Fishing in Walyunga National Park

Walyunga National Park sits about 35 kilometres northeast of Perth in the Darling Ranges, where the river system that drains the Avon Valley completes its transition from inland waterway to coastal estuary.

The defining feature of the park is water: the Avon River runs through it, joins Wooroloo Brook, and at that confluence becomes the Swan River. These are the waters that anchor the fishing here. The character of the river changes dramatically with the season.

In winter and after heavy rain, the Avon and upper Swan run hard through rapids and over granite boulders — the same stretch that draws competitors to the annual Avon Descent in early August.

Deep pools form below the rapids, and those pools hold fish when the flows settle. In the drier months, the river slows to a meander and the pools become more defined and accessible.

The confluence zone near Wooroloo Brook, where the Avon technically becomes the Swan, is the natural focal point for anglers working the park.

Named features worth knowing: Syd's Rapids, Walyunga Pool, and Boongarup Pool are the main reference points along this stretch of the Swan as it moves through the park. The pools are the fishable water — the rapids connect them.

Fishing the Avon system in this part of Western Australia requires a South-West Freshwater Angling licence from DPIRD, separate from a marine recreational fishing licence.

Check current requirements with DPIRD before you go, as licence conditions and species rules are updated periodically. The park gates open at 8am and close at 5pm daily, and entry fees apply.

Plan your session around those hours — this is not water you can access before dawn or after dark without running into the gate. The Avon Descent weekend in early August brings hundreds of paddlers and support craft through this corridor.

Fish either side of it; the week after the event, once the river has settled, is often productive and quiet.