The Nyanyi-Yandjip series of Caches will take you on a pleasant walk around the Wetlands of Yanchep National Park and Loch McNess. Before you embark on any of the longer walk trails that start in Yanchep N.P. or the Western Australian Bush, we strongly recommend you get yourself a copy of "Wild About Walking". This free publication is available from the McNess House Visitors Centre in the park. While at the Visitor's Centre take the time to complete the Walksafe register. This register is designed to enable us to contact you in the event of unseasonal weather or fires and to ensure you have returned safely from your walk. Remember, you are sharing the park with local flora and fauna. Please be aware that insects, ticks, snakes and spiders also call Yanchep National Park home. Take care and be aware of your environment at all times.
Yanchep National Park currently (Nov 2013) costs $12 per standard vehicle to enter.
Yanchep National Park
Located an easy 45 minutes drive north of Perth, Yanchep National Park offers visitors an array of recreational tourism and conservation experiences, right on the city’s doorstep. The 2842 hectare park is one of the State’s oldest national parks and is steeped in Aboriginal and European cultural heritage. The park also protects some fascinating caves that are open to the public, one of Western Australia’s largest koala colonies, a stunning array of wildflowers and the old world charm of Tudor-style buildings and gardens.
Visitors to Yanchep National Park can take part in a range of Aboriginal cultural experiences. The national park environment provides a unique setting for cultural activities and specially built performance areas have been developed to accommodate Indigenous tours.
Aboriginal and European History
The area was inhabited and, was a noted hunting site for thousands of years by Indigenous Australians prior to the arrival of Europeans. The tribal name for the area is Nyanyi-Yandjip named after the reeds (Yandjet) around the lake which were thought to resemble the hairy mane of the dreamtime creature the Waugul.
The first European visitor arrived in 1834 when John Butler, a farmer, came in search of his lost cattle and noted the presence of the lakes, wetlands and plentiful game. While in the area Butler was greeted by the men of the Yellagonga peoples who inhabited the area.
Lieutenant George Grey travelled through the area in 1838 and made note of the remarkable caves he found in the area.
Surveyor John Septimus Roe and Governor John Hutt visited the caves in the park in 1841.
A road survey was conducted near Loch McNess in 1862 and later in 1865 a stock route was built through the area that was later used by drovers.
The first settler to arrive in the area was Henry White who arrived in 1901 and built his house near the north west shore of Yonderup Lake, he was later appointed as a caretaker and guide in 1903. Yonderup Lake is approximately 1 km South of Loch McNess.
Loch McNess
Originally known as Yanchep Lake by early European settlers, it was renamed Loch McNess in 1935 in honour of Sir Charles McNess who contributed to the development of Yanchep Reserve. Loch McNess is a freshwater lake located 4.5kms east of the settlement of Yanchep. It is part of a chain of lakes in the northern part of the coastal plain of Perth. The lake, along with the caves of Yanchep, is of significant cultural importance to the Nyoongar people.
Loch McNess has three well defined sections that differ in their vegetation types. Its total wetland area is 255 ha and comprises a sedge complex (149.3 ha), Swamp Banksia Paperbark (56.6 ha) and open water (49.5 ha).
North Loch McNess, compared with other metropolitan lakes, is relatively natural due to lack of modification (little or no clearing of vegetation has occurred and it has none of the impacts associated with urban or rural development). The lake appears shallow but the bottom is actually an unconsolidated peat mat through which water flows to a depth of about 6m. In summer, some of the shallower areas dry out. A dense growth of sedges covers much of the lake. The eastern side of Loch McNess is highly modified, with large grassed areas and infrastructure for recreation. The lake experienced its lowest levels on written record in 2011-12, which is attributed to the decline of the superficial aquifer, the Gnangara Mound. Reasons for the regional decline in the water table include over abstraction and a decline in rainfall associated with human induced climate change leading to reduced recharge of the aquifer.
Wetlands
A wetland is a land area that is saturated with water, either permanently or seasonally, such that it takes on the characteristics of a distinct ecosystem. Primarily, the factor that distinguishes wetlands from other land forms or water bodies is the characteristic vegetation that is adapted to its unique soil conditions: Wetlands consist primarily of hydric soil, that supports aquatic plants.
Wetlands play a number of roles in the environment, principally water purification, flood control, and shoreline stability.
