PORONGURUP NATIONAL PARK

Porongurup National Park is definitely one of the best places to visit in Western Australia. It lies over 400 km south-east of Perth, and almost 50 km north of Albany. Undoubtedly, the most popular attraction here is the Granite Skywalk, a suspended walkway around a spectacular granite outcrop with two lookouts. Trust me, the views are insane! What do you need to know before going to Porongurup National Park? What else is well-worth doing here? In this blog post, I’m going to answer those questions. Let’s get straight into it!

WHAT DO YOU NEED TO KNOW?

Porongurup National Park is located over 400 km south-east of Perth. There’s no bad time to go there, so you can enjoy this place all year round. A day entry fee to the national park is AUD 15 for a vehicle, and needs to be paid at the station next to the carpark. Porongurup National Park has no campgrounds, and camping is not permitted. A wide range of different accommodation options can be found in Albany, 50 km south of the national park. This small town has it all, grocery shops, petrol stations and Visitor Centre too.

WHAT ARE THE BEST THINGS TO DO?

The Granite Skywalk is the most popular attraction in Porongurup National Park. It’s a suspended walkway around a spectacular granite outcrop of Castle Rock offering magnificent views. You literally can’t miss it! What’s more, there are also some walking tracks perfect for all bushwalkers. Porongurup National Park is not too big, therefore, a one-day visit should be enough. Plan ahead, and visit other cool places in this region too, such as Stirling Range National Park or Torndirrup National Park. All park roads are sealed.

GRANITE SKYWALK

The Granite Skywalk is a spectacular viewing platform suspended on a granite outcrop of Castle Rock. First thing you need to do to get there, is to take a 2 km walk from the carpark. Then be prepared for scrambling over rocks and climbing a ladder. This is required to get to the upper lookout. If you don’t feel confident to do this, just go and check out the lower lookout that offers amazing views too. One of the best decisions I made was to climb the Granite Skywalk in the early morning to watch the sunrise. It’s well-worth doing! If you are keen, just don’t forget to take a headlight as you will be walking through the forest in the dark.

Granite Skywalk Carpark – Granite Skywalk – Granite Skywalk Carpark

Walking track: 4 km, 2 hours (return)
Trail difficulty: class 5
Trail access: 2WD (sealed road)

HAYWARD PEAK & NANCY PEAK

Porongurup National Park has some great walking tracks. You will find the head trail in the second section of the national park. Hayward Peak and Nancy Peak loop has roughly 5 km, and it connects with Devils Slide trail. So the best idea is to do both at once. My favourite spot on the Hayward Peak and Nancy Peak track is this ball-shaped rock that you can see below. This is an awesome photo opportunity! Make sure to take some cool snaps there. The walking track is not too difficult. The path goes gradually up and down. Enjoy!

Tree in the Rock Carpark – Hayward Peak – Nancy Peak – Tree in the Rock Carpark

Walking track: 5,5 km, 4 hours (loop)
Trail difficulty: class 4
Trail access: 2WD (sealed road)

DEVILS SLIDE

You can do the Devils Slide hike starting from the carpark or you can do it together with the Hayward Peak and Nancy Peak loop. If you want to do both, I would recommend to turn left at the trail junction, follow the Hayward Peak and Nancy Peak trail, and then jump onto the track that goes to Devils Slide. After reaching the summit, go down, turn left again, and head back towards the carpark. Devils Slide offers magnificent views from the summit. The walking track is steeper than the previous one, but it is also very rewarding.

Tree in the Rock Carpark – Devils Slide – Tree in the Rock Carpark

Walking track: 5 km, 4 hours (return)
Trail difficulty: class 4
Trail access: 2WD (sealed road)

OTHER PLACES

• Wansbrough Walk – 4 km, 2 hours (one way), class 4, 2WD trail access (sealed road)
• Walitj Meil Walk Trail – 1 km, 30 minutes (loop), class 3, 2WD trail access (sealed road)
• Bolganup Trail – 600 m, 15 minutes (loop), class 2, 2WD trail access (sealed road)

These are the best things to do in Porongurup National Park. Are you going to watch a sunrise at the Granite Skywalk? Let me know by leaving a comment below!

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Hey, it’s Karolina, the author of this blog. If you find my content valuable and helpful, I would be more than grateful, if you could support my work, and buy me a coffee. I do love writing my blog, and creating content for you guys. Thank you!