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 full page version]

On forestry track in jarrah forest, 

(north of Walnut Rd), July 2009

[Click on photo for larger version]

More photos.

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of the walk area. -Use zoom bar

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         Route profile

25 kms ESE of Perth. 

Option 1: 16-17.5 field kms (via Forrest Rd);

only 2% or 400m off-track);

Option 2: 17.5 field kms (via Volento Rd);

Other short walk options: 9-14 kms

MEDIUM   (What does this mean?)

YES, useful at the many track junctions and for the short off-track section of the walk.

See Google Map for start point on road map.

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

Follow Welshpool Rd to its end at the T-junction with Canning Rd. Then turn right to follow Canning Rd for 4 kms. Continue for less than 100m along the start of Pickering Brook Rd (where Canning Rd branches sharp right). Then turn off to park in the Pickering Brook General Store carpark on the right. Food and refreshments are available from the General Store at the walk Start point. 

Car shuffle option: The final 1.5 kms of the main 'Option 1' route includes 1.5 kms of walking along sealed roads (Repatriation and Pickering Brook Rds) to return to the Start point. This can be avoided (and will reduce the Option 1 walk length to 16 kms) if you are in a group with two or more cars and can then do a quick car shuffle at the start (leaving one car at waypoint 'REPAT3' where a minor dirt road branches off Repatriation Rd where the road bends sharply left about 1 km from its junction with Pickering Brook Rd).

Alternative access: The northern part of the walk area (and northern boundary of Korung National Park) can be reached by taking Pomeroy Rd (turn left off Welshpool Rd 1 km after Lesmurdie Rd), then right into Lawnbrook Rd (through Bickley), then follow Walnut Rd to park either:

i) at the corner of Walnut and Lockwood Rd in the east where the Munda Biddi Bike Trail enters the forest (waypoint 'WAL-RD'), or,

ii) on the dirt road extension of Dodd Rd which veers right off Walnut Rd in the west. Park at waypoint 'ALTPKG'. From there it is a steepish climb along the dirt track to enter the National Park and walk area from the west.  

Via various old forestry vehicle tracks through the area (see map). These generally provide linkages over distances of less than 1 km to the sealed and dirt roads in the area, including Walnut, Patterson, Forrest, Repatriation, Francais, Weston and Gunjin Rds. 

/Highlights:

The Pickering Brook-Bickley area offers walkers variety of a different sort than in most other walk areas in the Darling Range; Here the sections of walking through jarrah-marri forest on the higher ground (which lies mostly within the newly named Korung National Park), are pleasantly broken by short sections that skirt picturesque orchards and farmland in the small and narrow, fertile valleys, including Piesse Gully. The route also passes close by an historic soldier settler's cottage. Parts of the forest in 2009 are still recovering from recent burns, but the emergence of spring wildflowers and the adjacent blossoming orchards will make any walk in the area very worthwhile.

The new walk routes described here are a combination of short sections of the Kattamordo Heritage Trail, old forestry trails, and newer mountain bike trails which pass through some nice sections of forest.  The terrain is varied with a few short hill climbs and a view or two -  though (sadly!) not from the summit of Mt Gungin in the north, which (at 398m) is the highest point on the walk. In 1921 Mt Gungin was the site of one of the first two fire lookout towers in the Darling Range, but the tower no longer exists and potential views from ground level are screened by the forest around the summit clearing.  

Walk options:  Most of the walk route options are on good open tracks, with only one short (400m) off-track section.

Option 1: 16-17.5 field kms (via Forrest Rd and Repatriation Rd on the return across Piesse Gully from waypoint 'FOR-RD' to 'REPAT-1'); The ‘figure-of-eight’ form of this route (crossing at waypoint 'JCN-X') avoids overlap between the outward and return sections. Despite a few short hill climbs, the 16-17.5 km distance will not be hard for any reasonably fit walker. See Access notes for details of a car shuffle to eliminate the optional final 1.5 kms of on-road walking from waypoint 'REPAT3' back to the Start point. 

