1) Walk map - Shows route and waypoint locations

2) Photo from walk  (also see Photo Galleries)

3) 3D map view

4) Satellite imagery

5) Route profile

6) Walk description

7) Waypoint listing and grid references

[Click on map for full page version]

Boyagin rock, with Kunzea pulchella

 (Granite Kunzea) in foreground,

 Oct. 2003.

[Click on photo for larger version]

More photos.

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       Route profile

140 kms SE of Perth.

16 field kms (95% off-track)

(or can be shortened to approx. 14.5 kms by simple variation (on track from waypoint 'RD6' to 'RD7', bypassing section in western area).

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.)

Follow Brookton Hwy for 94 kms, then York-Williams Rd (on right) for 10 kms, then Boyagin Rd (gravel/dirt, on left) for 6.5 kms (taking special care driving on the initial section of Boyagin Rd which -in 2007- is poorly gravelled and becomes very slippery when wet), then 1.3 kms along dirt road (Pech Road) on left to Boyagin Rock picnic area.  Park in the picnic area. (No entry fee. Toilets nearby, but no water.)  Motel accommodation is available at the small town of Pingelly on the Great Southern Hwy east of the Reserve, about 30 kms by road (ph. 08 98871075). 

Alternatively, you could combine a visit to Boyagin Rock with a prior visit to Dryandra (only 40 kms south; see Dryandra walk). From Dryandra, take the Wandering-Narrogin Rd NW about 16 kms to Pumphreys Bridge, then follow the York-Williams Rd north for 24 kms to Boyagin Rd on the right.

A fire access road (see map) runs approx. N-S though the middle of the walk area (from the northern Reserve boundary, near waypoint 'RD3',  to  Boyagin Rd in south at waypoint '45'). From the northern Reserve boundary it is about 2 kms NW across farmland to Jelcobine Rd, then a further 2.5 kms to Brookton Hwy.  Several other tracks/dirt roads are also available, including to the SW and NW  boundaries of the Reserve (see map).   

Main features

/Highlights:

This walk is within the small Boyagin Nature Reserve (4966 ha, declared in 1991).  The Reserve is a fascinating place that amply rewards the 2 hour drive from Perth.  Despite the more distant location, the walk can be completed comfortably as a day walk. 

Like Dryandra Woodland (about 40 kms to the  south) and Lupton Conservation Park (less than 20 kms west), the Reserve is another 'island' of remnant bushland within the wheatbelt east of the Darling Range. It has similar high conservation value for both fauna and flora. Native animals reintroduced to the Reserve as part of CALM/DEC's Western Shield project include numbats, woylies  and other marsupials. The tammar wallaby  also survives in the area.

The Reserve is mainly known for the massive Boyagin Rock granite outcrop which can be easily climbed from the nearby picnic area and provides good views across the surrounding bushland and farmland. -But beyond the Rock and its fringing sheoak thickets, the adjacent, mainly open woodlands provide for some excellent off-track walking, as on this walk. Wandoo dominates the woodlands but there is a diversity of eucalypts, including brown mallets, York gums, marri and other species. The attractive Eucalyptus caesia which is a well known cultivar, occurs naturally only very locally on Boyagin Rock and other isolated outcrops across the central wheatbelt.  The shrub Kunzea pulchella (Granite Kunzea) also puts on a brilliant red display in gullies on the lower slopes of the Rock in spring.  Thick heathlands, which cover some of the lateritic hilltops, are mainly avoided by this walk route, but are well worth visiting during the spring flowering.

Apart from Boyagin Rock there are several other large granite outcrops (not shown on map) within the Reserve and the walk route crosses a few of these.  It  also takes in the forested summit of Mount Jelcobine (402m) which is the highest point in the reserve (marked by a large rock cairn) and provides a view 3kms back to Boyagin Rock from its SE flank.  The route also passes across the site of an apparently historic homestead of which only the brick fireplace survives. (This is possibly the remains of a post-war soldier settler's cottage.)

