Waychinicup National Park facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Waychinicup National Park Western Australia
IUCN Category II (National Park)
Waychinicup Inlet
Waychinicup National Park Location in Western Australia
Nearest town or city	Albany
Established	1990
Area	39.82 km2 (15.4 sq mi)
Managing authorities	Department of Environment and Conservation
Website	Waychinicup National Park
See also	List of protected areas of Western Australia

Waychinicup National Park

Waychinicup National Park is a special place in Western Australia. It's about 404 kilometers (251 miles) southeast of Perth, which is a long drive, and 65 kilometers (40 miles) east of Albany.

The park has the big Southern Ocean on its southern side. To the east, it touches the Mount Manypeaks Nature Reserve, and to the north, there are farms. Its beautiful coastline stretches between Normans Beach and Cheynes Beach, close to a town called Bremer Bay. You can also find the Bald Island Nature Reserve just offshore, not too far away.

Waychinicup is full of different kinds of scenery! You'll see tough, rocky coastlines and hilltops covered in big, round boulders. There are also deep valleys filled with trees, where fresh water streams flow over rocks covered in soft, green moss. If you visit, there's a place to camp and a simple toilet near where the Waychinicup River meets the ocean.

Amazing Animals of Waychinicup

Southern right whales can be seen near the park's coast.

Waychinicup National Park is a super important home for some of Australia's rarest animals. You might spot a quenda, which is a small marsupial, or a ringtail possum climbing in the trees. The park is also one of the few places on the mainland where you can find quokkas, those cute, smiling marsupials!

Important Bird Area

The park is part of a very special area called the Two Peoples Bay and Mount Manypeaks Important Bird Area. This name means that BirdLife International has recognized it as a crucial place for protecting several rare and endangered bird species.

The Noisy Scrubbird's Comeback

One of the most exciting stories in the park is about the critically endangered noisy scrubbird. For a while, people thought this bird was extinct, meaning it had completely disappeared from Earth! But thankfully, a small group was found.

In 1983, 14 noisy scrubbirds were moved to Waychinicup National Park from the Two Peoples Bay Nature Reserve to help them survive. Then, 16 more were moved in 1985. This effort worked! By 1994, experts estimated that about 223 male birds were singing in the area, showing their numbers were growing.

The Western Bristlebird

Another vulnerable bird species found in the park is the western bristlebird. Most of the remaining western bristlebirds live in the Two Peoples Bay Nature Reserve and Waychinicup National Park. Their Population numbers had been going down since the late 1800s, but thanks to protection efforts, their numbers have started to become stable.