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With sprawling city development, the challenge now is finding a local, undisturbed caravanning spot, parked in nature. Dryandra Woodlands is your hidden treasure, 165 km or a two-hour cruise, south-east of Perth WA.
Campsites
Amongst the towering wandoo, brown mallet and sheoak thickets you can safely settle with your RV. At both Congelin or Gnaala Mia campgrounds there is no booking required, admission fees do apply.
The 35 designated sites work on a first come first served basis and the wide-open spots create a spacious feeling, matching the pastel-coloured woodlands sheltering you.
Both campgrounds have benches and tables, barbecues, and eco-toilets for your convenience. Bring your drinking water to keep refreshed and your firewood to comfort the evening gatherings. True to the natural setting, there are no power points or rubbish bins on site.
Emily Keye sums up her experience at Gnaala Mia: “What a lovely campground. Oh, so quiet and beautiful.”
Embedded in Nature
Dryandra Woodlands is the largest remnant of native vegetation locally and in 2022 the area was declared a National Park. By protecting the 15,000 hectares of woodlands which is the size of a larger WA family-run farm, the woods have become a sanctuary for native flora and fauna.
With more than 100 bird, 50 reptile and over 25 mammal species, there is countless wildlife to experience during your stay.
Christian Howard, a recent Dryandra visitor confirms: “We spent two days in the woodlands. I highly recommend the area for photography of wildlife and birds, as there is just so much.”
Out in the open, sit back on a resting trunk, you may just spot the ‘stripy star of the show’, an elusive numbat, Western Australia’s state fauna emblem. During the day or spotlighting at night, brushtail possums, echidnas and woylies will surprise you by simply popping up, over, or out.
The Barna Mia Nocturnal Wildlife Centre offers paid tours, with feeding and educational talks as Christian says: “We absolutely loved the nocturnal tour, where we got to see endangered native wildlife in a natural setting. It is incredible the work that they are doing to rehabilitate and restock native animals.”
For those who love birdwatching, Dryandra is home to flocks of Carnaby’s Black Cockatoos (Calyptorhynchus latirostris). The Bush Stone-Curlew (Burhinus Grallarius) and the Rufous Treecreeper (Climacteris Rufus) call the woodlands to be their perfect habitat.
Background and history
The area surrounding Dryandra, known as Wilgadjny, is the country of the Wiilman-Noongar people. The cultural sites include an ochre pit, rock art and original stone formations.
Dryandra Woodlands has served one of Australia’s oldest industries. During the 1900s, up until the 1970s, the dense woodlands were the home and a working landscape to up to 50 forestry workers, including their families. Today their humble way of life remains alive through a cottage industry, manufacturing tool handles and fencing materials.
Have a rest and read about the local history at the Old Mill or Congelin Dam. Both reservoirs provided water to run the trains along the old Pinjarra to Narrogin railway line as well as the water supplies that were carted by horse to the nearby villages.
The clearly marked bushwalking and bike trails guide new and well-seasoned nature lovers through the pockets of forests. Depending on the weather and willingness to walk, you can read all about the area on the 23 km Darwinia Drive Trail, named after the plant Darwinia which only grows in a few locations in the Southwest, including Dryandra.
If it is that early morning, sneak peek over your coffee cup, or whilst wandering Dryandra’s trails, leave the loud city buzz in the rear mirror and you will be taken back by the abundance of fauna and flora surrounding your camper.
For any queries, please get in touch.