Birdwatching in the Perth Hills Mundaring
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For any of the trails mentioned: The Shire of Mundaring, 38km east of Perth, includes • Sturdy shoes are recommended; be wary of 238km² of forests & national parks, mostly Jarrah and loose gravel and Marri Tree ‘honkey nuts’ Marri, with some Wandoo and Powderbark Wandoo. Birdwatching – both can be treacherous for the unwary. It offers many walk trails in both natural & historical • Be aware of reserves and the opportunity to see several species not - other trail users (many are multi-use trails), often found on the coastal plain such as Scarlet Robin around Perth Hills - fire weather warnings (current info on Shire and Golden Whistler. website) - the need to carry drinking water if doing a long Mundaring walk. • Dieback is prevalent in some areas. Please follow any signs / instructions. Contacts: Further information is available from the Mundaring Visitor Centre Shire of Mundaring or www.trailswa.com.au Shire website: www.mundaring.wa.gov.au Phone (08) 9290 6666 in office hours. Rufous Whistler (male) Mundaring Visitor Centre, The Old School, 1. Mundaring Town: 7225 Great Eastern Hwy; phone: (08) 9290 6645 a. Railway Reserves Heritage Trail: A 41km loop trail along the old Acknowledgements: Eastern Railway between Bellevue Illustrations by Judy Blyth, Susan Tingay and Chidlow; easy walking with some gentle inclines. The majority of the trail is accessible to walkers, cyclists and Cover photograph by John Baas horses but peripheral bushland offers opportunities to see a variety of birds. Guide No. 73AB Revised September 2019 As well as Mundaring Community Sculpture Park All content is subject to copyright ©. (the trailhead) at the end of Nichol St, the trail can be Queries to BirdLife Western Australia. accessed at many points Bellevue, Swan Hill, Boya, Darlington, Glen Forrest, Parkerville, Mt Helena, Chidlow, BirdLife Western Australia members are offered a Stoneville and Wooroloo. Most have parking, picnic and variety of activities and services including conservation toilet facilities. and research projects, excursions, campouts, surveys An excellent brochure is available from and social activities. There is also a library and books for Mundaring Visitor Centre, 7225 Great sale at the office. To view the full range of bird guides Eastern Hwy, or search visit the website. John Baas by photograph Scrubwren White-browed www.railwayreserves.com.au Some of the other sites along the trail Australia’s voice for birds since 1901 are covered in more detail elsewhere in this brochure. BirdLife Australia is dedicated to achieving Varied Sittella outstanding conservation results for our native birds and their habitats. With our specialised knowledge b. Mundaring Golf Course: and the commitment of an Australia-wide network of Access via Mundaring Weir Rd, Phillips Rd & Coolgardie volunteers and supporters, we are creating a bright St. Parking is available at the Golf Club. Easy walking future for Australia’s birds. with a mix of residual native vegetation and open areas. birdlife.org.au Species may include Scarlet Robin, Common Bronzewing and Yellow-rumped Thornbill – perhaps even Varied Sittella. BirdLife Western Australia Please avoid weekly competitions on Saturday afternoons 167 Perry Lakes Drive, Floreat WA 6014 and respect any golfers at other times. T 08 9383 7749 | [email protected] facebook.com/BirdLifeAustralia | @BirdlifeOz ABN 75 149 124 774 birds are in our nature Western Australia 2. Lake Leschenaultia Conservation Park PERTH HILLS MUNDARING BIRD WATCHING SITES Access from Rosedale Rd, Chidlow. Entry is free. A heritage-listed water body, built for use by steam 0 1 2 3 Scale Lake Leschenaultia 2 trains, it now has extensive picnic / BBQ areas, Conservation Park Rosedale camping, café, kiosk and toilet facilities. It is also Rd Toodyay Rd Jane Brook Chidlow a significant conservation area which provides Christmas Tree opportunity to see waterbirds as well as bushbirds Creek such as White-naped Honeyeater, Fan-tailed Cuckoo JOHN FORREST Old Stoneville Rd Helena Valley Elliott Rd NATIONAL PARK Parkerville Northam Rd (seasonal), Golden Whistler and Scarlet Robin. The Jane Brook Pechey Railway Reserves Rd 3km circuit walk may provide shyer species such as Swan View 6b Heritage Trail Park Rd6a Spotted Pardalote and Western Thornbill. Morrison Rd Sawyers Rd 3. Mundaring Weir Road is a scenic drive linking Mundaring Greenmount Mundaring and Kalamunda. It provides access to BellevueScott Rd Mundaring Weir Rd Broz Reserve 7 NP Railway ReservesTrail Heritage 1a Mundaring Weir and several walk trails and picnic Glen Forrest Great Eastern Highway Mountain Mundaring 9 Quarry Superblock Roe HighwayHelena Valley Golf Course areas. All of these are within Beelu National Park. 8 Ryecroft Rd Look for Common Bronzewing, Red-tailed Black- 5 Coulston Rd 1b DarlingtonHelena River