 |
The Park's conservation areas include typical coastal plain sand dune formations that support marri, jarrah and Banksia woodlands, extensive heathlands and Melaleuca wetlands and damplands.
The Park also protects the southern portion of the Gnangara Water Mound - a large underground water source that supplies up to 40% of metropolitan Perth's drinking water.
This abundance of water has made the Park home to numerous water birds that visit the Park to breed in the wetter months. Native flowers and trees also transform the landscape every spring making the Park an ever-changing display of colour.
All native wildlife in the Park is protected and more than 100 bird species have been identified as having their range or breeding ground within the Park. The Park has also identified over 400 species of native plants growing within its boundaries and these include some that are classified as rare elsewhere on the coastal plain.
|
|
There are few places within Perth's metropolitan area that offer such diversity of native plants - with nearly half of the Park's 4300 hectares (10,000 acres) designated as conservation areas it's easy to see why.
|
|
|
|
|
The Bennett Brook watercourse originates in Whiteman Park and is an outflow of the superficial groundwater aquifer which rises after winter rains. The Brook flows through Mussel Pool and runs south to join the Swan River at Guildford. It is a special habitat for many species of plants and animals including small fish, tortoises, mussels and a small freshwater crustacean, the Gilgie. Major plants include the flooded gum (Eucalyptus rudis), swamp paperbark (Melaleuca raphiophylla) and many different types of native sedges and rushes.
Depending on the timing and amount of rainfall, the Brook flows from early August until early November.
|
The Mussel Pool was created by Lew Whiteman, who broadened the Bennett Brook to develop a picturesque picnic area, still very popular today.
Lew built a weir to maintain the pool size all year round but this prevented the seasonal migration of small fish species from downstream. The Park now has constructed a 'fish ladder' to connect Bennett Brook with Mussel Pool. This ladder was designed by a Murdoch University zoologist, built by a "work for the dole" team, and was the first of its kind in Australia. Native fish in the pool include western minnow, pygmy perch and nightfish, plus the exotic gambusia. The ladder has allowed the western minnow to migrate to the upper reaches of the Bennett Brook.
|
|
|
|
|
There are literally hundreds of native plant species growing in the Park and, like much of Western Australia's plant life, they are at their most spectacular during the wildflower season.
There are numerous native trees in the Park and the most common is the candle banksia (Banksia attenuata), which produces large, yellow flowers mainly during winter and spring. There is also the firewood banksia (Banksia menziesii) that displays mainly reddish flowers from late summer to late winter.
You will also find a range of Melaleuca species and the beautiful golden wreath wattle (Acacia saligna) that showcases masses of yellow flowers from August to September. Marri, or red gums, are particularly common on the coastal plain and can be found in abundance in the Park. These gums are in fact the largest trees in the Park, growing to heights in excess of 25 metres and a girth of 1.5 metres. The tree produces a fruit commonly known as "honky nuts".
There are also grass trees (Xanthorrhoea preissii) which are unique to Australia and are very slow growing. Some reach heights of more than 2 metres and can be up to 250 years old.
The most common shrub in the Park is the yellow buttercups (Hibbertia hypericoides) which is a prolific flowerer. You also will find prickly moses (Acacia pulchella) that has yellow fluffy ball-like flowers and bloom in September and October and the brilliant orange/yellow featherflower Verticordia nitens which flowers in early summer.
But not all plants are skyward. Look on the ground for the famous running postman (Kennedia prostrata), a colourful ground cover with red pea-like flowers that show themselves from September to November.
|
Over 150 vertebrate species have been identified within the Park:
- 7 species of amphibian
- 32 species of reptile
- 104 species of birds
- 8 species of native mammals
The Park is a winter wetland for literally hundreds of water birds that use 'Horse Swamp' as their annual breeding ground. Sacred ibis, black swans and numerous duck species can be seen during the wetter months and a bird hide has been established nearby to assist in viewing them.
Of the species of native mammals three are now rare on the coastal plain - the southern brown bandicoot (quenda), the honey possum and the western brush (or black-gloved) wallaby.
The Park is also home to the echidna (spiny ant-eater) which is one of Australia's unique sub-class of monotremes - a single opening egg-laying mammal.
But the most commonly sighted mammal is the western grey kangaroo - some 800 of them roam the Park. If you want to get a closer look at native wildlife, you can visit Caversham Wildlife Park, located in the Village area.
Caversham Wildlife Park has koalas, wallabies, possums, Tasmanian devils, wombats and a whole host of unique Australian animals, plus some exotic species. The park is open 7 days a week from 8.30am to 5.30pm and entry fees apply. Call 9248 1984 or visit http://www.cavershamwildlife.com.au.
|
|
|
|
|
|
