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

View to east flank of Mt Cooke monadnock

 in distance (11km WNW),  from north flank

 of main Gibbs Rock monadnock, Jun. 2004.

Click on photo for larger version.

More photos.

Click here

for larger frame Google Maps image

of the walk area.

-Use zoom bar

for road details.

Step 1: Left Click here

For fly-in to waypoints and route

 on image of the walk area.

Or Right Click to

 "Save Target/Link As..."  kml file.

Step 2: Left Click here

For fly-in to 3D view

 of the walk area.

Or Right Click to

 "Save Target/Link As..."  kml file.

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

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

          Route profile

62 kms SE of Armadale,  down Albany Hwy to Wearne Road (poorly signed on left),  then further 21.5 kms via Wearne Road, Metro Road and Pike Road (dirt/gravel roads).

18.5 kms (95% off-track)

(or 17 kms (taking optional 'short-cut')

MEDIUM   (What does this mean?)

260m (positive elevation change)

YES

See Google Map for start point on road map.

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

To reach parking spot at Start point (see map), follow Albany Highway and turn left into Wearne Road (3 kms before reaching North Bannister). Follow Wearne Road for 9 kms then take Metro  Road turn on left and follow for about 11 kms to reach Pike Road. Park about 1.5kms down Pike Road after the Metro Road turnoff, near CALM 'No Entry' signs at edge of Dieback Disease Risk area.  

Alternative access is via Brookton Highway to Metro Road on right, then about 30 kms down Metro Road to Pike Road.

Important access issue:   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 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 "Canning River Catchment Area Drinking Water Source Protection Plan".

West to Watershed Road and then Pike Road to Albany Highway (less than 11 kms from centre of walk area).

/Highlights:

This walk is located about 11 kms east of Mount Cooke, in mixed jarrah-marri forest and wandoo woodlands in an area of granite outcrops around the main feeder stream of the Canning River. The walk includes a traverse of the main Gibbs monadnock and visits to smaller rocks to the north. The terrain is varied but slopes are mainly gentle.  There are some good unrestricted views from the outcrops to Mount Cooke (11-12 kms west), Geddes Rock (7 kms NW), Boonerring Hill (14 kms SW) and Mount Randall (20 kms NW). Expect a few short sections of scratchy heath around the outcrops and stream crossings.

The main Gibbs Rock monadnock was swept by a wild bushfire probably at the same time as the Mt Cooke fire which was started by lightning strikes in January 2003.  This hot fire temporarily destroyed much of the forest canopy on the crest and flanks of the Rock. By June 2004 the trees and shrubs were strongly regenerating from their trunks and bases, but it will be some years before the forest and even the rock cover (of lichens, sundews and Borya grass) are back to their previous state.

Controlled burns:  A burn was scheduled for Spring 2010 in the area north of Pike Road, and would have affected most of the walk route. See DEC's 6-season indicative burn programme.   

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:  Jarrahdale 1:50,000 Sheet (Dept. of CALM, 1990);

or Jarrahdale & Yaganing 1:50,000 CALM Operations Graphics series 2003/2004, Sheet 2133-3 & 2133-2.

"Canning River Catchment Area Drinking Water Source Protection Plan" (Report # 77, Water Resource Protection Series) by Department of Water (DoW), June 2007. - See pdf version (5MB). Page 32 is of particular relevance. 

Note: DoW's recommended protection strategy in Report # 77 intended to prohibit recreational off-track bushwalking opportunities within the entire 730 sq km catchment area, far beyond the proposed 58 sq km Reservoir Protection Zone, and including this walk area which is located over 40km SE of the Canning Reservoir. The DoW recommended strategy was also to "increase surveillance" in the Gibbs Rocks and other remote, traditional off-track walk areas.

"Worsley Bauxite mining expansion Environmental Review and Management Programme (ERMP)" by Worsley Alumina Pty Ltd, May 2005.  Released May 2005 by the EPA.  Public submissions closed August 2005 and W.A.'s EPA gave final environmental approval of the expansion plan in February 2008. The mining area expansion within the extensive existing lease will unfortunately eventually impact on the eastern part of this walk area and it is possible that public access via Wearne and Metro Roads will be restricted.  A planned new long distance conveyor belt route is also likely to pass just east of the walk area.(Worsley is 86% owned by BHP Billiton). - For information on the future impact on walk areas see WalkGPS submission to EPA (5MB pdf). See also Related access issues on WalkGPS.

