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 NW from west slope of Mount Solus,

Oct. 2002.

[Click on photo for larger version]

More photos.

Click here

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

 "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

39 kms SE of Armadale,  down Albany Hwy to Solus Road on right,  then approx. 6 kms along Solus Road (good condition dirt road).

14 field kms (80% off-track)

MEDIUM   (What does this mean?)

450m (positive elevation change)

YES

See Google Map for start point on road map.

Caution: Solus Rd is partly mis-labelled as "Thorpe Rd" on Google Map.  (Use zoom ladder for detail. Select 'Hybrid' to add satellite imagery.)

Park on roadside approx. 6 kms along Solus Road near poorly marked River Road track on right and before road crosses Serpentine River (and just before old Thorpe Road track on left).

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 "Serpentine Dam Catchment Area...Drinking Water Source Protection Plan". 

Via Solus Road (through middle of walk area) or Mountain Road to west, or Thorpe Road to east (see map).

/Highlights:

This is a nice compact walk which begins at the Serpentine River and features a traverse across Mount Solus (summit elevation 574m) which is one of the higher points in the Darling Range. There are good views from several points including toward Mounts Cooke (582m), Cuthbert and Vincent 10-14 kms to the NE/NNE. The route is mostly through open marri-jarrah forest and across several granite outcrops.  It also crosses at least three small streams which should be flowing after mid-winter rains. In spring there is a great diversity of wildflowers on display. The steady climb up  Mount Solus is not too demanding and the gradient averages only about 1 in 10 over the last 2-3 kms before the summit is reached.

Controlled burns:  A small burn was scheduled for Spring 2007 along the south flank of Mount Solus summit area.  A more extensive burn is currently scheduled for Spring 2009 and will impact on the whole walk route. See DEC's 6-season indicative burn programme.

Timber harvesting:  Scheduled for 2009 immediately east of the walk area and Start point, between Solus Road and Serpentine River;  This will have an impact on access to the area during the logging operations. - See the indicative 2008-2010 timber harvesting plans.  

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

or Jarrahdale 1:50,000 Sheet 2133-3 (CALM/DOLA, 2001);

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

or Jarrahdale 1:25,000 2133-III, SE sheet (Dept. of Lands & Survey, 1984; Series R811) -available on DVD.

"Serpentine Dam Catchment Area and Serpentine Pipehead Dam Catchment Area Drinking Water Source Protection Plan" (Report # 78, Water Resource Protection Series) by Department of Water (DoW), July 2007. - See pdf version (2.3MB). Pages 42-43 are of particular relevance. 

Note: DoW's recommended protection strategy in Report # 78 intended to prohibit recreational off-track bushwalking opportunities within the entire 690 sq km catchment area, far beyond the proposed ~120 sq km Reservoir Protection Zone, and including this walk area.

Head initially SW down Solus Road to cross the Serpentine River. Veer southward at waypt '3' to leave the road and walk uphill through forest to reach a granite outcrop on the west flank of a ridge at about waypt '4' (with nearby good wildflower displays in spring). Then continue approximately due south to waypt '10' to reach a stream at the base of a larger granite outcrop, along the way crossing  outcrops between waypoints '4' and '6', and between  waypoints '7' and '8'. From waypt '10', walk SE along the outcrop to waypt 11' (with westward view of  lower north ridge of Mt Solus), then veer NE through forest to cross a very gentle ridge and reach waypt '12' on the eastern flank.  Then veer SE  and cross a patchy granite outcrop and heath (and a slope of slender smokebush in spring). Re-enter the forest after waypt '13'. Cross a small ridge, then walk south to cross further patchy outcrops to waypoint '14'. Then veer SE again and descend to cross a stream channel in forest at waypt '15' and reach a granite outcrop close by. Continue approx. SE  up the outcrop and re-enter the forest to reach a ridge at waypt '16'. Walk approx. south uphill. The ridge flattens out before arriving at the T-junction of two forestry roads at waypt '17'.  Follow the road ahead which goes SW-ward until waypt '17A' is reached. The route then continues SW off-track, leaving the road, and soon becoming more steeply uphill. Meet the road again at waypt '18' and head approx. west along the road which is quite steeply uphill via '19'. Cross Solus Road to re-enter forest on a recently re-cleared forestry track. At about waypt '20' the track veers WNW to reach the narrow SE ridge of Mt Solus and approx. follows that to waypt '21'.  The track soon veers westward and then NW after waypt '22', where there is a good view to distant Boonerring Hill, 18 kms SE. The track then climbs for a short distance  and then  flattens  onto  the Mount Solus summit ridge. This is about the halfway point on the walk and a good spot for a rest stop.  Follow the road NW for less than 100m and when it veers west continue NW off-track in  scratchy scrub and forest, and soon climb over partly rocky ground to reach the approx. summit of Mt Solus at waypt '574m', close to a prominent fire lookout tower. (Alternatively, to avoid scratchy scrub, stay on the forestry road for a further approx. 100m downhill on west flank to meet a side road on the right which can be followed uphill north to the summit area.) There are good views to Mounts Vincent and Cuthbert (14 kms NNE) from rocks near the summit. Descend approx NNW from the summit, passing granite boulders and reaching the top of a granite outcrop at waypt '24'. Follow the outcrop quite steeply downslope to the NW (with some good views to the NW) via waypt '25' to reach waypt '26', near the bottom and close to a stream where the outcrop is partly covered in heath. Soon after waypt '26' re-enter the forest and continue approx NW to follow the steepish hillside around via waypt '27' to reach waypt '28' on a patchy, partly heath-covered outcrop (with further good views to the NW). Veer approx NNE to pass through a short section of forest and another smaller outcrop at waypt '29'. Continue to waypt '30' and then veer approx. ENE through forest around the NW flank of Mt Solus to reach waypt '30' on a small outcrop. Then turn NNW and downhill through forest to reach a larger outcrop at waypt '31A' (with flowering Verticordia in spring). Follow the outcrop NW downslope to waypt '32'.  Veer NNE, soon leaving the outcrop after about 200m and pass initially through scrub and then forest to waypt '33'. Veer north to reach waypt '34'. Then veer NE to initially cross a gentle ridge before descending to another outcrop at waypt 'ROK' (with view of Mt Cooke, 10km NE). Veer approx. east and follow the patchy outcrop approx. along slope, then descend through forest to reach Mountain Road at waypt '35'. Follow the road SE to reach Solus Road at approx waypt '36'. Finally follow Solus Road to recross Serpentine River and get back to the Start point.