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I Finally Walked Kings Park Botanic Garden and Here's What to Bring
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items Planning a trip to Kings Park in Perth, Western Australia but not sure what to pack or where to start? I showed up my first time in the wrong shoes, no water, and zero clue which trails were worth it. Took me three visits to figure out the perfect se...
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Sun Protection That Survives a Perth Summer Walk
Comfortable Walking Shoes for Uneven Botanic Trails
Hydration Gear for Long Kings Park Walks
Best Kings Park Walks and Trails to Actually Do
Wildflower Season Planning for Kings Park
Photography Gear Worth Packing for Botanic Walks
Sun Protection That Survives a Perth Summer Walk
Perth sun is no joke. I got cooked on my first botanic walk in under 40 minutes. These three things saved my second attempt.
Slather this on before you even leave the hotel. I skipped reapplying once and looked like a lobster by the time I hit the DNA Tower. Perth UV is brutal, especially if you're used to European or northern US sun.
Original SPF 50 Sunscreen Lotion
Grab this if you're the type who burns through any SPF. The shade coverage is massive and it stayed on during windy stretches near the escarpment lookout. Folds flat for your bag too.
Best Sun Hats for Sun Protection
Wore these through the whole Lotterywest Federation Walkway without them sliding off my sweaty face once. Cheap enough that losing them in the bush wouldn't ruin your day.
kacamata GOODR OG Running sunglasses polarized
Comfortable Walking Shoes for Uneven Botanic Trails
Some paths in Kings Park are paved and smooth. Others are sandy, rocky, and will wreck your ankles if you're in sandals. I learned this the hard way near the bushland trails.
Switch to these if you're planning the longer bushland loop trails, not just the main walkway. My feet were fine after four hours on mixed terrain. Ankle support matters more than you think on the descent paths.
Shop Moab 3 Hiking Boots & Shoes Online
Pair these with your trail shoes and forget about blisters. I did the full walk in January heat and my feet stayed dry. Worth every penny for anyone who gets hot feet fast.
Darn Tough Vermont Men's Light Hiker Micro Crew
Toss these into whatever shoes you already own if new hiking shoes aren't in the budget. My partner has flat feet and said these made the Zamia Trail loop actually enjoyable instead of painful.
Superfeet Green All-Purpose Support High Arch Insoles
Hydration Gear for Long Kings Park Walks
Water fountains exist in Kings Park but they're spread out. On the bushland trails you won't see one for a solid stretch, and Perth heat sneaks up on you.
Keep this full before you start the walk. I ran out of water halfway through the Synergy Parkland section once and had to cut my walk short. The insulation kept my water cold for hours in 35 degree heat.
Wide Mouth
Toss a couple in your bag, especially if you're walking between 11am and 3pm. I started using these after getting a headache on my second visit. For anyone not used to dry Australian heat, these are a lifesaver.
Liquid I.V. Hydration Multiplier, 30 Individual Serving Stick
Bring this if you're doing the longer bushland loop and want backup. Probably overkill for a casual visitor, but if you're the over-prepared type who hikes solo, you'll feel better having it.
Squeeze
Best Kings Park Walks and Trails to Actually Do
Not all paths are created equal. Some are five-minute photo ops and others are legit multi-hour walks through native bushland. Here's where I spent my time.
Start here if it's your first visit. The glass bridge through the eucalyptus canopy gave me the best photos of the whole trip. Get there early before tour groups clog the path, ideally before 9am.
Lotterywest Federation Walkway
Try this one if you want actual nature without crowds. It drops down through bushland toward the Swan River and feels completely different from the manicured garden sections. About an hour if you stop for photos.
Zamia Trail, Bold Park
Bring your camera and climb this spiral staircase for a panoramic view of Perth city and the river. It's short but the view at the top is the kind of thing you'll actually want to send home. Skip it on windy days though.
DNA Tower Climb - Attraction
Wildflower Season Planning for Kings Park
September and October turned Kings Park into something I wasn't expecting. Thousands of native wildflowers blooming everywhere. Timing your visit around this changes the whole experience.
Plan your Perth trip around September if you can swing it. I visited once in March and once in September and it was like two completely different parks. The festival runs about a month and the guided walks are free.
Everlasting Kings Park Festival
Grab a copy before your trip so you can actually identify what you're looking at. I spent half my first wildflower walk just saying 'oh that's pretty' without knowing a single species name. Now I can spot kangaroo paws from across a field.
