Horse Swamp is a natural wetland area that comes to life in the winter months.
During winter, the area is alive with water birds, including a pair of black swans which annually visit the Park to raise their cygnets. Nests are constructed upon the man-made islands, which provide much needed refuge from predators for these birds and their young.
In the past, when horses in the Swan Valley region went missing, they were commonly found roaming in the lush pastures surrounding this wetland on the southern edge of what is now Whiteman Park. The area hence became known as Horse Swamp.
In particularly wet winters, the Swamp waters may overflow, forming a tributary of Bennett Brook.
The Werillyiup bush trail skirts the edges of Horse Swamp, allowing spectacular panoramic views of the wetland and its associated birdlife.
Images: (Top) A view of the winter-full Horse Swamp from the observation tower; (Above) Black swans enjoy the shallow waters of the swamp.