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]

In wandoo woodland in south

 of Mount Billly area, Oct. 2006

[Click on photo for larger version]

More photos.

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of the walk area.

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      Route profile

Approx 70kms east of Perth, along Great Eastern  Highway then Great Southern Highway to Yarra Road turnoff (on right 13kms east of The Lakes), then further 8kms down Yarra Road (last 5kms is gravel surface) to junction with Ridley Road.

16 field kms (80% off-track), suggested route

or 15 field kms (85% off-track), alternative.

MEDIUM   (What does this mean?)

370m (positive elevation change),

or 330m for alternative.

YES

See Google Map for start point on road map.

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

Yarra Road crosses Ridley Road just after crossing Helena River. Park near the corner of the two roads, which is the START point for the walk.  Space for a few cars. Alternatively for more concealed parking, turn left into Ridley Road (dirt road) and after about 130m locate a cleared area on the left (toward the River), also suitable for parking a few 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".

South of Helena River: Bear north (e.g. via Bumper or Bouncer Roads; dirt roads) then westward via Ridley Road (dirt road) to Yarra Road, or eastward on Ridley Road to meet Talbot Road West, about 2.5 kms east of the walk route.

North of Helena River: Ball Road (dirt road) NW-ward to Yarra Road, or in east follow walk route southward to meet Ridley Road.

/Highlights:

The SW section of this walk overlaps with the eastern section of the adjacent Mt Yetar Walk  along a 1 km ridge traverse. The two walks share some similar features, including patches of pleasant wandoo woodlands and interesting varied terrain, with laterite 'breakaways' and occasional stream gullies (usually dry),  plus good views of surrounding valleys and bushland from the hillsides and from several granite outcrops.  The walk route straddles the north and south sides of the Helena River (about 27 kms 'upstream' of Mundaring Weir) and includes an easy crossing of the River course at a shallow (or dry) ford.

There are a few medium grade slopes to climb but nothing very demanding. The route avoids areas of quite dense dryandra scrub (Parrot Bush and Pingle) which is common on some of the surrounding laterite-capped ridges.  Be prepared for short sections of low scratchy heath and scrub.

ALTERNATIVE : The main (suggested) walk route does not cross Mount Billy itself. Mount Billy stands out as a small promontory into the Helena River valley, but the nearby surrounding hills (including Mount Clifford to the NE) are actually higher, and the section of the walk NW of Yarra Road provides more interesting terrain and views.  If preferred, you can opt for the slightly shorter, easier walk route (also shown on the map) which does traverse Mount Billy and bypasses the area NW of Yarra Road.  The Route Notes below also cover the alternative route after reaching waypoint '34'.

Update : DEC controlled burnt the area north of Helena River, eastward of Yarra Road in early May 2007 (previously deferred from  Spring 2006). The area south of the River and east of Bouncer Road was also controlled burnt in Autumn 2006.

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.

"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 15 kms ENE of the reservoir. 

