The cooler months in Perth are great for walking trails. There are plenty of options that are a short drive away and a great way to escape the city for a day. One of the best day walks near Perth is in the Paruna Wildlife Sanctuary in the Avon Valley, about an hour’s drive east of Perth.
Paruna offers a great walk with beautiful scenery, creeks, plenty of wildlife and in season, lots of wildflowers.
The Paruna Wildlife Sanctuary is a private park run by the Australian Wildlife Conservancy and is an important wildlife corridor for many animals. Consisting of 2000 hectares, the sanctuary is home to many iconic Australian animals and several threatened species. Animals in the park include Grey and Red Kangaroos, Possums, Wallabies and Emus as well as a wide variety of birds and reptiles.
There are three high quality walks, which are available to the public between 1 May and end of November. These range from the 13km Numbat Track the 6.5km Quenda Circuit and the 2.5km Possum Loop.
If you want to visit, you need to call ahead and make a booking, as you need a code to get into the sanctuary. We did the Quenda Trail, which we finished in just over two hours. We walked pretty fast and didn’t picnic along the way, so add a bit more time if you’re planning on taking it more leisurely.
Whilst there is a good chance to see animals such as Emus, Kangaroos, Echidnas and Numbats, we didn’t see come across any, most probably because we chatted the whole way and scared the wildlife away. Other walkers we met saw a few Kangaroos hopping around. There are a several great lookouts along the way with stunning views over the lush and green Avon Valley.
If you want to make it a day, there are some lovely picnic spots and a Rock Pool that I’m sure would be very inviting on a warmer day. Whilst the best time to see the park is during Wildflower season in Spring, it’s pretty throughout the year with a great range of flora and fauna.
For more information see: http://www.australianwildlife.org/
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