Going stir-crazy with the kids? Cruise on out to the Hills for a day of adventuring – there’s plenty to do that’ll keep the whole family entertained.
Find A Waterfall (Or Five)
It’s not secret we’re a fan of waterfalls around here – especially when they’re right on our doorstep, with many that can be found in the Hills. A heavy hitter is Lesmurdie Falls, located in Mundy Regional Park. Tumbling over the Darling Range Escarpment, the falls have five walk trails to choose from, each offering a different view of the cascading Lesmurdie Brook. National Park Falls and Hovea Falls are both within John Forrest National Park, and during the winter months turn into some impressive cascades. Check out both on the Eagle View Walk Trail – with Hovea Falls less than two kilometres away from National Park Falls, you can easily knock them both out during an afternoon stroll. With so many waterfall adventures in the Perth Hills to choose from, you can really take your pick.
Photo by @jon_does_photos
Go On A Real Life Treasure Hunt
Maybe you want to explore the outdoors, but you need something a bit more interactive? Get the whole family on the hunt with some geocaching! A real-life treasure hunt, register with the Geocaching app or on the website and start hunting – while you don’t know what you’ll find in the caches, we do know you’ll find some great views and a good time.
City of Armadale Nature Passport
Another great way to get outside and get interactive, the City of Armadale Nature Passport is a fun tool for kids to engage with nature. Keep your eyes peeled for spotting wildlife, record your discoveries and explore your surroundings!
Armadale Wildlife & Reptile Centre
If you want to get a bit more up close and personal with the wildlife, check out the Armadale Wildlife & Reptile Centre. Run without any government funding, the centre rescues and rehabilitates countless animals, specialising in reptiles. Head there for a visit to learn about local wildlife and how to help reduce negative impacts on them from the Centre’s experts.
Explore The Area’s Local History
If you’re more of a history buff, check out the History House Museum, filled with exhibitions that tell the story of the Armadale area, from pre-European settlement to today. Founded by local residents who crowdsourced both artefacts and funding, you can also enjoy the Museum with a guided tour by local experts. Or if the kids love tractors and machinery head to the Bert Tyler Vintage Machinery Museum – it’s open 7 days a week and you can even organise free guided tours through the Perth Armadale Visitor Centre (or go it on your own during opening hours).
Bring The Whole Fam On A Doggo Friendly Hike
If we’re talking about family-friendly, you’ve got to include any four-legged family members! The Hills are home to heaps of dog-friendly trails for all ages and ability levels. Built in the 1930s, the Contour Channel was built to transport water from the Canning Dam to the Perth metro area, and is now a picturesque 3.5km dog-friendly trail with views of the city. For a slightly longer walk, check out the Wungong Gorge Trail – a 5.5km walk that traverses a number of historical and ecological landmarks, including the Wungong Recreation Lake. Whistlepipe Gully is one of our favourite trails in general: a pretty cruisey 3.5km walk, it follows a narrow river with small waterfalls and cascades to play in. Another Kalamunda beauty, Jorgensen Park Walk is a just-under 3km loop off Crescent Road. It’s nice and open, which makes sense as it used to be the old Kalamunda golf course, and touches on the Bibbulmun Track. Popular with locals for an easy, everyday trot.
Check out more of our favourite dog friendly trails around Perth HERE.
Photo by @camembert_the_aussie
Go For A Dip At Lake Leschenaultia
Lake Leschenaultia is one of our favourite swimming holes. A man-made lake that was used as the largest source of water for the Eastern Railway in the early 1900s, it has been used as a recreation spot since 1949. With public swimming pools not existing in the area until the 1960s, many locals learned to swim here. The lake has a three kilometre walking loop which makes for a perfect pre-swim stroll, plus a series of newly-established mountain bike trails if that’s more your speed.
If you’re a water baby then you can hire canoes or SUPs between 10am and 3pm on weekends and public holidays (season runs from late September through to late April) or bring your own any time of year. In the warmer months the lake is great for a refreshing swim and a floating pontoon just off the main beach provides a nice play area.
Photo by @dennistanperth
ReDiscover Armadale Urban Art Trail
Teaming up with Six Two Three Zero (responsible for an equally awesome trail in Bunbury), the ReDiscover Armadale Urban Art Trail showcases artists locally and abroad via a series of magnificent murals. As you walk along and discover each mural, you can read about the artists behind them after grabbing a copy of the ReDiscover brochure from the Perth Hills Armadale Visitor Centre or downloading a copy HERE.
Browse One Of Perth’s Largest Artisan Markets
One of the longest running markets in WA, the monthly Kalamunda Artisan Market features over 150 stalls of artisan goodness. Keeping it fresh by featuring funky new up-and-coming designers every month, the market is held in central Kalamunda on the first Saturday of every month. A true village vibe, this market is particularly family friendly, with a bouncy castle, face painters and live entertainment to keep the kids entertained.
Reach For The Stars At Perth Observatory
A visit to the Observatory is a must-visit for any budding astronauts, and a perfect excuse to stay up past bedtime. Whether you’ve got a science buff or an astrology nerd on your hands, the Observatory promises fun and education in equal measure. Located just a short 25km out of the city, there’s plenty of night tour options, head to their website for more info.
Stop For A Snack
Complete your day out with a snack and some well-needed parental caffeine. There are so many stellar spots to refuel we can hardly scratch the surface here, but you can check out a whole list of ’em over HERE.
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