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Cockatoo Walk Trail, Yanchep NP Cockatoo Walk Trail, Yanchep NP

Bush Walk  in Perth & Surrounds

Part of Yanchep National Park network
  • Full day
  • 17.5 km
    • Bush Walk Grade 3

      Suitable for most ages and fitness levels. Some bushwalking experience recommended. Tracks may have short steep hill sections a rough surface and many steps. Walks up to 20km.

A 17.5 kilometre loop walk through the coastal plain vegetation of Yanchep National Park.  It passes through Ridge’s campsite from the Coastal Plain Trail and in spring offers a carpet of wildflowers.  Kangaroos, the black gloved wallaby and quenda, along with Carnaby’s black cockatoos, may be spotted.

Smokebush covers the plains in spring
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The trail, marked with posts bearing the cockatoo symbol, departs from the McNess Visitor Centre. Several kilometres after it crosses Wanneroo Road, it forks and forms a circular route, connecting with the Coastal Plain Trail for about 5km. The trail is through coastal vegetation, with little tree cover, so is not suited to summer walking. The track can also become sandy underfoot. During spring the wildflowers are spectacular.

McNess House Visitor Centre

(08) 9303 7759

National Parks

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Be trail ready for Cockatoo Walk Trail, Yanchep NP

Here is everything you need to know before visiting this trail.

Time / Duration

Full day

Length

17.5km loop

What To Pack

Group B (Bushwalks and/or longer trails) required.

Trail Start

Mc Ness House, Yanchep National Park, 50km (one hour) north of Perth

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Trail End

Bush Walk

Grade 3

Suitable for most ages and fitness levels. Some bushwalking experience recommended. Tracks may have short steep hill sections a rough surface and many steps. Walks up to 20km.

Visit Trail Tips for further information.

Difficulty Notes

The track can be sandy underfoot, particularly after dry weather.

Hazards & Warnings

Not suitable for summer walking

Facilities

These facilities are in Yanchep National Park at the start of the walk.
  • BBQ Facilities
  • Cafe
  • Car Park
  • Coach Parking
  • Kiosk
  • All accessible parking
  • Picnic Area
  • Public Toilet
  • Shaded Area
  • Sheltered Area
  • All accessible toilet facilities
  • Visitor Information Centre

Best time of year

May to September

Fees

National Park fees

Trail Access

Road

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2 trail goers have rated Cockatoo Walk Trail, Yanchep NP as 2 out of 5!

We love to hear from people who've been on our Western Australian trails, so it would be most appreciated it if you wanted to leave a review.

Brendon Burns

Reviewed 30 May 2023, 2:12pm

It's a reasonably decent walk (17.5km), although not particularly strenuous over a predominantly flat & sandy path. Plenty of kangaroos abound (pun intended) & some bird life. Not a very scenic or pretty trail, no great views/vistas to speak of. I hiked it in late autumn (May) so only a few wildflowers out.
Brett Michaels

Reviewed 12 Feb 2018, 4:56pm

Myself and partner are quite avid hikers, hiking bibbulman, cape to cape and various other hikes around WA. Personally, this wasn't a scenic hike at all nor were the facilities at Ridges Hut well kept. We did the Northern part first then the Southern part returning back to the main road. There was a lot of broken glass around the fire pit at Ridges Hut that appeared to have been sitting there for quite some time based on the decomposition of the glass. There was a few meters of loo paper and general rubbish laying around. The trail in our eyes was extremely boring. We weren't in wildflower season, however even with the flowers its just a very basic, flat sandy track with not much to look at besides arid bush. The southern loop section gave us the impression that whoever created this part was drunk or high or both who blindly walked through the bush with a chainsaw to cut a random track. By the time we hit this section about 13kms in we were playing eye spy to keep ourselves entertained.
What did we see? Well we saw 2 birds, a dishwasher, one kangaroo (who appeared to be thinking "what are these two doing out here) about 30 big juicy spiders hanging in their huge webs covering the track, a dead lizard and a dead spider. If wildlife wasn't out there we were surely wondering what we were doing out there. Ultimately we were very grateful for the hike as it was 17kms of exercise and we took away quite a few jokes and memories that will stick with us for years to come.
Luckily, we didn't pay the $13 to park our car in the national park area. We parked elsewhere and walked to the start of the track. Whoever maintains the track, I am glad I kept my $13, you've done a terrible job at maintaining the track.

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