1) Walk map - Shows route and waypoint locations

2) Photo from walk  (also see Photo Galleries)

3) 3D map view

4) Google map & Satellite imagery

5) Route profile

6) Walk description

7) Waypoint listing and grid references

Click on map for large version.

Mossy boulders and balgas, Oct. 2003.

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More photos.

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for larger frame Google Maps image

of the walk area. -Use zoom bar

for road details.

Step 1: Left Click here

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 on image of the walk area.

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Step 2: Left Click here

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 of the walk area.

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Hint: For enhanced 3D effect, set 'Elevation Exaggeration'

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         Route profile

36 kms ESE of Perth. 

16.5 field kms (65% off-track).

MEDIUM   (What does this mean?)

YES

See Google Map for start point on road map.

(Use zoom ladder for detail. Select 'Hybrid' to add satellite imagery.)

Orrong Road or Albany Hwy to Welshpool Road, then right into Canning Road, then follow Pickering Brook Road, continuing on gravel road (and part old bitumen) for final few kms (crossing intersection with Ashendon Road) to reach old abandoned Barton's Mill Prison site. The Start point for the walk is at the beginning of a minor vehicle track which initially heads approx. NNE, away from Barton's Mill site. (See access update below.)

Cautions: 1) Final km of access road is in very poor condition and badly pot-holed in places.  A  parallel  gravel road branches off to the  left (at waypoint 'SIDERD') about 400m after Ashendon Road intersection and about 800m before Barton's Mill. It can be followed to bypass the last part of the pot-holed road.

2) Barton's Mill is an isolated site and cars should be well secured to minimise risk of theft or vandalism. Also take care on the roads as the area is very popular with trail-bike riders at weekends.

 IMPORTANT UPDATE (2010) :  DEC permanently closed Pickering Brook Road to all traffic from December 2009 from about 200m east of the last residential property. The closure was in response to numerous complaints from residents about trail and quad bike activity in the area.
Barton's Mill will still be accessible via Ashendon Rd (about 10 km to intersection from Mundaring Weir Rd in north, or 11.5 km from Brookton Hwy in south). DEC has plans to completely rehabilitate the area in 2010-2011.

Important access issue:   Unfortunately entry to the northernmost part of this traditional bushwalking area is now prohibited under by-laws and related policies and guidelines as it lies within a 2 km wide Reservoir Protection Zone ('RPZ') around the Mundaring Weir Reservoir. Bushwalkers should not enter that area. Fines of up to $200 apply for unauthorised entry (and are recommended in Sept. 2010 Parliamentary Committee report to be increased to $5000). I accept no responsibility if users of this site ignore the restrictions and this update at their own risk. Restricted access around public drinking water source areas is intended to protect against perceived possible acute risks to water quality.

Most walks on WalkGPS lie within the outer water catchment areas, 'safely' beyond the RPZs. However, walkers also need to be aware that in 2007 DoW in effect recommended a prohibition of all traditional off-track bushwalking activities across the entire Perth region catchment areas covering 4500 sq km, far beyond the limits of  existing or proposed Reservoir Protection Zones (see map). By March 2008, in the face of growing community outrage, the DoW had reconsidered its published position, advising that it would now be allowing walkers ‘free-to-roam’ access to the forested water catchment areas outside of the RPZs. The community, including visitors to WalkGPS, need to remain vigilant to ensure that commonsense continues to prevail over regulatory zealotry.   See also Home page: 'Access' and Related access issues on WalkGPS, and link below to "Mundaring Weir Catchment Area Drinking Water Source Protection Plan".

Via Hairpin Bend Road (dirt road through middle of walk area) to either Ashendon Road or Reservoir Road (both dirt roads) in north/NW, or to Dale Road (dirt road) etc. in south. 

/Highlights:

This is a pleasant circuit walk around the lower part of the Little Darkin River valley. The eastern portion of the walk route lies within the Helena National Park, the remainder being in State Forest. The route passes mainly through open jarrrah forest (with banksias and balgas) and some wandoo, along the edges of  lateritic hilltops and across a few large outcrops.  The hillsides offer some good views,  including to Lake C.Y O'Connor (previously known as Helena Reservoir) in the north and elsewhere good views across the valley.

The large clearing near the start point of the walk is of historical interest.  One of the early timber mills in the State was established here by Alexander Barton and operated from 1902 to 1937. The mill was subsequently replaced by the minimum security Barton's Mill Prison which operated from 1942 to 1989. (See reference below.) The site was eventually cleared to encourage forest regeneration, but unfortunately has become badly littered and is popular with off-road vehicle recreationists, especially trail-bike riders.

Note: The forest in this walk area was affected by the wildfires of January 2005 (evidently started by arsonist/s) which destroyed 28,000ha of forest canopy between Pickering Brook and Karragullen in the west, Lake C.Y. O'Connor in the north, and Nockine Road in the east. However, by Autumn 2007 the forest was already recovering well along the walk route. In many places re-sprouting of the jarrah trees from their bases is providing a more interesting, leafy understorey than previously existed. The canopy is also re-establishing quite quickly, but it may be several years before the belts of heathland fringing the granite outcrops fully re-establish. The forest walking is still mainly relatively open and pleasant (April 2007).   

