Len Howard Conservation Park on the shores of Peel Inlet in Mandurah is a great place for bush walking and bird watching.
There is a 2km loop easy walk trail, which can be extended further and done as a 6 km return trail. It goes through the bush and wetlands along the inlet. A few benches are along the way to sit down and rest, while appreciating nature. The park is part of Peel-Yalgorup Wetlands, that support quite a number of water birds, as well as migratory birds.
Australian Pied Oystercatchers were the highlights for me during this walk. Apparently, they feed on worms too, not just oysters!
Toilets and picnic facilities are available at this location and you can take your dog on a leash for a walk.
Len Howard Conservation Park is located in Mandurah, 1 hour drive from Perth. It can be included as part of your day trip to Mandurah. Alternatively, it is a short drive from Herron Point campground, if you like nature based camping.
Herron Point campground is a basic nature-based campground on the shore of Harvey Estuary in the Peel region, only an hour drive from Perth. It is a prime spot to go crabbing, enjoy wildlife, photography or just relaxing. Being so close to Perth and easily accessible, it is a very popular place.
Facilities and costs
Facilities are very good and include flushing toilets, bins and non-drinking water. The only inconvenience we found was related to the layout of the campground and the actual sites. Caravan sites are literally next to each other, with no privacy at all. So, we booked a tent site, which had more privacy, better views (sites A to D) and some shade.
The issue with the sites is the barrier that separates the actual site from the parking lot. As we rely on our vehicle for all our cooking and kitchen needs, we needed it close to the tents. It took a few maneuvers every time to park as close to the barrier as possible and we did plenty of exercise jumping over the barriers every time we needed to go from one side of the vehicle to the other (maybe, hundred times a day? 😊).
Apart from that, it is a nice campground with a caretaker on site, who looks after the campground. The price is also very reasonable, being $20 per site per night, for up to 4 adults and 4 children on each site. And you can bring your dog there too. Being so easily accessible, it goes without saying, that it is a very popular place, especially during the holidays and the crab season. We stayed there over Australia Day long weekend and saw hundreds of people (campers and day users alike) go blue swimmer crabbing. The campground is managed by the Shire of Murray and must be booked online in advance.
Crabbing is popular day and night
Shallow waters of Harvey Estuary are ideal for catching blue swimmer crabs. And they are in abandunce there! Despite the number of people crabbing day and night there, there is still enough (but make sure, you know the rules!)
Photographer’s paradise
“Photography is about discipline”, Brian said, and I dragged myself out of the swag at 5.30am and didn’t regret. Scenes like these ones feed my soul and nourish me. Early morning is the time when nature awakens and is full of energy. It is the time to connect with it, so that it can fuel you for the rest of the day.
Sunrise at Herron Point
Herron Point is a popular place with photographers. It is no surprise – sunsets and sunrises are amazing there! All you need to do is to be there at the right time :).
Sunset at Herron Point
Having a go at astrophotography with just a phone, while trying to photograph a windmill (the icon of Australian outback):
Abundance of wildlife
Flocks of pelicans, seagulls, egrets, cormorants, terns and are putting quite a show every morning as they fly over Harvey Estuary.
Off the shore you can see Carnaby’s black cockatoos, Splendid Fairy-wrens and Common Bronzewing among others.
Welcome Swallows are very quick when they fly but sometimes they do sit and pose nicely :).
If you are lucky, you can spot a Bandicoot. We were lucky :).
To sum up
There are so many good things about Herron Point. Although, we prefer much quieter and more remote places, as a quick getaway from home, Herron Point is a good choice. And if you are into crabbing, or photography, this place is definitely worth visiting.
Located just off Waroona, in the Peel Region it is a popular picnic and recreational swimming area, especially on hot days. We found it a very busy place during October school holidays. And that was no surprise – being away from the beach, the only closest place for Waroona locals to swim was in the weir. Not only that – it is quite picturesque with its green rolling hills at the background and good facilities.
