Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
It sits within the outermost zone (7) of the Perth public transport system and is the ter-
minus of Transperth's Mandurah line. There are direct trains from Mandurah to Perth
Underground/Esplanade ($9.40, 50 minutes) and Rockingham ($7.10, 18 minutes).
Transwa
( 1300 662 205;
www.transwa.wa.gov.au
)
coach routes include:
SW1 (12 per week) to East Perth ($16, 1½ hours), Bunbury ($16, two hours), Busselton
($24, 2¾ hours), Margaret River ($33, four hours) and Augusta ($35, 4¾ hours).
SW2 (thrice weekly) to Balingup ($27, three hours), Bridgetown ($30, 3½ hours) and
Pemberton ($41, 4½ hours).
GS3 (weekly) to Denmark ($65, 7¼ hours) and Albany ($71, eight hours).
South West Coach Lines
( 08-9261 7600;
www.veoliatransportwa.com.au
)
has services to/from Perth's
Esplanade Busport ($18, 1¼ hours, twice daily), Bunbury ($18, 1¼ hours, twice daily),
Busselton ($30, 2½ hours, daily), Dunsborough ($32, 3¼ hours, daily) and Bridgetown
($32, 3¼ hours, weekdays).
TOP OF CHAPTER
Yalgorup National Park
Fifty kilometres south of Mandurah is this beautiful 12,000-hectare coastal park, consist-
ing of 10 tranquil lakes and their surrounding woodlands and sand dunes. The park is re-
cognised as a wetland of international significance for seasonally migrating waterbirds,
with 130 species identified.
Amateur scientists can visit the distinctive
thrombolites
of Lake Clifton, which are des-
cendants of the earliest living organisms on earth (they are the only life form known to
have existed over 650 million years ago). These rocklike structures are most easily seen
when the water is low, particularly during March and April. There's a viewing platform on
Mt John Rd off Old Coast Rd; keep an eye out for long-neck tortoises below the board-
walk. A 5km
walking track
starts from here and loops around the lake.
Lake Pollard trail
(6km) begins about 8km down Preston Beach North Rd (not Preston
Beach Rd, as marked on some maps). The pleasant Martins Tank Lake campground is to
the right of the entrance. The trail takes in tuart, jarrah and bull banksia on its way to the
lake, which is known for its black swans (October to March).
The
Heathlands trail
(4.5km) to Lake Preston starts at the information bay on Pres- ton
Beach Rd (before the turn-off to Preston Beach North Rd) and explores the tuart wood-
land. Further along Preston Beach Rd is
Preston Beach
.