WalkGPS walk map for OziExplorer users:  A downloadable OziExplorer format MAP file (*.map) for this walk area is included on the Maps, Waypoints & Track Files page. The zipped folder also includes the associated 'base' topo map image file, plus other attached waypoints, tracks/routes, etc in OxiExplorer file formats.  

WalkGPS reconnaissance history: Click here for a map of past WalkGPS test walks in the walk area, plus the final route. The final route was selected only after several visits to the area which aimed to achieve a walk that would be the most rewarding.

Other: Kelmscott & Beraking 1:50,000 CALM Operations Graphics series 2003/2004, Sheet 2133-4 & 2133-1;

or Kelmscott 1:50,000 Sheet (WA Forests Dept., 1984);

or Kelmscott 1:25,000 2134-IV, NE sheet (Dept. of Lands & Survey, 1982; Series R811) -available on DVD.

Pickering Brook Heritage Group site - for historical notes and many photos of the early timber industry in the area, including at  Bartons Mill; also "My Life at Barton's Mill" (the childhood memoirs of Irene White); and the history of Barton's Mill Prison.

Barton's Mill Prison site assessment: Heritage Council of W.A., July 1998.  -This also includes a useful summary of the history of the large clearing at the start point of this walk.

"Mundaring Weir Catchment Area Drinking Water Source Protection Plan" (Report # 69, Water Resource Protection Series) by Department of Water (DoW), June 2007. - See pdf version (3MB). Pages 41-42 are of particular relevance. 

Note: DoW's recommended protection strategy in Report # 69 intended to prohibit recreational off-track bushwalking opportunities within the entire 1470 sq km catchment area, far beyond the recently imposed 60 sq km Reservoir Protection Zone, and including this walk area. 

Head initially NNE for 1.4 kms along the dirt road from the Start point via waypoints '1' and '2'.  At waypt '3' veer approx. east to walk off track for less than 150m before reaching an old (overgrown) vehicle track at about waypt '4'. At '4' veer NE again to follow the old track  to '5' where it joins a still-used dirt track.  Continue gently downhill on this dirt track ENE for approx. 400m and at '6' veer NE off track through open jarrah forest for about 300m to reach a small granite outcrop at '7', close to a stream course. Veer eastward through heath for about 100m to '8' and then cross the stream course and climb steadily uphill NE-ward for 700m to reach the top of the slope at '9'.  Veer northward, cross a dirt road at '10' and soon begin walking downhill through jarrah-banksia forest to cross Hairpin Bend Road at '11' after 750m. Cross the nearby stream course and reach some picturesque mossy granite boulders and balgas among the jarrah trees at about '12'.  Veer eastward around the hillside to soon reach a large granite outcrop at about '13' with good eastward views across the Little Darkin River valley and to the more distant skyline east of Darkin River valley  and east of Lake C.Y. O'Connor (Helena Reservoir).  Veer NNE off the outcrop to cross a stream course at about '14'. Continue NE along the hillside and begin gently descending to '15'.  The route then  descends more steeply to reach '16', on a ridge with views through the trees to Lake C.Y. O'Connor. Veer more eastward to continue down the ridge and reach Reservoir Road at waypt '17'.  Turn right (south) to follow the Road for 700m and cross the bridge over the  Little Darkin River. (You will see a water flow metering weir just upstream from the bridge.) After crossing the bridge, where the Road veers to the left (east), continue southward and off track up a ridge, partly  through recently burnt wandoo woodland via waypt '19'. Climb more steeply over partly rocky ground to reach the approx. crest of the ridge near '20'.  Then veer approx. south to soon reach a granite outcrop at about '21' with good views across the valley and over part of the route already covered.  Continue south, via waypoints '22' and '23' for about 1 km, mainly through heath and across more outcrops.  Then veer SW along the slope to '24' and then south to reach a large outcrop at 'BIGRK', with good views across the valley. Veer east along slope to leave the outcrop and  walk through open jarrah-banksia forest via '26' and '27' for about 800m.  Then veer SE across the gentle valley floor, cross an old abandoned (?)railway/tramway cutting/log loading point (at 'CTG'), and soon after cross Darkin Ridge Road (dirt road) at '28'.  Turn sharply to the SW after crossing the road and walk up a gentle slope, often having to detour around large log remnants left from past logging of the forest. After about 500m the slope flattens out for about 200m (on the lateritic hill top) before you then descend a laterite 'breakaway' quite steeply,  soon reaching a granite outcrop with surrounding heathlands. Follow the outcrop quite steeply downslope via '29' and '30' to then cross the Little Darkin River and reach Hairpin Bend Road (dirt road) at '31'. Turn right on the Road and very soon after take the left fork in the road. Follow the dirt road via '32', '33' and '34', then veer approx. westward off track to cross a large granite outcrop and small stream at '35'.  Continue west uphill to re-enter the forest and cross a small hill to meet a dirt road T-junction at about '36'. You can then stay on vehicle tracks for the final 1.5 kms of the walk.  -Follow the westward road from '36'  to '37' and then continue via '38', '39', '40' to return to the Start point.