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

View to Lake CY O'Connor

from North Ledge Lookout, Aug. 2005.

Click on photo for larger version.

More photos.

Click here

for larger frame 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

40 kms E of Perth (road distance).

13.5 (-15.5) field kms (0-10% off-track)

(or see 10 km short walk option)

EASY (- MEDIUM)   (What does this mean?)

400m (cumulative ascent)

NO, but useful for the short (1.2 km) off-track section of the walk.

See Google Map for start point on road map.

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

1) Via Mundaring village: Follow Great Eastern Hwy to Mundaring, then turn right into Nichol Street and follow Mundaring Weir signs. Approx. 7 kms down Mundaring Weir Rd turn left into Allen Rd at the round-about and follow for less than 1 km, then turn right into the carpark at the Perth Hills National Parks Centre (the Start Point).

2) Via Kalamunda: Great Eastern Hwy (and Bypass) and Kalamunda Rd to Kalamunda township, then follow Mundaring Weir Rd past the Weir and turn right into Allen Rd at the round-about and follow to the carpark as above.

May 2012 update: See note below on the impact on the walk route (and Bibbulmun Track) of closure of Mundaring Weir wall access from 14 May to 9 November 2012.

Various dirt roads and trails  including North Ledge Rd, Pipe Rd, Bibbulmun Track, South Ledge Rd, etc (see map).

Main features

/Highlights:

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.

"Local Tracks & Trails Guide": Perth Hills National Parks Centre.

Bibbulmun Track Maps: Map 1 Darling Range (1:75,000) and Darling Range Day Walk Map Pack (DEC).

Munda Biddi Bike Trail maps (DEC).

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

or Mundaring & Chidlow 1:50,000 CALM Operations Graphics series 2003/2004 (and later), Sheet 2134-3 & 2134-2;

or Mundaring 1:25,000 2134-III, SE sheet (Dept. of Lands & Survey, 1983; Series R811) -available on DVD.

For other general information also check at:

DEC's Perth Hills National Parks Centre (formerly 'The Hills Forest Discovery Centre'), on Allen Road, off Mundaring Weir Road.

The Centre offers excellent camping (small fee) and picnic facilities, plus toilets and showers, etc.

The visitor information service is open 7 days per week: ph. 08 92952244.

DEC's Mundaring District Office: Open 8am-5pm Monday to Friday, ph. 08 92959100. 

DEC's site also provides an outline of the facilities within the National Park.

"Mundaring (now Beelu) National Park - Park Guide" by DEC (undated pdf; 377KB) -a very basic outline only.

History: Brief summary of the history of Mundaring Weir and current facilities (Water Corporation).

No. 1 Pump Station (C.Y. O'Connor Museum): Open 10am-4pm Wednesday to Sunday and public holidays (except Christmas Day, Good Friday and month of February; ph. 08 93216018).

A brief history of the Mundaring Weir Hotel.

Summary of the current 'Golden Pipeline' project (The National Trust).

Conservation: Carnaby's Black-Cockatoo Recovery Project (2002-2012).

Other track information: Information is available from various sources for several trails in the area including:

   -Bibbulmun Track

   -Kattamordo Heritage Trail

   -Portagabra Track

   -Paten's Brook Track

   -O'Connor Trail

   -Weir Walk

   -Munda Biddi Bike Trail

   -Mundaring Loop Bike Trail, and

   -Kep Track.

Some useful sources:

DEC's Perth Hills National Parks Centre (see above) -including "Local Tracks & Trails Guide".

"A Guide to the Bibbulmun Track, Northern Half, Kalamunda to Donnelly River Village" by Department of Conservation and Land Management (CALM) 2002, 2nd ed.

"Heritage Trail - Kattamordo". 1998;  a pamphlet by the Heritage Council. - Provides an excellent 22 page overview of the interesting history along this 27 km trail.

The trail name Kattamordo replaced the Council's earlier, incorrect spelling of the trail name as Kattamorda which is still often used.  See WalkGPS Google Map showing start and end points of the Trail plus a few approx. waypoints.

"Swan Valley and Perth Hills Trails Discovery Guide", Eastern Metropolitan Regional Council ('EMRC'). 2005. - This is an excellent booklet with maps and notes summarising 41 mainly short on-track walks in Shires of Kalamunda and Mundaring and City of Swan. It has been withdrawn from public sale but a copy can be viewed at the State Library of WA (book Call Ref. # 919.411 SWA).

