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ver the years,land for regional parks has been identified, progressivelypurchased and managed by the Western Australian Plannin$ Commission.ln 1997,responsibility for managingand protecting eight regional parks beganto be transferredgradually to the Depatment of Consenrationand LandManagement (CALM). The parks- Yellagonga,Herdsman Lake, Rockingham Lakes,Woodman Point, CanningRiver, Beeliar, Jandakot (Botanic) Park and DarlingRange-include river foreshores, ocean beaches,wetlands, banksia woodlandsand the DarlingScarp. They contain a number of featuresand land uses,including reseryes for recreation puposes, managed by relevant local governments. Each park has its own and visitors. With local involvement, Giventhe complexissues and the unique history. the Unit aims to develop facilities to need to closely monitor parks on a cooperatively BUSHIN THE CITY createa placefor peopleto use.enjoy regular basis,working and developa feeling of ownership. with local community groupsand local Formed two years ago, CALM'S The eight regional parks span the governments is very important. The RegionalParks Unit worksclosely with map from Joondalup in Perth's parksbenefit from council rangers,local local councils and community groups northern suburbsto Port Kennedyjust citizens and CALM officers working to managethese diverse,multipurpose south of Rockinghamand inland to the togetheron managementissues. parksfor the enjoymentoflocal residents Darling Range.These urban parksare Each regionalpark may havespecial usedon a daily basisby the community, physical features, plants and animals, I Preoiouspage partof people'slives through environmental education facilities or I Marn:Boardwalks in Pcrths regional becoming I parkstake visitors close to wildlife. organisedsport, the dailywalk or run, projects of interest. Each has a ftsels. Redand greenkangaroo paw (lop) leisure activities, as a social gathering colourful history often influencedby its andbfue leschenaultia \bottom), bolh place,for schoolnature study trips, and early European settlement, Aboriginal foundat JandakotRegional Park. 'back for some,simply as their yard'. heritageor Asianculture. parks are part of the urban lAbouerighl: Neil Hawkins Park within Regional LAKE I YellagongaRegional Park. landscape,keeping the bush in the HERDSMAN city. Their attractions also draw a Herdsman Lake is a beautiful Beloar:Early morning view from I including wetlandjust six kilometresfrom the KalamundaNational Park, wilhin the large number of tourists, I provides wildlife I Darlingltange Regional Park. internationalvisitors. Perth CBD. It a 30 toros"oou sanctuary where many species of waterbird feed or breed. Breeding speciesinclude the little bittern,marsh harrier, black swan,dusky moorhen, purpleswamphen and several species of ducks.At the lake'ssouthem end, the viewingplatform at the WildlifeCentre is a wonderfulplace to seewaterbirds. Birdwatchingtrips are organisedby BirdsAustralia and the GouldLeague. The Gould Leagueruns the Wildlife Centreand arrangesvisits for 7,000to 8,000schoolchildren each year. Beforeresponsibility for Herdsman Lake was transferredto CALM in 1997-98,it hada diveysehistory. In the 1920s,the lakewas drained so it could be farmedfor marketgardens, but the soilwasn't suitable and was invaded by bulrushes.In the 1960s,the wholelake was taken up as a mining leasefor wildlife and providea summerrefuge lTop left: Aboardwalkat Herdsman for migratorybirds. One hundred and I LakeRegional Park allowspeople to diatomacious earth, mainly for I view the prolific bird life. commercialproducts such as kitty litter, twenty-two bird specieshave been recordedin park,18 andat onetime it wasearmarked for a the ofwhichbreed | ?bp.'Black swans with their youngat secondairport. Today, in additionto the in the area.Six froEspecies, mammals I HerdsmanLake. wildlife viewing centre, playground such as the quenda,echidna, rakali l.A6ouerHorseriding is permittedin one paths (water rat) and westernbrush wallaby, facilities,kilometres of dual-use I smallarea of HerdsmanLake Regional (for the shared use of cyclists and and at least 122 speciesof macro- I Park. pedestrians)and a recentlyrefurbished invertebratesalso inhabit the park. settler'scottage attract manyvisitors to Dual-use paths, walkways and HerdsmanLake. viewingplatforms thread through the ROCKINGHAMLAKES 1,500-hectarepark, which is a popular From the coastal limestone YELLAGONGA picnicand playground spot. These access outcropsat PointPeron to the unigue The ancient lakes,wetlands and some important remnants of early floraof the Cooloongupand Walyungup natural bushland of Yellagonga Europeansettlement, such as Perry's lakes further inland this area 'stone! RegionalPark are a throw'from Paddock.The park