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 woodland on laterite breakaway,

2km NNW of Christmas Tree Well,

July 2006.

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More photos.

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       Route profile

64 kms SE of Perth, along Brookton Hwy to Christmas Tree Well picnic area entry road on left (about 700m after Dale Pine Plantation and before Yarra Road).  

16 field kms (90% off-track).

MEDIUM   (What does this mean?)

See Google Map for start point on road map.

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

Follow the entry road to Christmas Tree Well picnic area about 500m off Brookton Highway (signposted on Brookton Highway). Park at the picnic area carpark.

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".

Via Running Brook Road (dirt road) south to Brookton Highway; or in east, south to dirt road skirting Dale Pine Plantation; or in west, west to Beraking Brook Road (dirt road) then south to Brookton Highway.  

/Highlights:

This walk covers more variety in terrain than the Christmas Tree Well Walk to the east, which starts from the same point.  The route initially heads NW over a hill to the Running Brook valley.  Along the way there are good views to Mount Dale (14 km NW) and across the surrounding forest.  There is an interesting mix of open forest, mainly jarrah-marri, but also about 25% picturesque wandoo woodlands.  The route also crosses two sizeable granite slabs, and visits an interesting 'standing granite figure' sculpted by nature.  

Despite the variety in terrain, the slopes are relatively gentle. Expect a few short sections of low scratchy heath. 

Update: DEC had a controlled burn tentatively scheduled for late Spring 2006 for this area (possibly deferred).

Kelmscott & Beraking 1:50,000 CALM Operations Graphics series 2003/2004, Sheet 2133-4 & 2133-1;

or Kelmscott 1:50,000 Sheet (WA Forests Dept., 1984).

"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 25 kms SE of the reservoir. 

Head initially approx. north from the Start point to follow a dirt road  skirting the Dale Pine Plantation on the left. The road veers left and after waypt '1' soon starts climbing gently NW.  After about 750m from the Start point, when the road again veers left (at '2'), leave the road to head northward off-track, gently uphill through a patch of fairly open parrot bush to reach open jarrah forest close to a ridge (at '3').  Veer approx. WNW to walk along the lateritic surface, skirting occasional patches of parrot bush, with the crest of the ridge to your right. After about 400m (at '4') veer NW to head upslope, but still keeping the crest of the ridge to your right. Soon (at '5') veer northward, climbing toward the crest of the ridge and bypassing a valley on your left.  Then veer NNW (at '6') and soon pass through another patch of fairly open parrot bush into open jarrah forest on a lateritic plateau. After about 400m, reach the NW-sloping edge of the plateau, gaining a good view across the forest to Mount Dale. Continue NNW down the gentle slope through low heath, following animal tracks, to reach a  granite slab ('SLB').  Veer westward (left) across the slab (to '7'), then re-enter jarrah forest and continue approx. westward, initially gently downslope. After '8' the slope initially steepens then flattens off into the heath-covered Running Brook valley floor. Reach a cleared area and pass a water storage pond before crossing a small culvert (at 'BDGE') on Running Brook to join Running Brook Road (dirt road; at 'RD').  Turn right to follow the road northward for about 300m. Then leave the road to head NW off-track and gently upslope through the forest (possibly following a nearby old forestry track if preferred). At '9' veer NNW to climb very gently along the slope to reach a ridge (at about '9A'). Veer westward and descend very gently across a lateritic slope through wandoo woodland, crossing a forestry road (at 'RDX'), to reach a stream course (at '10'). Follow the valley floor westward (upstream; via '11') through open wandoo woodland, then turn right (northward) after 700m (at '11A') and head gently uphill through jarrah forest to meet another forestry road (at 'RD-2').  Follow the road NE for 400m, onto a broad ridge. Then (at 'RD-3') leave the road and head approx. NNE gently downhill through heath to reach an eastward-sloping granite slab ('SLB2'). Turn left (WNW) to cross patches of heath and very soon reach a larger NE-sloping granite slab (at '12').  Follow the outcrop very gently downslope for about 100m.  Then veer left (NNW) to leave the outcrop and cross open heathland for about 400m to reach the floor of a side valley and wandoo woodland.  Turn right to follow the approximate stream course NE.  Soon cross an old forestry road (at 'OLD-RD'), then head NNE gently upslope to reach a broad ridge (at '15'; this is at the approximate half-way point on the walk).  Veer NE along the ridge to reach a small north-sloping granite outcrop (at'RK5'). Head SE from the outcrop through a stand of sheoaks along the rocky NE-flank of the low ridge,  passing a 'standing rock figure' (at 'SDGRK'). Soon (at '15A') veer ESE to follow the broad ridge through open jarrah forest and then wandoo woodland, to re-cross Running Brook Road (at 'RD4'). Then pick an easy route via animal tracks across the low rushes and through the narrow belt of swamp paperbarks along the nearby Running Brook stream course. Then continue SE, initially across the bare sandy valley floor and then gently uphill through open wandoo woodland, climbing (or skirting) a low laterite breakaway after about 800m. Soon after pass two granite boulders surrounded by zamia palms) at 'BLDRS', then veer right (SSE) to cross an old forestry road and climb gently to a very broad low ridge.  Continue SSE (via '16') in jarrah forest.  Cross an old forestry road (at '17') in a gentle saddle and then veer ESE to climb gently up a broad ridge through jarrah forest. At '18A' veer SSE to continue up the ridge and soon enter wandoo woodland. At '18A' you have a choice of either a) continuing 50m up the ridge to '20' as a short-cut, or b) you can take the longer (by 500m) but more rewarding option of a short return detour (via '18B' and '19') to the SW to explore some very picturesque woodland and views along the NE-sloping hillside. At '20' head eastward through woodland near the upper edge of the lateritic slope, then descend through heath to a small granite outcrop (near '21'), gaining good view northward across the forest. Then veer SE, climbing gently across open heathland onto the broad, flattish hill-top. Continue (via '22') SE and climb gently and enter wandoo woodland along the summit area ('SMT') of the hill.  Continue down the steeper SE ridge.  The slope flattens off after about 400m. At '23' veer right and head south to SSW (via '24') across very gentle terrain before descending more steeply to '25'. Then veer due south (via '1') to get back to the Start point at the picnic area.