Belmont Wetlands State Park offers short, family-friendly walks through beautiful coastal bushland and wetlands.
There are many walking trails through the Belmont Wetlands State Park, stretching from the main entrance off Kalaroo Road at Redhead, through to Belmont Lagoon. This article focuses on two of the short walks which are suitable for younger children – the Wildflower Walk, and the Gilbey Loop Walk. Each walk offers different scenery and things to look at.
The Wildflower Walk
To access the Wildflower Walk, park alongside the Fernleigh Track on Railway Crescent, and head south-west along the Fernleigh Track towards Belmont. A short way along the track you will arrive at the start of the Wildflower Walk (which is signposted and heads to the right of the Fernleigh track).
Spring is arguably the best time to experience this trail. A walk along the path during these warmer months reveals a stunning display of coastal vegetation in full bloom, including small ground covers, native shrubs, acacias, tea-trees, and native flowering gums.
It’s an ideal spot for children and nature lovers to learn how to identify and name local flora.
The changing season also brings an influx of native bird species to the nearby lake, lagoon, and beach areas.
With their distinctive calls and striking visual features, this is a fantastic walk for keen birdwatchers.
The Wildflower Walk is about 1.5km one way. It’s an easy, flat walk, but is quite sandy – so, while great for little legs, it’s not suitable for prams or strollers.
There is an optional ‘Blackbutt Loop’ along the way, which leads to a couple of huge old Blackbutt trees.
The Blackbutt Loop is only about 240m long and is a nice diversion on the walk back.
The Gilbey Loop Walk
The Gilbey Loop Walk offers very different scenery to the Wildflower Walk. The start of the walk meanders through beautiful coastal bushland, and into lush vegetation with green ferns and incredible, tall eucalypts.
As you get a little further into the walk, you will enjoy serene views of the Jewells wetlands.
We did this walk with a 5-year-old who absolutely loved it.
There are some ups and downs along the track (definitely not suitable for a stroller), and it is a little bit tricky to work out which way to go in some parts – so take your sense of adventure with you.
The Gilbey Loop Walk is only 1km, so it’s a good length for pre-schoolers and up. This walk is accessed near the main entrance to the Park.
The start of the walk can be a bit tricky to spot – once you have parked your car you need to go back out the driveway entrance, and the start of the walk is to the left of the entry road.
Good to know
Distance: Wildflower Walk – 1.5km one way; Gilbey Loop Walk – 1km.
Bring: Sunscreen, insect repellent, hats, water bottles (although there is a bubbler at the Railway Crescent car park) and your sense of adventure.
Dogs: You can take your dog with you, as long as they remain on the lead and under your control at all times. Make sure you take dog bags to clean up after them.
Getting There: The main park entrance is off Kalaroo Rd, Redhead. Parking is available on Railway Crescent or just inside the park entrance off Kalaroo Rd, Redhead.
For more information, visit the Belmont Wetlands State Park website.
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