The Avon River cuts a narrow gorge through the Darling Range at Walyunga National Park in Upper Swan. Off the Great Northern Hwy (Rte 95), 40km northeast of Perth, this 18-sq-km park is a great place for hiking and picnics.
The bushwalks include a 5.2km-return walk to Syd's Rapids as well as a 1.2km Aboriginal Heritage Trail. The best trail is the 10.6km Echidna Loop, which has tremendous views over the Swan and Avon Valleys. The park has one of the largest known camp sites of the Noongar people; the camp site was still in use in the late 1800s. The area may well have been occupied by Aboriginal people for more than 6000 years.
