Yalbunullup Mountain Bike Trails (Joondalup)

Overview

Yalbunullup is a brand-new urban MTB network on the western shore of Lake Joondalup in Yellagonga Regional Park, about 25 km north of central Perth. It opened to the public on Sunday 1 December 2024 after a $4.57 million trail build funded as part of an $8.5 million WA State Government upgrade to the wider park. The network is short and shallow — roughly 7 km of singletrack split across 14 named trails — but it punches well above its weight as Perth's most accessible council-style ride: sealed road in, big carpark, sealed paths to a pavilion, toilets and water, and a 200 m stroll to lake-side flow with views of Lake Joondalup.

The network was designed and built by Three Chillies Design, who had to import most of the trail-surface material because the underlying ground is pure Swan Coastal Plain sand and won't hold shape on its own. The result is a family-first, beginner-and-intermediate-only mix: a dozen flow / cross-country segments graded green and blue, two intermediate jump lines, a flyover bridge useful for XC race laps, and (notably for Perth) a set of adaptive-specific trails for hand-cycle and adaptive MTB riders. There is no expert / black-diamond content; the trails are short enough that almost every line links into another for fast loops.

The name Yalbunullup was chosen in consultation with Traditional Owners (Whadjuk Noongar — Mooro people) and is the traditional Noongar name for the site. Yellagonga himself was a Mooro leader whose people used the lake's wetlands as semi-permanent autumn / spring camps. Dogs are allowed (on leash).

Location & Access

Address: Off Lakeside Drive (corner of Lakeside Drive and Joondalup Drive), Yellagonga Regional Park, Joondalup WA 6027.
Region: Perth North (greater Perth metro, City of Joondalup).
Drive times: ~30 min from Perth CBD; ~25 min from Hillarys / Sorrento; ~50 min from Fremantle.
Public transport: Joondalup train line — Currambine station is the closest stop (~3 km / 10 min cycle on shared paths). Multiple bus routes serve Joondalup Drive.
Parking: 100-vehicle sealed carpark built as part of the 2024 project. Free.
Coords: -31.66473, 115.69715 (verified against Google Maps — matches the new trailhead carpark off Lakeside Drive).

Best Season & Conditions

Peak riding season: April–October (Perth winter / shoulder). Cool mornings, hard-packed trails. Summer rides are best at dawn / dusk to avoid heat.
Wet-weather impact: Sand-base trails drain very fast; rarely closed for wet. Imported surface holds up well in light rain.
Fire-danger / total-fire-ban impact: Yellagonga RP can close on catastrophic fire-danger days — check DBCA Park Alerts.
Snow / alpine season: N/A (Perth coastal plain).
School-holiday surge: Busy on weekends and school holidays — family hub. Weekday mornings are usually quiet.
Active closures (as of 2026-05): Jump-line trails have been closed at various points in 2025–26 for maintenance / dieback management — always check DBCA Park Alerts before driving out.

Managing Body & Trail Builders

Land manager: Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions (DBCA) — Parks and Wildlife Service WA, via the Yellagonga Regional Park improvement project. Co-managed with City of Joondalup and City of Wanneroo for the wider regional park.
Trail designer / builder: Three Chillies Design (Margaret River-based, also built much of Pemberton, Linga Longa, Nannup). Trails opened Dec 2024.
Local club / advocate: Northern Beaches Cycling Club (NBCC) — championed the project from 2018 onwards via MTB Director Mark Papadopoff; pre-build concept work done by Common Grounds (David Willcox) with dieback assessment by Jeremy Spencer.
Volunteer / dig days: NBCC runs occasional working bees — check the club site / Facebook.
Donations / membership: northernbeachescycling.com membership.

History & Background

Pre-build (2018): NBCC secured a
9,305 City of Joondalup grant to fund a dieback (Phytophthora) assessment and concept plan for an MTB network in the western bushland of Yellagonga RP. Concept lead: Common Grounds / David Willcox.
Funding announcement: WA State Government committed
4.7 million to the wider Yellagonga Regional Park Improvement Project, of which $8.5 million went to the northern end (trail network, carpark, pavilion, lakeside lookout, paths, landscaping), with $4.57 million allocated specifically to trails and trail infrastructure.
Construction (May–Nov 2024): Three Chillies Design built the trails. WCP Civil constructed the carpark. Element Construction built the toilets and pavilion. Trail corridors were chosen to minimise impacts on cultural and ecological values; imported trail-surface material was used throughout because of the sandy native ground.
Naming: The name Yalbunullup was chosen in consultation with Whadjuk Noongar Traditional Owners (Mooro people, whose leader Yellagonga the park is named for). The site was traditionally used as a semi-permanent autumn / spring camp.
Opening (1 Dec 2024): Community Opening Day attended by WA Environment Minister Hon. Reece Whitby MLA and Member for Joondalup Emily Hamilton. Trails opened to public same day.
2025 additions: Two new jumplines added late 2025 (referred to in operator copy as catering to intermediate / advanced riders).