Palm Terrace Walk

Palm Terrace Walk is the longer way into the Lesmurdie Falls country from the Forrestfield side of the scarp. The loop runs about 5.5km through Mundy Regional Park, following Lesmurdie Brook past wooden bridges and climbing to open views over the coastal plain before dropping back down. It is a Class 3 walk with moderate climbs, steep descents and a few strenuous pinches, so it suits fit dogs rather than plodders. Plan on 1.5 to 3 hours depending on pace and how many stops the brook demands.

Leash status

Dogs are welcome on a physical lead for the whole loop, and this is not a soft rule. The trail crosses into Lesmurdie Falls National Park zones where on-lead and stay-on-track signage is strict because of native wildlife. Carry your own pooch bags as there are no bins along the trail, and keep your dog from foraging in the bush edge.

Water and hazards

Lesmurdie Brook gives your dog somewhere to splash in the wetter months, but treat it as a bonus rather than a supply, because there is no reliable drinking water on the trail. Bring a full bottle and a bowl. The serious watch-out is baiting: 1080 fox baits are laid at times across the regional park, so a tight lead and no sniffing into the bushes matters here more than on a suburban walk. The ground is rocky and uneven in sections, with stone steps near the falls, so paws and ankles both get a workout.

Getting there and parking

From Perth, head east on Tonkin Highway and Welshpool Road East up the scarp, then onto Lesmurdie Road and Palm Terrace, around half an hour from the CBD. Parking is unpaved at the Palm Terrace trailheads with no toilets there; the main toilets and picnic area sit roughly halfway around at the Lesmurdie Falls car park. Public transport stops at the base of the scarp and leaves a long uphill walk, so driving is the practical option. The area is open 24 hours.

When to go

April to November is the window, when wildflowers are out and the brook is actually flowing. Go early on a weekday morning to beat both the heat and the sightseeing crowds on the shared mid-section near the falls, where the path narrows and other walkers may not love a dog on a long lead.

While you're out there

For an easier on-lead bushwalk in the same park, the Whistlepipe Gully Walk follows a stream below the scarp, and the Jorgensen Park Walk Trail at Kalamunda offers open paddock-style tracks. If your dog has earned an off-lead run, The Hales Fenced Dog Park and Hartfield Park Dog Exercise Area are both in Forrestfield. For coffee afterwards, Mason & Bird in Kalamunda is the nearest listing.

More options are on the Western Australia dog walks guide and the Forrestfield destination page.