In his latest book, editor Brent McKean explores 40 of Australia’s most spectacular coastal walking tracks. In this edited extract we take a journey through WA’s national parks and Victoria’s Great Ocean Walk…
Triangle of Trails
By JANE & MICHAEL PELUSEY
TRACK FACTS
Where: Porongurup National Park, 48km north of Albany, William Bay National Park, 71km west of Albany and Torndirrup National Park, 8km south-west of Albany.
Start and finish: Porongurup National Park, William Bay National Park and Torndirrup National Park.
How long: Castle Rock and Granite Skywalk 4.7km circuit; Nancy Peak 6.7km circuit; Devil’s Slide 5km circuit; William Bay Trail 2.6km one way; Wilderness Ocean Walk Trail 6.5km one way; Bald Head and Isthmus Hill 14km circuit.
Degree of difficulty: easy to challenging.
Further info: exploreparks.dbca.wa.gov.aus.
Tucked away in southern Western Australia are three glorious national parks that form a triangle of truly inspiring trails that offer dramatic coastal views, ancient native forest and a few hair-raising moments. Clasping metal hand grips and stepping up a six-metre metal ladder clinging to a sheer granite rock face may not be everybody’s idea of fun, but you’ll know it was worth it when you soak in the blissful views of the surrounding countryside far into the distance.
With views in all directions, Castle Rock in the Porongurup Ranges near the south coast of Western Australia seems a fitting starting point for the triangle of trails journey. Three great southern locations – Mount Barker, Albany and Denmark are hubs for some fantastic hiking trails, and each of the three locations is conveniently linked by road to form a triangle. Another reason for doing these trails is due to recent state government funding that enabled considerable trail upgrades to allow more accessibility, improve safety and reduce environmental impacts. These three trail hubs have all had recent upgrades, especially Bald Head near Albany.
The Porongurups are an ancient remnant mountain range covered with an island of karri trees. They are the easternmost stand of these straight majestic trees. At the base of the ranges is a tiny village with just a tea-room shop and a few accommodation options. It is also a small hub of wineries specialising in riesling and cabernet sauvignon. After a restful sleep in the peaceful Porongurup Range Tourist Park, 23km from Mount Barker and 48km from Albany, drive to the car park at the base of the 570m Castle Rock. Start hiking up the 4.7km loop trail through shady jarrah and a forest of karri trees. Although a constant ascent, the easily followed trail is suitable for most walkers of reasonable fitness. As you near the summit you’ll pass by the massive and almost gravity-defying Balancing Rock. Everybody on this hike takes a photo and rests at the rock before the more challenging section begins.
The next bit requires a bit of bending and stretching as you grab metal hand and foot grips to negotiate some boulders stacked around the bottom of a sheer granite rock face. People with mobility issues would be best to avoid this bit. Fortunately, there is a lower platform with great views for hikers unwilling or unable to reach the final summit. The last section requires negotiating a solid metal, partially enclosed ladder bolted to the rock face.
You’ll step onto the Granite Skywalk platform that sweeps around the summit of Castle Rock, a wonderful piece of engineering that offers an amazing perspective that was once only the preserve of rock climbers. From this lofty viewpoint you’ll be able to see the Southern Ocean and Albany to the south, the Stirling Ranges to the north and other peaks of the Porongurup Ranges. It is humbling to comprehend that the rock you are standing on had its origins around 1.2 billion years ago.
Another walk in the Porongorups is that to Nancy Peak, which is 652m in height. Starting at the car park, the 6.7km loop trail climbs steeply past the Tree in the Rock until it reaches the ridgeline that traverses the Porongurup Ranges. The vegetation varies from tiny mossy glades to towering karri and is interspersed by ancient granite peaks and outcrops. This hike is no doddle in the park with its steep gradients and rocky terrain, but it’s worth the effort. The views across patchwork farmland to the Stirling Ranges beyond are breathtaking. Arguably a harder hike than Nancy Peak, the 670m tall Devil’s Slide is the highest point in the Porongurup Ranges. This very steep 5km loop hike is best done in fine weather, as the smooth granite can make things a bit treacherous underfoot.
