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

Chauncy's 1846 Cairn on Ngangaguringguring Hill,

with Mt Dale on the horizon (30 km),  June 2008.

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         Route profile

Approx. 62 kms east of Perth along Great Eastern  Highway to The Lakes Roadhouse at the Great Southern Highway turnoff (on right).   

17.5 field kms (66% off-track)

MEDIUM  (What does this mean?)

300m (positive elevation change)

YES

See Google Map for start point on road map.

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The walk starts from The Lakes Roadhouse (with parking, refreshments and toilets).

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 "Mundaring Weir Catchment Area Drinking Water Source Protection Plan". 

See map.  In NW, approx. 1 km north to Great Southern Hwy on rough dirt tracks.  In west, approx. 1 km along Powerline Track or other rough W-E dirt tracks to Flynn Road (unsealed) which joins Great Eastern Highway to NW. In east, approx. 1 km south to Cobb Road (rough dirt track) or Goods Road (dirt road), then west to Flynn Road. Note: Powerline Track (Nganguring Road) is an extremely rough, rugged vehicle track suitable only for 4WDs.

/Highlights:

A highlight of this walk is a visit to the little known (but still intact) historic Chauncy’s Cairn erected in 1846 on the south flank of Ngangaguringguring Hill during the surveying of the early road system for the colony. The cairn’s location on a granite outcrop on the Hill above Wariin Brook, about 5 kms ESE of The Lakes, provides an excellent sweeping view as far as Mt  Dale, 30km to the south. Of related historical interest along the way is the crossing in two places of Cobb Road (now a minor dirt vehicle track) which closely follows the original line of the earliest York Road route surveyed in by Philip Chauncy in 1846 but abandoned after 1848 (see other background historical refs. below). 

The walk route is about two-thirds off-track but involves mainly easy walking through picturesque open wandoo woodlands and partly along the banks of Wariin and Emu Brooks. There are interesting variations in terrain, up and down the often-rocky escarpments surrounding three hilltops, including a large, sloping granite slab in the east. The start and end sections of the walk follows an old vehicle track around the eastern side of the reed-covered Manaring Lake which is a small (12.5 ha) but significant wetland where long-necked turtles can occasionally be sighted.

Note:  This area, which is mainly State Forest, is unfortunately also very popular with off-road trail bike riders who have carved out illegal trails through the woodland, including along sections of Emu Brook. Hopefully the riders will be encouraged (possibly via The State Trail Bike Strategy of Dec. 2007) to find more appropriate legal areas before too much more damage is done here.   Meanwhile your walking may be disturbed by the whine of their bikes.

Controlled burns:  See DEC's 6-season indicative burn programme.

WalkGPS walk map for OziExplorer users:  A downloadable OziExplorer format MAP file (*.map) for this walk area is included on the Maps, Waypoints & Track Files page. The zipped folder also includes the associated 'base' topo map image file, plus other attached waypoints, tracks/routes, etc in OxiExplorer file formats.

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:    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.

“Register of Heritage Places – Assessment Documentation – Chauncy’s Cairn” by Heritage Council of W.A. Jan. 2005.   - This contains an excellent summary of the pioneering surveying efforts of Philip Chauncy along the route of the old York Road, including his erection of the cairn at Ngangaguringguring in 1846.

“Register of Heritage Places – Permanent entry – Chauncy’s Cairn” by Heritage Council of W.A. Jan. 2006.

"Mundaring - A History of the Shire"  by I. Elliot, 1983. (Shire of Mundaring), ISBN 0-9592776-0-9. -   Ian Elliot 'rediscovered' Chauncy's cairn in 1974.  His book is extensively referred to in the Heritage Council's documentation which achieved the registration of the Cairn as a heritage site.

"Field Book No.5 - Survey of Guildford to York Road, SRO" by Philip Chauncy, ca. 1846  (held at Lands Dept. Plan Room; now Landgate).  - See image of page from Chauncy’s Field Book showing his original handwritten notes of 1846 describing  the cairn location and sketch of Mt Dale, etc.  