Guide to the Wildflowers of Western Australia
Snap this onto your phone for close-up wildflower photos that don't look blurry. My macro shots from the second visit were ten times better. Perfect for anyone whose phone camera struggles with small detailed subjects.
Olloclip Multi-Device Clip with 3-in-1 Essential Lens Kit
Photography Gear Worth Packing for Botanic Walks
Kings Park has so many photo opportunities that I burned through my phone battery twice. A little planning made my third visit the one that produced photos I actually framed.
Carry your camera, phone, and water in this without looking like you're hauling luggage through a garden. Fits under your arm and stays put on uneven trails. I wore it for six hours straight with zero shoulder pain.
Everyday Sling
Use this for the panoramic shots from the escarpment lookout over the Swan River. Regular phone lenses can't capture how wide that view actually is. Worth it if you're serious about phone photography but don't want to lug a full camera.
Moment T-Series
Keep this in your bag because you will drain your phone taking photos, checking trail maps, and using the free Kings Park audio guide. I killed my battery by noon on visit two and missed the best afternoon light.
Anker 622 Magnetic Battery (MagGo)
Snacks and Food Near Kings Park
You can picnic inside the park or eat at a couple of spots nearby. Bringing your own food saved me from paying tourist prices more than once.
Treat yourself to lunch here at least once. The outdoor terrace overlooks the city and river, and the food is actually good, not just ‘tourist trap acceptable.’ Book ahead for weekend brunch or you'll wait an hour.
Premium Dining in Kings Park | Fraser's Restaurant Perth
Stash a few of these in your bag for the trail. They don't melt in heat like chocolate bars do, which I discovered the sticky way on my first Perth hike. Solid fuel for a two-hour walk without feeling heavy.
RXBAR Protein Bars, Variety Pack, 14-count
Bring this if you're planning a long picnic on the grass near the War Memorial. Sounds ridiculous but lying on the lawn watching parrots fly overhead was one of my favorite moments. Packs down to nothing in your bag.
Aeros Ultralight Deluxe Pillow | Sea to Summit Belgium
Getting to Kings Park from Perth CBD
Kings Park sits right on the edge of the city but figuring out the best way in took me a failed parking attempt and one wrong bus. Here's what actually worked.
Take the free Blue CAT bus from the CBD and walk in from the eastern entrance. No parking stress, no cost, and the walk from the bus stop is actually scenic. For anyone staying downtown, this is the move.
Transperth CAT Bus Timetables
Download the Perth area map before you go. Cell service got spotty on some of the bushland trails and I lost my bearings once near Reabold Hill. Takes two minutes and saves you from wandering.
Download areas & navigate offline in Google Maps
Use this for getting back to your hotel after a long walk when your legs are done. Rides from Kings Park to most CBD hotels cost under $10 AUD. Way better than hobbling to a bus stop with sore feet.
Perth Taxi? Instead, Request a Ride with Uber
What to Wear on a Kings Park Botanic Walk
I overdressed my first visit and underdressed my second. Perth weather swings depending on the season and time of day, so layers matter more than you'd think.
Keep this balled up in your bag for when the Fremantle Doctor wind kicks in during the afternoon. It rolls down to the size of a fist and saved me from freezing on the escarpment during a spring visit.
Men's Canopy Green Houdini® Jacket
Wear these instead of jeans. They breathe in the heat, stretch on uneven terrain, and dry fast if you sweat through them. I wore mine three days straight in Perth without them getting uncomfortable.
Prana Stretch Zion II Pants
Swap this in if hats aren't your thing. Keeps sweat out of your eyes and adds some UV protection on your forehead. I wore one on the Zamia Trail loop and it was the first walk where sweat didn't sting my eyes the whole time.
CoolNet UV® Wide Headband — Solid Black
Unique Things Most Visitors Miss in Kings Park
Three visits taught me that most people stick to the main path, take a photo at the lookout, and leave. These spots are worth finding if you have an extra hour.
Stop in here to see artwork by local Noongar artists. It's small but the pieces are striking and it adds context to the land you're walking on. Most people walk right past it, which means you'll have it to yourself.
Aboriginal art and gifts
Bring your kids here if you're traveling as a family. It's a free nature play area designed for children to explore creeks and bushland. My friend's kids spent two hours here and didn't want to leave. Adults-only travelers can skip it.
Rio Tinto Naturescape Kings Park
Walk down here around sunset for a quiet moment overlooking the river. The light at that hour makes the whole memorial feel different than during the busy daytime. I sat on the steps for 20 minutes and it was the most peaceful part of my trip.
State War Memorial