The terrain is mainly quite gentle, aside from an initial 70m climb up the slopes of Boyagin Rock,  plus several short climbs up laterite 'breakaways' / rocky escarpments and  up the banks of incised dry stream gullies.

Shorter walk option: The route can be easily adjusted to give a shortened walk of approx. 14.5 kms, bypassing the western section by taking a short cut south along a dirt road directly from waypoint 'RD6' to 'RD7'.

For overnighters: The Boyagin Rock picnic area at the Start point is suitable for overnight camping, but has only basic facilities (toilets, barbecue, no water).

Additional maps :

Luptons & Youraling 1:50,000 CALM Operations Graphics series 2003/2004, Sheet 2233-3 & 2233-2;

or Youraling 1:50,000 Sheet 2233-II (Dept. of Lands & Surveys, now DOLA, 1979).

An Information Display at the picnic site at the base of Boyagin Rock provides an excellent summary of the Reserve, including  the strong cultural and spiritual links of the Nyoongar people to the area.

"Travellers guide to the Parks & Reserves of Western Australia" by Simon Nevill, 2001, p.113 (Simon Nevill Publications), includes a short summary of the Reserve.  

For birdwatchers, see "Birdwatching around Narrogin" for a brief overview of this region plus contact details for Birds Australia WA. Over 80 bird species have been recorded in the Boyagin Rock Reserve.

"Exploring the Wheatbelt Woodlands" by Mike Bamford, 1995 (CALM), provides a good introduction to the flora and fauna of  remnant woodlands in the region.

See also DEC's NatureBase site for possible additional information on the Reserve.

See Granite Outcrops (Merredin Districts Visitors site) for a summary of more remote, large granite outcrops to explore in the Wheatbelt region.

