2005044 hills forest magpaper - Department of Environment and ...

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Avon Valley areaAvon Valley National ParkAvon Valley National Park is a 4500-ha reserveand features forests and granite outcrops,panoramic views over the Avon Valley, and thechance to see a wide variety of wildflowers,birds and wildlife. The Avon River flows inwinter and spring over spectacular rapids.Where is it? 80 km north-east of Perth viaToodyay Road. Turn left onto Morangup Roadand left onto Quarry Road. A self-registrationentry station is located near this point.Travelling time: 1 hr from Perth.Fees: Entry and camping fees apply.What to do: Bushwalking, picnicking,canoeing, wildlife observation, and bushcamping (by arrangement with the parkranger).Facilities: Wood barbecues (bring your ownwood), shaded picnic areas, toilets.Best seasons: Autumn, winter, spring.Major sites within the park: Bald Hill, ValleyCampsite, Homestead Campsite, Cec BarrowsCampsite (group camping only).Walyunga National ParkWalyunga National Park is almost 1800 ha insize and it is here that the Avon River becomesthe Swan River, running through the centre ofthe park. The valley sides show outcrops ofgranite with the occasional darker doleriteshowing. The vegetation within the park variesfrom flooded gums on the valley floor to areasof wandoo, marri, powderbark and jarrah. Thepark was once the location of one of the largestAboriginal camps near Perth and was still usedby the Nyoongar people in the late 1800s.Where is it? 40 km north-east of Perth alongthe Great Northern Highway.Travelling time: 1 hr from Perth.Fees: Entry and camping fees apply.What to do: Bushwalking, picnicking, canoeing,wildlife observation and bush camping (byarrangement with the park ranger).Facilities: Gas barbecues, shaded picnic areas,toilets, walktrails.Best seasons: Autumn, winter and spring.Major sites within the park: Boongarrup Pool,Walyunga Pool.Walktrails within the park: Echidna Trail –10.6 km, Kangaroo Trail – 4 km,Kingfisher Trail – 8.5 km, Syd’s Rapids – 5.2 km.Mundaring/Kalamunda areaCanning National ParkLocated between Brookton Highway and theCanning Reservoir this 2500-ha park is mainlyjarrah forest and forms an important watercatchment area for the reservoir. CanningNational Park has high conservation values asmany flora and fauna species are located withinits boundaries and adjacent areas. Included inthe park is the Boulder Rock picnic area.LesleyWhere is it? 47 km from Perth along BrooktonHighway.Travelling time: 1 hr.Fees: Not applicable.What to do: Picnicking, bushwalking, wildlifeobservation.Facilities: Wood barbecues (bring your ownwood), toilet, picnic area.Best season: Late autumn, winter and spring.Gooseberry Hill National ParkThis hilly, 33-ha reserve has magnificent viewsof the Swan Coastal Plain. A one-way scenicdrive, known as the Zig-Zag, leads downhillthrough the park and provides amazingphotography and birdwatching opportunities.Zig-ZagWhere is it? 16 km from Perth. Take GooseberryHill Road, turn left into Williams Street/LascellesParade.Travelling time: 30 min from Perth.Fees: Not applicable.What to do: Photography, birdwatching, scenicdrive or walk down the Zig-Zag.Facilities: None.Best seasons: Autumn, winter and spring.Statham’s QuarryWhere is it? 18 km from Perth. Turn onto ScottStreet (off Great Eastern Highway) and then leftinto Helena Valley Road and right into RidgehillRoad.Travelling time: 30 min from Perth.Fees: Not applicable.What to do: Photography, birdwatching,abseiling/rock climbing (authorised groups only).Facilities: Toilets.Best seasons: Autumn, winter and spring.Greenmount National ParkA 56-ha park of marri, jarrah and wandoo foreston the slope of Greenmount Hill, overlookingPerth and the Swan Coastal Plain.Mountain QuarryWhere is it? 16 km from Perth. Turn onto ScottStreet (off Great Eastern Highway) and then leftonto Coulston Road.Travelling time: 30 min from Perth.Fees: Not applicable.What to do: Photography, birdwatching,abseiling/rock climbing (authorised groups only).Facilities: Toilets.Best seasons: Autumn, winter and spring.Greenmount LookoutWhere is it? Padbury Road. Turn ontoDarlington Road (off Great Eastern Highway)and then onto Oxley Road and Padbury Road.Travelling time: 30 min from Perth.Fees: Not applicable.What to do: Photography, birdwatching.Facilities: None.Best seasons: Autumn, winter and spring.Helena National ParkLocated to the east of Lake C Y O’Connor, this8000-ha park includes the popular recreationsite of Mount Dale, which provides 360-degreeviews over State forest and national park areas.The Bibbulmun Track travels through the park asit heads south towards Albany.Mount DaleWhere is it? Follow Brookton Highway