Where Perth’s Jarrah Forest Meets the Coastal Plain

Overview

Perth Hills is the band of forested country along the Darling Range on Perth’s eastern edge, close enough for a day in the bush but distinct from the flatter coastal plain below. In Western Australia’s parks network, the region stretches from the Avon Valley through to Lane Poole Reserve and marks the beginning of the green belt around metropolitan Perth. It is also where both the Bibbulmun Track and the Munda Biddi Trail begin, which says a lot about the hills’ place in the wider landscape.

The character of the area comes from that meeting of scarp, valleys and forest. Across the hills, the scenery shifts between broad views west across Perth and more enclosed pockets of creekline bush, granite and mixed eucalypt woodland.

Highlights

The big draw here is the contrast between elevated hill country and the wide Swan Coastal Plain below. Many parts of the Perth Hills look out over Perth, while others drop into steep gullies, seasonal waterways and sheltered forested valleys. That mix gives the region more variety than people often expect from a place so close to the city.

Spring brings another layer, with wildflowers scattered through the hills and along the slopes. In places, waterfalls and small cascades appear after winter rains, adding to the appeal of the escarpment country and its changing seasonal feel.

Best Time to Visit

The most rewarding months are generally from May to November, when temperatures are milder and winter rain brings streams and waterfalls to life. Spring, especially from September to November, is the standout for wildflowers across the hills.

Summer can be very hot in this part of Western Australia, so cooler months tend to suit longer days out and a more relaxed experience of the landscape.

Plants and Animals

Jarrah and marri forest give the Perth Hills much of its identity, with areas of wandoo woodland, paperbark-lined creek sections and grass trees adding to the mix. Around Beelu National Park and the Perth Hills Discovery Centre, this mixed hills forest is a good snapshot of the vegetation that shapes the region.

Wildlife is part of the experience too. Kangaroos are regularly seen in parts of the hills, and the forests and woodlands support a strong birdlife presence, especially where flowering shrubs and mature eucalypts create varied habitat. In spring, the bush is at its most colourful, with native wildflowers appearing across slopes, gullies and open woodland.

Culture and Heritage

Within the Perth Hills, Beelu National Park is recognised as Country for Whadjuk people, and the park’s present name also reflects the Beelu Aboriginal people who once lived in that part of the Darling Range. That layered naming points to a place with deep and continuing cultural history rather than a single simple story.