Bibbulmun Track

The Route

The Bibbulmun Track is Western Australia's only true long-distance walk trail, stretching from Kalamunda in the north to Albany in the south.

The northern terminus of the Track is on the outskirts of the hills suburb of Kalamunda, 20 km east of Perth in the Darling Range, and is readily accessed by car or bus. (Transperth buses run from the city to a stop near the trailhead. Check with Transperth InfoLine on 13 62 13 (TTY: 9428 1999) for details), Interstate callers: (08) 9428 1900. (Opens in a new browser window.)

From here the trail descends rapidly to Piesse Brook, in Kalamunda National Park, then climbs again to skirt the southern rim of the Helena Valley. It crosses the wall of Mundaring Weir and passes through DECs 'Hills Forest Discovery Centre', a popular trail access point.

Tracing the north-eastern flank of the Helena Reservoir and the Darkin River the Track winds south through mixed Jarrah and Wandoo forest to Mt Dale, a popular picnic spot. South of Mt Dale, the Track crosses Brookton Highway, another popular access point, and soon passes Abyssinia Rock before entering the Monadnocks Conservation Park. Notable features of the Park are Mts Cuthbert, Vincent and Cooke, all of which provide outstanding views. Mt Cooke, at 548 metres, is the highest point in the Darling Range. The relatively rare butter gum or Darling Range ghost gum is to be found on the western slopes of Mts Cuthbert and Cooke.

South of Mt Cooke, the trail parallels Albany Highway, passing through extensive flats of pale barked wandoo before crossing the Highway not far from the North Bannister roadhouse. Boonering Hill provides spectacular 360-degree views, and the White Horse Hills offer rugged peaks, more views and stunning spring wildflowers scattered among jumbled granite and wandoo country.

Mt Wells also provides excellent 360-degree views from the old firetower; including an interesting insight into the workings of some of Australia's largest open pit gold mines. From there the Track traverses mixed jarrah/marri forest into Dwellingup, following the old rail line for the last 15 kilometres into town. Most facilities are available and the town's history is worth investigation, particularly with regard to the 1961 bushfires.

South of the town the Track soon enters the Murray River valley, and parallels the river, on the east side, for some 50 kilometres, before crossing on the historic timber Long Gully Bridge. The Murray is the largest undammed river in the Darling Range, and provides both expansive valley views and tranquil riverside scenery. Soon after leaving the river the Track crosses the Worsley Alumina conveyor bauxite conveyer and from there heads due south through jarrah, marri and wandoo forest to the Harris River flats and on to the Harris River Dam. This popular picnic spot, 15 kilometres north of Collie, provides good access to the Track.

From Collie the trail winds through jarrah forest to the Glen Mervyn Dam and crosses on the dam wall before descending to the tiny settlement of Mumballup, on the Donnybrook/Boyup Brook Road. Beyond, a steep climb through farmland leads to the Noggerup Conservation Park and one of the best stands of virgin jarrah forest in the south west. Indeed, the trail either side of the Lowden-Grimwade Rd displays Western Australia's unique jarrah forest at its best.

The descent to Balingup Brook is steep but the walk along the Brook into Balingup itself is picturesque and rural. South of town the trail climbs through the Golden Valley Tree Park and climbs again to the rim of the Blackwood Valley, and some spectacular views. The first karri trees on the Track are to be found just north of the Brockman Highway, between Bridgetown and Nannup. After crossing Brockman Highway the Track meanders through fairly flat lands clothed in a mix of jarrah and karri forest. The end of the northern half of the Track is reached at the old mill town of Donnelly River Village, also known as Wheatley, nestled in the valley of the river for which it was named.

Beyond Donnelly River Village, the Track follows the Donnelly River for almost 60 km, taking walkers through some of the most spectacular karri/jarrah forests of the south west, while the river itself provides a constant source of delight.

On leaving the Donnelly Valley, the Track turns east and passes through Beedelup National Park, with its beautiful waterfalls, before skirting Big Brook Dam on the way in to Pemberton. A major tourist and timber milling town, Pemberton offers a range of interesting side trips which are sure to satisfy most interests. Just south of town, the Track passes the Gloucester Tree lookout, a challenging climb some 60 metres into the canopy for a biŽd's eye view of the surrounding forest.

The Warren River valley provides more stunning karri forest and river views, while the walk south into Northcliffe offers a wide variety of vegetation and terrain types, including sandy tea-tree flats and farmland. The Northcliffe Forest Park has a rich floral display in late spring, particularly of the various climbing plants which scramble and twine through the understorey in a jumble of colour.

From Northcliffe the trail follows the Gardner River south and then east to Lake Lake Maringup, the second largest freshwater lake in Western Australia. There the Track continues east and crosses the Shannon River at Dog Pool, a lovely camping spot in the karri. Now the terrain changes dramatically and in the 50 km 'north' of Walpole walkers traverse the startling Pingerup Plains, the Woolbale Hills and encounter the ruggedly beautiful south coast for the first time at Mandalay Beach. After passing the wild beaches and cliffs of Long Point and Hush Hush and Lost Beaches the Track joins the Nuyts Wilderness Trail for a distance before crossing the Deep River.

At Mount Clare the massive red tingle trees are encountered for the first time before the Track descends to the small town of Walpole nestled on the edge of the Nornalup Inlet.

Not far beyond Walpole the trail passes Hilltop Lookout, before descending to the Frankland River. Beyond, it climbs to enter the Valley of the Giants and passes the award-winning Tree Top Walk, which offers a remarkable canopy-level experience of the ancient Tingle forests. Soon after, it rejoins the coast at Conspicuous Beach and heads east again with a climb to Conspicuous Cliff and Rame Head. It passes Peaceful Bay, crosses the mouth of Irwin Inlet and through the Quarram Nature Reserve to Boat Harbour, a delightful, sheltered, rocky cove. This section of coast is as wild and rugged as can be found along the Track, and offers challenging but rewarding walking.

From Boat Harbour the Track stays close to the coast, past Point Hillier and across the mouth of the Parry's Inlet. William Bay National Park offers tough beach walking, glorious rock pools and spectacular views from Tower Hill. Not far beyond the Track ascends again, to Monkey Rock and Mt Hallowell, both providing further expansive outlooks over coast and hinterland. Wilson Inlet is reached soon after with Denmark, offering a full range of facilities, only a short side trip away.

The trail crosses Wilson Inlet then follows the shoreline of Wilson Inlet, Nullaki Peninsula before rejoining the coast at Lowlands Beach.

It passes through the wildly beautiful West Cape Howe National Park, descends to the beach at Cosy Corner and traces rugged cliff-tops past Muttonbird Island. The view of Albany across Princess Royal Harbour is a fittingly delightful way to approach the southern terminus, at the old railway station, now the tourist bureau.