fromKelmscott for 47 km. Turn left into AshendonRoad and then turn right into Dale Road (6 km).Follow Dale Road to Mount Dale.Travelling time: 1 hr 20 min.Fees: Not applicable.What to do: Picnicking, bushwalking, wildlifeobservation.Facilities: Wood barbecues (bring your ownwood), toilet, picnic area, wildlife viewing hide.Best season: Late autumn, winter and spring.John Forrest National ParkOriginally declared as a conservation reserve in1898, John Forrest is WA’s oldest national park.The visitor area contains a tavern and tearooms,cultivated gardens of native plants and a barbecuearea. The rest of the park is largely undevelopedand is home to a variety of plant communitiesand wildlife. Several walktrails run throughvarious parts of the park including the RailwayReserve Heritage Trail, which follows thealignment of the old railway line to York. Visitorscan walk through the only railway tunnel in WA— the Swan View Tunnel. The Eagle View WalkTrail is a 15-km bushwalking circuit that leads tosome of the park’s less explored areas.Mahogany Creek and Jane Brook run throughthe valley in John Forrest, providing spectacularwaterfalls during winter and early spring. Thetwo main waterfalls are Hovea Falls andNational Park Falls.Where is it? 26 km east of Perth via the GreatEastern Highway through Midland.Travelling time: 30 min from Perth.Fees: Entry fees apply.What to do: Bushwalking, picnicking, wildlifeobservation, photography, mountain bike riding(Railway Reserve Heritage Trail).Facilities: Electric barbecues, toilets, water, kiosk.Best seasons: Autumn, winter and spring.4
Kalamunda National ParkKalamunda National Park is 375-ha and isnotable for its diversity of plants and animals.Piesse Brook runs through the park and the slopesof the valley are covered with open woodland ofjarrah, marri, wandoo and buttergum.Where is it? 25 km east of Perth. FromKalamunda take Mundaring Weir Road, then turnonto Hummerston Road and Schipp Road.Travelling time: 40 min from Perth.Fees: Not applicable.What to do: Bushwalking, wildlife observation,photography.Facilities: None.Best seasons: Autumn, winter and spring.Lesmurdie Falls National ParkThe Lesmurdie Brook flows through the centre ofthe park and tumbles over the sheer face of theDarling Scarp to fall 50 m to the coastal plain. Inwinter the waterfalls pour over the stream’sgranite bedrock.Where is it? 22 km east of Perth via WelshpoolRoad. Turn left into Falls Road from LesmurdieRoad.Travelling time: 30 min from Perth.Fees: Not applicable.What to do: Bushwalking, wildlife observation,photography, picnicking.Facilities: Barbecues, toilets, water.Best seasons: All year.Pickering Brook National ParkLocated around the townsites of Karragullen andPickering Brook, this 6000-ha park is popular forbushwalking. The Munda Biddi Trail and theKattamorda Heritage Trail travel through partsof this park.Where is it? Canning Road and Pickering BrookRoad, Pickering Brook.Travelling time: 45 min from Perth.Fees: Not applicable.What to do: Bushwalking, mountain bikeriding.Facilities: None.Best seasons: Autumn, winter and spring.Mundaring National ParkSituated to the west of Mundaring Weir Road inthe Shires of Kalamunda and Mundaring, this3000-ha park includes the popular recreationsites of Fred Jacoby Park, North Ledge, FarrellGrove and South Ledge. Golden View lookout,located at South Ledge, provides panoramicviews over Lake C Y O’Connor, the Helena RiverValley and the Mundaring Weir.Fred Jacoby ParkThis landscaped park is planted with trees frommany parts of the world, including one of thelargest English oak trees in WA. The park ispopular for family gatherings and weddings.Where is it? 37 km from Perth on MundaringWeir Road.Travelling time: 45 min from Perth.Fees: Not applicable.What to do: Bushwalking, picnicking, wildlifeobservation, photography.Facilities: Wood barbecues (bring your ownwood), shaded picnic areas, toilets.Best seasons: All year.South LedgeThe South Ledge picnic area is surrounded byjarrah forest and a short walktrail leads to theGolden View lookout which provides spectacularviews over the Helena Valley, Lake C Y O’Connorand Mundaring Weir.Where is it? 40 km from Perth on MundaringWeir Road.Travelling time: 1 hr from Perth.Fees: Not applicable.What to do: Bushwalking, picnicking, wildlifeobservation, photography.Facilities: Wood barbecues (bring your ownwood), shaded picnic areas, toilets, on-siteinterpretation.Best seasons: All year.Mundaring Weir Road picnic sitesAlong Mundaring Weir Road between Mundaringand Kalamunda are several small picnic sites setamong the jarrah forest. These sites includePimelia Mycumbene, Grevillea Mycumbene, NorthLedge, Farrell Grove, Gungin Gully and The Dell.Travelling time: 1 hr from Perth.Fees: Not