Yalgorup National Park, WA: What are the best attractions and walks?

Attractions in the Yalgorup National Park include the Lake Clifton Thrombolites and White Hills Lookout. Yalgorup National Park walks include the Lake Pollard Trail from Martins Tank campground, which takes in the Lake Pollard Bird Hide.

The Yalgorup National Park surrounds a series of lakes in the Peel region of Western Australia. It starts just south of Mandurah, stretching past Preston Beach towards Australind and Bunbury.

Yalgorup National Park attractions: Lake Clifton thrombolites

Yalgorup is best known for the Lake Clifton thrombolites. The thrombolites look like rocks, but they’re actually living organisms. What’s more, they’re examples of some of the oldest life still existing on earth. Thrombolites were around way back in the evolutionary chain before animals made an appearance.

The Lake Clifton thrombolites in Yalgorup National Park — The Lake Clifton thrombolites in the Yalgorup National Park are examples of some of the oldest living organisms on earth. Photo courtesy of Tourism Western Australia.

If you want to see the Lake Clifton thrombolites, there’s a 5km return walking trail around the eastern shoreline. It should take around two hours to complete, and there’s an elevated section around the thrombolites. This gives both better viewing and protection to the thrombolites.

Yalgorup National Park walks: Heathlands Walk and Lake Pollard Trail

Other Yalgorup National Park walks include the looping Heathlands Walk near Lake Hayward. This 4.5km circuit passes through woodland and heathland on the way to Lake Preston. Budget around an hour and a half for it.

Perhaps a better bet is the Lake Pollard Trail. This begins at the Martins Tank campground on Preston Beach Road, and stretches for 6km. Expect plenty of tuart and peppermint trees on the way, but the main attraction is the Lake Pollard Bird Hide. Looking out over the Ramsar-recognised wetlands, the Lake Pollard Bird Hide offers a good chance seeing dozens of bird species. These include the red-necked avocet, hooded plover, musk ducks and huge numbers of black swans.

Other Yalgorup National Park attractions include the White Hills Lookout, where a platform lies on top of the sand dunes. There are magnificent views out over the national park and Indian Ocean. It’s towards the Mandurah end of the park.

Yalgorup National Park camping

If camping here sounds appealing to you, then the Martins Tank campground will do the trick. The Yalgorup National Park camping experience is fairly basic, but there are gas barbecues and communal firepits provided. The campground is at the edge of Martins Tank Lake, and has sites suitable for caravans, camper trailers and large campervans. Pitches cost from $11 a night. For more information, visit the Parks and Wildlife Service website.

You can easily include Yalgorup on a drive from Perth to Margaret River or the shorter Perth to Bunbury drive.