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]

View through wandoo woodland to escarpment in east, Nov. 2004.

[Click on photo for larger version]

More photos.

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for Google Maps image

of the walk area.

Step 1: Left Click here

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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'

in Google Earth to "3" (via 'Tools' menu, 'Options' & 'View' tab).

       Route profile

70 kms ESE of Perth.   

13.5 field kms (96% off-track)

EASY - MEDIUM   (What does this mean?)

310m (positive elevation change)

PREFERABLE (to help locate subtle turning points and features).

See Google Map for start point on road map.

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

Follow Brookton Hwy from Albany Hwy for 47 kms to Yarra Road on left (first road on left after Christmas Tree well on left).  After 18 kms north up Yarra Road (good condition gravel road) turn right into Darkin Road (fair condition dirt road), which forks after 2.2 kms. Follow the left fork (Warrigal Road; fair condition dirt road), passing a vehicle track on the left after 1 km (the Wandoo National Park boundary road). Continue along Warrigal Road for a further 500m to another side road, Roberts Road, on the left. Park near the corner of Roberts Road.

Important access issue (2008):   Walkers need to be aware that this walk area and many others on WalkGPS lie within drinking water catchment areas.  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 has 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". 

South (generally less than 2 kms) to Darkin or Warrigal Roads: Via Yarra Road in west; via Park boundary road in central area; or via Roberts Road in eastern area.

/Highlights:

This walk area is located immediately north of the upper Darkin River and 20 kms NE of Mount Dale. The eastern two-thirds of the walk lies within the 44,000 ha Wandoo National Park; the western portion lies within State Forest (Flynn Block).  Like the nearby Upper Darkin Walk, which is immediately to the SW, this area offers some easy walking, mainly through picturesque, open wandoo woodlands and some mixed jarrah-marri-wandoo forest.

The terrain along the walk route is varied, but mainly gentle, with modest climbs to ridges on two small hills (informally named the "Flynn Hills" on WalkGPS). These provide some pleasant views across the surrounding forest. -But the main attraction is again the beauty of the woodlands combined with the prolific wildflowers in spring. Meney & Brown, 1985 have previously noted, "the character and form of the widely spaced virgin wandoo creates a most unique bush atmosphere which is a delight to any bushwalker".

The Forest Products Commission harvested some wandoo timber from the State Forest area in the western Flynn Block (Compartment #08)  in about late 2004. This has had little visual impact along the walk route though you may see foresters' white paint markings on tree trunks. (Trees with any form of marking are not for harvesting).

Controlled burns: The area of the walk east of Roberts Road, within the Wandoo National Park, was burnt in Autumn 2006. There is a  further burn currently scheduled for Autumn 2010 in the area west of Roberts Road. This will affect the walk route between waypoints 'START' & 'RDX'. See DEC's 6-season indicative burn programme. 

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).

"Wandoo National Park - Park Guide" by DEC (undated pdf; 248KB).

"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 proposed 60 sq km Reservoir  Protection Zone, and including this walk area which is over 18km ESE of the reservoir.

Head westward from the Start point, initially through mixed forest, then open shrublands of the valley floor (with spring displays of yellow Verticordia and Common Popflower), until you meet the Wandoo National Park boundary 'road' (at 'R-RD') after about 750m. Follow this rough vehicle track for about 200m as it bends westward toward a stream course.  Leave the track at '2' to cross the stream course and soon climb gently uphill into mixed forest. When you reach an area of large scattered granite boulders (at 'ROX') veer approx. WNW along the very gently sloping and undulating NE-flank of a broad, low ridge. After about 500m cross a small side-valley. Continue for almost a further 500m to reach a striped granite tor (at 'RKX'), and other scattered large granite 'boulders' nearby. Continue WNW. Cross a small gully, then climb more steeply around the southern slope of a small ridge to reach the top of a laterite escarpment in wandoo woodland.  Descend to the gully below the escarpment (at '5'), veer approx. SW (to '6') to avoid a densely heath-covered area upslope on the west side of the gully, then turn NW and climb quite steeply through very pleasant open wandoo woodland to reach the laterite-capped hill-top (at '7').  Head north along  this western hill-top for about 250m, still in open woodland.  Then descend to a sloping granite slab on the NE flank (at 'RK') which provides good views eastward to the eastern ridge to be traversed later on the walk.  Descend westward from the outcrop and head back down the hillside through thickets of sheoak before reaching open woodlands again.  On reaching the northern slope of the small ridge (at '8') veer WNW. After about 500m the slope flattens and you again approach the broad, sandy valley floor crossed at the start of the walk.  (You are now in very open jarrah forest which is currently in poor condition - possibly due to recent drought conditions and frosts; hopefully not due to Phytophthora die-back disease). After a further 500m, re-cross the stream course (at '9').  Continue WNW, initially climbing gently for about 500m, then more steeply to soon reach a steeply sloping outcrop (at 'VURK'), which provides a view toward the western ridge previously traversed. Veer NNE from the outcrop, partly through thickets of sheoak. On reaching another small granite outcrop (at 'RK2'), veer east to climb upslope through sheoak thickets and across small outcrops, then  back into open wandoo woodland near the crest of a spur ridge. (This is the halfway point on the walk.) Turn left at '12' - just before reaching the laterite ledge and dryandra (Parrot Bush) on the hill-top - and head  due north along slope for about 250m through woodland.  Then turn very sharply to the right to head approx. SE  across the very gentle ridge to soon reach Roberts Road (at 'RDX'). Continue SE on Roberts Road for about 100-150m (to '15'). Then turn left to head eastward off-track across a gently south-sloping hillside. After 400m, on approaching an incised stream gully (at '16'), turn left to head northward, quite steeply uphill, initially weaving your way through a small patch of Parrot Bush),  with the stream gully to your right. The slope soon flattens toward the ridge top. Veer right at '17' and head WNW along slope through patch of heathland, then open woodland.  At '18' veer sharp left (north) to  stay on the laterite-capped hill-top.  Soon reach the top of an east-sloping laterite escarpment.  At '19', descend the  escarpment  eastward, walking downslope through a narrow band of woodland into a sheoak thicket on the steeper eastern slope.  Turn right at '20' and pick your way easily along slope through the sheoaks. Emerge briefly from the thicket near some small boulders (at 'BLDRS').  Cross a gentle heath-covered valley or saddle before re-entering a sheoak thicket. Climb gently to a small flat outcrop (at 'RK3'), then veer SSE along slope, soon emerging back into open woodland (at '21') and gaining pleasant views eastward over the forest and upslope to the laterite escarpment.  Head southward along slope below the escarpment. At '22' veer SSE to stay downslope (eastward) of the ridge top.  At '23' veer south again, to continue downslope on a spur ridge.  At '24' veer SW and soon reach the upper edge of a westward-sloping laterite escarpment (at '25'), with good westward views through the trees (including to Mount Dale, 20 kms WSW)  Head westward, to descend the escarpment and cross the heath-flanked gully below. Then climb briefly to reach a very rocky southern-sloping hillside (at '26'), with another good view to the SW. Pick a route along slope WNW between the outcrops.   Veer WSW at '27' to cross a small valley which opens to the south. Climb through open wandoo woodland to reach a knoll (at '28') on a minor spur ridge. Descend southward from this local hill-top for about 300m to reach the valley floor. After a further 300m (at '29') veer SW-ward to follow the  stream course for about 500m to reach Warrigal Road (at '30'). Then follow the road a short distance SW to get back to the Start point.