The best family-friendly hikes and walks in Lake Joondalup Nature Reserve

This well-developed circuit in Yellagonga Regional Park loops around Lake Goollelal, following a shared path used by walkers and cyclists. The route passes through a mix of tuart, jarrah, marri, and paperbark, with sections of wetland and open lake views along the way. You’ll pass features like a viewing platform and historic sites linked to early settlement in the area. Birdlife is active throughout, along with freshwater turtles and native water rats.

Located in Perth’s northern suburbs, Yellagonga Regional Park protects a chain of wetlands, bushland, and lakes including Lake Joondalup and Lake Goollelal. The landscape combines open water, reed beds, and native forest with tuart, jarrah, and marri. It’s a key habitat for birdlife, along with reptiles and small mammals. A network of walking and cycling paths runs throughout the park, including brand new boardwalk tracks, connecting different sections and access points across the reserve.

Set along the shoreline in Yellagonga Regional Park, this viewing platform overlooks Lake Goollelal and its surrounding wetlands. From here, you get clear sightlines across the water, with reed beds and open lake edges attracting a range of birdlife.

This part of the track follows low limestone ridges that rise above the surrounding bushland. From these slightly elevated points, you can catch occasional peeks of the Indian Ocean in the distance beyond the coastal plain. Along this stretch, you’ll walk on the sandy soil and through vegetation typical of the limestone landscapes that shape this part of Perth’s northern bushland.

Neerabup National Park protects around 943 hectares of coastal bushland on Perth’s northern Swan Coastal Plain. The park supports diverse native vegetation and provides important habitat for wildlife, including threatened black cockatoos that feed in the woodland. Its long strip of protected bushland also preserves part of the historic route followed by the Yaberoo Budjara Heritage Trail.

Yaberoo Budjara Heritage Trail is a 28-kilometre walking, trail running and mountain biking path that follows an ancient Noongar pathway connecting the wetlands of the northern Swan Coastal Plain. The route traces the traditional movement track used by Whadjuk Noongar people between Lake Joondalup and Loch McNess, later becoming a stock route during European settlement. Today, the trail highlights the region’s natural landscapes and cultural history as it passes through several parks north of Perth.

Neil Hawkins Park is a great place for everyone to enjoy. It's wheelchair-accessible, has a kids' playground, and lots of amenities, including a bike repair station, ping-pong tables, restrooms, and more. There are also open fields to play in with mowed grass and bordering eucalyptus trees to lie in the shade under.

Lake Joondalup sits within the Yellagonga Regional Park. Lake Joondalup Circuit is a trail that encircles the lake and is great for a long run, walk, or ride. The full loop spans 16 kilometers, as this is the largest lake in the Perth metro area. While visiting the lake, you can catch a glimpse of Western Grey Kangaroos, quendas, Southwestern snake-necked turtles, or some of the 120 different species of birds that call this lake home.