Head initially approx. SW through marri-jarrah forest on pebbly lateritic surface. Reach granite outcrop at waypoint 'GR1' and follow the outcrop for approx. 300m, (passing one or two rock pools in winter), then re-enter open forest and soon begin descent to small heath-covered outcrop at 'GR2' and after a further 250-300m cross the upper Canning 'River' course and fringing wandoo woodlands. Walk up a very gentle uphill gradient to reach North Road (dirt road) at 'NTHRD'. Turn right to follow North Road to meet Pike Road at 'PIKERD'. Then head west through marri-jarrah forest, climbing a ridge before descending to a granite outcrop at 'GR3'. Move uphill, partly through a stand of casuarinas (sheoaks) and back onto the outcrop at 'GR3A' (see photo of typical plant cover on the outcrop, prior to the January 2003 fire).  Follow the outcrop along slope and re-enter scrub at about 'GR3B'. Within about 200m reach another larger, sloping outcrop and a good rest point with views to Boonerring Hill to the SW from waypt 'VIEW1'.   Descend the outcrop and re-enter the (regenerating) forest, picking an easy way through patches of 'Prickly Moses' (Acacia pulchella) in the new understorey. Cross a stream gully before reaching another, larger outcrop at 'GR4'. Head northward to NNW  along this eastward-sloping outcrop until reaching its northern (and uphill) limit at 'VIEW2' where there are good views toward the south.  Re-enter the forest and cross the narrow laterite-capped ridge to reach the edge of an outcrop at 'GR5' on the northern side with good views of Mount Cooke (11 kms to WNW), Mount Randall (20km to NW) and Geddes Rock (7 kms NW). Walk ESE and uphill along the ridge to reach a large granite boulder at 'HIROCK' (which can be easily climbed). (Or see 'Alternative short-cut' below). Continue ESE (via 'GR7') through jarrah forest along the northern edge of the flat-topped ridge to 'GR7A'  and then descend NNW partly through heath and a stand of wandoo trees to reach a granite outcrop and waypt 'GR8' (This is about the halfway point on the walk and a good spot for a break, with a view WNW to Mt Cooke). Then re-trace your steps for about 150m back up the slope to 'GR9'.

Alternative short-cut (from 'GR5' to 'GR9'): This optional short-cut reduces the walk distance by 1.3 kms (to around 17 kms total):  Walk northward from 'GR5' for about 100m to cross the outcrop, then cross a small, rocky ridge to 'GR5-N1' on the north side. Then veer eastward onto the upper slope of a large north-sloping outcrop. After about 200m descend the outcrop slope NE-ward to cross a small stream course at 'GR5-N2' before re-entering forest. Continue NE to cross a gentle ridge and flat outcrop, before descending through a short section of shrubland to 'GR9'. 

From'GR9' veer approx. eastward, initially through heath/shrubland, to soon descend a nearby NE-sloping outcrop. Cross a small stream course and re-enter forest (partly wandoo), to reach 'GR10'. Then veer due north, soon crossing the stream, and continue very gently downhill and re-cross the upper Canning 'River' course at 'GR11'. Continue due north to cross a gentle ridge, then a small stream at 'GR12'. At 'GR17' veer NNE and soon reach the lower slope of a granite outcrop.  Head upslope on the outcrop,  veering due east at 'GR19'.  At 'GR19A' veer approx ESE along the slope of the outcrop to near its SE edge, at about 'GR20'. (Alternatively at 'GR19A':  For a worthwhile small diversion: head NE for about 200m up the hillside to visit an interesting area of large scattered granite boulders at 'RCK2' on the ridge. Then veer SE and downhill to rejoin the route at 'GR20'.)  Then veer SSE initially through heathland, to re-enter forest before reaching another outcrop at 'GR21'. Follow this outcrop, partly through intervening scrubby sections, via 'ROCKS', 'GR22', 'GR22A' and 'GR23', then re-enter the forest and cross a stream gully at 'GR24'. Then head approx. SSE and initially very gently upslope, passing through a patch of wandoo woodland flanking the stream. Continue SSE along slope through open jarrah-dominated  forest to reach a small ridge at 'WDOO', where there is a patch of wandoo. Then veer eastward  for a short distance (to 'GR25') and then approx. SE across often rocky lateritic ground and past some large granite boulders to reach Pike Road at 'GR26'.  Then follow Pike Road for less than 1 km to get back to the Start point.