Rotary South Bank River Trail

The Rotary South Bank River Trail is a 2.3 km loop along both banks of the Margaret River, starting and finishing at Rotary Park on Bussell Highway at the northern edge of town. It is the easiest riverside walk in Margaret River with a dog, and the one boundary rule matters before you set off: the loop is shire land and dogs are welcome on lead, but the Wadandi Track continues from here into national park, where dogs are not permitted.

The walk

AllTrails logs 2.3 km at about half an hour of easy walking. The surface is crushed gravel with boardwalk sections and a few small sets of stairs, and it is a true loop rather than an out-and-back, so you finish where the car is.

The river runs beside you for most of the circuit and the karri forest sits close enough to keep the path cool on a warm day. The route follows the southern bank toward the Barrett Street Weir before returning through the heritage trail network.

Leash status

Dogs are on lead for the whole loop. The Shire of Augusta Margaret River requires dogs on lead in public places unless you are in a designated dog exercise area, and this is not one. Stay out of the fenced playground at Rotary Park, and turn back where the path feeds into the national park section of the Wadandi Track.

Water

The river here is not tidal and runs fresh, with easy bank access in a few spots. Flow is strongest through winter and spring; by late summer the level drops and the pools go still, so carry water rather than counting on the river.

Pepsi: the bank shelves gently near the Rotary Park end, which is the spot for a dog who likes to wade but not swim. Rinse the sand off before the car.

Hazards

The small stair sets and wooden boardwalks can be slippery after rain, and snakes are a summer reality on any southwest river walk, so keep the lead short in the grassy sections. Share the path with cyclists in places.

Getting there and parking

Rotary Park sits directly on Bussell Highway at the northern entrance to town, marked by the white archway. Parking is free and plentiful, with toilets, sheltered picnic tables and barbecues, and the main street is a short walk away so you can leave the car in town.

When to go

Mornings are best in summer, when the forest shade still covers most of the loop. Winter suits it too, with the river at full flow, though expect mud on the lower sections after heavy rain.

If your dog needs an off-lead run after the walk, Brookfield Dog Park and Georgette Drive Dog Park are the designated exercise areas in town, and Aldo's Cafe is a popular refuel stop. More on the Western Australia trails guide and the Margaret River destination page.