Heritage Trail

Greenough-Walkaway Heritage Trail

The Trail is a 57km self-drive tour through Greenough focussing on the historic places within the City of Geraldton-Greenough, with a brief documented history of each site. We recommend you use the Heritage Trail guide in conjunction with the Greenough Tourist Drive map if you wish to learn the history of the sites along the way. The Heritage Trail Guide is available from local tourist outlets.
 

Nature Trails

The Greenough River Natural Walk Trail was created to provide visitors and residents with access to view the beautiful Greenough River whilst protecting environmentally sensitive areas.

The initial walk trail resulted from a DEET New Work Opportunity project jointly funded by the former Shire of Greenough, Greenough River Estate and Bike West. The project provided training and practical experience for 12 unemployed people over a period of six months.

The trail was extended in 1999 with funding from Trailwest. This has resulted in a circular route totalling approximately 17km which is suited to both walkers and mountain bikes, and has become a valued recreational facility.

Flora & Fauna

A short summary of the kinds of animals, birds and plants that you may see on the walk trails.

Animals on the Walk Trail

The Midwest Region has the opportunity to harbour many species from both the cooler Southwest and the warmer semi-arid or eremian zone.
Mammals

This region has been farmed since early European settlement. There are still many native animals that have managed to survive the perils of land clearance, feral animals, changed fire regimes and hunting to call this region home.

Many of our carnivorous mammals, other than the Dingo, are quite small and in fact, many are no larger than a field mouse. Among the common carnivorous marsupials that aggressively hunt insects and lizards in and around the understorey are the Little Long Tailed Dunnart and the Fat Tailed Dunnart. They are sometimes erroneously termed Marsupial mice when in fact they are Australia's equivalent to lions and tigers.
This region is also home to a reasonably healthy population of one of Australia's two Monotremes, the Echidna. While walking the nature trail, keep your eyes open for the distinct diggings of these strange animals as they "scratch around and dig for termites. Also keep your eyes open for, signs such as tracks and droppings of the Western Grey Kangaroo which will come down to the river bank in late afternoon for a well earned drink. The Brush Tailed Possum ,is another common resident along the river and although not often seen, keep a lookout for the scratches these animals leave as they scamper up the limbs of the large gum trees and Casuarinas.

Reptiles & Amphibians

The reptiles and amphibians of this region are quite diverse with many species of snakes and lizards moving amongst the undergrowth and leaf litter.
Remember ALL native fauna is protected and if you are lucky enough to see a snake give it a wide berth and LEAVE IT ALONE.

One of the more familiar lizards that are often seen lumbering across the track or sunning themselves in a patch of sunlight amongst the undergrowth is the Bobtail Lizard. Listen for the many frog species this region has to offer, during an early morning, late afternoon or evening walk. Amongst them is the Motorbike Frog which has a call like a motor bike changing gears, the Banjo Frog which sounds like the string of a banjo being plucked and the common White Spotted Burrowing Frog which has the rather eerie call of "Whoop Whoop Whoop",

Feral Animals

Feral animals cause many problems by competing with the native animals for food or preying, on them. Some of the persistent ones in this region are the Rabbit, fox, feral Cat, the Black Rat and the Field Mouse. There are currently programmes in place that utilize a natural poison, 1080, (pronounced, ten-eighty) to eradicate some of these menaces.

Bird-life on the Walk Trails

Whatever the state of the waters of the Greenough River - from the permanent pools of Bootenal Spring, the lagoon, to the river mouth at Cape Burney, the nature trail provides a marvellous bird watch area - so close to the urban and industrial areas of Geraldton.

On any day you can see a pair of Osprey cruising the waters. Great White Egrets and White Faced Herons stealthily wade the shallows. A large stand of she-oaks, discoloured by guano (and powerfully pungent!) marks a large colony of Darters (Snake Bird) and their assorted cousins - the Cormorants (Shags). Scintillating Sacred (Blue) Kingfishers perch ever watchful, while gregarious groups of Pelicans cleverly group-fish the lagoon. Up river Mallards, Coots and the less commonly Ibis, Spoonbills and Black Swans can be seen.

Silver and Pacific Gulls, Terns and Oyster Catchers frequent the ocean reaches of the Reserve - all according to feeding habits and food sources.

You MAY see migratory birds such as Godwits, Plovers, Sandpipers, Sanderlings, Stilts, and Snipes at the shallows; or Australian Shelducks (Mountain Ducks) feeding in neighbouring crop paddocks post-harvest.

In surrounding areas, Rainbow Bee-Eaters cavort or hear the Mopoke Southern Boobook), and see (if you can?) the Tawny Frogmouth in clever disguise.

Not to detract from the obvious either - flocks of raucous Galahs, Western Ring-Necked Parrots (Port Lincoln Parrot), Magpies and Butcherbirds in melodious mimicry, Australian Ravens (Crow) and Currawongs, Black-faced Cuckoo Shrikes, Magpie Larks (Peewees), Swallows (Welcome and White-Backed), Doves, Bronze-wings, the ubiquitous Willie Wagtails, and that diverse group, the Raptors-Kites, Kestrels, Falcons, Hawks, even the occasional Wedge-tail Eagle and White Bellied Sea Eagle. Variegated Wrens, White Fronted Chats and Singing and White Plumed Honey Eaters are often seen in the area.

Just Birds for Nature's sake, common and rare, in an area of considerable natural beauty worthy of conservation, for both avid and casual observers.

Plants on the Walk Trail

The trail meanders through three plant associations - Coastal Heath, Melaleuca/Acacia thicket and wetlands with rushes, sedges and samphires, offering a diverse snippet of our natural heritage. Throughout the seasons our flor puts on displays, be it flowers or fruits. Among the most abundant of plants, the Clematis or Old Man's Beard produces a superb show of creamy white star flowers. Afterward the fruit produces a feathery awn resembling a white beard, while the Cockies Tongues wave their striking red pea flowers in the breeze. The Warrane's yellow flowers add splendour as they dangle like intricate jewels along the vine. Not to be out done, our Native Rose attracts attention when displaying its large flowers ranging in colour from a deep to pale red.

Bush tucker delicacies can be found along he way.

One can feast on the fruit of the Quandongs, Native Grapes and the Pebble Bush whose hard shelled fruit protects a small kernel which tastes similar to macadamias.

This diverse vegetation provides an abundance of food and shelter for both the residents and visiting native animals and birds.
Introduced plants are also present and competing with our endemic vegetation. The most aggressive species are the Boxthorn and Carnation Weed.