THE SOUTH WEST BUSHWALKING
GUIDE
by Graeme Olsen
Bushwalking, or hiking, is an "all
year round" activity in the south west, but
June is one of the preferred months by many people.
| June is a popular month for
bushwalking because the weather is cool, the
forest is lush green, and the rivers and waterfalls
are at their peak. Add to that a hot thermos
flask or campfire, and you've got the makings
of a great day out.
The south west is of course littered with
hundreds of registered walks and bush tracks,
and thousands more unlisted ones. Depending
on where you go, the scenery can range from
dense forest, to ocean cliffs, to grass
plains. They also range from short and easy
walks (including many that can be accessed
by people with disabilities) right through
to steep climbs on rocky hills.
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My personal favourites are the tracks
that follow a river, passing the odd waterfall or
rapids section. Every now and then I'll sit down
by a section of the river, and if I've got my fishing
rod with me I may even have a quick troll for that
elusive trout.
So, where are the best places to go?
Well, "best" is a hard one to answer,
but some of the more popular locations are as follows:
| Wellington Dam |
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There are a number of great walks
around the Wellington Dam area, including from
the dam itself down to the Honeymoon Pool area,
passing by "Big Rock", "Little
Rock", and the rapids. |
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| Harvey/Logue Brook Dam |
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Including Hoffman Mill and other
areas in the jarrah forrest east of Harvey. |
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| Nanga/Dwellingup |
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The Murray river here provides
some great backdrops to walks around the old
Nanga mill site. |
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| Leeuwin Naturalist National Park |
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Stunning views all along the
limestone coast of this area |
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| Valley of the Giants |
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Possibly the best of all - who
could not be in awe of the massive karri trees
of the areas around Pemberton, Manjimup, Walpole,
and Denmark. |
A very comprehensive list of around
50 bushwalks in the south west can be found in a
booklet produced by the Department of Conservation
and Land Management, called "Bushwalks in the
South West". The department's web site is at
www.calm.wa.gov.au.
Any what should you take? Here's some
points to get you started:
| Walking shoes/boots |
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this will make all the difference
at the end of the day. You'll feel the difference
between sandshoes and proper walking boots. |
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| Water |
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although you may find water along
the way, most people recommend it's boiled before
drinking. So take your own, and take enough
(at least one or two litres per person). |
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| Food |
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walking makes you hungry! And
please, keep your rubbish with you to dispose
of properly when you get back. |
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| Protective clothing |
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this depends on the time of year
and where you're walking, but you need to think
about hats, raincoats, sunscreen, whatever. |
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| Binoculars |
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great for getting a closer look
at those kangaroos, cockatoos, and other wildlife |
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| Fishing Rod |
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for those of you who are into
fishing, there's a number of spots around the
south west that are good for freshwater fishing.
But, please ensure you have a license (only
$15), observe the bag and size limits, and only
fish in season. Fish for the future! |
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| First Aid |
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a small first aid kit is often
a good idea. Include some insect repellant too. |
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| Family & Friends |
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solo bushwalks can be nice sometimes,
but you'll often enjoy it more with others.
And the kids will love it too. |
If you've got a favourite bushwalking
spot, or perhaps a story or photo of a south west
track, let us know and we'll let everyone in on
it.
Really now, why would you be anywhere
else?
