The Great Southern Treasures Yoorn (Bobtail) Trail is a drive trail network of 25 locations where you can enjoy a short walk, ride a bike, go paddling or simply take in the view. It is designed to enable visitors to plan their own route and explore the treasured places locals love.

The Great Southern Treasures Yoorn (Bobtail) Trail was identified as a priority project in the Great Southern Regional Trails Master Plan (2020-2029) to add value to the existing Great Southern Treasures (GST) Drive Trail by providing visitors with multiple opportunities to undertake a short recreational trail activity. While most of the local trails included in the drive trail already exist in some form, the majority lack trail signage or interpretative materials.

To enable visitors to find out more about the many special places in the Great Southern (see map below), we’ve partnered with local governments and community organisations across the region to provide links to more information. These organisations include nine local governments, Aboriginal organisations, community environment and history groups, and individuals with interests in local history, culture and environment.

Funding to develop an interpretation plan for the trail was provided by Lotterywest under COVID recovery funding. Community consultation to inform the interpretation plan has been underway since August 2021. Dr May Carter and Robbie Miniter OAM have conducted workshops, recorded interviews, and collected local stories from community members across the region. Robbie is working closely with the Noongar community to ensure Aboriginal stories are captured.

Over the course of the consultation process, eight key themes emerged:

• Town Discovery Trails: Following existing/new history/heritage trails
• Local life: Local stories of community life, past and present
• Changing landscapes: Exploring town and agricultural development and ensuing landscape changes
• Mountain towns: Loop route/s following the towns surrounding the Stirling Range and Porongurup national parks
• The only way is up: Explore meaning/significance of Noongar names across the region
• Noongar culture: Significant places and stories by Noongar people
• Wildflowers: Which wildflowers bloom when, framed within Noongar Six Seasons calendar
• Wetlands and wildlife: Biodiverse and ecologically significant places – lakes,
  waterways, and bushland

Once the Yoorn Trail is completed, visitors will find story boards telling them about local history, Noongar culture, and the varied landscapes of the Great Southern region. As they travel around, visitors can follow historical town trails, visit places linked to Noongar stories and culture, look for wildflowers, take in spectacular views of the Koi-Kyeneruff (Stirling Range), or sit quietly by a lake and enjoy the serenity.