Option 2: 17.5 field kms (via Volento Rd from waypoint 'FOR-RD' back to 'BDGE' for the return crossing of Piesse Gully and then overlapping mostly with the outbound route for the remainder of the return section);

Other walk options: There are many other potential options for short and longer on-track walks in the area (see additional tracks and waypoints on the walk map),  including from the alternative access points. 9-14 kms  - The walk can be easily shortened to a circuit of 9-14 km (or less) on the day and still be rewarding. e.g. For a 9 km walk, bypass the northern half of the 'figure-of-8' route by veering right onto the return leg at the crossover point at 'JCN-X'. For a 14 km walk, bypass 3.5 kms of the northern section across Mt Gunjin by initially staying on Gungin Rd at 'GJN-RD' and then heading west at 'MBID-5' for less than 1 km to rejoin the main route at 'JCN-N'.

Controlled burns:  A small section of National Park in the walk area is scheduled for a burn in Autumn 2010. This will affect the walk route between waypoints 'REPAT1' & 'REPAT3'. See DEC's indicative burn programme.

Mundaring 1:25,000 2134-III SW & 2134-III SE sheets, plus;

Kelmscott  1:25,000 2133-IV NW & 2133-IV NE sheets

(Dept. of Lands & Survey, 1981-83; Series R811)

-available on DVD.

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.

"Heritage Trail - Kattamordo". 1998;  a pamphlet by the Heritage Council. - Provides an excellent 22 page overview of the interesting history along this 27 km Trail. Note: The trail name Kattamordo replaced the Council's earlier, incorrect spelling of the trail name as Kattamorda which is still often used (including on most of the old trail markers and signage which have not been well maintained in recent years). Also see WalkGPS Waypoints & Tracks page for downloadable Google Earth (kmz), PCX5 and GPX files for the Kattamordo Heritage Trail.

Pickering Brook Heritage Group site -  This includes many historical photos and notes on the early timber industry in the area, and also the following:  

• Soldiers Settlement Scheme  -  for a summary of the history of post WW1 settlement along Piesse Brook, including the original Pollese and Fernie homes close to the walk routes.

• Brief history of the orchard industry in the area –  A history of some of the best orchard country in W.A.,  going back to around the 1880’s.

• History of the railway –  Includes a sketch map of the  former Pickering Brook Junction station and surrounds just east of where the Pickering Brook General Store is now located near the corner of Canning and Pickering Brook Rds, at the start point of this walk.

"Heritage Trail - Cala Munnda". 1998;  a Heritage Council pamphlet on a 42km driving circuit in the Kalamunda area. Provides a 20 page overview of the early settlement of the Kalamunda district.  

