Karri Forest on the Edge of Margaret River

Overview

Wooditjup National Park lies around Margaret River in Western Australia’s south-west, only a short distance from town and about 270 kilometres south of Perth. It protects a substantial belt of native forest rather than one single compact block, giving the area a distinctly local feel while still preserving a broad stretch of bushland close to the coast.

The park is known for its karri, marri and jarrah forest, with a mix of vegetation types that is unusually rich for such an accessible part of the Margaret River region. That blend of tall trees, denser understorey and changing terrain gives the park a character that feels greener, cooler and more enclosed than the nearby coast.

Highlights

The scenery here is all about forest texture and scale. Tall karri trunks rise above marri and jarrah, and the ground layer shifts from open sections to thicker, more shaded pockets of bush. It is a landscape of long tree-lined ridges, winding gullies and native forest that sits right on the doorstep of Margaret River.

One of the most distinctive things about Wooditjup is that it preserves this strong sense of south-west forest so close to a well-known town. Instead of big cliffs or coastal headlands, its appeal comes from the depth of the trees, the variety of vegetation and the way the bush changes with light and season.

Best Time to Visit

Wooditjup National Park is rewarding through most of the year, but the cooler months from autumn to spring usually show the forest at its best. Winter and early spring bring greener undergrowth and a fresher feel through the bush, while spring is often the most interesting time for wildflowers and other seasonal plant life.

Summer can still be a good time to visit if you are after the dry, resin-scented character of the jarrah and marri forest, though the landscape is generally at its softest and most vibrant outside the hottest months.

Plants and Animals

This is a botanically rich part of the Margaret River area, with native forest that supports a particularly diverse range of vegetation types and a high concentration of declared rare and priority flora. The mix of karri, marri and jarrah creates varied habitat, from taller wetter forest to drier woodland edges.

Among the better known animals recorded here are western ringtail possums, brush-tailed phascogales and quenda. In a park like this, much of the wildlife is easy to miss at first glance, but the combination of mature forest and dense understorey makes it an important refuge for south-west native species.

Culture and Heritage

Wooditjup National Park has a direct Traditional Owner connection with the Wardandi people. The park’s current name was adopted in 2018 in recognition of the area’s significance, replacing the former name, Bramley National Park.