Mount Frankland National Park is located 28 kilometres north-east of Walpole in Australia’s south-west. The park covers 31,000 hectares of tingle, jarrah and karri forest as well as the impressive Mount Frankland Wilderness Lookout. 

In 2019, an ambitious target was set. Five million hectares of new conservation areas would be created across Western Australia—with the support of Traditional Owners—to enable the potential of a truly significant conservation outcome. 

While human impacts have changed the landscape in some parts of Western Australia, population numbers of the iconic pink and grey galah (Eolophus roseicapilla) seem to be benefitting from the changes.

Once thought to be extinct, this wiry entangled shrub certainly lives up to its name—tangle wattle (Acacia volubilis)—with volubilis, meaning twining, in reference to the twisted, tangled and twining habit of the plant. Scientists are taking a closer look at the species that is only found in a small area in the Wheatbelt. 

The incredible beauty of Western Australia’s natural areas has been captured in high resolution with more than 980 entries as part of the WA Parks Foundation’s Wild Wonders of Western Australia photo competition. 

In recent years, the ‘save the bees’ movement has gained remarkable traction, encouraging people to think beyond the European honey bee (Apis mellifera). Murdoch University PhD candidate Freya Jackson shines a light on the importance of native pollinators and their surprising underground habits. 

The beauty of Western Australia’s marine areas cannot be understated. The tropical waters in the north to the cool, clear waters of the south-west are bursting with biodiversity that draws visitors from around the world. Establishing how many people visit WA’s marine areas, as well as what activities these visitors get up to, requires a combination of people power and technological solutions. 

After taking up the hobby of nature photography during the COVID-19 pandemic, amateur birder Beverley Oliver braved the rugged roads near Cocklebiddy to participate in a unique photography course at the famous Eyre Bird Observatory.  

It may be tiny, but the polyphagous shot-hole borer (Euwallacea fornicatus) is having a big impact on Perth’s urban tree canopy. First detected in a suburban backyard in East Fremantle, this wood-boring beetle has since infested more than 3700 trees. 

Nestled between the amazing Southern Ocean, the rich karri forests around Denmark and Pemberton, and the vibrant Golden Outback, ‘Mountain Country’ is one of Western Australia’s unique wilderness hotspots. Visitors can wander in the wild of Mountain Country through the rugged Stirling Range National Park, the ancient Porongurup National Park, and the vibrant surrounding towns in the Great Southern region of WA. 

With more than 40 species and an array of cultivars, the bottlebrushes are an iconic captivating plant with distinctive bottlebrush-shaped flowers. Bottlebrushes belong to the genus Callistemon, derived from two ancient Greek words; calli and stemon, which translates to beautiful stamens, referring to the soft, colourful, pollen-tipped filaments arranged in a cylindrical spike. 

Dwarfed by the towering tingle and karri trees, visitors to the Walpole Wilderness can’t help but feel the undeniable magic of the place. While the famous Tree Top Walk and Ancient Empire have been drawing people to the area for decades, a new mountain biking and walking trail network will soon lure adventurers to experience the majesty of the ancient forest from a whole new perspective. 

Birds of prey, or raptors, have a unique place in Australian culture and mythology. They are a symbol of power, vision, speed and audacity, fascinating us from the ground as they soar high above, with their impressive wingspans and hunting accuracy. 

At the northern end of Yellagonga Regional Park, overlooking Lake Joondalup, a new family-friendly urban mountain bike trail network weaves through the trees. It’s the jewel in the crown of this newly developed, family-friendly area. 

There’s more to Yanchep National Park than kangaroos, koalas and kookaburras. At Wangi Mia, Alex Gore and his son, Luca, joined Derek Nannup for a unique Aboriginal cultural experience to learn about Noongar culture in Western Australia’s south-west.

Scent detection dogs have proven to be useful in many fields—sniffing out illegal substances and smuggled animals at airports, helping rescuers search for survivors among the rubble of an earthquake, assisting with medical research in detecting certain cancers, and even helping commercial pest controllers to find bed bugs. Now, following successful trials, dogs will be used in WA and Australia as part of an innovative Saving Native Species Program to detect a ‘biological bulldozer’— Phytophthora cinnamomi. 

Everyone is welcome in the new South Coast Marine Park, which protects southern right whale nurseries, kelp forests, vulnerable seal and sea lion colonies, and precious reefs while maintaining opportunities for recreational and commercial fishing. 

Participation in trail activities is at an all-time high, making it an ideal time to venture out and revel in nature. Popular regional towns Collie and Dwellingup have just been recognised as Western Australia’s premier Mountain Bike Trail Towns by Trails WA.