Whistlepipe Gully Walk

Whistlepipe Gully is the best known dog walk in the Perth foothills: a 3.4 km loop in Mundy Regional Park that follows a creek down through granite and jarrah, past a run of small waterfalls, with the city laid out below. Dogs are welcome on lead the whole way. The catch is parking, and it is a real one.

The walk. AllTrails measures the loop at 3.4 km and grades it moderate, an hour to an hour and a half. The track is rocky in long stretches and drops and climbs enough to earn that grade, so it is not the flat creekside amble the distance suggests. Most people start at the northern end of Lewis Road in Forrestfield and walk it as a circuit; the alternative start is the western end of Orange Valley Road at Kalamunda. Follow the City of Kalamunda markers with pink corners. For a different angle on the same country, the Whistlepipe Gully Trailhead page covers the Lewis Road access itself, and nearby Lesmurdie Falls, Palm Terrace Walk and the Valley Loop Trailhead spread the load on a busy weekend.

The rules. The Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions manages Mundy Regional Park and dogs must be on lead at all times. Keep them out of the main watercourse: this is a sensitive catchment and the creek is the whole point of the place. Pack waste out, because there are no bins.

Water. The creek runs hardest from about July through to spring and can be dry by late summer. There are no taps at the trailhead, so carry your own rather than planning on the gully providing.

Hazards. The rock is the main one: loose granite and uneven steps through the middle of the loop, and it is worse when the creek is running and the stone is wet. The path narrows in places and bottlenecks at peak times, which matters if your dog does not like being crowded past. There is little shade on the upper sections, so this is not a summer afternoon walk.

Getting there. Take the Welshpool Road East exit from Roe Highway and turn onto Lewis Road, following it to the northern end. There is a small free gravel car park and it fills fast. Rangers patrol and fine for parking on the surrounding verges, so if the lot is full, drive on and come back rather than risking it. There are no toilets at the trailhead or anywhere on the loop, and public transport is not a practical option.

Nearby with the dogs. The Hales and the Hartfield Park Dog Exercise Area are both close by for an off lead run afterwards, and Discovery Holiday Park takes dogs if you are staying in the hills.

When to go. Winter to late spring, when the water is moving and the wildflowers are out. Weekday mornings and late afternoons are the realistic windows. Sunday morning is the worst of it, and the small car park is the reason. Good for big runners who can handle rock underfoot.

Sources

• Mundy Regional Park, DBCA Parks and Wildlife Service · exploreparks.dbca.wa.gov.au
• Whistlepipe Gully Walk · alltrails.com

Compiled from public sources and verified listings. Always confirm current rules with the venue or council before you travel.