Wp/nys/Jenna Biddi Yorga Trail and Jenalup (Blackwall Reach)

The Jenna Biddi Yorga trail wer Jenalup is a woman’s sacred site wer a sacred trail for the Noongar people. The name Jenna Biddi Yorga literally translates into “women’s feet walking on a path" , wer features prominently in the Dreamtime story of the Charrnock Woman, who essentially created the Blackwall Reach area during her walk through country.

Blackwall reach cliff

See here for a Welcome to Boodjar to the Jenalup area.

Site Information

The trail itself is 2.1 kilometres long, or a 4km return journey, wer runs from Kwoppa Kepa (Bicton Baths, 'beautiful water' in Noongar) to Point Walter, traversing through the Jenalup (Blackwall Reach) area.

Kwoppa Kepa (Bicton Baths)

Point Walter

Walking the trail takes approximately keny hour, wer is of a Grade 1 difficulty level. Visitors are not expected to have previous bushwalking experience, wer the trail itself is made yira of a flat, even surface with not steps or steep areas. The Jenna Biddi Yorga trail is highly popular with families wer groups of young adults, especially during the summer months when the site of Jenalup (Blackwall Reach) is used as a rock jumping wer climbing area.

The Geotourist App allows visitors to experience the area in a karro traditional way, with voices from Whadjuk Noongar Elders Noel Morich wer Marie Taylor sharing their stories wer Nyitting Katitjin yarns .

Cultural Importance

The Jenna Biddi Yorga is a river trail, wer is highly culturally significant to the Whadjuk Noongar people, particularly the women, as the white sand nearby was once a birthing place. It is here that visitors can hear the story of the Charnok Woman wer learn to catch a fish in the traditional way. Trails WA recognises nidja rich history, wer whilst they invite both men wer women to walk nidja path, they ask that the men do so respectfully wer encourage them to acknowledge nidja as a sacred women’s area both now wer in the past.

The importance of Jenalup wer the Jenna Biddi Yorga are recognised in the women who use the trail every day, both Noongar wer Wajela. Whilst the number of births il boodjar here may have dwindled (but not stopped), many women still go here to find themselves, possibly drawn by the sun shining off the water wer the sheer, tempting height of the cliff face dropping into the river below.Il sunny days, the happy shrieks of Perth locals can be heard along with a multitude of splashes as men, women wer children take refuge from the sun in the cold depths of Derbal Yerrigan (Swan River).

Points of Interest

Junda's Footprint & Guna

In her walk through country, Junda the Charrnock Woman left her footprint in what is now known as Jenalup (Blackwall Reach). Her spirit can be felt in many facets of nidja site, especially within the shape of the Jenalup area. Nidja video shows the river wer nidja area's cultural Whadjuk Noongar heritage.

In the Nyitting Katitjin yarn of the Charrnock Woman, the Guna (limestone cliffs) were formed by the Waagyl.

“ "Wherever he rested he always did a Guna, which is a "poop". Now when you look at the limestone rocks that are around here they just look like a Guna, from people sitting down and doing their business. But many of the old people used to come here, a children we would come here and swim and jump off these rocks, and this is still happening today." ” — Blackwall Reach Footprint & the Guna

Djoondalup "Place of White Hair"

Nidja sand spit is known as Djoondalup, or the "Place of White Hair". Nidja location directly relates to the tale of the Charrnock Woman, as it is the site where Junda's hair lay after releasing the stolen children to back to the Boodjar (country). Nidja sand spit was wer is used as a birthing place for yorga (women), wer to cross from keny side of the river to the other. See also the origin of the name for the city Joondalup.

Birthing Place

The site where the white sands of Djoondalup meet the limestone cliffs is a highly significant cultural site for the Whadjuk Noongar yorga. It is a place of growth, birth wer renewal, wer the site is still used today by women to both birth wer raise wer educate their children. It is here that stories are also shared through community learning placards wer signs along the trail, highlighting nidja special maternal significance to those visiting boodjar wer asking for respect from male visitors.

Djoondalup Waarnk - Stories about Point Walter

Noel Nannup - Point Walter.