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 Boonerring Hill (in distance on right),

13 kms to SSE of walk area,  July 2003.

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

45 kms SE of Armadale,  down Albany Hwy.

19 kms (88% off-track). Or can be shortened to 12 kms by a 'short-cut' between waypoints 'WTRHLE' and '19A'.

MEDIUM-HARD (full route);

or MEDIUM (shortened route)   (What does this mean?)

Note: The full walk is quite challenging even for experienced walkers, but  the shorter and easier walk options can be selected by the less fit or less experienced walker.

500m (cumulative ascent), or 400m for shortened  route.

YES

See Google Map for start point on road map.

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

To find Start point (see map), follow Albany Hwy south to a vehicle dirt track on left hand side of Albany Hwy and at the southern  end of the Cooke pine plantation. The  track leads almost immediately to an old picnic area located very close to the Highway which provides ample parking area, largely screened from the Highway. (Note: An old water well, Yaganing Well, is located about 200m NE of the Start point near the water course. This would likely have been a watering stop for horses in the early days of travel.)

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 "Serpentine Dam Catchment Area...Drinking Water Source Protection Plan" of 2007.

In east, head east to Albany Highway. In central area follow Old Bibbulmun Track north to reach Solus Road after 6.5 kms, then 0.5km along Solus Road to Albany Hwy. Or head south via Patens Road to reach North East Road after 3-4 kms, then follow North East road to NE to reach Albany Hwy after 4.5 kms.  In west, head west to old forestry track along Serpentine River and  then north via Thorpe Road to reach Solus Road after 3-4 kms, then follow Solus Road approx. north for 2.5 kms to reach Albany Hwy.

/Highlights:

This walk is located in the Monadnocks National Park and traverses two monadnock ridges which are flanked by several large granite outcrops.  The walk features excellent views from the outcrops to Mount Cooke (about 4 kms north), Mount Solus (about 8.5 kms west), and to Boonerring Hill (13 kms SSE). It also crosses feeder streams of the Serpentine River which is just west of the walk area. The forest is mainly open, mixed jarrah-marri with some patches of wandoo.  The terrain is varied and the slopes are quite steep in places. 

Note: Due to the distance and fair amount of uphill walking, the full 19 kms route is fairly strenuous.  Less fit or less experienced walkers will find the shorter 12 kms route a sufficient challenge.

A few short sections of scratchy heath and scrub may be encountered around the outcrops and stream crossings, but these were largely 'opened up' by an extensive prescribed burn carried out by DEC across the area in 2005. By 2008 the area was re-greening, but still showing much evidence of the 2005 burn. It will probably take several more years for the shrublands (One-sided bottlebrush/Calothamnus sp. etc) around the outcrops to recover to their previous more attractive state.  

