Perry Lakes Reserve and Empire Games Score Board - Floreat
- Out and About
- Feb 1, 2020
- 3 min read
Updated: Aug 25
Perry Lakes Reserve covers 80ha and has a number of walking trails weaving around the reserve and the two lakes in it's centre. Although it sits right next door to Bold Park it offers a different experience. Bold Park is hilly - Perry Lakes is completely flat so it is kid and bike friendly. Perry Lakes is a great walk and play destination as it has several different play areas.
The lakes are very pretty with flooded gums, peppermint gums and bulrushes around the edges. Like many wetland areas this reserve will look different according to the time of year and the amount of water in the lakes.
There are four different play areas at Perry Lakes:
Our favourite was the Ropes Course which is situated at the south eastern end near the boardwalk around East Lake. The playground is only small but has plenty of variety and will keep the kids happy for a while. Adults can have a go too! Cup and Co Floreat is just across the road and there is a small carpark next to the playground.
The nearby Boardwalk has information signage about the history of Perry Lakes. This area was a camp for the Noongar Kwowburup people. The lakes provided a good source of food such as turtles, gilgies, swamp hen and ducks and the surrounding bush was also home to kangaroos. Even after European settlement moved the Noongar people off the land many would return to camp here for holidays between the 1920's and the 1950's.
Perry Lakes Reserve was landscaped in it's current form in 1962 as part of the development of the Perry Lakes Stadium, constructed for the British Empire and Commonwealth Games athletics events held here in 1962. The Stadium was demolished by 2012 and the site is now a new residential development featuring street names such as Finishline View, Stadium Drive, Hurdles Drive and Steeplechase Green. Wander through the residential development beyond the boardwalk to see a little bit of sporting history, including the Empire Games Score Board. We spent about 20 minutes meandering through.
A large traditional playground with limited all abilities access is on the southern edge within walking distance of the ropes course. There are toilet facilities here.
A small play area with a spider web and swings can be found south of the buildings on the northern edge of West Lake.
The Skate Park and large basketball court on the edge of Perry Lakes Drive was the most popular of the play areas during our visit.
The reserve features large open areas including playing fields and an off lead dog exercise area at Alderbury Reserve. It has many benches, gazebos and barbecues scattered throughout. under the shade of mature trees. There is plenty of grass to throw down a picnic rug or have a kick around on.
We originally walked around the lakes in 2020 when they were quite dry but since drainage improvements were made in 2023 the lakes have more water in them, especially after winter rain in July. A full loop around both lakes including the boardwalk is about 3km and will take 30 - 45 minutes. Along the way there are exercise stations and you may come across the large Scout Memorial commemorating 75 years of scouting in 1982. Perry Lakes has been the venue for the Australian Scouting Jamboree twice during the summers of 1979/80 and 1994/95.
There are roads that run through Perry Lakes Reserve so you can drive in and park close to your favourite spot (on weekends roads are blocked to through traffic). We walked through on a school holiday weekday and it was very quiet. The paths and roads are a great place for kids to ride their bikes bearing in mind there is some traffic that passes through so supervision is required.
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Perry Lakes Reserve also features on Yange Kep Bidi and Bush to Beach Trail, part of the Whadjuk Trail Network.
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 extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.
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