret was  converted into an underground function centre. The park encompasses one of the six major cave regions in W.A. and there are more than 600 caves documented so far. Most caves are quite small and close to the surface and therefore are not as impressive as the caves found near Margaret River in the south west.

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