Contour Channel Walk

The Contour Channel Walk is an easy-to-moderate bush walk in Banyowla Regional Park at Roleystone, about 30km from the Perth CBD, following a 1930s concrete water channel through jarrah-marri forest. Dogs are welcome on lead, and the flat channel line makes it one of the more relaxed Perth Hills walks for a leashed dog.

The walk

The trail traces the historical Contour Channel between Croyden Road and the Canning River on loose gravel paths. Because it follows the channel grade, the walking stays gentle compared with the surrounding Darling Scarp, and Trails WA lists the full route at 7 km with one to three hours of walking time.

Expect Hills and Scarp views across to the coastal plain, quirky graffiti along the old channel walls, and wildflowers roughly from August to November.

Leash status

Dogs are allowed but must be kept on lead at all times through this native bushland reserve, which is home to kangaroos and other wildlife. Pack out your rubbish and pick up after your dog; there are no bins along the trail.

Water

There is no drinking water and no toilets anywhere on the trail. Carry everything your dog needs, especially in the warmer months when the gravel sections heat up.

Watch-outs

Snake season runs roughly August to April here, so keep your dog on the path and on a short lead near the undergrowth. Loose gravel can slip underfoot on the gentle inclines, and the reserve closes on high fire-risk days.

Max: short lead near the channel walls. A dog sniffing into the undergrowth is exactly where the snakes are.

Getting there

Drive in via Roleystone; public transport does not reach the trailhead. Parking is limited to small dirt pull-outs on the roadside near entry points such as the end of Croyden Road and along Canning Mills Road, so watch passing traffic getting in and out of the car.

Close by with the dogs

The Churchman's Bushland Circuit is the other on-lead Roleystone walk, and the John Dunn Memorial Park fenced dog park in Kelmscott is the place to let the dog off-lead afterwards. For coffee, Coffee at the Shed sits in the Roleystone village with outdoor seating.

More options are on the Western Australia dog friendly trail guide and the Roleystone destination page.

When to go

Early mornings and late weekday afternoons are quietest; Sunday mornings draw the crowd. August to November is the best window for wildflowers, and summer visits are best cut short before the heat builds.