From the granite peaks of the Porongurup Ranges you can head to Denmark via Mount Barker for a dose of magnificent coastline. This is the second leg of the triangle of trails, a drive of 55km between Mount Barker and Denmark. From Denmark you drive 29km to Parry Beach Campground on the edge of the William Bay National Park. From Parry Beach it’s 19km by road to Elephant Rocks, which border the sheltered waters of Greens Pool and the sweeping vista of William Bay.
For the William Bay Trail, park at the Elephant Rock car park and begin the recently revamped, easy, 2.5km one-way walking and cycling path. This section is part of the newly realigned Munda Biddi Trail, so look out for mountain bikers. From Greens Pool to the recently constructed Elephant Rocks viewing platform the pathway is sealed and suitable for wheelchairs, while beyond Elephant Rocks it becomes a trail for walkers and cyclists.
You can take a short and easy detour and clamber onto a smooth granite headland, where you’ll get stunning views overlooking Elephant Rocks and the blue waters of the Southern Ocean. When you’re back on the well-formed path you’ll meander through rolling coastal heath and can stop often to admire crashing waves. The walk continues past the Madfish Bay car park before descending to Waterfall Beach. It is a short walk on soft white sand to a delightful waterfall that drops a few metres over weathered limestone rocks before carving a channel that empties into the ocean. Retrace your footsteps and head back to Elephant Rocks.
The next day, drive to Lights Beach just beyond Waterfall Beach and start from the well signed trailhead at the Lights Beach car park on the Wilderness Ocean Walk. There is a terrific view of Lights Beach, where happy dogs may be frolicking in the shallows while big swells rise out of the Southern Ocean. The sealed undulating trail is 6.2km one way in length and ends at the Denmark Community Windfarm.
A few decent hills will get the old ticker pumping a bit harder, but it’s not too strenuous for most reasonably fit walkers or cyclists. You can stop at several viewpoints that overlook the spectacular coastline. From these higher spots the trail dips into densely vegetated swales that offer protection from the wind. Depending on the season, you may see many wildflowers. The walk finishes under 50m-high wind turbines that supply more than half of Denmark’s annual power needs. You can take your dog on this walk as long as it is on a lead.
From Demark it’s around 54km to Albany and then 26km to the Bald Head Trail in Torndirrup National Park, the third point of the triangle of trails. Bald Head is a peninsula that juts out into the Southern Ocean, partially creating King George Sound. Although this is a challenging walk, the stunningly beautiful coastline will keep luring you back. Much trail upgrading has been undertaken, and from the beginning you’ll be hiking on newly installed boardwalks and negotiating very steep steps. The improvements nicely balance protection of the fragile environment from greatly increased foot traffic while also retaining the raw wilderness feel.
There are many points along this trail that offer stupendous views. Probably the most popular overlooks the isthmus, with the ocean on either side and an imposing bare granite rock ahead. It is easy to see why Bald Head got its name. After a few hours of big ups and downs you’ll reach the endpoint, which is marked by a cairn of piled-up rocks. In a plastic container there is a book to sign. You’ll have a couple hours of hard slog ahead to return to your start point. To close out the triangle, drive 50km back to Mount Barker for the final 50km then onward to Perth.
The lesson here is to always be prepared for changeable weather when hiking the triangle of trails, but for holiday makers who are into hiking and have a week to spare then doing the triangle of trails is a great way to experience the wide variety of superb walking tracks on offer in the Great Southern region of Western Australia.
Great Ocean Walk
By BRENT McKEAN
TRACK FACTS
Where: Apollo Bay, 200km south-west of Melbourne.
Start and finish: Apollo Bay to Twelve Apostles.
How long: 104km one way, four to six days.
Degree of difficulty: moderate, with lots of sand walking, steps and steep hills.
Further info: thegreatoceanwalk.com; lifesanadventure.com.au; auswalkingco.com.au.
The 110km Great Ocean Walk has transformed Victoria’s Shipwreck Coast from a nautical graveyard into one of Australia’s best coastal trails that can be walked independently and staying in modern shelters or guided and staying in something more luxurious. Standing on Johanna Beach today, which was named – though misspelt – after the schooner Joanna that struck rocks during a severe storm in September 1843, it’s hard to imagine how difficult it must have been for the survivors as they made their way through the rough bush. Little did they know they were the first Europeans to travel along this rugged part of Victoria and were, in fact, the first people to do what would become the Great Ocean Walk. It’s dramatic stories such as this that make the walk so interesting.
