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

In mixed jarrah-banksia-sheoak forest,

on ridge NW of Eagle Hill, July 2006.

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More photos.

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of the walk area.

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        Route profile

24kms SE of Armadale along Albany Highway.

16 kms (40% off-track)

MEDIUM   (What does this mean?)

YES, to confidently locate some old forestry tracks and turning points (e.g. when to turn off-track from Bibbulmun Track and Eagle Hill Road) -  but not essential.

See Google Map for start point on road map.

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

Turn left off Albany Hwy into Kinsella Road (gravelled surface) which is about 250m before the Gleneagle Rest area. After 5kms, Kinsella Road crosses Canning River. Continue for 500m to the Marginata Road turn-off on the right. Park at at the 'START' point at the side of Marginata Road just after the turn-off and before the No Entry sign. 

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, the DoW had been persuaded to reconsider its published position. The new Policy of 2012 refrains from banning traditional bushwalking in the outer catchments. 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 DOW's "Canning River Catchment Area Drinking Water Source Protection Plan" of 2007.  

Kinsella Road in west; Bibbulmun Track in east.  South of the Canning River, Scenic Drive (forestry road) connects Bibbulmun Track to Kinsella Road. Eagle Hill Road (disused forestry track) runs from Eagle Hill summit to Kinsella Road, passing the northern edge of Gleneagle Pine Plantation.  

/Highlights:

This walk route lies within the Monadnocks National Park.  It crosses the Eagle Hill (Gleneagle) Walk route (Walk # 11) at two points but the two walks are otherwise quite different. Also for those who prefer less off-track walking, this is the preferred walk for you.

This is an excellent uncomplicated walk route  which uses a combination of old disused forestry tracks, a short section of the Munda Biddi Bike Trail, 3.5kms of the Bibbulmun Track, and about 6.5kms of off-track walking. The walk features an initial visit to Turtle Pool on the Canning River. (Turtle Pool is associated with the Waugal -the mythological Rainbow Serpent of the Nyungars- and the Canning River in general is recognised as being of significance to Nyungars.)  There is then a steady, mainly gentle, off-track climb to the broad NW ridge of Eagle Hill.  Along the ridge the route passes through some fine, virgin jarrah forest then descends to a large granite outcrop before the final climb to the summit area of Eagle Hill (elevation approx. 480m).  Although views from the summit itself are blocked by a thicket of parrot bush, a small outcrop close by on the NE flank provides an excellent view to distant Mount Dale. After descending the eastern flank of Eagle Hill, the route then joins the Bibbulmun Track and follows the Track north, crossing the Canning River by a footbridge.  About 2kms north of the River, the route heads off-track again to soon cross a large outcrop with views back southward to Eagle Hill. Soon after the outcrop a pleasant disused forestry track leads back to the Start point.  

The off-track walking is mainly through open jarrah and marri forest with some sheoak and banksia, plus a very short possibly scratchy section of tall shrubs bordering the northern outcrop.

For overnighters: For those keen to camp overnight in the area: The Canning Campsite (which includes a 3-sided shelter) on the Bibbulmun Track can be reached by staying on the Track for a further 5 km after reaching waypoint '28' on the walk route. Alternatively, you may prefer to stay on  the walk route longer to meet the old forestry track junction at '33', then follow the right-hand track uphill to meet the Bibbulmun Track again (at 'SDTRK') after less than 1 km. Then head initially approx. NE-ward along the Track to reach the Campsite after about 4.5 kms. To finish the walk next morning you can stay on Four Ways Road, which diverts off the Bibbulmun Track (before '40') and meets Marginata Road at '41', about 500m from the Start point.

Controlled burns:   - A 'mosaic' burn is scheduled for Autumn 2010 across the northernmost area of the walk (including Turtle Pool area), west of Kinsella Road. This will affect the walk route between waypoints 'START' & '7'. 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:   Jarrahdale 1:50,000 Sheet 2133-3 (CALM/DOLA, 2001),  plus Kelmscott 1:50,000 Sheet 2133-4 (CALM/DOLA, 2002);

or Kelmscott & Beraking 1:50,000 DEC Conservation Operations Graphic (COG) map series (current) Sheet 2133-4 & 2133-1,

plus Jarrahdale & Yaganing 1:50,000 DEC Conservation Operations Graphic (COG) map series (current) Sheet 2133-3 & 2133-2;

or 1:25,000 sheets: Jarrahdale  2133-III, NE, 1984, plus Kelmscott  2133-IV, SE, 1982  (Dept. of Lands & Survey; Series R811) -available on DVD.