The Halfway House (on Australian Heritage database) - The site of the former "Halfway House"  lay just west of this walk area. This was one of the earliest inns in W.A., built in 1831 as a resting place for travellers between Guildford and York. It fell into disuse after 1848 after the route of the old York Road was switched near The Lakes from south of Manaring Lake (Chauncy's route) to north of the Lake and a new inn, "The Traveller's Rest", was built in 1855 immediately north of The Lakes.  Nothing remains of the original "Halfway House" which stood on the site of the current Tudor Park Stud property off Flynn Road and about 1 km SW of waypoint '38' on this walk route. (The ruins of "The Traveller's Rest" however can still be seen among the trees in the small area behind the existing Lakes Roadhouse and homestead, on the south side of the newly aligned Great Southern Highway, about 150m before it meets Great Eastern Highway.)

"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.

From the ‘Start’ point at The Lakes Roadhouse head eastward (via waypt '01') to follow the right hand verge of Great Southern Hwy and after about 400m (at 'TRK') veer right to follow an old vehicle track which passes through open forest (including a large Marri tree) skirting the  eastward edge of Manaring Lake wetland.  The track soon forks. Take the left fork to continue SE (via '02'). Soon cross Emu Brook. Track then joins an E-W track. Follow that eastward  to quickly meet a T-junction within only 50m (at '3'). Turn right to follow the vehicle track gently uphill for less than 100m to reach another side track, on the left (at '04'). Follow that initially eastward. It soon veers SE-ward and passes a large dammed pond (dry in summer) along Emu Brook. Immediately after the pond, turn left again (at '06') to follow a side track at the downstream (dam) end of the pond. After only 50m (at '07') turn right to leave the track and head off-track SE-ward through patchy heath and across small rocky outcrops for only about 100m to 'VURKS' from where there is a local view down to large granite boulders along Emu Brook. Then climb steadily SE-ward across a  moderate slope through open forest to reach flatter terrain. At '8' veer initially southward, then SW-ward to descend the slope again, to meet (at '9') the rugged and deeply rutted Powerline Track (Nganguring Road; 4WD track). Follow the detour of the track which heads SE-ward from '09'. After about 100m the detour veers NE-ward. Leave the track to continue SE-ward, off-track through initially open wandoo woodland. Skirt patches of burnt dryandra shrubland and soon descend a short slope to reach (at '10') a large open area where a low granite slab has been largely blanketed and concealed by low heath and grasses. Continue SE-ward to again enter open wandoo woodland. Cross an incised gully at '11' before climbing a moderate pebbly slope to reach a flat hilltop area. Cross the hilltop (via '11A') and veer ESE to descend to a gentle saddle area (at '12').  Continue ESE through open woodland across a low ridge, then through low heath and open sheoak 'thickets' before descending gently to an eastward-sloping granite slab (at '13'). Veer eastward to follow the partly open and grassed, but rocky terrain (via '14') around the flank of a spur ridge. At '15' veer south for about 50m to reach a small rocky knoll (at 'KNB') which has a local view across the side valley and is a good spot for a short break. Then head SE-ward down the hillside through open wandoo woodland. Cross Cobb Road (Chauncy's old York Road route) and soon reach a small stream gully (at '17'). After crossing the gully, head due east for almost 1 km, often passing close to Wariin Brook on the right (south). Avoid dropping down into the incised gully of the Brook as the walking is easier on the higher ground, though in places the terrain is less open than in the woodlands, including patches of balgas and shrublands.  After reaching '18', veer southward and soon pick out a kangaroo trail to guide you across an easy crossing point (near 'CSG') in the Wariin Brook gully. (Avoid seeking a crossing point further upstream as the gully for 300m upstream of the crossing point is swampy and choked with dense reeds and ponding due to regular water flow from Wariin Well.)  After crossing Wariin Brook initially follow the stream course and then veer eastward to soon reach a dirt road (at 'TRK3').  