managementplan has significant conservation and the City of Joondalup,which is the includesa wildlifemonitoring program, recreationalvalues. regionalfocus of Perth'snorth-western educationto discoungehand feeding ThePoYt Kennedy Scientific Park, a corridorLakes Joondalup and Goolellal of birds and the potentialto develop nature reserve to protect wildlife and the Walluburnup and Beenyup commercialrecreation enterprises such associatedwith Holocenedunes, lies Swampssupport a wide variety of asLuisini's Winery. within the regionalpark. The scientific uxoscore3l park contains parallel sand ridges, coastline CALM has erected signs With its proximity to the beach and which were depositedalong former explainingthe fragility ofthe geological jetty, it lures visitors from all over the shorelinesover the past 7,000years. structuresand their potential danger. metropolitanarea. Unlike most other coastalareas near Walktrailstraverse another section Since CALM assumedmanagement Peth, it is undeveloped,and has an of the park definedby lakes,swamps of the area ftom the Ministry of Sport interestingcommunity of plants and and standsof tuart and jarrah trees. and Recreation,a range of improvements animalsthat is now uncommonin rne Lakes Cooloongupand Walyungup, havebeen proposed to meet anticipated metropolitanarea. Some of the valleys PaganoniSwamp and the wetlandsat pressureon Woodman Point from the betweenthe dunescontain a threatened Port Kennedyform an importantchain burgeoningsurrounding suburbs during ecologicalcommunity, and CALMhas of wetlands.A threatenedthrombolite the next 10 years.An implementation initiateda recoveryplan to return it to community extends over about plan is being preparedto guide further a healthystate. The scientificpark is three hectaresat Lake Richmond. development in the park, including managedto minimisehuman activity, Thrombolitesare rocklike structures but visitorsare welcome to walkaround built by micro-organismstoo smallfor the reserve. the humaneye to see. lAboue left: Point Peronwas once an offshore 'captured'by The swimmingand recreationarea I islandthat was I the advancingoutgrowth of sand. of PointPeron has a vulnerablestretch WOODMANPOINT of coastlinethat expressespast sea WoodmanPoint Regional Park, on a l,46orer Thejetty in WoodmanPoint levelsand points of geologicalinterest, gentlecurve of coastlinejust southof I RegionalPark is a favouritefishing spot. making it a focal point for geology Fremantle, popular is for diving, | 8elorarWalkways at Point Peron,within excursions.To protectvisitors and the fishing,sailing, cycling and picnicking. I the RockinghamLakes Regional Payk. 32 uro"*"" developing facilities north of rne There are five important wetlands of its size,pristine state and significant recreationarea, planting more shade within lhe park- Wilsons, Adenia surroundingbushland. Migratory birds trees. managingweeds and restorjng Reserve, Nicholson Road, Mason's from Japan,Russia and China protected the naturalbushland. Landing Lagoonsand CreenfieldStreet. by the Japan-Australiaand China- The Children's PJaygroundhas Unfortunately,weeds are a serious AustraliaMigratory Bird Agreements already beentransformed into a fantastic problemand communityinvolvement visit the wetlands. They include fun experience for kids.Since opening in preventing their spread and greenshanks,red-necked stints and in April, playground the has become replantingnative species will bethe key sharp-tailed sandpipers. Other increasinglypopular with familiesand to restoringthe natural vegetation. uncommonanimals and plants in the picnic groups. 1\,o caravan parks at The CanningRiver wetlands were park include western brush wallaby, WoodmanPoint, together with cottages rmportant to Aboriginalpeople as a quendaand Hackett'shop bush. and dormitories available for hrre, sourceof food and materialsfor shelter attract many visitors to the white and artefacts. There is also an beachesand clearwaters on weekendsor interestingAsian connectionwittr a summer holidays.There are also boat Sikh Cemeteryyou canvisit alongone launching and storagefacilities. An oro of the walks in AdeniaReserve. quarantinestation andArmy munitions BEELIAR faciiities provide historic interest. Seabird nesting areas and the only The 3,400hectare Beeliar Regional Park protects remaining extensive natural stand of banksiawoodlands, 26 lakes RottnestIsland pine on the mainland and manyassociated wetlands in are also found at WoodmanPoint. hvo main chainsofswamps and lakes.[t is alsoa popularrecreation and picnic CANNINGRIVER location linked by dual-usepaths. This beautifulriverine system nestles ThomsonsLake is recognisedas an internationally betweenthe Shelleyand NicholsonRoad important wetland under bridges,south-east ofPerth. It is poputar the RamsarConvention because all