Whiteman Park: What are the best things to do in this Swan Valley park?

Whiteman Park in the Swan Valley near Perth offers heritage tram and train rides, themed walking trails, transport museums and a wildlife park.

Whiteman Park is a 4,000 hectare park in the Swan Valley, just outside Perth in Western Australia. Much of that 4,000 hectares is taken up by bushland, with the wetlands being a notable haven for birds.

DON’T MISS OUT! 9 fabulous Perth experiences to book today ✅

✅ See the Rottnest Island quokkas the smart way – with a ferry and bike package.
✅ Be amazed by the abundant wildlife – on a dolphin, penguin and sealion cruise.
✅ See clear night skies in a moon-like desert – on a Pinnacles stargazing experience.
✅ Indulge in chocolate, cheese & premium wines – on a Swan Valley food and wine tour.
✅ See the city sunset from the water – on a Swan River dinner cruise.
✅ Watch gold being melted and poured – on a Perth Mint gold tour.
✅ Combine nature with imperious city views – on Kings Park Segway tour.
✅ Face your fears and get the thrill of your life on a – on a 15,000ft skydive.
✅ Find all the best hidden hangouts – on a small bar and street art tour.

Whiteman Park walking trails

There are several walking trails in Whiteman Park, with three in particular having educational signposting. The 3km Goo Lorto Trail is marked with red poles, and largely follows Bennett Brook. The emphasis is on the wildflowers and flooded gum trees.

The Werillyiup Trail is a 2.5km loop track, marked with blue poles. It goes past Horse Swamp, and the focus is on the wetland birds. You can watch the birds from a hide at the edge of the swamp, and there’s also a very good chance of seeing kangaroos.

The 4.3km Wunanga Trail is in a figure-of-eight and is all about the vegetation diversity. Starting at the Village Junction Railway Station, the Wunanga Trail takes in banksia, jarrah and marri trees, as well as flowering shrubs and orchids.

5 great day trips from Perth – make your visit special

Rottnest Island ferry transfer – with bike hire and snorkelling gear. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
The Pinnacles desert – with koalas 🐨 and sandboarding.
Wave Rock day tour – with wildflowers & Aboriginal culture.
Margaret River wineries experience 🍷 – with tastings, caves & Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse.
Full day Swan Valley wine tour 🍷– with lunch.

Whiteman Park for children

Children will probably be happier in the Children’s Forest, however. Downloadable activity sheets give the kids a quest to find certain wildlife and trees. The other family-friendly staple of Whiteman Park is the Caversham Wildlife Park, which offers a series of close encounters with native Australian creatures.

Koala at Caversham Wildlife Park — The koalas are the heroes at the Caversham Wildlife Park in the Swan Valley near Perth. Photo courtesy of Tourism Western Australia.

Revolutions Transport Museum & Motor Museum of WA

What makes Whiteman Park a little different, however, is that a series of museums can be found within the boundaries. The Revolutions Transport Museum is arguably the best and widest-reaching of these Whiteman Park museums, but there’s also a Tractor Museum and the Motor Museum of WA.

Continuing the transport theme, there are also heritage tram and vintage train rides. The heritage tram rides tootle along just over 4km of track between Village Junction Station, Mussel Pool East and Mussel Pool West. Rides cost $6.

Alternatively, for $10, you can take a vintage train ride along more than 6km of track through the woodlands. There’s a good chance of spotting kangaroos along the Bennett Brook Railway, too. Again, the Whiteman Park train rides leave from Village Junction Station. There are also steam train services, but only in the winter months.

Whiteman Park tours

There are several other tours on offer, the most interesting of which are the nocturnal woylie walks. These walks cost $20 and focus on the wildlife that comes out after dark. Most notably, this includes the rare brush-tailed bettong, often called the woylie.

Other aspects of Whiteman Park to enjoy include the pedal cart rentals for $20 an hour, the children’s playgrounds and the public barbecues. Full information is on the Whiteman Park website.

While in the Swan Valley, you might want to visit one of the Swan Valley wineries in Henley Brook, taste beers at the Mash Brewery and coo over farm animals at the Swan Valley Cuddly Animal Farm.

More Perth suburbs and neighbourhoods