You can enjoy safe swimming, kayaking, paddling or just relaxing on the grass. There are picnic tables, bbqs, shelter, toilets. There is also a short bush walk to observe birdlife.
Location and other info
Drakes Brook Weir is located just outside of Waroona town, roughly 1,5hours drive south from Perth.
Dogs are not permitted on the sand and grass area.
Lake Clifton in Yalgorup National Park is quite a popular attraction. First, it is home to thrombolites – living organisms that are believed to be one of the earliest life forms on earth. These micro-organisms form calcium rich structures that over the years become thrombolites. Thrombolies are only found in a few places in the world and the ones at Lake Clifton are the largest in the southern hemisphere. They are around 2000 years old.
Thrombolites look quite impressive due to their interesting rounded shape. Visiting this place with children can be fun. You can play a game with them, suggesting to say what object each of the thrombolite can resemble. We had mostly pancakes, pies and meatballs (you could guess, that someone was hungry 😊).
What else is there at Lake Clifton?
Lake Clifton is a photographer’s delight. The best time to take nice scenery pictures is during the sunset when you see changing colours from the sky across the water and down to the thrombolites.
There is also a pleasant and easy 5km Lakeside loop walk, running parallel to Lake Cliffton. The vegetation there is quite thick on the sides of the track and in season you can spot some pretty wildflowers.
Microtis media Common Mignonette orchid (above).
There are picnic facilities, bbq and toilets near the carpark. There is no entry fee to Yalgorup National Park. Unfortunately, you cannot bring dogs there. If you would like to camp near Lake Clifton, we recommend staying at Martins Tank campground. It is a great bush camp and it is only half an hour drive south.
Martins Tank campground is located within Yalgorup National Park in the Peel region. It is 5km inland from Preston Beach. The campground has an unusual layout. Rather than being in a circle, it is spread long.
The sites vary considerably. Sites designated for tents look nice and secluded, however, they require a short walk from the parking area. Caravan sites, on the other hand, are more exposed, closer to the main track and smaller in size, but you can reverse in. So, we opted for a caravan site, as it was more convenient for us when taking things in and out of the vehicle. Each site has an individual bench and tables (except for group sites), which is very useful. There are 3 drop toilet blocks in the campground and one shared communal firepit and camp kitchen. Although if you are in a caravan site on the opposite side from the entrance, it’s a long walk. However, if you are close by, you can use all the amenities without taking your own kitchen. There is even a charging station for your devices.
Overall, it is a pleasant bush camp, nestled in the forest with a short walk to Martin’s Lake. Unfortunately, you can’t swim or launch a boat in the lake, likewise in all other lakes in the Yalgorup National Park but the beach is not far away. Lake is quite beautiful though, especially in the morning and during sunset.
Activities
Martins Tank campground is conveniently located in the heart of the Peel region. If you are into hiking and nature appreciation, you can explore the lakes of Yalgorup National Park and also visit Island Point Reserve on the shore of the Harvey Estuary. For beach lovers, Preston Beach, 5km away, offers excellent 4WD opportunities but also has a 2WD access. And if you are seeking a bit of entertainment, Mandurah is a vibrant city with a lot to offer and is less than an hour drive.
If you are happy just to stay in the campground and relax, there are nice and easy walks around with the wildflowers in season.
Dogs are not allowed as it is part of the national park. The cost to camp is $15 per person per night ($5 per child) but the entry to national park is free. It’s quite a popular camp with a friendly volunteer camp host on site (during school holidays). Bookings are essential and can be done via Parkstay. Martins Tank is 1,5 drive south from Perth and half an hour drive from famous Thrombolites of Lake Clifton.
Island Point also provides picnic facilities with barbeques, picnic tables and toilets. You can launch a small boat or a kayak, or go crabbing. Above all you can simply enjoying easy hiking through wetlands while observing amazing flora and fauna.
Island Point Reserve location
The reserve is at the end of Island Point Road, just off Old Coast Road, south of Mandurah. It is roughly 1,5 hours drive from Perth.
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