From the Start point in the carpark at Pickering Brook General Store, head westward to cross the branch of Canning Rd (at waypoint  ‘RD-1’) and follow the dirt track (which is along route of the old railway to the Kalamunda Zigzag line) to cross the main Canning Rd (at ‘RD-2’). After about 50m (at ‘01’) the Kattamordo Heritage Trail foot-track crosses the track. Turn right onto the Trail and up the roadside embankment to cross Canning Rd again (at ‘02’) and enter the forest which is initially mainly sheoaks. You are now in the Korung National Park. Relocate the foot-track which may be initially a little difficult to follow as it often becomes hidden under the layer of dry sheoak ‘needles’. Head northward, gently uphill. Ignore a track that veers off to the left after about 300m (at ‘T-JN2’) near the crest of the hill and soon cross Valencia Rd (at ‘VAL-RD’). Continue along the Trail and pass another track junction (at ‘JCN’) before descending to meet Francais Rd (at ‘05’). Turn right to head SE along the road for about 100m, passing a fruit packing shed and orchard on your left. Re-enter forest (at ‘06’) just past the orchard boundary and head generally NE (via ‘07’) along the foot-track through a very pleasant section of jarrah forest. When the track divides at ‘07A’, take either the higher or lower track down the hillside. The two tracks merge again at ‘07B’. At ‘08’ the track veers NW and then descends near ‘09’ to cross the dirt road extension of Weston Rd. Follow the track northward, descending into Piesse Gully, with the boundary fence of an orchard on your right. About 100m to the right in the orchard you will also see the old Fernie cottage which was the home of one of the soldier settler families in the 1920’s. The track soon joins a dirt road near the crossing of Piesse Brook (at ‘BDGE’). Continue northward up the road for about 100m.  Soon after passing the Valento Rd turnoff on your right, locate (also on the right) and follow a mountain bike trail which enters the forest at ‘BKTRL’. (You now leave the original Kattamordo Trail which continues northward uphill on the dirt road, with farmland and orchards on the left and forest on the right.) The bike trail initially climbs gently ESE-ward for about 400m, then climbs more steeply and more northward as it zig-zags up the hillside (via ‘10’ and ‘11’) through another nice forest section of mixed jarrah-marri-banksia. After ‘11’ the trail soon flattens onto a rocky lateritic surface and heads mainly NE-ward, crossing an old forestry track at ‘SDTRK’. (The original Kattamordo Trail (and sign) lies about 50m NW at ‘11-ALT’ where it follows a track bounding adjacent farmland.) Continue along the bike trail (via ‘12’), crossing another old forestry road at ‘X-TRK’, and veering sharply northward after ‘13’ to soon meet (at ‘MN-TRK’) another old forestry road (which is also the route of the Kattamordo Trail). Turn right to follow the forestry track (via ‘14’) and pass through a junction with two other old forestry roads (at ‘JCN-X’) and continue on the original Kattamordo Trail which re-enters the forest from the junction as a foot-track.  [Alternatively for the short 9km walk option: Turn right (SE) at ‘JCN-X’ to follow the return route via ‘CNR1’ etc.]

Follow the foot-track ENE (via ‘15’) and cross Patterson Rd (‘PAT-RD’). Soon after, the Munda Biddi Mountain Bike Trail joins from the right (at ‘MBID-1’). Continue NE on the Trail and soon cross Walnut Rd (‘WAL-RD’; The Perth Observatory is located 350m to the SE at the end of Walnut Rd). You have now left the Korung National Park. The Munda Biddi Trail re-enters the forest (State Forest) from a small cleared area close to the corner of Walnut and Lockwood Rds, then heads NNE through the forest for almost 500m, running mainly close and parallel to Lockwood Rd (to’18’), then reaching Gungin Rd (‘GJN-RD’). Cross Gunjin Rd (old dirt road) to follow another mountain bike trail (not the Munda Biddi Trail) which continues initially NNE and then curves back generally northward.

[Alternatively for the shortened 14km walk option: Turn left (NW) at ‘GJN-RD’ and follow Gunjin Rd for 200m, then turn left at ‘MBID-5’ and follow the track westward to rejoin the return route at ‘JCN-N’, bypassing the Mt Gunjin section of the walk.]

