Beedelup National Park
Encyclopedia
Beedelup National Park is a national park in Western Australia
(Australia
), 277 km south of Perth
. It is situated on the Vasse Highway
some 10 km west of Pemberton
. The park is especially lush and damp due to an abundance of water.
Gazetted in 1910, the park was declared an A Class Reserve in 1915. The Pemberton National Parks Board has been responsible for management of the park since 1957. Controlled burns occur within the park and some clear felling operations have been conducted in selected areas.
The park is mostly karri forest, with mixed areas of jarrah and marri
. The loamy soil supports large colonies of moss and plants such as the swamp peppermint
, hibbertia
, karri hazel
, waterbush, myrtle wattle
and lemonscented Darwinia
all of which thrive in the damp conditions. Some of the forest is an excellent example of uncut old growth forest. Some of the upland areas are sandy and support communities of heath
vegetation. Other plants of interest in the area include Crowea dentata
, Crowea augustifolia
and Choretrum lateriflorum
.
Some rare fauna are thought to inhabit the area including the Woylie
, Numbat
and the Tammar.
Its major attraction is the Beedelup Falls, which are in full flow during winter and spring. A suspension bridge, built in 1995, offers passage across Beedelup Brook and good views of the falls.
Another feature of the park is the walk through karri tree, a 400 year old tree with a large man-made hole cut through at the base large enough for a person to stand in.
The park is named after Beedelup brook, named in 1875. It is thought the name Beedelup is derived from the Noongar
word Beejalup meaning place of rest or place of sleep.
A signed walking trail around Beedelup falls, a rest area, picnic area and toilets are available for use by visitors.
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
(Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
), 277 km south of Perth
Perth, Western Australia
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
. It is situated on the Vasse Highway
Vasse Highway
Vasse Highway is a Western Australian highway connecting Busselton and the South Western Highway 15 km south of Manjimup. It is long and travels through jarrah and karri hardwood forests for most of its length, with some small agricultural areas and wineries nearby, and forms the main street...
some 10 km west of Pemberton
Pemberton, Western Australia
Pemberton is a town located in the South West region of Western Australia, named after the early settler Pemberton Walcott. It is the home of the karri tree, the largest tree in Western Australia and the third largest hardwood tree in the world...
. The park is especially lush and damp due to an abundance of water.
Gazetted in 1910, the park was declared an A Class Reserve in 1915. The Pemberton National Parks Board has been responsible for management of the park since 1957. Controlled burns occur within the park and some clear felling operations have been conducted in selected areas.
The park is mostly karri forest, with mixed areas of jarrah and marri
Corymbia calophylla
Corymbia calophylla is a bloodwood native to Western Australia. Common names include Marri and Port Gregory Gum, and a long standing usage has been Red Gum due to the red gum effusions often found on trunks.It is distinctive among bloodwoods for its very large buds and fruit Corymbia calophylla...
. The loamy soil supports large colonies of moss and plants such as the swamp peppermint
Agonis
Agonis is a genus of four species in the plant family Myrtaceae. All are endemic to Western Australia, growing near the coast in the south west.Only one, Agonis flexuosa, grows to tree size, the others generally growing as tall shrubs....
, hibbertia
Hibbertia
Hibbertia, or Guinea flower, is a genus of trees, shrubs, trailing shrubs and climbers of the family Dilleniaceae. The five-petalled flowers of all species are varying shades of yellow, with the exception of H. stellaris, H. miniata and H. selkii, a recently named species from the Stirling...
, karri hazel
Trymalium
Trymalium is a genus of shrubs or trees in the family Rhamnaceae. The genus is endemic to Australia.Species include:*Trymalium albicans Reisseck, endemic to Western Australia*Trymalium angustifolium Reisseck, endemic to Western Australia...
, waterbush, myrtle wattle
Acacia myrtifolia
Acacia myrtifolia, known colloquially as Myrtle Wattle or Red-stemmed Wattle, is a species of Acacia native to Australia. Its specific epithet 'myrtle-leaved' is derived from the Latin myrtus 'myrtle', and folium 'leaf'. It is a small shrub 0.3–3 m in height, and 2–3 m spread...
and lemonscented Darwinia
Darwinia
Darwinia may refer to:*Darwinia , a genus of Myrtaceae found only in Australia*Darwinia , a 2005 video game by Introversion Software*Darwinia , a 1998 novel by Robert Charles Wilson...
all of which thrive in the damp conditions. Some of the forest is an excellent example of uncut old growth forest. Some of the upland areas are sandy and support communities of heath
Heath (habitat)
A heath or heathland is a dwarf-shrub habitat found on mainly low quality acidic soils, characterised by open, low growing woody vegetation, often dominated by plants of the Ericaceae. There are some clear differences between heath and moorland...
vegetation. Other plants of interest in the area include Crowea dentata
Crowea
Crowea is a genus of small evergreen shrubs in the family Rutaceae . They are native to Australia, where they occur in Victoria, New South Wales and Western Australia. The genus is named for James Crowe, an English botanist. Croweas have pink star-shaped flowers with five petals.The genus has...
, Crowea augustifolia
Crowea
Crowea is a genus of small evergreen shrubs in the family Rutaceae . They are native to Australia, where they occur in Victoria, New South Wales and Western Australia. The genus is named for James Crowe, an English botanist. Croweas have pink star-shaped flowers with five petals.The genus has...
and Choretrum lateriflorum
Choretrum
Choretrum is a genus of shrubs and small trees in the sandalwood family, Santalaceae. The genus is endemic to Australia.Species include:*Choretrum candollei F.Muell. ex Benth. - White Sour Bush*Choretrum chrysanthum F.Muell....
.
Some rare fauna are thought to inhabit the area including the Woylie
Woylie
The Woylie , also known as the Brush-tailed Bettong, is a small marsupial that belongs to the genus Bettongia. It is endemic to Australia...
, Numbat
Numbat
The numbat , also known as the banded anteater, or walpurti, is a marsupial found in Western Australia. Its diet consists almost exclusively of termites. Once widespread across southern Australia, the range is now restricted to several small colonies and it is listed as an endangered species...
and the Tammar.
Its major attraction is the Beedelup Falls, which are in full flow during winter and spring. A suspension bridge, built in 1995, offers passage across Beedelup Brook and good views of the falls.
Another feature of the park is the walk through karri tree, a 400 year old tree with a large man-made hole cut through at the base large enough for a person to stand in.
The park is named after Beedelup brook, named in 1875. It is thought the name Beedelup is derived from the Noongar
Noongar
The Noongar are an indigenous Australian people who live in the south-west corner of Western Australia from Geraldton on the west coast to Esperance on the south coast...
word Beejalup meaning place of rest or place of sleep.
Facilities
An admission fee applies for this park and camping is not permitted.A signed walking trail around Beedelup falls, a rest area, picnic area and toilets are available for use by visitors.