Shire of Waroona
Heathlands Trail
- Region: Shire of Waroona
- Type:Walking
- Length:4.5kms
- Duration:1 1/2 hours
- Grade:Walk Class 2
- Trail Manager:DEC
- Start Point:Yalgorup National Park
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This walk explores the many different vegetation types of Yargolup National Park, from the towering tuarts to the delecate flowers of the limestone ridges.
- Begin at the information bay on Preston Beach Road and head west along the track signposted as Caves Road. This refers to the limestone tunnels or shafts discovered here in the 1940's, which are now largely derelict.
- As you turn left and begin to climb, the understory of the woodland on your left thins and blackboys stand tall and proud amoungst the forest. On the other side of the track where the soils are shallower and the trees cannot grow, there is a scrubland of wattles, hakeas, grevilleas and other plants.
- As you near the top of the rise some swamp banksia (banksia littoralia) grows in the lee of the hill. On the hill top, limestone mallees (Eucalyptus petrensis) and Fremantle mallees (e.Foecunda) cling to the limestone out crops. Enjoy the view over Lake Preston, which extends 20 kilometres south of Myalup.
- When you reach the next marker you can take a small detour to the lake edge through the fringing thicket of swamp paperbark (Melaleuca cuticularis). Back at the marker, you are surrounded by thick peppermints. If you look carefully, as you continue, you may see a nest-like collection of small weaved stticks high up in the branches, called a drey. It is made by the rare western wringtail possum, which has successfully been reintroduced into this area. The track turns east and, after you leave the peppermints again, you re-enter the tuart woodland.
- A totem indicates that the path leaves the track and winds off to the right, and you travel through thicker scrubland, around a small outcrop, then drop back into the cool peppermints once more, before rejoining the track
- The marker indicates to turn to the left onto the track, which returns to the start
Where is it? 50km south of Mandurah
Travelling time: 40 minutes from Bunbury or Mandurah
Facilities: Barbecues, tables and toilets are at nearby Hayward Lake Picnic-site
Best season: Late winter and spring for wildflowers.
Steve Dutton
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