Wadandi Track

The Wadandi Track is a flat, well-graded rail trail on the old Busselton to Flinders Bay railway corridor, and the Cowaramup section starts right in town. On crushed limestone through jarrah and marri country, peppermint groves and farmland, it is an easy dog-friendly walk where you can bite off anything from a 3 to 5 kilometre round trip to a longer stretch towards Margaret River.

The walk

The full track runs roughly 23 kilometres from Cowaramup south towards Witchcliffe, so there is no fixed loop, just an out-and-back of whatever length suits. From town you get a 3 to 5 kilometre round trip without much effort, and the Cowaramup to Carter Road trailhead stretch near Margaret River is about 11 kilometres one way for the ambitious. The grade is gentle and the surface is compacted gravel and limestone, comfortable underfoot for older dogs, with occasional loose stones and muddy patches after winter rain.

Leash status

Dogs must stay on lead along the track. Parts run alongside active rural land, so keep your dog close to avoid livestock, and the trail is shared with cyclists and runners. Step aside and shorten the lead on blind corners; it is a bike route first, so listen for wheels behind you. Bag the mess and use the bins at the main access points.

Water and terrain

There is no reliable fresh water along the track, so carry a bottle and a bowl. Open farmland sections have little shade, which matters in summer when the gravel heats up. The path is wide and even throughout, fine for prams and bikes as well as dogs.

Max: flat, straight, and smelling of cow. An out-and-back built for a dog who hates hills.

Getting there and parking

Access is easy off the main intersection of Bussell Highway and Cowaramup Bay Road, with parking in the town centre near Memorial Park. South West Coachlines stops in the centre of town if you are coming without a car. Cowaramup is about 15 minutes north of Margaret River on Bussell Highway.

When to go

Weekends and school holidays are busiest from mid-morning to early afternoon, mostly with bikes. Walk early or late for a quieter run and to keep paws off hot gravel in summer. Spring brings wildflowers along the verges, and the forest sections hold shade through the middle of the day.

While you're out there

After the walk, Cowaramup Brewing Company is a short hop for a lawn and lunch, and Peacetree Wines is one of the local cellar doors that welcomes dogs. For a fenced off-leash session another day, Brookfield Dog Park is down in Margaret River. More routes are in the Western Australia trails guide, and the Cowaramup destination page lists the rest of town.