Follow the track eastward. Within 50m (at 'WELFLW') it crosses a swampy water course (possibly sourced partly from flow from nearby Wariin Well which is indicated on published maps). A passable muddy track conveniently skirts a large pool that forms along the dirt road after winter rains (and in 2011 a new raised road embankment is being built across the water course). Continue eastward on the track for 500m, then veer gently off-track to the left to head ENE through very open woodland and soon follow the southern bank of Wariin Brook. At '19', veer left (northward), briefly following a side gully and then leave the gully to re-cross Cobb Road (at 'TRK-X1'). Continue northward through open forest, veering briefly right (NE; at '21') to cross a deeply incised stream gully which drains runoff from a large granite outcrop to the north. Reach the base of the main outcrop (at '22') and climb steadily northward up the gently sloping outcrop (via '23'), passing through a patch of shrubland after about 400m horizontal distance (and about 50m vertically). Soon after, veer NW (at '23A') for a short climb up a lateritic escarpment to reach a flat hilltop area (at '24') in wandoo woodland. This is a pleasant spot for another break, with some views across the Wariin valley through the trees. Descend initially SW-ward from the hilltop down the laterite escarpment. Veer due west at '25' and pick an easy route downhill through interesting rocky terrain, heath and balgas. Cross a stream gully at '27', and head WSW through open forest, soon crossing a vehicle track (a detour off the Powerline Track). Then climb a small east-sloping granite slab. At the top at '28') head SSW and along the slope of the hillside, through open grassy areas and rock slabs among sheoak trees. Then descend briefly and veer SW across a patch of rougher, rocky ground and partly through heath to soon reach another, larger granite slab (at 'SLB') which slopes SE-ward and provides views across the valley. Cross the slab and continue WSW along slope picking a way through patches of shrubland in the mainly open forest. On reaching a large rocky promontory (at 'BGRK') veer northward to climb up the edge of a rock slab (to '29'). Veer NE across flatter heathland to soon climb a small outcrop and reach Chauncy's Cairn (and its view south to Mt Dale) on Ngangaguringguring Hill. This is the ideal place for a rest or lunch stop. (Note: The actual top of the hill lies about 200m further north but is blanketed by parrot bush.) Head NW from the cairn location, initially across rocky ground and heath, then veer WSW (AT '30') to reach another small outcrop (at 'VURK') which offers a further view southward. Continue WSW and gently downslope for less than 100m, into open wandoo woodland, then veer WNW at '31' along slope through the woodland to '32'. Veer WSW to cross a gentle gully to a slight spur ridge. Descend a short distance along the ridge to an area of large boulders (near '33'). Pick an easy way through the boulders and continue down the ridge, bypassing patches of denser shrubland (via '34') and descending a steeper slope back into open forest. Cross a vehicle track (at 'TRK-X2') then head due west through open woodland. On reaching a gentle stream course, follow it upstream (NW) to '35', then veer west again up a very gentle slope and reach a deeply incised stream gully (at '36'). Follow the gully WSW upstream - ignore a couple of side gullies so as to keep heading WSW.  The gully becomes shallower upslope and opens up to the gentle saddle area that was crossed earlier in the walk (at '12').  Continue WSW: Initially climb to a small rock outcrop (at 'RX') near the edge of the flat hilltop, then reach a vehicle track at '37'. Follow the track due west for about 250m to where the track starts to descend steeply toward Emu Brook.  Veer NW off-track (at '38') and descend through wandoo woodland.  Cross a gully and soon after cross Emu Brook (to '39'). Pick an easy way along the banks of the Brook through low shrubs and heath to follow the Brook NW (via '40'). Reach an illegal trail-bikers track above the west bank (at 'TRRK2') and follow it to the junction (at 'TRK1') with the deeply-rutted Powerline Track.  Turn left (west) to follow the 4WD track steeply uphill. At '41', turn right (north) to follow an old vehicle track which soon veers NE to reach Emu Brook gully (at '42') and then NNW (to '6')to follow the west bank of the gully. Continue on the track as it veers westward to the T-junction at '04, retracing a section of the walk covered on the outward journey.  Turn left at '04' to head uphill along the track, but then within several metres turn right to head due west along a vehicle track which bounds a small area of cleared farmland to the south. After about 200m along this W-E track, veer NW off-track (at '43') and head through forest to soon cross Emu Brook (at '44'). Then veer due north and soon meet (at '02') the old vehicle track that was followed on the outward part of the walk. Now simply re-trace that same track back to the great Southern Hwy (at 'TRK') to then return to the start point at The Lakes Roadhouse.