This gem of a park is hidden around the freeway interchanges in Perth. From Elizabeth Quay Train Station it is about a 20 minute walk along Mounts Bay Road. After passing under the freeway you will see the motorcycle parking bays. The safest option, particularly if you have young children is to stay on this side of Mounts Bay Road and follow the path which seems to head for the freeway but actually comes out at an underpass below the exit ramp and leads straight into John Oldham Park. If you choose to walk straight ahead past the motorcycles and along Mounts Bay Road you will have to cross the freeway exit ramps to access the park. There is also a small car park on the western side of the park off Mounts Bay Road.
Either way if you are coming from Elizabeth Quay turn left and follow the path around the lake with the Southern Cross Memorial Fountain. Enjoy watching the bird life out on the lake as you pass. You will see the Mount Hospital and other buildings across the lake.
You will eventually come to the bridge - cross over and follow the paths and other bridges through the forest until you come to the waterfalls.
From here if you continue you will find a very long slide and a small playground before crossing another bridge for the final exit from the park.
From the playground continue across another bridge and through the forest towards Mounts Bay Road. Once you emerge you can either return the same way or follow the path around under the Narrows Bridge and through David Carr Memorial Park. There is a toilet here and being quite isolated we were a bot concerned about what state it would be in but it was clean and welcoming with a Mondrian style mural. There is some exercise equipment here before you circle the lake. Make sure you check out the Narrows Interchange information on the rotunda before taking the underpass under Birdiya Drive.
There is more exercise equipment on the Swan River foreshore here and if you head a short way west there is a small river beach and the de Vlamingh Memorial - well worth the small detour. The path then follows the foreshore emerging at the First Contact Sculpture at Elizabeth Quay. The path through David Carr Memorial Park connects with the path across the Narrows Bridge so this section can be busy with cyclists. The walk from John Oldham back to Elizabeth Quay should take about 30 minutes. The full loop will take about 60 minutes plus any time spent enjoying the waterfalls.
Prior to European Settlement this area was known as Goodinup and the local Noongar people used the springs here as a source of freshwater. With plenty of food sources in this area it was an important camping place and after British occupation it was still used by local Noongar people including Yellagonga.
When the Narrows Bridge and freeway construction started in the 1950's landscape architect John Oldham developed a concept to join the parklands alongside the Swan River. The parks are designed to act as a "green lungs" to bring life and oxygen into an inhospitable traffic environment. This is one of the first freeway interchanges conceived as a public park and is recognised as a significant piece of Australian landscape architecture.
If you have time to spare on a visit to the City head to John Oldham and experience this wonderful park right alongside our busy freeway. Although you can hear the traffic on the freeways the beauty of the park makes the noise recede into the background. There is a barbecue and picnic table at the playground but there are no toilet facilities.
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I love wandering along trails, both marked and unmarked, and sharing my discoveries with my Out and About FNC community. If you enjoy reading my blogs please consider a small donation which will be used towards the costs of keeping the website up to date and relevant.
In the spirit of reconciliation Out and About- Family Nature Connection acknowledges the traditional owners of the Wadjak boodjar (Perth land) and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their elders past and present and emerging and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.