Wetlands are considered the most biologically diverse of all ecosystems, serving as home to a wide range of plant and animal life and are often considered ecologically to be the ‘lungs of the earth’.
Dredging
Dredging occurred between 1936 and 1940 and again in 1968 around the periphery of the open water to allow a motor launch to take visitors around the lake. The wreck you can see amongst the reeds on the north side of the boardwalk is the remains of one of the two dredges that were used on Loch McNess.
While dredging did disturb the sediment which would have impacted upon the wetlands it also had a positive effect on the area. The creation of new habitats for flora and fauna with the formation of islands resulting in a greater variety of vegetation types, sedges, aquatic invertebrates and birds.
Motor launches were used for tours around Loch McNess from 1938 until 1986 and row boats until 2008 when they were removed due to declining water levels.
Conceptual sculptures
Water is the prime resource required by most living things including ourselves. To sustain our flow of healthy waterways as a community, we must do our part to preserve this asset. To highlight the importance of water, three sculptures were commissioned in 2004 for the WaterWise Walk Trail. Named Drip, Tools and Tap tree?
Owen Davies, a local artist designed these sculptures for the Water Wise Walk Trail. Owen has been a commercial sculptor for the last 25 years and has done many works around Perth.
As you start your walk around the wetlands you will see the two remaining sculptures. Take note of the water levels and consider how your use of water at home impacts on your local wetlands. Our aim is to educate children on the importance of water and to evoke students into making changes around their home to conserve water.
Tuart Trees
Eucalyptus gomphocephala, is commonly known as Tuart, in the genus Eucalyptus. Native to the southwest of Western Australia the tree grows to over 35m tall. As a durable hardwood the timber was sought after for scantlings, structural timber, the construction of railway carriages, and boat building. The colouring and grain pattern of the timber also made it a popular choice for furniture manufacturing. Due to over logging the Tuart is a protected tree with conditions placed on logging.
The Tuart has box-like rough bark through the length of the trunk to small twigs. Leaves are stalked, alternate, lanceolate or falcate to 12 x 2 cm, slightly discolorous to concolorous, glossy, light green and thin. White flowers appear in mid-summer to mid-autumn.
The distribution range of the species is a narrow coastal corridor within the Swan Coastal Plain, extending inland five to ten kilometres. Outlying patches of the tree are found to the north of Yanchep and further inland where rivers intersect the range.
Fallen Tuart Trees are an important part of the eco system as they provide shelter and habitat for a vast array of creatures. Your walk around the lake will take you past a number of fallen Tuarts, some have succumbed to the forces of nature and others have been felled by Park Rangers as part of the parks’ risk management .
Bulrushes (Yandjet or Yangeti)
As you walk around the lake you will see many of the bulrushes which gave the inspiration for the naming of the area. The word “Yanchep” derived from the Nyoongar word for bulrush. The bulrush is a member of the Sedge family and had a number of uses for the local indigenous people. These were:
- The starchy tubers were dug out from swamps where the plant was found.
- The root must be treated before it is eaten.
- The white horizontal rhizomes were pounded to remove the fibrous parts, then the paste moulded into cakes and roasted, tasting similar to asparagus.
- The centre of the stem is also edible at the base.
- Young flowering spikes can be eaten raw or cooked and served with butter as with corn on the cob. The hard centre of the spike is not edible.
- The leaves were used to weave baskets and they were also split into long thin fibres and used to make string and rope.
Water Monitoring
The last cache containing the final number is near a small track that runs from the main walk trial to the lake’s edge. Be wary if you venture to the lakes edge as you are walking on a mat of reeds and roots floating on water. This path has been created by volunteers accessing the water’s edge to collect samples from the lake to monitor it’s health.
At each cache in this series you will find a number, and these numbers will help you find the final unlisted cache.
The final location is at S 31 32.ABC E115 40.DED. A tool such as a pocket knife, small screw driver or even a key will be useful to encourage the cache from it's hiding spot.
When visiting Yanchep National Park be Cool, Clean, Careful and Considerate:
- Be Cool and only use Gas or Electric BBQs. Open wood fires can cause devastating wildfires.
- Be Clean and place all your rubbish and recyclables in the bins provided or take it home with you.
- Be Careful, stay safe and enjoy your visit and preserve our park by only using designated paths and roads.
- Be Considerate, and leave your pets at home. The scent of domestic pets has a negative impact on the native inhabitants