"Forests on Foot (40 walks in W.A.)" by Meney & Brown, 1985, pp.34-40 (Wescolour Press, Fremantle).  Includes two walks in the general area.

'More Family Walks in Perth Outdoors", by CALM, 1994, pp.130-132, includes a mud map and brief description for the Eagle Hill Trail,  a short (3 km return) on-track walk.

Head NE  up Kinsella Road (via waypoint '1') from the Start point. At '2' leave the Road to follow an old overgrown forestry track gently uphill. After only 100m (at '3'), veer left to head WSW uphill and off-track through open forest.  After crossing the flat crestal area of the hill meet another old forestry road (at '4') and turn left to follow it SW-ward downhill. The old road soon veers more westward (at '5') and then meets the Munda Biddi Bike Trail (at '6'). Follow the Trail northward and when it veers off to the right continue on the old forestry track to '6A'. Then descend to the nearby Canning River and  eastern end of Turtle Pool (at 'POOL'). Turtle Pool is a pleasant spot for a short break. Then retrace your steps back to '6' and continue along the Munda Biddi Bike Trail to Kinsella Road (at '7'). Turn right onto Kinsella Road, to cross the Canning River, and follow the road south for 500m.  At '8' turn left to head SE off-track and uphill through the forest. At '9' veer eastward to reach the northern crestal area of the local hilltop at '10'. Then veer approx. SSE across the hilltop and soon descend to a broad saddle area. Continue along the broad ridge which soon starts to rise again to the SE. Cross Scenic Drive (dirt road; at '11') then continue SE and more steeply uphill (still off-track and through open forest).  Veer due south at '12' to continue more gently uphill along the ridge. This section of the walk passes some excellent virgin jarrah forest and mixed jarrah-banksia-sheoak forest. At '13' veer SE again to stay on the ridge.  Cross the flattish lateritic summit area of the hilltop (at '14') then descend SE-ward to reach the edge of a granite outcrop (at '15'). Veer SSE and cross the outcrop, an area of heathland and a small stream gully in a saddle area to reach another larger outcrop (at about '16') which rises to the south. Walk up the slope of the outcrop to '17' which is a pleasant spot to stop for a break and is not far from the halfway mark on the walk. There are pleasant views from here westward toward the Chandler Hills area.  Re-enter the forest at the southern upslope limit of the outcrop (at '18'), then climb SE-ward through the forest to soon reach the ridge again. After reaching the ridge, walk SE along slope to soon meet Eagle Hill Road (old forestry road; at'19').  Follow Eagle Hill Road initially eastward uphill; the Road soon veers SE and flattens as it approaches the summit area of Eagle Hill. Views from the summit area are limited by thickets of parrot bush (Dryandra). At '20', before reaching the end of Eagle Hill Road, turn left off-track to head NE for less than 50m down the NE-flank to reach a small granite outcrop which provides a good view to Mount Dale, 18km NE. Then head eastward, initially along slope, then quite steeply downslope. At '22' veer NE-ward and more gently downhill to meet the Bibbulmun Track (at '23'). Turn left to follow the Track norhward and continuing gently downhill for about 1km to reach the T-junction with Scenic Drive along the southern bank of the Canning River. Follow the Track right, along Scenic Drive, with nice views of the Canning River. After about 200m the Track turns right to leave Scenic Drive and cross Canning River by a footbridge. Continue on the Track for about 2 kms as it continues NNW, initially uphill and around a granite outcrop, then flattens out in the jarrah forest. At '28' turn left to leave the Track and head westward off-track and gently downhill to soon reach a granite outcrop (at '29'). Continue WNW along the outcrop and pick your way (using animal tracks) through a narrow belt of quite dense tall shrubland to reach a continuation of the outcrop (at '30'). As soon as you get clear of the shrubs, head downslope (SW) for less than 100m to reach the open slopes of the outcrop, gaining a good view southward to Eagle Hill. Then head NW along the slope of the outcrop and re-enter the forest (at about '32'). Then head northward gently uphill for about 150m to reach a T-junction (at '33')  between two old disused forestry roads (partly overgrown and indistinct). Ignore the most obvious 'through' road that heads SW-ward and instead follow the initially less distinct one that heads WNW. The old road soon descends to cross a small gully where it becomes quite overgrown with tall shrubs for a short distance. (You can pick a way through the shrubs to stay on the road or alternatively bypass the overgrown section by veering into forest to the left and rejoin the road soon after.) The road then continues (via '34') along slope and then gently downhill, veering NW-ward. At '35' turn left to follow a short connector road downhill to meet Marginata Road (dirt road; at '36').  Then turn left and follow Marginata Road for 100m to get back to the Start point near the corner with Kinsella Road.