Field Trip to John Forrest National Park

Field trip to John Forrest National Park

Light at the end of the Tunnel

John Forrest National Park, WA’s first national park, was the site of a recent visit by Members of the WA Parks Foundation Board and its Strategic Priorities Panel, who met with Parks and Wildlife staff in early March to look at some ideas to improve the visitor experience, understanding and interpretation, being considered for support. Chair of the Foundation’s Strategic Priorities Panel Tom Hatton, said that “it is important for the Foundation to get a clear perspective on what is happening in peri–urban parks and understand the issues facing park managers. Field trips to locations like John Forrest National Park help build that perspective”.

Her Excellency, the Governor thanked the staff from the Perth Hills District for providing an insight into current works to upgrade park infrastructure, including the renewal of bridges on the Railway Reserves Heritage Trail. The Governor said “The State’s first national park is seen as a high priority for renewal. It is only 35 minutes from the centre of Perth and offers scenic bush trails as well as wonderful biodiversity, a rail tunnel and rail bridges, a stream, a dam and waterfalls in season. It has great vistas, both of jarrah forest and of the coastal plain, but needs more interpretation and visitor facilities to help us all to enjoy and appreciate its unique attributes. Overseas visitors often want to experience the Australian bush which is part of the John Forrest National Park experience and would enjoy it even more if they understood the biodiversity and other unique features.“

Light at the end of the tunnel.

The visit included a quick trip to the Swan View railway tunnel, which was until 1999 the State’s only railway tunnel.

Quick Facts on John Forrest National Park:

  • WA’s first park proclaimed in November 1900
  • Area – 26.78 km2
  • 10 species of native mammal (one declared rare)
  • 91 species of bird (two considered to be in need of special protection)
  • 23 species of reptile and 10 species of frog
  • Around 490 species of flora recorded for this park.

More park details can be found at:

https://parks.dpaw.wa.gov.au/sites/default/files/downloads/parks/20140678%20John%20Forrest%20NP_Fact%20Sheet_PRINT_WEB.pdf