Cockatoo, Western Spinebill and Grey Currawong. Rd Along Mundaring Weir Road, the following are a few BEELU NATIONAL suggestions: (See http://www.mundaringtourism. Ridge Rd Helena RiverPARK com.au/Pages/Things-to-do.aspx) Fred Jacoby Park 3b Perth Hills Discovery Centre a. South Ledge 4 A loop road links with Mundaring Weir Rd, a short Kalamunda Rd 3a 3c Mundaring Weir distance to the south of the weir. Pleasant picnic Bibbulmun Track South sites among forest. Walk 300m to Golden View Ledge Lookout (quite steep). If it is not too busy, birding Kalamunda Mundaring Weir Rd is just as good around the picnic area. Look for Spotted and Striated Pardalotes, Splendid Fairy- 4. Perth Hills Discovery Centre wren, Golden Whistler and Scarlet Robin. b. Mundaring Weir View Walk: A 1.5km loop though the 6km from Mundaring on Allen Rd, off Mundaring Weir forest via a lookout over the weir (some steep inclines). Go Rd. Set in forest with a small camping area nearby. If you b. Fred Jacoby Park to the south end of the central building st the Discovery Part of a very early farming property (Portaga- are set up for camping, this is another option to enjoy Centre to find the first small blue triangle markers. bra) with picnic areas / toilets and a mixture of the early morning bird activity. introduced and native tree species, including an Book online at: c. Grevillia Mycumbene, C Y O’Connor Trail and the Kep English oak well over 100 years old. Birds you https://parks.dpaw.wa.gov.au/park-stay Track also offer opportunities to access forest areas. See might find are Kookaburra, Weebill, Inland Thorn- Golden Whistler http://www.mundaringtourism.com.au or https://trailswa. bill and a variety of honeyeaters if shrubs / trees (male) com.au/trails/kep-track. are flowering. 5. Glen Forrest Superblock: Weebill Two walks are suggested here: Access from Ryecroft Rd, Glen Forrest. Heading east, park a. Bibbulmun Track: A section of this in the cleared area on the left, approx 400m past Hubert St long track (Kalamunda to Albany), can be accessed and just past Nelson Rd. No facilities but a dense stand of c. Mundaring Weir / Lake C Y from Allen Rd, opposite the Discovery Centre. Look Banksia sessilis close by has some flowers for much of the O’Connor for the yellow triangles with a waugal (snake) image. year, a useful food source for small birds such as Western Picnic and toilet facilities are at north end of the See https://www.bibbulmuntrack.org.au/trip-planner/ weir wall; parking also at south end with picnic Spinebill and Western Thornbill. track-sections/the-darling-range# for more detailed Easy walking around the upper level through open forest. facilities below the weir wall. Not a lot of species information. use the water body but White-faced Heron and Other tracks (steeper and more uneven) drop down to The first section to Ball Creek Hut, approx 2.5km one lower levels along Nyaania Creek (seasonal). Hardhead (a duck species) have been seen here. way, is worth wandering along. Birds you may encounter Grey Currawong is common at the picnic areas. Other species you may see are Grey Butcherbird, Galah, are Spotted and Striated Pardalotes, Rufous and Golden New Holland Honeyeater and Fan-tailed Cuckoo. Whistlers. 6. John Forrest National Park & Rocky Pool Species List Species List a. John Forrest National Park, Hovea DUCKS, GEESE & SWANS EAGLES, KITES & GOSHAWKS Access via Great Eastern Hwy at Greenmount or Black Swan R Black-shouldered Kite R Hovea; three entrances, all well sign-posted. Best Australian Shelduck R Square-tailed Kite R times to visit for birdwatching are winter and spring, Hardhead R Wedge-tailed Eagle R perhaps on week days when it is quieter. Pacific Black Duck U Little Eagle R A significant area of open woodland on the edge of Grey Teal R Brown Goshawk R the Darling Scarp. Musk Duck R Collared Sparrowhawk R Excellent facilities, including disabled access, and Australian Wood Duck M Whistling Kite R several marked walk trails. Domestic Duck R Black Kite R Nine honeyeater species are found here, along with GREBES MASKED OWLS thirteen parrot/cockatoo species, including Australasian Grebe R Barn Owl R Red-tailed and Carnaby’s Black-Cockatoos, both listed Hoary-headed Grebe R HAWK –OWLS as endangered. Dusky Woodswallow is also possible. PIGEONS & DOVES Southern Boobook U For smaller birds such as White-browed Scrubwren Rock Dove U BEE-EATERS and Western Thornbill, try the quieter trails: from the Spotted Dove R Rainbow Bee-eater R IA Sp, Su main picnic area, Glen Brook Dam Trail or the start of Laughing Dove U the Eagle View Trail, which runs alongside Jane Brook. Common Bronzewing C Careful listening may help to locate the elusive Brush Bronzewing R Red-eared Firetail along well-vegetated creeklines. Crested Pigeon R For more information see https://parks.dpaw.wa.gov. CUCKOOS au Horsfield’s Bronze-Cuckoo R Mi Wi,Sp Rainbow Bee-eater NB. 1. Entry Fees may apply for John Forest NP.