The 153 steps and nature walk leading to Bunbury’s newest lookout point officially opened this week

Bunbury’s newest $5 million nature walk was officially opened at the weekend, offering visitors panoramic views of the South West’s coastline.

Officials cut the ribbon on Saturday, opening the extensive 670m assisted pathway leading to the first of two viewing platforms at Maidens Reserve.

The new reserve is part of the continuous development of the Kalgulup Regional Park, forming some of the State Government’s Plan for Our Parks initiative.

The walkway passes through the bush and sand winding its way to the first of two viewing platforms siting 45m above sea level, with the second 67m above the sea.

Those wanting a direct path can brave the 153 steps leading directly to the lookout.

Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions regional leader of parks and visitor services Kerstin Stender said Maidens Reserve was a special site, offering locals quality recreation right on many people’s doorstep.

She highlighted the significance of the area to the traditional owners whose word for “place of fire or campfire” becoming park’s namesake.

The park was opened in February this year, but now the final upgrades to the walkways and signage has been completed.

Working with the Bunbury Co-Design Group through the City of Bunbury and traditional owners from the Gnaala Karla Booja Aboriginal Corporation, the final touches were made to the park in the past months, Ms Stender said.

Drawing in 5000 visitors a month since its initial opening, the park has already proved to be popular with the community.

Bunbury MLA Don Punch said the upgrades gave everyone the opportunity to get out and experience nature.

“For people who have accessibility problems, it’s been designed to be able to take them as far as possible to really take advantage of the views,” he said.

“This is a place for people to enjoy, and I think people are going to enjoy it for many, many years to come.

“This builds on the work we’ve done to create the regional park, which is a superb cross section of inland biodiversity to coastal biodiversity.”

Mr Punch gave special praise for the walkways’ development to Bernhard Bischoff, who first proposed the park in 1996.