Stretching 110km from Apollo Bay to Glenample Homestead near the Twelve Apostles, the Great Ocean Walk hugs a coastline that is not always visible from the Great Ocean Road. Most people who travel along here do so by car, but there’s so much they miss such as the wildlife and the coastline’s dramatic maritime past. If you’re walking this independently there are seven designated camping sites along the trail: the first is at Elliot Ridge and the last is at Devil’s Kitchen. These must be booked in advance. The walk described here was done as a guided tour and covered around 60km of the trail over four days. It was a bit of a highlights tour that began at Cape Otway, about 30km from the official start at Apollo Bay.
Just down the road from Cape Otway Lightstation is a small cemetery where early lighthouse keepers and their families were laid to rest. It’s sobering to see so many children buried there. The 10km trail to Aire River carves its way through a wind-sculpted landscape of coastal scrubland, calcified cliffs and sand dunes. The walking is easy going, and with all the great viewing points along the way there’s no need to rush.
With the Great Ocean Walk’s increase in popularity some tour operators are offering two ways to enjoy the walk, guided and self-guided, the difference being if you do the latter you’ll be given a map, app and lunch and picked up and dropped off each day but you won’t have a guide. Some people prefer that little more freedom, some don’t. Either way you’ll stay somewhere luxurious along the Great Ocean Road, which offers plenty of creature comfort and great dining experiences. One host said: “As consumer demand increased, we discovered a new type of client who was confident in the bush and wanted a self-guided experience. The Victorian government has promoted the Great Ocean Walk as a self-guided walk so that’s what many of our clients want.”
The walk from Aire Beach covers 16.5km to Johanna Beach. The trail passes through heathland and offers more terrific views of the mighty Southern Ocean. The forest is an interesting mix of grass trees and manna gums; look out for wildflowers there in spring. Castle Cove is a beautiful beach surrounded by towering cliffs where dinosaur fossils have been found. From there the track leaves the coast and explores coastal forest dominated by grass trees before dropping down to the beautiful Johanna Beach. Every night dinner in the nearby eco lodge was an event. The chef created a tasty three course meal washed down with local wines as tales of the day’s walk were swapped.
The next day saw a return to Johanna Beach and a track that rose through rolling hills and farmland. You’ll catch occasional glimpses of the Twelve Apostles far off to the west. The trail eventually returns to the coast at Milanesia Beach, which is dominated by the cliffs of Lion Headland. If the tide is out you can walk to the western end of the beach and climb on a new track that hugs the sea cliffs. It is spectacular but hard going and crosses a series of headlands. The track continues to rise and fall and was the hardest part of the walk so far.
To help Parks Victoria monitor the Great Ocean Walk there is a series of Fluker Posts along the walk. The idea is you take a photo with your camera resting on the post and send the image to Parks Victoria, which will compare it to other photos taken from the same post to see how the landscape has changed and if any maintenance is required.
The final day was a 17.5km walk from Wreck Beach to Glenample. The anchors of the wrecks Marie Gabrielle (1869) and Fiji (1891) are embedded in the beach’s rocky shoreline and bring home just how much destruction and heartache this coastline has brought to mariners. The Fiji was wrecked due to poor weather and faulty navigational aids during a voyage from Hamburg to Melbourne. Lifesaving gear was sent from Port Campbell in two horse buggies. The first contained a tripod, four rockets and a lifeboat, while the second carried the heavy rope and bosun’s chair. The plan was to use the rockets to propel the rope over to the ship. The crew would then tie down the rope and pull themselves along it hand over hand to the shore. It’s suspected that a local photographer replaced the rope with his camera gear, and when they reached the wreck rescuers found half the rocket apparatus was missing. Without this rope, 12 of the crew of 27 could not be saved.
The halfway mark for the day was some wetlands around Princetown that support a wide variety of birdlife. After crossing the Gellibrand River on a trestle bridge, you’ll be on the home stretch into Port Campbell National Park. Be sure to step onto the viewing platform at Glenample with its plaque marking the end of the walk.
GREAT COASTAL WALKS AUSTRALIA by Brent McKean (Gelding Street Press $39.99rrp) is available at BIG W and all good bookstores