Sections of the  following trails in the ERMC Guide are included within the route described here (but in the reverse direction in part):

Dell to South Ledge Walk:8km (pp.41-42),

O'Connor Trail: 5.3km (pp.58-59),   

Weir Walk: 1.9km (pp.60-61),

Mundaring Loop Bike Trail (p.54 & 57).

The O'Connor Trail and Weir Walk can be combined into a single 'figure-of-eight' walk of 7.2km.

The ERMC Guide also includes brief summaries (including additional information sources) for :

Bibbulmun Track (p.7 & 9), and

Munda Biddi Bike Trail (pp.7-8).

Update (Oct. 2010): Disregard waypoints '2', '2A', 'CALM2' & 'PARK' of the initial 500m segment of original WalkGPS route. (That initial segment is now obsolete due to the construction of a new water treatment depot on the north side of Allen Road.) The notes below include the updated initial route segment. The change does not affect the total walk distance.

From the Start point at the Perth Hills National Parks Centre carpark, walk NW-ward back down Allen Road (about 400m) to the roundabout at the junction with Mundaring Weir Rd. Cross to the Kep Track (and Munda Biddi Bike Trail) and follow it NE-ward for about 100m to locate a foot-track that enters Fred Jacoby Park. Then head downhill (NNW-ward) through the Park to waypoint ‘3’. Cross the small landscaped stream (Bending Gully) which runs through the Park, then climb the slope on the other side of the stream, initially crossing a dirt road then a grassed slope to soon reach (at ‘BDGE’) a footbridge which crosses the Goldfields Pipeline.  Continue westward on a dirt road through Devenish Pine Plantation. After about 400m (near ‘5’), this dirt road merges with North Ledge Rd.  Continue westward around the hillside on North Ledge Rd which soon soon enters jarrah forest (near ‘6’).  The dirt road starts climbing and crosses an old N-S track (at ‘7’; That side-track runs southward downhill past the YHA Hostel to meet Mundaring Weir Rd). The road continues to climb to about ‘8’, then flattens.  At ‘9’ follow the loop road on the left which leads to the North Ledge Lookout (at ‘LKOUT’) which is at the top edge of the 'breakaway' slope, with nice stands of wandoo and an excellent view SE-ward to Lake CY O’Connor. From the Lookout continue around the loop road (and past public toilet) to rejoin North Ledge Rd (at '10'). Turn left to follow North Ledge Rd across its highest point. The road soon becomes very rutted (after '11') as it leads steeply down into Bourkes Gully. (See  alternative off-track route Option 1 below if you prefer to avoid this section).  If the stream is in flow along the Gully, it is worth taking a very short (few metres) diversion off to the left (from 'FALLS') through the shrubs to view the nearby small falls which you will hear from the road. The road then begins rising steeply out of the Gully, but after only 100m reaches an old  vehicle track junction (at '11A').  A short initial section of a vehicle track which previously formed the left branch of this junction has recently been heavily dug up and trenched to block all vehicles (including 4WD) and also to restore vegetation and stop deep erosion from water runoff.  Locate and follow this old vehicle track to head southward and downhill, soon recrossing Bourkes Gully again (at '12').

Option 1 (from '11' to '12'): If you prefer a short section of off-track walking instead of walking on the partly steep and rutted road, you can avoid this road section as follows:  Veer left  at '11', to head off-track and approx. due west to pick a route across a partly heath-covered outcrop and across a small cascade in Bourkes Gully to meet the N-S dirt road at '12').

From '12',  continue southward on the dirt road (via '13').  The road descends into the Helena River valley and meets Pipe Rd (and the Munda Biddi Bike Trail) at '13A'. (The road follows the water pipelines which run down the valley between Mundaring Weir and the Lower Helena Pipehead Dam.) Turn right and follow Pipe Rd and the Munda Biddi Trail for 1.6 kms (via '14', '14A') to '15' where the Munda Biddi Trail branches off to the left (westward) to leave Pipe Rd. Follow the Munda Biddi Trail, which initially crosses the Helena River at a very shallow ford.  Less than 100m past the River crossing (at '16'), when the Trail starts to head uphill, veer sharp left to head southward, off-track through the forest and across heathland  up a picturesque side valley (or see Option 2 below). After about 200m, veer slightly eastward to meet a stream and then follow it southward along its west bank, passing a small waterfall which flows across a dark-coloured dolerite 'dyke'. At '17' cross the stream  to head SE-ward (or see Option 3 below), quite steeply uphill (via '18') through mixed wandoo and jarrah forest.  Continue around the edge of a small but steepish granite slab and veer eastward (to '19' which is approximately the halfway point on the walk.), then SE-ward through patches of heath and across granite outcrops, gaining  some very nice views across Helena valley.  Meet the Bibbulmun Track at 'TRN'.

