Which wildlife can be found on Heirisson Island?

Western grey kangaroos inhabit the island reserve.

How do visitors cross onto the island?

The Causeway and Boorloo Bridge provide pedestrian and bicycle links from both foreshores of the Swan River.

Which historical monument is located on the island?

A statue honoring the Aboriginal warrior Yagan stands on the island grounds.

What traditional Indigenous name is associated with the location?

The surrounding area is traditionally associated with the Beeloo people of the Whadjuk Noongar, who named the river flats Matagarup.

How was the present island created?

The land was formed from separate river islets surrounded by mudflats that coalesced through dredging and land reclamation.

Perth · Australia

Heirisson Island: what's nearby, how to get there and when to go · 2026

Cyclists crossing between East Perth and Victoria Park use the island as a quiet daily detour, trading highway traffic for footpaths shared with resident western grey kangaroos.

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Exchange rate$1.43per 1 $AUD — the local currencyas of Nov 2, 2026

Within two hours

Perth Australia Temple≈ 30 min Wireless Hill Park≈ 30 min Narrows Bridge≈ 40 min

About the place

Heirisson Island forms an open wildlife sanctuary between city foreshores, shaped by river dredging and reclamation into a continuous reserve.

The reserve began as separate islets surrounded by shallow mudflats known to the Whadjuk Noongar as Matagarup. Whadjuk groups utilized these shallows as a seasonal river crossing point under agreements granted by the Beeloo. River dredging and reclamation merged the mudflats into a continuous island. Connected to East Perth and Victoria Park by the Causeway and Boorloo Bridge, the park carries foot and cycle traffic across Perth Water.

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Past schemes envisioned turning the grounds into an extensive sporting complex, a caravan park, and an aircraft runway, but commercial development was abandoned. A public statue honours Aboriginal warrior Yagan, situated alongside open paddocks where introduced western grey kangaroos roam. Unbuilt concert amphitheatres and stalled sculpture gardens have left the interior largely undisturbed by heavy tourist facilities.

Associations

Western grey kangaroosIntroduced marsupials inhabit a dedicated sanctuary on the southern grounds.
Boorloo BridgeThe river crossing gives pedestrians direct access without vehicle traffic.
Yagan memorialThe monument honouring the Indigenous warrior faced repeated acts of vandalism.
Matagarup shallowsRiver mudflats historically impeded watercraft and formed a seasonal crossing.

Facts

The island was formed by joining several smaller islets and mudflats through river dredging and land reclamation.
Whadjuk Noongar people traditionally knew the shallows as Matagarup, using them as a seasonal river passage.
Dutch navigator Willem de Vlamingh reached the area by longboat but could travel no further due to river mudflats.
Boorloo Bridge links the island to Point Fraser and McCallum Park for pedestrian and bicycle travel.
Western grey kangaroos inhabit an enclosed conservation area on the island.

Updated September 21, 2026Source: Wikipedia

Heirisson Island: what's nearby, how to get there and when to go · 2026

What is around3

Heirisson Island forms an open wildlife sanctuary between city foreshores, shaped by river dredging and reclamation into a continuous reserve.

Getting there and staying

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