Kings Park opens new Botanic Garden boardwalk
A new boardwalk has opened in the heart of the Western Australian Botanic Garden, providing improved park accessibility, a photo-worthy lookout, and a new connection to the Lotterywest Federation Walkway.
The Tuart Forest Boardwalk is part of a series of projects which have been funded by proceeds from Lightscape, which completed its second event season in Kings Park in July.
Revenue generated from Lightscape has been reinvested back into Kings Park and Botanic Garden to enhance visitor experience and improve accessibility.
The boardwalk will provide new assisted access connections between the Lotterywest Federation Walkway and the Water Garden; two of the most visited precincts in the WA Botanic Garden and the highest and lowest points of the garden respectively.
Prior to the boardwalk’s installation, the steep pathways were a mix of hard paths, mulch paths and turf areas, providing a challenging terrain for all visitors to traverse.
The new boardwalk not only provides a consistent surface with enhanced accessibility for a broader range of visitors, but creates a new experiential journey which travels through the botanic garden’s beautiful Tuart Forest.
As part of the boardwalk’s construction, a mature Zamia plant was relocated and remediated, demonstrating Kings Park’s commitment to preserving significant plants in the Botanic Garden. Although they are - by comparison - a small plant, some of the Zamias in the area are as old as the large Tuart trees that surround them.
Planning is now underway for propagation of Tuart understorey plant species, which will be added to the area from winter 2025.
The boardwalk and lookout form part of the broader accessibility initiatives in the Western Australian Botanic Garden. Many of these initiatives are already planned for or constructed. Other initiatives include a new accessible path connecting the Acacia Garden to the Water Garden; and the creation of new and opening of old pathways in the Tuart and Karri Forest area to provide more accessible, immersive walking experiences for all users.
Morgan Marsh, BGPA Executive Director, said “Kings Park is a place for everybody to engage with nature and enjoy time outdoors. Improving accessibility in the Park benefits everyone; even more so when this coincides with an immersive park experience."
“The Tuart Forest Boardwalk delivers both in spades, improving amenity whilst preserving our precious plants. We’re anticipating the lookout becoming not only a well-used thoroughfare, but an unmissable photo backdrop for brides and grooms in Kings Park."
“Kings Park operations are 40 percent self-funded through commercial activities, and revenue from Lightscape will continue to support our vital conservation activities and the enhancement of the Western Australian Botanic Garden.”
