A great walk, ride or run trail for adventurers

YOUR

JOURNEY

STARTS

HERE.

Before you head out, have you considered:

Before you head out, have you considered:Suitable footwear

Water bottleSun protection

(Hat, Sunglasses, Sunscreen)A mobile phone

Letting someone know where you are going

Please dispose of rubbish in bins provided or take your rubbish with you.

Other walk trails available:Other walk trails available:Avon Walk Trail

Golf Links Reserve WalkWildflowers

of York

NGALA KAADITJ BALLARDONG NOONGAR MOORT KEYEN KAADAK NIDJA BOODJA

We acknowledge the Ballardong Noongar People as the Traditional Custodians of this land.

Wongborel

Mt BrownWalk Trail

The trail is approximately 7.5km return or can be shortened to 3.2km if you leave

from the foot of Mt Brown.

This trail follows firebreaks and undulating surfaces and a moderate

level of fitness is recommended.

Mt BrownA great walk, ride or run trail

for adventurers

York Visitor Centre 81 Avon Terrace, York, Western Australiap: (08) 9641 1301 f: (08) 96412202e: visit.york.wa.gov.au f: www.facebook.com/shireofyork/

After a bit more than half a km pass a track coming in from the right and you will soon come to a T-junction – turn right - note (Pioneer Drive – bitumen) through the trees on the left. After a couple of hundred metres you will arrive back at the crossroads where you first crossed the bitumen.

Remember to walk briskly over ant colonies as they don’t like people tramping on their territory. Continue downhill, more or less parallel with the bitumen. After another 300 + metres come to a T-junction, turn left to head back to the TRIANGLE. See a fence and (Chandos Road) again. Soon you will arrive at the TRIANGLE with a house on your right.

Retrace your steps another 1.6km back down to the River and the swinging bridge.

We hope you have enjoyed your walk through Mt. Brown and look forward to welcoming you back soon.

Parking is located in Avon Park which is the longer of the two walks offered to Mount Brown. Park close to the swinging bridge end of Avon Park.

Continue over York’s original swinging bridge, first opened in 1888 after petitioning from residents for a footbridge. The Anglican rectory with its long-abandoned tennis court is on the right and Holy Trinity Church (1853) on the left.

Continue straight ahead, taking care at crossroads (Panmure Road), which is the main road to Northam. Continue on to a T-junction turn left to go past the Cemetery (Herbert Road). Continue on until you come to the first crossroad and take a right (Steere Road) to start the ascent up to Mt. Brown.

Come to a Y-fork (approx 1.6 km from the swinging bridge) and take the left fork (unsealed - Chandos Road). In the TRIANGLE formed by the two roads, native vegetation has been planted here in an effort to replace some of the plants that have gone over the years since settlement. Steere Road becomes Pioneer Drive at the triangle. This is a spot where vehicles could be parked while you walk on if the shorter route is your preference.

Continuing along the left fork will take you along the border of Mt. Brown with large town blocks on your left. Eventually come to a sealed road, at crossroads,

Further up is a large memorial rock erected to commemorate early pioneers of the district after Ensign Dale discovered this part of the Avon River Valley in 1830. Go on up and spend a bit of time on the lookout platform. Take the time to read the dreamtime story about Mt. Brown (Wongborel) and Mt. Bakewell (Walwaling) which can be found on signage along the footpath walkway that leads to the carpark.

Now turn your back on the taller mountain and look south to Mt. Matilda on which

you will see an amazing geological feature looking like a man-made road that the local Ballardong people attribute to their mythical Serpent the wargul.

Before descending to the car park, notice a seat on the left, this space

is annually used for the town’s ANZAC dawn service. Go down and straight

across the car park, over about 8-10 metres of uneven ground to an unsealed firebreak track. Turn left into this. You will arrive back at the

bitumen (Pioneer Drive) (you are now nearly 1 km from where you first crossed this road.)

Don’t actually go onto the road; veer right along a firebreak track. After approx 80 m come to cross roads, take the right track. Note the interesting rock formations on the right that you may like to explore–at your own risk of course!

Continue on the well-formed firebreak track through a lovely grove of York Gums. After another couple of hundred metres come to Y shaped crossroads with a triple fork-3 possible tracks. Take the left fork and after another couple of hundred metres come to yet another fork – take the left fork again along a winding track. You will start to see old motorcar tyres set into the ground on either side of this track. It used to be a track for motor sports in early years.

(Attfield Road). The way ahead is barred, turn right and almost immediately right again onto an unsealed firebreak track into the bush of Mt. Brown.

Continue on this track. As well as some colourful flowers, you might see on Mt. Brown the fragile climbing stems of yams – a traditional food of the local Ballardong Noongar people.

Fauna is also abundant in these areas with kangaroo, echidna and possum tracks evident throughout the trail. Sadly you might also see feral animals such as cats, rabbits and foxes.

At about 1.7km from the TRIANGLE you will come back to the sealed road (Pioneer Drive) going to the top of Mt. Brown. Watching out for traffic, cross the road and after 8–10 metres of rough ground come to another firebreak track, turn left and follow this uphill.

There are quite a few new young Jam trees (Acacia Acuminate) in this area also. The Jam trees are so called because when the fresh wood is cut, it smells like raspberry jam. The wood is very durable and was used extensively for fence posts in the early days of the colony. The taller trees with dark rough bark arYork gums (Eucalyptus Loxophleba).

You might notice very narrow trails in the undergrowth – made by the scurrying feet of black ants. Some of their colonies of nests straddle the track. Do not stop on their territory – the soldier ants will come out to get you, so

keep moving!

Ignore a track going off to the right and after about 100 m more you will arrive at the picnic area with BBQs, toilets etc. There is also a Memorial Grove and remembrance

plants and plaques dotted through this area.

Head towards the lookout on the top of Mt. Brown and enjoy the view over the town and across the valley

to Mt. Bakewell. Follow the path and steps upward and among the rocks you will notice some regrowth of the wattle Acacia, some wild pittosporum and mulla mulla.