Head E/SE along Ridley Road for about 500m from the start point (at 'PARK').  At waypoint '2' leave the road to head off-track and more southward to soon pass through a thicket of sheoaks and reach a small rounded granite outcrop after about 400m (at 'RKNU'). Cross the top of the outcrop and veer SW to climb initially very gently through mixed open forest. The route crosses a small gully and the slope steepens  to reach a ridge after about 1 km from 'RKNU'.  Veer southward to walk upslope close to the crest of the ridge, veering slightly downslope to the west (to '5') to bypass small granite outcrops and boulders. Then continue very gently upslope SSE (just west of the ridge crest) mainly through open thickets of sheoak (which mostly block the otherwise good potential views of Mt Yetar to the west !). After about 300m cross the ridge crest and descend the NE flank for a very short distance to a small granite ledge (at 'NURK1') which provides an excellent view  to the summit area of Mt. Billy, less than 2 kms NE. Then return to the ridge (backtracking a little to bypass a dense patch of shrubs) and continue SSE .  After waypt '6' the sheoak thickets give way to open wandoo woodland near the summit of this unnamed hill (which with elevation of 340m is almost 50m higher than Mt Billy). Continue SSE (to '7') and bypass the small laterite-capped actual summit area upslope to the west. Veer SW (to '8') to cross the head of a deep gully which plunges eastward from below the hilltop. Then follow the ridge ESE for about 500m, gently downhill (via '9' ). At '10'   veer slightly more eastward to descend the eastern slope of the ridge, through a very short section of possible scratchy heath, to cross the stream gully.  Then head approx. eastward (via '11')  through open forest and across gently undulating country for about 800m to cross Bumper Road (dirt road at 'BPR-RD').  Continue eastward through wandoo woodland across the broad valley floor, then onto a broad ridge which rises gently. After crossing a narrow stream gully, veer NW-ward at '13' and continue gently uphill along the NW edge of the spur ridge top, soon gaining a view back to the hill to the west which you just traversed. At '14', at the head of a gully which plunges NW, veer eastward again and climb more steeply uphill to '15'.  Then veer NW again and after about 200m of further climbing, reach the hill-top.  Continue NW across the hilltop and pass through a narrow belt of sheoaks to reach the top of a granite slab (at 'SLAB'). Follow the slab downslope to the ENE for about 200m.  Near the foot of the slab (at '17') veer left (north) to soon follow the east bank of a small stream gully.  After about 200m, veer NW to soon reach another granite slab (at 'SLAB2') which has a good view to Mt Billy to the NW.  Follow the slab eastward across a low ridge and soon re-enter open wandoo woodland and cross Bouncer Road (dirt road at 'BCR-RD'). Then immediately cross a deep gully (which parallels the N-S road) and continue across another gully then gently upslope.  At '21' veer NE to skirt a laterite breakaway and bypass the dryandra (pingle)-covered uplands. Veer east  on a small ridge (at '22') to reach a granite slab (at 'SLAB3') in a small valley.  Veer north to cross the slab and climb through heath and low shrubland to quickly reach a small ridge (at '24'). Head approx. NE, mainly along slope, but diverging upslope where necessary to bypass denser shrubland. Then begin descending,  soon cross a smaller granite slab (at 'SLAB4') and reach Ridley Road (at 'RID-RD'). Follow Ridley Road gently downhill to the NE until the road veers due eastward after 300m (at '27'). Then leave the road to head north, off-track across the sandy valley floor for 250m, picking your way easily through a shrubland of swamp tea-tree to reach another dirt road (at '28').  Turn left to follow the road initially NW and then westward as it curves to follow the nearby Helena River course. Ignore the side road at '29' (an alternate river crossing) then turn right at '30' to follow another side road northward, firstly crossing Helena River by a ford.  The River course is likely to have water in it (even during an unusually dry spring) but by detouring through the sedges slightly to the left of the ford it is usually possible to step across without getting wet boots. Continue north along the dirt road, crossing Ball Road (dirt road at '31'), and soon the road approximately follows the fenceline of the adjacent farmland to the east.  The road starts climbing more steeply uphill and veers slightly NW away from the fenceline. Then leave the road (at 'LV-RD') to head approx. westward and gently upslope across a generally rocky area, with patches of  mixed forest (mainly sheoak) and small granite-floored clearings. On leaving the denser forest, cross a small gully which becomes more deeply incised upstream. Continue WNW for about 250m along the SW bank of the gully, climbing through open wandoo woodland.  At '33' turn left to head SW along slope near the edge of a laterite plateau surface. At '34' veer WNW again to climb onto the near-flat hill-top area.

[Alternatively if you wish to follow the shorter 15 kms route across Mt Billy itself, after  waypoint '34' follow '35-ALT'...'38-ALT' etc approx. SW to reach the summit of Mt Billy ('MTBILY'). Then head NNW (via '42-ALT' etc to reach Yarra Road. Then follow Yarra Road SW for 700m back to the Start point.]

 At '35' continue approx. WNW, veering slightly to the left to soon follow a gentle gully downhill through glades of sheoak and across small outcrops. Veer NNW at '36' then cross a small gully at about '37'.  Continue NNW through open woodland to cross Yarra Road and follow the dirt road on the western side of the road (at 'TRK').  Follow the dirt road initially WNW through a low-lying area of heath. At '39' the track veers NW and climbs rapidly though jarrah forest. When the track veers sharply to the right (at 'LVTR1'), as a short-cut you can continue NW and off-track  through heathland to rejoin the track again after only 50m (at 'TRKRJN'). The track then crosses a deep gully and climbs westward up the other bank. At 'LVTR2', leave the track to continue approx. westward initially crossing a small south-sloping spur ridge, then crossing a stream gully. Follow animal tracks through a very short section of possible scratchy shrubland (stay upslope to avoid the denser areas), then reach a granite slab ('SLAB5') at the head of a small valley which opens to the SE, with good views 4.5 kms across forest to the low hills SE of the Helena River valley, previously visited along this walk route. (From higher on this hillside, off the walk route there are also views to Mt Dale, 26 kms SW). Continue approx. westward from the granite slab, initially through quite dense shrubland for less than 75m, crossing a small stream gully, then climbing to open ground (at '44'). Then turn left to head SW along slope to a ridge at '46'. Then continue WSW across the slope, gaining a view (at 'VU1') through the trees to Mt Yetar, 4.5 kms to the SW. Continue WSW/SW down a ridge (via '48', '49') then along the southern side of a deep gully (via '50').  At '51' turn left to head ESE across the hillside. Cross a stream course after about 300m then continue across open grassy slopes at the head of a gully which deepens to the south. At '52' turn right to head south along the eastern side of the gully. Reach a small granite outcrop (at 'VU2') with another view to Mt Yetar. Then continue SSE along the eastern side of the gully (to '54'), then down the crest of the SE-sloping ridge to meet Yarra Road (at '55').  Turn right to follow Yarra Road across the nearby Helena River to return to the Start point ('END').