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]

Wandoo trees above Chinamans Gully.

 [Click on photo for larger version]

More photos.

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for 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

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Step 2: Left Click here

For fly-in to 3D view

 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

35kms E of Perth along Great Eastern Hwy to Sawyers Valley township.

17kms (75% off-track)

MEDIUM   (What does this mean?)

460m (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 car parking spot at Start point, drive approx 1.7km down Cole Road (gravel) which veers off Great Eastern Highway to the right just before the Highway curves left uphill out of Sawyers Valley township. Then turn right at hand-painted ‘Ashby’ sign to stay on Cole Road  (don't continue straight ahead onto Poison Lease Road). Drive approx. 750m down the narrow dirt road to parking bay (the Start Point) on the left near private homestead and 150m before a CALM barrier gate blocks the road.  Space for about 3 cars.

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".

Escape route/s :

Various dirt roads (see map) suitable for escape to north, west or south. Allen Road (in south) connects to Mundaring Weir Road to west.

Main features

/Highlights:

This walk takes in varied terrain, including a few step-across creek crossings and medium to steepish slopes into and out of Chinamans Gully. It is mainly through fairly open forest with only occasional scratchy bits. The scenery  includes two small waterfalls (in winter to spring), picturesque stands of wandoo, a few granite outcrops, and some good views across Chinamans Gully and toward the Helena Reservoir (otherwise now  known as Lake C.Y. O'Connor). 

The Chinamans Gully area (and about 25% of this walk route) lies within the northern limit of the new 8000ha Helena National Park.

For overnighters: For those keen to camp overnight in the area: The Helena Campsite (which includes a 3-sided shelter; at waypoint 'BIBHUT') on the Bibbulmun Track lies only about 1 km south of the granite slab ('ROK2') at the western end of Chinamans Gully (see map).

Controlled burns:  A burn is currently scheduled for Spring 2008 in the area SE of Watson Road.  This will impact on the walk route between waypoints 'WATSON' & '62'. See DEC's 6-season indicative burn programme.

Additional maps :

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

or Mundaring & Chidlow 1:50,000 CALM Operations Graphics series 2003/2004, Sheet 2134-3 & 2134-2.

"Helena National Park - Park Guide" by DEC (undated pdf; 380KB).

"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. 

The route is initially southward. Downhill on dirt road to waypt 3, then follows road left across stream and uphill to reaching Firewood Road and waypt '4' (after approx 1km of initial dirt road) the route goes off-track through marri-jarrah forest, initially gently uphill and then descends to cross a small sidestream to Manns Gully at waypt '7'. It then crosses a low wandoo-covered ridge to reach a small rock outcrop at waypt 'ROCK' (first rest stop) near Manns Gully. After crossing Manns Gully it crosses Rushy Road and swings more SE-ward, crossing and recrossing a sidestream at waypts '10' and '12'. After crossing Watson Road (waypt 'WATSON') the now reed-filled streams followed (on left bank) for about 400m until the route crosses the stream bed and rises gently to reach Scott Road at waypt '16'.  After crossing the Road the route rises increasingly, initially  through wandoo woodland then mixed open marri-jarrah forest, skirting around the edges of a grove of dryandra (parrot bush) to then meet the old North Gorge Road at waypt '17'. This old gravel road is indistinct and mainly overgrown with parrot bush.  After about 150m only, the route then leaves the old road at waypt '18' and descends quite steeply ESE-ward down the northern slope of Chinamans Gorge until reaching a more open area of mainly heath-covered rocky outcrop (after waypt '20') with an excellent open view down Chinamans Gully to Helena Valley.  The route then follows the outcrop ESE along slope, crosses a small stream gully, then climbs steeply up to waypt '21' on a wandoo-covered ridge (second rest stop). The ridge is then followed northward,  steeply uphill to reach the dryandra-covered laterite surface at the top at waypt '43'. The route is then through mixed dryandra and sheoak forest along the edge of the laterite plateau. After about 500m reach '4EGGS':  in 2002-2003 there were 4-5 sun-bleached intact old emu eggs scattered over a small area here (now gone). The route then descends, initially SSE down a ridge toward Chinamans Gully. After reaching a rocky outcrop at waypt '47' with nearby good views it veers SSW down the ridge and passes through some stands of large picturesque wandoo trees before descending to some small granite outcrops (at waypts '50' and the 'ROX').  Chinamans Gully stream (and a side stream) are then crossed (they are often dry, and can usually be stepped across easily). After reaching waypt '53' the route veers more WSW-ward,  crosses the stream bed again and passes through very open wandoo woodland on the lower slopes and then some low heath and scrub on rockier slopes.  Then it climbs WSW along the flank of the western arm of Chinamans Gully.  After almost 1km a rocky outcrop is reached at waypt 'FALLS1' (with a small waterfall in late winter to spring). Then it’s an easy walk up the  outcrop slope (partly heath-covered) to a good lunch spot on a large granite slab with good views at waypt 'ROK2'.  The route then turns NNW and climbs up to reach at waypt '58' a broad flat ridge which it follows WNW in open marri-jarrah forest for about 1.3km to reach Watson Road close the  intersection with Burnt Bridge Road at waypt '62'. Soon a granite outcrop close to Burnt Bridge Road is reached at waypt '64'.  The route then descends to the nearby stream and follows it (along the stream bed or adjacent slope) for about 500m, then crosses a low ridge to reach Rushy Road at waypt '66'. It then descends to Manns Gully for a pleasant afternoon rest stop at a rocky pool at waypt 'POOL2'.  It then soon meets a dirt road at waypt '68' and follows that NNW-ward for about 1.3km, then continues off-track for a short distance to reach Firewood Road at waypt '70'.  Turn right and follow Firewood Road for about 500m and at about waypt '72' veer NNE off-track through the very open eucalypt tree plantation to reach Cole Road again at waypt '3' and then return northward up the road to the End/Start point.