Yanchep National Park is spread over an area of 28 square kilometres, 45 minutes north of Perth. Established in 1957, this small but fascinating park attracts up to 250,000 visitors a year!
Tourists come here to admire the amazing landscapes - mountainous forested terrain criss-crossed by rivers, deep caves, and the Australian bushveld. The park's koala colony is one of our favourite places to visit. Here you can also take part in one of the cultural education programmes to learn about the life of the Aboriginal nyoongar people.
.They lived here for thousands of years and called the park "nyanyi-yanjip" in honour of the reed-lined lake, which was thought to resemble the braided mane of the mystical creature Waugul. The word "yanchep" came from a corruption of "yanjip" or "yanjet", which was the Aboriginal name for the reeds that grew along the shores of local lakes.
The first European to enter the park in 1834 was farmer John Butler, who travelled to the area in search of escaped cattle and found crystal clear lakes, wetlands and abundant game. Lieutenant George Gray, travelling through the area in 1838, found amazing caves here. And the first permanent settler in the territory of the future park was Henry White, who arrived here in 1901 - he built a house on the shore of Lake Yonderup, and was appointed caretaker two years later.
Tourists should definitely go to Crystal Cave, the true queen of the local caves. And to get acquainted with the flora and fauna of the park, you can follow one of the many hiking trails in the territory of Janchep. During such a walk, you may meet a koala or grey kangaroo, which often come to the picnic lawns or golf course. Swans, pelicans, cormorants, herons and kingfishers are abundant on the marshy plains, while colourful parrots and rare black Carnebi cockatoos flutter through the jungle. Another way to discover the wonderful world of Yanchep is to hire a boat and go white-water rafting on one of the rivers. At the park's visitor centre you can buy a souvenir as a keepsake and try the local chocolate ice cream.
