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Hippo’s Yawn — Hyden, Western Australia

Hippo's Yawn near Hyden, Western Australia: a huge rounded granite boulder with a deep curved hollow underneath, shaped like a hippo's wide-open mouth, above a dry path of stones.
Artwork FileHyden, Western Australia

Hippo’s Yawn

SeenOct 2020

Natural granite tor · Near Wave Rock, Hyden, Western Australia, Australia

Photo: “Hippo’s Yawn, Hyden, October 2020 04” by Calistemon / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0), as also published on Street Art Utopia.

Hippo’s Yawn is a natural rock formation near Wave Rock in Hyden, Western Australia. Source Source Source Checked The Wave Rock site describes it as an unusually shaped granite tor that was once part of the larger outcrop. Source Reported Australia’s Golden Outback says its resemblance to a yawning hippo is why it was given its name; Trails WA calls it a large gaping mouthed shallow cave. Source Source Reported

Seen Oct 2020: the newest dated photograph we found shows the rock on 4 October 2020; it is the photo above. Source Checked

More photos

Hippo's Yawn in October 2005: a visitor stands small beneath the huge curved granite overhang near Wave Rock, Hyden, Western Australia.
2005 A visitor shows the scale of the mouth, October 2005Photo: Fredrik Bülow / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)
Hippo's Yawn in August 2006: the curved granite overhang near Wave Rock, Hyden, Western Australia.
2006 The overhang from the front, August 2006Photo: Gabriele Delhey / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)
Hippo's Yawn in March 2011: the curved granite overhang near Wave Rock, Hyden, Western Australia.
2011 The overhang in March 2011Photo: Stephen Edmonds / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)

💡 4 things to know

  1. Named for a yawnAustralia’s Golden Outback says the rock’s resemblance to a yawning hippo is why it was given its name, and invites visitors to climb through its “throat” for a photo. Source Reported
  2. Once part of a bigger rockThe Wave Rock site describes Hippo’s Yawn as an unusually shaped granite tor that was formerly part of the larger outcrop, and calls it the second most visited site in Hyden. Source Reported
  3. A shallow cave about 13 m highTrails WA says the shallow cave is about 13 metres tall at its mouth and looks like the name suggests. Source Reported
  4. A short loop from Wave RockThe walk trail starts at Wave Rock and leads around the base of the rock to Hippo’s Yawn; Trails WA rates it a flat loop for all abilities, best from August to October. Source Source Checked

📍 Where it is

Near Wave Rock, Wave Rock Road, Hyden WA 6359, Western Australia; Trails WA starts the walk at the Wave Rock car park, 3 km from Hyden. Source Source Checked

Open in Maps

Opens Google Maps at -32.442736, 118.905049, the position given by ExplorOz; Australia’s Golden Outback pins a point about 600 m further west.

🗓️ Sightings

  1. 200530 Oct

    Photographed by Fredrik Bülow · Wikimedia Commons

  2. 200610 Aug

    Photographed by Gabriele Delhey · Wikimedia Commons

  3. 201118 Mar

    Photographed by Stephen Edmonds · Wikimedia Commons

  4. 20204 Oct

    Photographed by Calistemon · Wikimedia Commons

Green stamps mark dated photographs.

✅ The facts

Type
Granite tor (natural, no artist), according to the Wave Rock site Source Reported
Location
Near Wave Rock, Hyden, Western Australia Source Source Source Checked
Address
Wave Rock Road, Hyden WA 6359 Source Reported
Height at the mouth
About 13 metres Source Reported
Walk
A 1.7 km loop of 30 to 40 minutes from the Wave Rock car park (Trails WA); a loop track of approx 1 km (Wave Rock site); a 20-minute walk (Australia’s Golden Outback) Source Source Source Conflicting
Popularity
Second most visited site in Hyden, according to the Wave Rock site Source Reported
Best time
August to October Source Reported
Coordinates
-32.442736, 118.905049 (ExplorOz); -32.441119, 118.898169, about 600 m further west (Australia’s Golden Outback map pin) Source Source Conflicting

🔗 Related

All sources & image credits

Last checked: 12 November 2026 · How we verify art