Option 2 (from '16' to 'TRN'): If you prefer to avoid this short (1.2 km) off-track section of the walk route, simply continue uphill on the Munda Biddi Trail at '16', and stay on the Trail when it veers SSE and crosses a ridge and gully to eventually meet the Bibbulmun Track (only about 300m east of Hewett's Hill Campsite). Follow the Bibbulmun Track, initially SE-ward. Just after the Track crosses a stream at '40B', the Munda Biddi Trail diverges southward. Stay on the Bibbulmun Track, heading NE to 'TRN'. This on-track option lengthens the total walk by about 2 kms (i.e. to total 15.5 kms).

Option 3 (from '17' to 'TRN'): If the stream is flowing well at ‘17’ (or to bypass the steepest section of the route between ‘17’ and ’18’) you may prefer to continue southward (staying mainly on the west bank), to follow the stream course gently up the narrow valley.  Veer SSE after about 600m to follow the left fork of the stream.  Follow the granite outcrops on the west bank and meet the Bibbulmun Track after a further 300m (at about ‘40B’; only about 600m east of Hewett's Hill Campsite). Then turn left to follow the Track initially uphill and NE to rejoin the route at ‘TRN’. This optional diversion misses some views, but passes several more small waterfalls where the stream crosses granite outcrops.This option lengthens the total walk by about 1 km.

From 'TRN', follow the Bibbulmun Track SE-ward (via '21' to '25') around the southern 'lip' of the Helena valley, again gaining good views across the valley and to Mundaring Weir. This section crosses the Kattamordo Heritage Trail at '23A' and a stream at '24'. The Track passes close (after '25') to the South Ledge Rd and picnic area (with nearby toilets) and then veers north through stands of wandoo to the Golden View (South Ledge) Lookout .  The Lookout ('GOLDVU') offers a great view up the Helena valley to the historic No. 1 Pump Station (CY O'Connor Museum) with its impressive 41.5m chimney (dating to 1902) and to Mundaring Weir, only 800m from the Lookout 'as the crow flies'.  Continue on the Bibbulmun Track (via '26'-'33') through mixed jarrah and marri forest.  After '31' the track veers northward and descends to meet Mundaring Weir Rd (at 'BIBBTR').  Cross the road and turn left to reach the small carpark and toilets (at '34') at the south end of the Weir wall. (See May 2012 update.) Cross the wall (or see Option 4 below) to the north end (at 'ENDAM') then turn left to continue on the Bibbulmun Track (via '35') initially along an old railway formation.

Option 4 (from '34' to '35'): This is a short diversion to visit the No. 1 Pump Station ('C.Y. O’Connor Museum’) below the Weir wall. From '34', descend past the toilets and through a carpark, then down steps and along concrete path to cross a footbridge ('FTBDGE') over the overflow stream (Helena River).  Turn left to visit the nearby Pump Station ('MUSM'). From there head toward the  Weir wall, up the steps, then toward the Weir wall again. Turn left to follow a 'Weir Walk' trail  direction marker onto a zigzag railway formation which curves around the hillside to merge with the Bibbulmun Track (at about '35').

After '35', pass granite outcrops on the right and soon climb some steps in the granite. Follow the pipeline then cross a metal bridge to the NW side and continue along the pipeline to Mundaring Weir Hotel ('HOTEL'). Cross Hall Rd and pass the Mundaring Weir Gallery on the left to follow the trail (Bibbulmun Track & O'Connor Trail) along the old railway formation and next to the Goldfields pipeline.  Cross Weir Village Rd, and at '36' follow the trail up the hill to a track junction at '37' and continue on the trail (partly a vehicle track) and then descend to a lookout platform (at approx. 'LKOUTN') with good views over the Weir and back to Golden View Lookout across the Helena valley. Continue on the trail through lovely jarrah forest (which again partly follows old vehicle tracks). Soon after '39' cross a small ridge to reach the rear area of the Perth Hills National Parks Centre. Follow a path through the Centre to return to the Start point at the carpark.