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

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

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Cross Albany Hwy from the Start point and follow dirt vehicle track to point '2'. Veer approx. south through open forest, cross old forestry track and begin climbing more steeply to reach '3'. Continue quite steeply upslope (views to Mount Cooke) to reach the edge of a rocky ridge at '4'. Veer due west and find a way across the narrow ridge through partly scratchy scrub to reach a steeply west-sloping outcrop below waypt '4A'. Carefully descend the outcrop (avoiding dark, wet slippery patches) waypt '5' to cross a small stream course to the right, partly screened by scrub. Climb gently SW through forest to '6A' near ridge, then veer more southward along the ridge to '6'. Descend gently to SE, partly through heath, to reach a long outcrop at '7' with good local views across a small valley.  Continue SSE along the outcrop to '7A', then gently uphill to reach '8' (approx. southern crest of the ridge), then descend partly through forest to '9' which gives good views across outcrop to distant Boonerring Hill to SSE. Veer WNW around hillside through heath to reach granite outcrop partly covered in large One-sided Bottlebrush shrubs (Calothamnus sp.), but much 'thinned' by the 2005 prescribed burn. Good views west to Mount Solus. Walk westward down the outcrop to cross a stream course and reach '11' in open forest. Follow the stream course and (as a short diversion) cross the stream to point '12', at an outcrop near a small waterfall. Re-cross the stream and  walk SW up the forested hillside to reach a large  west-sloping outcrop at about '12A'.   Walk down the outcrop as far as '13' gaining an excellent view west to Mount Solus. Then walk SE along the granite slope and descend carefully down the steep southern edge to '14' . Cross a stream course and short section of scrub before continuing on outcrop SW to '15'. Then head WNW, cross a minor stream course and re-enter forest after about 200m.  After a further 1 km reach a stream (via '16') and approx. follow the stream course NW, crossing to the west bank near '17' and using animal trails to pass through patches of tall scrub [Update (2008): These sections of shrubland were 'opened up' by DEC's prescribed burn of 2005. By 2008 they were still much easier - though less interesting - to pass through than before the burn.]. Reach a deeper pool at a right hand bend in the stream (at 'WTRHOLE'). [Option at 'WTRHOLE':  From this point, if you prefer the shortened (12 kms) route, take a short-cut to waypt '19A' via '18 and '19'.] If you prefer to follow the full 19 kms route,  then turn due west from 'WTRHOLE', initially through forest (with some wandoo) on pebbly lateritic ground and  across a section of low-lying heathland, to reach a dirt road (Patens Road) and point 'RD2'.  Follow Patens Road westward (via '37A') for about 700m to reach at '52' on the left hand side of the road an old timber loading platform  (from the days when this section of the road was part of a railway formation for timber industry operations). Turn right (approx. north) to leave the road and find a suitable point to re-cross the nearby stream (previously crossed at the bridge). Then head a short distance upslope through forest to reach a small outcrop (at 'RK2'). Cross the outcrop and pick a NE-ward route upslope around boulders and through fairly thick low shrubs to soon re-enter forest. Continue to '52A', then veer due north through a patch of sheoak forest to reach a larger outcrop (at '53') surrounded by heath and shrubland. Walk north along the outcrop, then near the upper slope (at '54') veer NW through a short section of heath, cross another smaller outcrop, and walk along the slope through a short section of forest to reach the start of a large west-sloping outcrop at '55'.  Walk down and along the outcrop via '56' to reach '57'. Pass northward through mainly heath and scrub to cross a small stream course  and reach '58' on the west-sloping outcrop. Climb quite steeply eastward up the outcrop to '58A' (for photo see Windsor Rocks North Walk which overlaps with this route in part), and then veer northward to pass through patches of low scrub and heath, and continuation of the outcrop, to soon re-enter forest. Continue northward, climbing gently toward a broad ridge at '59'. Veer ENE across the ridge and reach an old overgrown vehicle track at '61'. Walk downslope to the start of a long outcrop at '62'. Walk SE along the outcrop via '63' to '64', then veer SSW to soon cross a small area of heathland then re-enter the forest before '65. Then veer sharp left to head SE and climb gently, partly through  Parrot Bush shrubland and light jarrah forest) to near  the crest of a broad ridge at about '65'. Continue SE to soon reach an east-sloping outcrop at '40' with a good view across the valley to the main Windsor Rocks monadnock (and some of the route ahead. For additional photos see Windsor Rocks North Walk). Continue SE down the outcrop and re-enter the forest to reach at '41' an old dirt road (which was also once part of the old Bibbulmun Track) close to a stream course. Follow the old track SSE to '18A' then turn ENE to cross the stream and across a very gentle initial uphill slope which  steepens onto a narrow ridge. Follow the ridge to reach a small outcrop at '19A'.  Walk down the outcrop to cross a small stream course (at 'STRM'). Then continue uphill initiallly through forest along the stream valley to reach '20' on a NW-sloping outcrop.

[Option at '20': If at this point you are tiring and prefer an easier end to the walk rather than tackling the steep climb up the large outcrop to the north: From '20' continue SE-ward upslope to the top of the outcrop. Then veer E-ward, upslope through forest to the ridge '6' and rewalk the outbound route along the ridge to '6A', then head about NE direct to '2', then back to the Start point, bypassing points '5', 4A', '4' and '3'.]

If at '20' you have the stamina to do the full walk, veer NE from '20' using animal tracks to cross a short scrubby section to reach a stream course at about '21'. Then  climb fairly steeply northward up a partly grass- and shrub- covered outcrop via '22' and  '24' to reach the upper rock slope at  '25', with superb panoramic views to Mount Solus and surroundings. Continue NNE along the outcrop and re-enter a short section of forest at '28". Cross a narrow ridge and descend northward through a short section of scratchy heath to reach another outcrop at '29'. Follow the outcrop upslope to the east to '31'. Then walk SE along a fairly steep slope, through another section section of scratchy heath and rocky ground before re-entering open forest. At '32' descend eastward to soon reach a sloping outcrop. Cross  and descend the outcrop to '32A' then veer  NE to cross the dirt road and soon arrive back at the Start point.