Dryandra Woodland is one of only two places on earth where numbats still survive in the wild. It is roughly 130 kilometres north of Kojonup, which puts it on the Perth side of town, and it is the sort of place people drive past for years without realising what is in there.
It was declared a national park in January 2022 and covers close to 18,000 hectares of wandoo and powderbark woodland, a surviving remnant of country that was mostly cleared for farming. There is no park entry fee.
The headline attraction is Barna Mia, a guided walk after dark through predator-proof enclosures. It runs on set nights and it needs booking ahead, which is the single most useful thing to know before you plan a trip around it.
What actually lives there
Dryandra holds major populations of three nationally endangered animals: the woylie, the red-tailed phascogale, and the numbat, Western Australia's animal emblem.
The numbat is the one people come for, and it is worth being straight about the odds. More than half the known wild numbat population lives here, but that population is small. Recorded numbers at Dryandra rose to 35 by late 2020 after years of predator control work, up from single figures. So a numbat sighting is a genuine possibility rather than a plan, and numbats are active in daylight, which means if you see one it will be while you are walking or driving the woodland, not on the night tour.
Alongside them are chuditch, western brush wallabies and quenda, plus mound-building malleefowl. Birdwatchers do well here too: Carnaby's black cockatoo, the bush stone-curlew and the rufous treecreeper are all part of the picture. Our birdwatching guide covers what to look for closer to Kojonup.
Barna Mia: how the night tour works
Barna Mia is a fenced, predator-free sanctuary inside the woodland, made up of two four-hectare enclosures. Five threatened marsupials live in there: bilby, boodie, woylie, quenda and mala. A guide walks you through after dark with low red light, which is how you get to see nocturnal animals behaving normally instead of fleeing.
The practical details, which are the reason to read this before you go:
- Tours run at sunset on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday evenings from April to November, and on Friday and Saturday evenings only from December to March.
- Start times shift through the year, because they follow sunset.
- Bookings are essential. They are taken by phone through the Parks and Wildlife Service office at Narrogin on (08) 9881 9200, weekdays. Tours fill up.
- Admission is $25 for an adult, $19 concession, $14 for a child and $60 for a family of two adults and two children.
- It is not recommended for children under five.
Dryandra itself has no entry fee, but Barna Mia is ticketed separately and a general WA parks pass does not cover it. Those nights, times and prices were current when we wrote this in August 2026 and are set by the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions rather than by us, so ring the Narrogin office to confirm before you commit to a date.
The bit people forget: the drive home
A sunset tour finishes in the dark, and you then have about 130 kilometres of country road back to Kojonup.
That is worth planning for rather than discovering. Kangaroos and other wildlife are most active at dawn and dusk, and unlit rural roads through farmland are exactly where that becomes a problem. Take it slowly, keep your distance, and do not plan to make up time. Our guide to travelling safely in the Great Southern goes into the detail.
The upside of coming back here is that you are not scrambling for a reception desk at ten at night. Check-in is contactless from 2pm and late arrivals are genuinely no trouble, so you can leave your room ready in the morning and walk into it whenever the drive gets you back.
Seeing the woodland in daylight
Do not treat Barna Mia as the whole trip. The woodland is worth hours on its own, and the walk trails and vehicle tracks give you the wandoo country that most of this region lost.
Early morning and late afternoon are the best of it: better light, more animal movement, and a lot fewer people. If you are going up for an evening tour, arriving with the afternoon still ahead of you turns a night out into a proper day.
Where to stay
Cornwall House Accommodation is on the Albany Highway in the centre of Kojonup, which makes it a workable base for a day north to Dryandra and a return the same night. There are 12 air-conditioned rooms, each with its own ensuite, free WiFi, tea and coffee, a microwave and a fridge, plus free onsite parking and a shared guest camp kitchen.
Contactless check-in runs from 2pm and late arrivals are no trouble, which matters more than usual on a day built around a tour that starts at sunset.
See our accommodation page for what is included, or contact us if you have a question before you arrive.
Check availability and book Call us (08) 9831 0214
Frequently asked questions
How far is Dryandra Woodland from Kojonup?
Roughly 130 kilometres north, on the Perth side of Kojonup, which makes it a comfortable day trip with an evening tour on the end if you have booked one.
Do you need to book Barna Mia in advance?
Yes, bookings are essential and tours fill up. They are taken by phone through the Parks and Wildlife Service office at Narrogin on (08) 9881 9200 on weekdays.
What does Barna Mia cost, and is there a park entry fee?
Dryandra Woodland has no park entry fee, but Barna Mia is ticketed separately and is not covered by a general WA parks pass. Admission is $25 adult, $19 concession, $14 child and $60 for a family of two adults and two children. Correct as at August 2026 and set by the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions, so confirm when you book.
Will I see a numbat at Dryandra?
Possibly, but it is not something anyone can promise. Dryandra is one of only two places where numbats live in the wild and holds more than half the known wild population, though that population is small. Numbats are active by day, so any sighting would come while you are out in the woodland rather than on the night tour.