The bike trail soon descends a little then crosses a minor forestry track (at ‘XSG’). About 1 km after the Gunjin Rd crossing, the trail climbs quite steeply over a distance of 400m to emerge from the forest at the SE corner (at ‘TRL’) of the Mt Gunjin summit clearing. Cross the summit area (‘GUNJIN’) - which was the site of the former fire lookout tower - then follow Gunjin Rd NW downhill and turn left onto the Kalamunda Circuit track (at ‘K-CRT’). Continue quite steeply downhill on the track, passing the Little Ovens Trail turnoff on the right (at ‘LILOVN’), and meet  the Munda Biddi Trail again at ‘MBID-2’ (The Trail follows a forestry track here). Turn left to follow the Trail southward for about 700m, to a track junction (at ‘MBID-3) which is soon after crossing a gentle gully. Leave the Munda Biddi Trail (which takes the left turn at the junction) to continue straight ahead up the hill and over a ridge to reach a W-E track (at ‘JCN-N’). Turn right (westward) to follow the track gently downhill for about 400m. The track runs partly along the boundary of private property in the valley immediately to the south. It then meets a NW-SE forestry track (at ‘OFTRK1’). Continue westward, but off-track for 50m and reach a N-S track (which downhill to the south forms a boundary of the Roseworthy Open Garden property). Cross this track (at 'CRSTRK') and head initially WNW along the slope of the hillside and through fairly open forest (which is State Forest) to ‘OFTRK2’. Veer WSW to descend to ‘OFTRK3’ on more open, rocky ground. Then descend southward for only 30m to cross a stream course. - The stream crosses a rock ledge above small falls though the flow is usually minimal due to six private storage dams upstream. – Head SE to climb the short distance to Walnut Rd (at ‘WALRD3’). Turn right to walk only about 30m westward along Walnut Rd (to ‘WALRD4’). Then head due south uphill for about 50m through the forest to a rock outcrop that can be seen from the road. Then veer SE to meet a N-S property boundary track (at ‘S-TRK1’). Follow the track quite steeply uphill to a T-junction with a W-E track (at ‘S-TRK2’). Turn right to follow the W-E track westward for only 30m. Then turn left (southward) onto a minor dirt side-track (at ‘JN-TRK’). Within another 30m this meets a track within Korung National Park, along the NW boundary of the Park). Continue southward and gently uphill to reach an old forestry road which crosses at ‘SDTK-A’. Turn left to follow this road initially eastward (to ‘SDTK-B’) and then SE-ward to meet another track at a Y-junction (at ‘SDTK-C’). Turn right at the junction to head southward and gently uphill.  Cross the outward route (and the Kattamordo Trail) at ‘JCN-X’.  Continue SE-ward on an old forestry track, traversing the crest of a very gentle ridge, to reach a track junction (at ‘CNR-1’) near the NW corner of adjacent farmland and orchards in the small valley.  Turn left to follow the Park boundary track downhill and southward (via ‘CNR-2’).  There is soon a good view across the orchards and to a rustic old shed which probably dates back to the soldiers settlement period of the 1920’s.  Continue mainly downhill (via ‘CNR2’, ‘CNR-3’, and ‘Y-JCN’).  Soon after ‘Y-JCN’ there is another good view across the orchard in this small side valley before the track descends steeply to reach Forrest Rd (sealed) at ‘FOR-RD’ at the junction with Valento Rd (dirt road). Turn right (WSW) onto Forrest (-Repatriation) Rd and soon cross the bridge over Piesse Brook and pass the entry to the Santora Arabian Horse Stud on the left. [The old 1920’s home of the immigrant Pollese family is bypassed on this route but is located only about 200m east of ‘FOR-RD’]. Leave the road at ‘REPAT1’ to re-enter the forest (and the National Park) on an old forestry track which climbs initially steeply uphill from the south side of the road.  It then veers SE-ward along the hillside. At ‘REPAT2’ turn right (SW) to take the side-track uphill and across the crest of the ridge at ‘JCN-Y’. Then follow the old forestry track SW-ward downhill to meet a W-E dirt road at ‘REPAT-3’. Now follow Repatriation Rd (sealed) and Pickering Brook Rd (via 'REPAT5') back to the Start point. The section along Repatriation Rd passes across another small valley flanked by orchards and fruit packing sheds. 

[Car shuffle option: If you are in a group and have done the suggested car shuffle at the start of the walk, you will have left a car at 'REPAT3' and can now avoid the final 1.5 kms of road-walking to return to the start point. This reduces the Option 1 walk length to 16 kms. Alternatively if you are unable to do the car shuffle but still prefer to avoid the road-walking, then follow the Option 2 route i.e. Follow the Option 1 route to 'FOR-RD', then head NW along Valento Rd (dirt road) back to 'BDGE' for the return crossing of Piesse Gully and then overlapping mostly with the outbound route for the remainder of the return section.]