Introduction

Yelverton National Park was created in 2004  to protect its high concentration of rare and priority species and its diverse range of vegetation types.

The park is the one of the closest spots to Busselton to do a forest trail run. Much of the run is through the park, and through an adjoining forest reserve. It is mostly smooth running on 4WD tracks, with some gravel road and a long uphill towards the end through a closed off track (to 4WDs.) It is very easy to navigate.

Getting to Yelverton National Park

The trail is situated off Abbeys Farm Rd, 2.5km west of Wildwood Rd or 5km east of Caves Rd. Park on the north side (right coming from Carbunup) in a old gravel pit – which is easily seen on the map.

The Run

Run 200m east and turn right on Coulls Rd (gravel and signed). Run 100m and then onto the trail, instead of following the road around to the left. You then run on this track until the 5km mark.

Around the 1.2km mark you will see a track to your left. That is where you will come out from.

At 5km turn left and run along the gravel for about 200m and then onto the 4WDtrack (it has a road closed sign on it). Around 7km the track turns to gravel, and 8km to bitumen. 100m past the start of the bitumen turn left. From 5km to 8km you have been running on the old railway reserve, which is slated to become part of the Wadandi track.

Up to now you have been running downhill although you might not have realised it. The next 2 km are uphill, and also much rougher, as 4wds cannot access this section. At 9.5km you will pass a property – and at 9.8km come to a tee junction, which is the track from the start. Turn right and follow your foot prints back to the car. There is a fork; right is correct, but if you take the left you will still get back to Abbeys Farm Rd, just west of your car, and is the same distance.

The run can also be done as a 8.6km loop, starting at the 5km point which can be driven to easily. Also the track, seen on the map, that cuts across from the 2.5km to the 6.8km mark, is navigatable by foot, though rarely used and slightly overgrown. Using that trail would make a good shorter walk option from either end.

Map