applicable.What to do: Bushwalking, picnicking, wildlifeobservation, photography.Facilities: Wood barbecues (bring your ownwood), shaded picnic areas, toilets.Best seasons: Autumn, winter and spring.The Hills Forest Discovery CentreLocated in Mundaring National Park is The HillsForest Discovery Centre — home to CALM’spopular Nearer to Nature and EcoEducationprograms. Nearer to Nature providesopportunities for locals and visitors to take partin unique, engaging guided activities at a rangeof natural environments in and around Perth,including The Hills Forest Discovery Centre.Where is it? Allen Road, Mundaring. TakeMundaring Weir Road from Mundaring andAllen Road is on the left at the roundaboutabout 6 km from Mundaring.Travelling time: 45 min from Perth.Fees: Apply to guided activities and camping.What to do: Guided activities, camping,bushwalking, picnicking, wildlife observation,photography.Facilities: Toilets.Best seasons: All year.Weir View WalkThis 2 km walktrail starts at The Hills ForestDiscovery Centre and takes you through amixture of jarrah and marri forests, with someareas of wandoo woodland. The trail leads to asmall viewing platform overlooking Lake C YO’Connor and the Mundaring Weir. The walktakes around one hour to complete.The Hills Forest Discovery Centre CampgroundLocated adjacent to the discovery centre, thiscampground has been designed to cater for allgroups of people. The sites are set among jarrahand marri trees and provide a sense of being inthe forest. The campground kitchen has electricbarbecues, power, water and fridge. Bookingsare required for the campground and can bemade through the office at The Hills ForestDiscovery Centre.Patens Brook CampsitePatens Brook Campsite is a walk-in onlycampsite because it is located within a DiseaseRisk Area. A 5 km walk through jarrah and marriforest leads you to the campsite, which is setalongside a small winter flowing creek. Thiscampsite is for use by groups only and bookingsare required. Bookings can be made through theoffice at The Hills Forest Discovery Centre.Wandoo National ParkSituated between Great Southern Highway andBrookton Highway this 44,000-ha national parkfeatures areas of wandoo forest and graniteoutcrops. The Mount Observation RecreationSite is situated off Great Southern Highwayabout 80 km from Perth via The Lakes.Mount ObservationWhere is it? 80 km from Perth along the GreatEastern Highway to The Lakes, then along GreatSouthern Highway. Turn right at the signs onCatchment Road and follow the gravel road forabout 1.5 km.Traveling time: 90 min from Perth.Fees: Not applicable.What to do: Bushwalking, picnicking, wildlifeobservation, photography.Facilities: Wood barbecues (bring your ownwood), shaded picnic areas, wildlife viewinghide, toilets.Best seasons: Late autumn, winter and spring.Serpentine/Jarrahdale areaSerpentine National ParkSerpentine National Park is on the DarlingScarp, the western edge of a huge, titledancient plateau. Past weathering has resulted indistinct landscapes of lateritic uplands, minorand major valleys, and abrupt scarps. TheSerpentine River contributes to the landscapewith the steep slopes of the river valley andgranite outcrops giving rise to the uniquefeature of the park, the Serpentine Falls. Inwinter, the river rushes down a sheer graniteface, polished by past rushing water, cascading15 m into the rock pool below.Where is it? 26 km south of Armadale. TakeSouth West Highway from Armadale and turnleft onto Falls Road.Travelling time: 1 hr and 15 min from Perth.Fees: Entry fees apply.What to do: Picnicking, bushwalking, wildlifeobservation.Facilities: Gas barbecues, toilets.Best seasons: Spring for wildflowers, winterfor the waterfall.Walktrails in the park: Kitty’s Gorge Walktrail– 11 km return, takes 5 hr.Kitty’s Gorge WalktrailNamed after a cow called Kitty, which wanderedaway from home and was found months laterbeside the gorge, the trail begins at the falls’ carpark. A short, steep climb leads to an easy walkalong the Serpentine River and Gooralong Brookinto Kitty’s Gorge. A series of markers (pineposts with orange triangles) should be followed.Early into the walk, Spencer’s Mud Cottage, aheritage building, originally built by thepioneering Spencer family, can be seen. Once inKitty’s Gorge, there is a series of waterfallsleading to the gauging station and weir.Highlights of the walk are the granite outcropplant communities in the gorge, and the jarrahforest.5
Page 1 and 2: A guide to thePerth hillsRich herit
Page 3: Rich flora display makes hills a bi
Page 7 and 8: Today at each site you can see the
Page 9 and 10: Water activities rare, but dams off
Page 11 and 12: A forest adventure on two wheelsA s

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