Gloucester National Park

View the karri forest from the ground or from high up in the tree canopy at Gloucester National Park.

Only 3km from Pemberton, Gloucester National Park is home to Western Australia’s most famous karri tree.

The Gloucester Tree was once a fire lookout tree and can now be climbed by the public. Those who do venture up the 153 pegs to the top will be rewarded with commanding views of the karri forest and surrounding farmland.

Karri trees are recognisable by its tall straight trunk and smooth bark coloured in shades of pink, white, orange and grey. The relatively few leafy upper branches are arranged in broccoli shaped branches.

In spring and summer, the canopy explodes in a mass of white flowers which attract flocks of raucous purple-crowned lorikeets.

The karri forest is home to many native mammal species such as quenda, quokkas, mardos and dunnarts. These animals are shy and rarely seen. Sit quietly in the forest at Cascades and you may be rewarded with the sight of honeyeaters, wrens, fantails and robins flitting around through the undergrowth.

Gloucester Tree and Cascades are both stops on the Karri Forest Explorer, an 86km drive which winds through some of the south-west’s most magnificent karri forest.

The Gloucester National Park is accessible via sealed roads from Pemberton.

This information was provided by the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions: dpaw.wa.gov.au