Ridges and Adjacent Bushland – Nowgerup and Yanchep

Common Smokebush.

These two contigous Bush Forever sites 288 and 381, being Yanchep National Park and Adjacent Bushland (not to be confused with that part of Yanchep NP which lies west of Wanneroo Road) and Ridges and Adjacent Bushland, Yanchep/Nowgerup, form, by urban bushland standards, a very large tract of land comprising over 5700 ha.

Site 381 is rated at greater than 90% as being in pristine/excellent condition with the remainder rated as ‘very good’. Site 288 is rated as greater than 90% as very good to excellent. These are outstanding ratings for such a large site on Perth’s doorstep!

Additions to Yanchep National Park

There have been long-standing recommendations for part of State Forest 65 (BF Site 288 – Ridges) to be added to Yanchep National Park. From the Management Plan – Parks and Reserves of Yanchep and Neerabup: “The Ridges area contains significant conservation values including:

• species and communities restricted to limestone ridges (including threatened species and

communities);

• species and communities that are not represented or not well represented within the conservation

reserve system;

• occurrence of jarrah near the northern limits of its range (a small area of jarrah woodland occurs in

Yanchep National Park);

• important ecological value;

• a seasonal wetland.

Mining leases M70/140 and M70/142 occur within the Ridges area and have been excluded from the proposed addition to Yanchep National Park at this stage. However, because the lease areas contain some of the best remaining examples of threatened limestone vegetation, it is recommended that they should be included in the national park if mining does not proceed. Other mining and petroleum tenements also apply to the Ridges area“.

Physical Environment and Vegetation

The Swan Coastal Plain consists of a series of coastal dunes, running roughly parallel to the coastline. The Spearwood Dune System is bound to the east by the Bassendean Dune System and to the west by the Quindalup Dune System. Each system has a distinctive geology, vegetation, topography, drainage pattern and soil characteristics.

Yanchep – Ridges and Adjacent Bushland is situated across the Quindalup, Spearwood and Bassendean Dune Systems, and holds a number of wetland/dampland systems. In the Spearwood Dune System, leaching has occurred causing the carbonate to precipitate below to form hard compact limestone with prominent Tamala Limestone outcropping prominently in places.

This variety of landforms gives rise to many vegetation complexes, being particularly rich in heathland species, and varieties of tree forms including Banksia species and various eucalypts including Jarrah (Euc. marginata), Marri (Euc. calophylla) and Pricklybark (Euc. todtiana); also Moonah (Melaleuca preisii) on damper soils, giving rise to very high visual landscape values.

Access and Recreational Opportunities

This large site is off limits to vehicles unfortunately. However walkers are welcome. Suggestion; start at the junction of Wanneroo and Bailey roads and proceed along Obidos Road; the latter being especially a delight in wildflower season. (see map – second image in Gallery).

The site is also traversed by part of the long distance Coastal Plain Walk Trail as described on the ‘trails’ page of the Park’s website – please take note of the need for suitable provisioning if attempting longer sections of this walk.

The area will repay a visit at any time but spring shows the fantastic diversity of wildflowers at its stunning best.