Galup — Attraction in Wembley

Oh, how I love Lake Monger. I’ve been coming here for years. Located in Leederville, it’s a fantastic spot for a walk or a run. It’s also nice if you just want to sit and watch the world go by. With city views, plenty of trees and open space, there’s peace and tranquility in spades.

There’s also a coffee and food van called ‘What the Flip!’ – closer to the Powis Street side - which does thing like fresh coffee and juices, ice cream, pizza, burgers and a whole lot of other stuff too. I’ve had the coffee and it’s good. They have tables and chairs you can sit on too. Otherwise, you can always take your coffee on your walk.

The lake is a great spot for families, couples and singles alike. There’s acres of grass to sit and chill on, which is perfect for picnics. Plus, there’s a dual use path around the lake for cyclists, walkers and runners. There’s also about three water fountains scattered around the lake, which also cater to dogs. Sometimes – between these water stations and the dog treats and water bowls at cafes – I think the dogs have done a good job of upping their social status!

Oh, and there’s plenty of parking too, which is really good. I generally park on the Powis Street side, as it’s really convenient. But there’s also parking on Lake Monger Drive - on the opposite side of the lake to Powis Street.

Kids will also be well entertained, with an assortment of play equipment at various points around the lake, including a relatively newly built set that even includes flying foxes. It’s very big and looks really fun! A bit more modern that the ‘80s equipment I grew up on. You know, the slides that got hot and burnt you on the way down! And there was none of these surfaces with give in them! Just old school bitumen, maybe some grass underneath if you were lucky!

Exercise enthusiasts are well looked after too, with free exercise equipment including an elliptical, bars for tricep dips and a sit ups table available – you know, the ones you hook your feet on. And there’s a half basketball court for sports enthusiasts. There’s also a few BBQs around for anyone who fancies cooking up a storm on one of those glorious days Perth puts on.

There’s also display boards at different points around the lake that talk about the local wildlife, like the Southwest Snake-necked Turtle (basically a long necked turtle). The local council also has signs up about what to do if you come across injured wildlife, which is great. As an animal lover, I really like it when animal welfare is prioritised.

The lake is abundant with bird life, whether it’s ducks, cockatoos, pelicans, magpies, mudlarks or willy wag tails. It’s enough to make any ornithologist or photographer happy. I even saw a shag sunning itself on the grass. It’s a great life for some! And it wouldn’t be Perth without bin chickens would it? I happened across a couple part way through my walk. Some things never change.

I timed my visit well, as I stumbled across a pelican doing yoga! As a keen yogi myself, I was very impressed to see this pelican doing ‘warrior 3’ pose! Check it out in the photos. I never thought I’d see a yogi pelican - but it just goes to show you never know what you’re going to come across in life. I once saw a long neck turtle on the bank of the lake but before I could get a photo, he was back in the lake like greased lightning! That said, I was able to snap a shot of a turtle’s beady eyes through the bush – see if you can spot it among my photos 😉

There’s also a footbridge that goes over the freeway, which is super convenient, especially if you’re on a bike or have kids or pets with you.

I make it down to Lake Monger a couple of times a week. I’d recommend it to anyone. Time in nature is always well spent. If you want to walk off your day, Lake Monger is the place to do it. Now that summer is almost upon us, it’s...

A beautiful location close to the city. This is the fastest 4.5 km walk you will ever do. it is flat circuit around the lake. It is so tempting to stop at the many interest points, where you'll see turtles, bird life, snakes and drones. Don't be put off by how busy the car parks become as many people are there just for the playground or for picnics. We were heading to the coast for a walk but parked at the second of three parking lots off Lake Monger Drive, to answer the phone. Realising that we were already at a nice spot, we chose to take advantage of the lake walk. The path is wide, on the freeway side there are dual paths, the old and the new path. Shoes? Almost any comfortable shoes will do, I saw people wearing thongs. Its a clean smooth walkway. Water bottle? Take water as there's only the one tap near the playground. On the day we came across a caravan at the west end of the park, which was selling snacks and drinks. No jacket required. The pathway weaves in and out of shady tress. The trees provide shade along the way. It's clean and...

What a beautiful spot for a morning walk with a friend. A lovely even track around the lake (about 3.5km) with plenty of opportunities to check out the local birdlife. A few snake warnings posted so probably good to keep an eye out in summer, but there is a lot of foot and bike traffic on the path so if you stick to that I doubt there would be much risk. We started and ended at the playground near the freeway entrance - there is a reasonable sized carpark there as well as new looking toilet facilities. As a bonus, there is a gorgeous little acai van parked near the playground making beautiful fresh, healthy breakfast bowls with a lovely spot to sit...