Follow the short path from the Start point at the picnic area car park. That takes you directly to the foot of the eastern granite slopes of Boyagin Rock (at about  waypoint '1').  (See Kunzea pulchella flowering in this area.) Climb to the northern bald granite summit (via '2', '3') to obtain good views. This is only about a 70m climb. Cross to a rock pool (in winter/spring) near the top of the steep southern flank which drops off to the 'split-in-the-Rock',  separating the northern culmination of the Rock from the southern, slightly higher summit (elevation at about 375m above sea level, but only about 75m above the level of the picnic area). There are good views SE from here across the 'split'. Then head due west from the summit area down the gentler part of the western slopes to reach the woodlands at the foot of the Rock (at '4'). Then head initially north (to '5'), then NW through fairly thick woodland to reach a dirt road on a low ridge (at 'RD').  Turn right to follow the road NW for about 200m, then veer NNW and off-track (at '7') to soon cross a quite deeply incised stream gully. Continue less than 0.5km northward through woodland on an east-sloping hillside to reach a small, steep-sided laterite 'knob' (at '8').  Cross the knob and thread your way through a thicket of young 'Jam' trees (Acacia acuminata) to  reach in 200m the foot of a sizeable  granite outcrop (at '9').  Climb approx. NNW up the outcrop to reach a broad lightly forested ridge after 150-200m.  Then descend gently, still NNW, initially on an outcrop and then through another narrow thicket of young 'Jam' trees, to soon cross a dirt road (at 'RD2'). Continue NNW to cross a gentle, forested valley and reach a small outcrop (at '10').  Veer NNE to follow the hillside across partly rocky ground to another larger, outcrop, with views east across the nearby farmlands (at '11'). Continue around the hillside (via '12') to reach open wandoo woodland on a narrow W-E laterite ridge (at '13') with views of farmlands to the north. Descend the northern escarpment to reach an interesting group of tall granite boulders (at 'ROK-N') which enclose a small unroofed space. Veer approx. westward through the open woodland, climbing gently along the slope to reach a fire access road (at 'RD3').  Turn left to follow the road SW across the hilltop through woodland  for about 700m.  When the road veers left and heads more steeply downhill (at '14'), veer SW off-track and soon reach a low lateritic ridge (at '14A').  Veer westward across a gentle saddle then (at '14B') pick a way SW for a short distance  (less than 100m, to '15') through large, closely-spaced granite boulders. Then veer WNW quite steeply uphill to reach the flat, wooded summit of Mount Jelcobine (at 'CRN'), marked by a large rock cairn.  Head due south from the summit through open woodland to reach an outcrop at '16'.  Walk SW down the outcrop as far as  '17', then turn sharp left to cross (in less than 100m) the nearby forested ridge to reach an outcrop on the other side (at '17A') from where there is a good view across the woodlands back to north Boyagin Rock, now 3 kms to the SE. Then back-track to the outcrop at '17', and  descend the granite slope westward to re-enter forest. Soon (at '18') veer SSW and cross some interesting ground strewn with very large granite boulders.  Reach a dirt road (at 'RD4'), and turn left to follow the road approx. south for about 100m. Then veer SE and off-track through forest for about 200m to re-cross the same looping road. Continue off-track to soon reach a long, low granite outcrop (at 'SLAB'). Follow this outcrop for almost 400m,  initially southward to '21' and then SW to re-enter forest (at 'ENDRK'). Then head southward following close to the western side of a deeply-incised stream gully. At '22' head WSW away from the gully and cross gently undulating country picking a way through or around possible patches of thicker heathland. After about 700m cross a dirt road (at 'RD6') and follow another dirt road opposite which heads approx. SW through shrubland. [Alternatively at 'RD6', if you prefer the shortened 14.5 km walk, instead of crossing the road, turn left to follow it south to 'RD7'.  Then proceed from that point as described below.] At '25' veer WSW (to right) to walk gently downslope through woodland and cross a small stream gully. Continue WSW across boulder-strewn ground to '26', then veer NW to soon cross a gully and soon reach a narrow laterite ridge (at '27'). Walk northward along the narrowing flat top of the ridge for less than 100m to where it ends abruptly in an escarpment (at 'RDG-VU').  This laterite promontory  provides excellent sweeping views northward across the adjacent farmland. Then veer SW following the hillside (via '28').  Then veer more southward and climb gently to a broader laterite plateau. After '29' head SE downslope, initially through woodland, and in less than 200m pass large boulders (at 'BLDRS').  Soon after reach a minor vehicle track (at 'RD6B'). Turn left to follow the track uphill for only about 100m.  Then (at '30') head ESE for 0.5km, crossing another boulder-strewn wooded ridge, and climb a laterite escarpment. After '31' cross a deep gully and after '31A', continue SE-ward for about 700m (via waypoints 'RK3', 'RD7', 'RD8' and '32') , again partly following the steepish slopes below a  laterite breakaway and crossing two small spur ridges on the higher, flatter ground above the breakaway.  At '32' reach the edge of an outcrop and veer southward to follow the outcrop for about 250m (to '32A').  Then veer ESE to re-enter forest and soon descend to the very gentle terrain of the valley floor.  Cross approx. stream courses at '33' and '34', then veer ENE and gently uphill to reach the  site of an old homestead in a grassed clearing (at 'HISTC'). Only a solitary brick fireplace survives to indicate some history here. Cross the nearby dirt road (at 'RD8A') and continue ENE and very gently uphill for about 1.4 kms, easily bypassing some dense patches of 'Prickly Poison' (Gastrolobium spinosum) in the lower lying areas  to reach a dirt road (at 'RD9').  Cross the road and continue ENE off-track to soon reach the rocky, shrubland fringes of south Boyagin Rock (at '37').  Pick a way NW partly through shrubland and partly across patches of open outcrop. (Keep a look out here for  Eucalyptus caesia and Hakea petiolaris in flower.)  After '38' you will soon reach the more extensive open outcrop with a good view back to the northern granite dome of Boyagin Rock, across the 'split-in-the-Rock'. Cross the crest eastward to '38A'. Then head approx. ENE down the fairly gentle granite slope for a distance of about 700m veering either left or right to stay on the exposed granite and bypass the narrow strip of shrubland along the crest of the ridge. At the foot of the slope, re-enter forest and continue ENE to soon get back to the Start point at the picnic area.