A natural wonderland
Whether its for fitness, mindfulness or simply enjoying the outdoors, exploring our Banksia Woodland reserve is always a welcome escape.
Banksia Woodland Reserve history
The lands where Murdoch University, Beeliar Regional Park and the Banksia Woodland Reserve sit were first used by the Nyoongar Whadjuk people to move between the region’s freshwater lakes and wetlands. Here they hunted and gathered a huge diversity of plants and animals to be used for food, medicine, shelter, tools and utensils.
More recently, much of this region was used for grazing horses, cattle and sheep. The Banksia Woodland is unique in the area because it was logged for native timber (jarrah and marri), and used for grazing, but it was never part of the pine plantations. This means the reserve has retained much of its precious soil structure and native plant diversity.
Today, the various conservation activities done by Murdoch University, Murdoch Environmental Restoration Group (MERG) and other volunteers lets you experience this special woodland. See if you can spot the endangered Carnaby’s Black Cockatoo, Forest Red Tailed Black Cockatoo, long neck turtles and the elusive Southern Brown Bandicoot, or quenda while exploring.
Getting here
Access the Banksia Woodland at campus entrance G, off Farrington Road. An informal parking area is available off Campus Drive adjacent to the Kennedy Baptist College, but please do not park in the College’s grounds or on vegetation.
If you’re visiting on the weekend, there is free parking in car park 7 within the University. If you’re parking here, we recommend you allow a little extra time to walk to the entrance, as it puts you at the opposite end of Banksia Woodland Reserve.
Explore the trails
All trails are suitable for even beginner fitness levels, with the longest at 1.2km, so explore all three and find your favourite to come back regularly.
Koorloo walk trail
In the language of the local Noongar people, Koorloo refers to the Native Wisteria, Hardenbergia comptoniana. The Koorloo walk trail is the longest of the three trails in the Banksia Woodland at 1.2km, circumnavigating the entire Banksia Woodland and showcasing the diverse species.
Poolgarla walk trail
The Poolgarla walk trail is 1km in length, with interpretive signage linking the six Nyoongar seasons to the flora. Enjoy the current seasonal blooms and discover the Nyoongar uses for them.
Ngoolark walk trail
The Ngoolark walk trail is named after the Ngoongar word for the endangered bird species that lives in this area: Carnaby’s Black Cockatoo. If you look carefully, you may spot this magnificent bird flying between branches of the canopy in the Banksia Woodland. This walk is a 1km circular route.
