Loch McNess (
Nyoongar
The Noongar (, also spelt Noongah, Nyungar , Nyoongar, Nyoongah, Nyungah, Nyugah, and Yunga ) are Aboriginal Australian peoples who live in the south-west corner of Western Australia, from Geraldton on the west coast to Esperance on the ...
:''Wagardu Lark''),
also known as Yanchep Lake, is a
freshwater
Fresh water or freshwater is any naturally occurring liquid or frozen water containing low concentrations of dissolved salts and other total dissolved solids. Although the term specifically excludes seawater and brackish water, it does incl ...
lake
A lake is an area filled with water, localized in a basin, surrounded by land, and distinct from any river or other outlet that serves to feed or drain the lake. Lakes lie on land and are not part of the ocean, although, like the much large ...
located near
Yanchep in the northern part of the
coastal plain of
Perth
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia. It is the fourth most populous city in Australia and Oceania, with a population of 2.1 million (80% of the state) living in Greater Perth in 2020. Perth is ...
, Western Australia. Loch McNess is part of the
Wanneroo wetlands
The Wanneroo wetlands are a series of wetlands, swamps and lakes that occur on the Swan Coastal Plain of Perth, Western Australia. They are linked very closely to the Gnangara Mound.
They are in part, incorporated into the Yellagonga Regiona ...
, a chain of lakes, and is part of the
Yanchep National Park. Water from the lake is used to refill the underground lakes in some nearby caves.
Description
The lake is named after Sir
Charles McNess, a wealthy Western Australian
philanthropist
Philanthropy is a form of altruism that consists of "private initiatives, for the public good, focusing on quality of life". Philanthropy contrasts with business initiatives, which are private initiatives for private good, focusing on material ...
.
Galaxiidae (fish) and
Gilgies (freshwater crayfish) are endemic to the region.
[
] Introduced species include mosquitofish (
Gambusia).
CSIRO
The Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) is an Australian Government agency responsible for scientific research.
CSIRO works with leading organisations around the world. From its headquarters in Canberra, CSIRO ...
study nutrients and plankton in the lake.
The lake is also known as ''Wagardu Lark'' by the
Nyoongar
The Noongar (, also spelt Noongah, Nyungar , Nyoongar, Nyoongah, Nyungah, Nyugah, and Yunga ) are Aboriginal Australian peoples who live in the south-west corner of Western Australia, from Geraldton on the west coast to Esperance on the ...
aboriginals and along with the caves is of significant cultural importance.
Since European
colonisation of the area and specifically with the building of Gloucester Lodge on its shores in 1933
it has traditionally been used for boating outings. There is no longer sufficient water in the lake for boating.
See also
*
List of lakes of Western Australia
The following lists of lakes of Western Australia are arranged alphabetically:
*List of lakes of Western Australia, A–C
This list includes all lakes, both intermittent and perennial. It is complete with respect to the 1996 Gazetteer of Aust ...
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:McNess
Lakes of Perth, Western Australia
Wanneroo wetlands