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

Wandoo tree trunks east

 of Connelly Creek, July 2004.

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More photos.

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of the walk area.

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          Route profile

105 kms SE of Perth.

17.5 field kms (75% off-track)

(or can be shortened to approx. 15 kms by simple variation (on track from waypoint '12' to '13B', bypassing section in eastern area).

MEDIUM   (What does this mean?)

240m (cumulative ascent)

YES

See Google Map for start point on road map.

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

Follow Brookton Highway for 87 kms from Albany Hwy, then turn off at Gartrell Rd (gravel road on right, about 10 kms past Beverley Westdale Rd turnoff), continuing on Strange Rd (dirt road), then Simmons Rd (on left, dirt road). -Total of 10.5 kms of gravel/dirt road from Brookton Hwy to Start point. Follow Simmons Rd to reach the NW corner of the Park which is indicated by a sign on the left at the start of the bushland.  Park here, at Start point. (No facilities.)

Escape route/s :

Perimeter Rd (dirt road) runs approx. west-east through the centre of the walk area and connects to Simmons Rd in west by 1.2 kms of dirt road along the park boundary.  East Rd (dirt road) runs approx. north-south through the walk area, intersecting with Perimeter Rd and meeting Youngs Rd (dirt road) in the south.     

Main features

/Highlights:

This walk is within the Lupton Conservation Park (area 9327ha, declared in 1976).  Similar to the nearby smaller Boyagin Nature Reserve (less than 20 kms east), and the  Dryandra Woodland (about 50 kms southeast), this is another 'island' of remnant bushland within the wheatbelt east of the Darling Range.  Unlike Boyagin and Dryandra, this Park is not well known and is much less visited.  The terrain is generally very gentle. -This is definitely not your area if you are seeking large granite outcrops, rugged terrain and views, but is an especially good area for wildflower displays in spring, with mainly easy walking through some of the most  picturesque open wandoo woodlands in the region, rivalling those at Dryandra. The woodlands are at their best on the lateritic slopes around the feeder gullies of  Connelly Creek in the SW and Sherlock Gully in the north.

Thick heath/shrublands, cover some of the lateritic hilltops (including the Luptons summit area) and can be well worth visiting during the spring flowering. However they also often include dense patches of 'Pingle' (Dryandra squarrosa) and are mainly avoided by this walk route. 

Shorter walk option: The route can be easily adjusted to give a shortened walk of approx. 15 kms, bypassing the eastern section by taking a short cut north along East Rd (dirt road) directly from waypoint '12' to '13B'.

Additional maps :

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:   Luptons & Youraling 1:50,000 DEC Conservation Operations Graphic (COG) map series (current) Sheet 2233-3 & 2233-2;

or Luptons 1:50,000 Sheet 2233-III (DOLA, 1992).

Other background references :

"Exploring Wheatbelt Woodlands" by Mike Bamford, 1995 (CALM), provides a good introduction to the flora and fauna of  remnant woodlands in the region.

Head south from the Start point (at the Lupton Park sign) on the Park boundary road, with farmland to your right. After 1.2 kms, meet the junction with Perimeter Rd (at  waypoint '1') and continue south for a further 400m to where the boundary road turns right (at '2'). Then veer SE and off-track through initially fairly open forest  (to '2A'). Skirt around the edge of tall heath/shrubland (mainly 'Pingle'), and follow kangaroo trails across a broad ridge (to '2B'). Veer SW and when the shrubland thickens (for about 250m), you will find an easy way through by finding kangaroo trails to follow through the denser patches. Reach a stream gully in open woodland (at 'GULLY'). Follow the gully for a short distance, then continue SW and reach a narrow ridge (at '2C'). Veer approx. south through woodland (via '3'and RIDGE'). On reaching '4', close to Connelly Creek, veer SE to climb gently through open woodland.  Then (at '4A') head approx. southward to reach a vehicle track (at 'TRK')  which follows Connelly Creek course (probably dry).  Follow the  track along the Creek for less than 400m (to '4B'). Then turn left (ENE) to climb uphill through a thicket of Rock Sheoak and across one or two very small, flat granite outcrops to reach a gentle ridge. At '5', turn right (SE) to follow the ridge gently uphill through attractive open woodland (via '6' and '7').  This is a pleasant spot for an early rest stop/morning tea. Then veer approx. SE around the hillside  (via '8') to bypass the prickly dryandra shrubland upslope.  Pass through recently burnt, very open woodland to reach a side gully and dirt road east of Connelly Creek (at 'RD2'). Head approx. eastward along the northern flank of the gully, initially through forest, and soon emerge onto near-flat, open heathland (with abundant low Scrub sheoak).  Continue east (via '9') and gently upslope to re-enter wandoo woodland with an understorey of balgas (grass trees).  On the broad ridge top (near '10') veer left (due north) to  '11'.  Then veer approx. NE to meet and then follow East Road northward (via  'RD3). When East Road begins to veer to the left (at '12'), head approx. NE and off-track to reach a broad open stream valley (at '12A'). Follow the valley floor approx. NE. The initially undefined stream course soon starts to form a gully. The gully veers more eastward at '12B'. This is about the halfway point on the walk and is a reasonable spot for a lunch break. Then climb gently NE away from the gully through open, mixed jarrah-wandoo forest to reach a low ridge at '12C'.  Continue NE to reach the west side of a N-S gully. Turn left to head northward up the gentle valley. Cross Perimeter Road (at 'RD').  Then follow the saddle floor as it begins sloping gently off to the north through tall shrubland of Pingle (via '12E'). A well worn kangaroo trail provides an easy way through. Cross a small side gully (at about '12F'), then veer NW to almost immediately cross the deep, main gully (which is a feeder to Sherlock Gully to the north). Continue NW though very attractive open wandoo  woodland flanking the edge of a laterite breakaway upslope to the SW.  At '12G' veer westward and soon descend gently to cross a shallower gully. Continue approx. westward, avoiding patches of denser heath where necessary.  At '13A' veer approx. SW and very soon meet East Road (at 'RD4'). Follow East Road southward for about 250m, climbing quite steeply uphill past tall shrubland (mainly Pingle/Dryandra squarrosa) to reach a prominent laterite breakaway and open woodland. At '13B', just past the crest of the breakway, turn right (westward) and off-track through low heath and woodland. Cross a small gully (near '13C') then veer NW to '14' bypassing patches of denser shrubland or following animal trails where necessary.  Then veer westward to reach the edge of the shrubland  at '15'. Descend the lateritic slope NNW to the gully floor at '15A'. Follow the stream gully for a short distance, then continue NNW through woodland and just downslope from a laterite breakaway to the west. At '16, veer westward to follow a small side valley upstream. At '17', where the woodland gives way to quite dense, tall heathland, locate a well worn kangaroo trail which heads NW. Follow this trail through the heathland for about 250m to reach a dirt road at the Park boundary (at '18'), bordering farmland. Follow the dirt road west for  1.7 kms to get back to the Start point.