Overview

This page has a full description of this section of the trail, including supporting photographs. You can read this page and/or

• Download a PDF summary of this (click on this link); and

• A JPEG version of the map only (the figure below).

Starting point

The starting point is Falcon Bay Beach.

Getting there using public transport

The best way to get using public transport is to catch Bus 592 from Mandurah train station. Once the bus turn into Corfu Street after it crosses Mercedes Ave, get off at the next bus stop. Continue along Corfu Street 50m and turn right into Thera Street. Walk 250m to the beach.

Turn around point

The turn around point is end of the path along the Dawesville Channel seawall – see Figure 1.

Getting back to the start from the turn around point – if you don’t want to do an out-and-back walk

There isn’t a bus stop near the end of the walk and the nearest one is about a 2km walk. Of that is too far for you, you can catch a taxi/Uber from the carpark at the end of Westview Parade – it’s about a 750m walk. To catch the bus walk back the way you came until you get at the second carpark – it’s on the bend of Westview Parade. Head left along Westview Parade and take the fourth turn left (the second round about) into North Port Boulevard. The bus stop is about 50 along. Get off at the bus stop on Corfu Street before it crosses Mercedes Ave. Walk back along Corfu Street 50m and turn right into Thera Street. Walk 250m to the beach.

Summary of the walk

Figure 1 below shows the route. The total one-way distance is 4.6 km, making it a 8.8 km out and back walk (without repeating the two out and back legs - to the end on the north groyne and the walk to the canals).

Water and toilets

Any toilet blocks are noted below in the text in italics. These are also sources of potable water. Any additional drinking water taps and showers are also noted in italics.

Figure 1

Walking guide

There is a toilet block and showers at Falcon Bay Beach. From the Beach head to the north-western end of the carpark and follow the path along about 50m until you arrive at the steps to the lookout (Plate 1).

Take the steps to the lookout as the views are worth the climb (Plate 2).

One option from here is to head back down the steps and walk along the path that runs along Panamuna Drive. This is not recommended, as there are no views to the ocean. Instead, it is recommended that you head down to the beach from the lookout, and then head south along the beach. After about 700m of beach walking, take the track up to the small park and carpark with the two tall Norfolk Island pines easily visible from the beach (Plate 3) – there is a shower and drinking water tap here.

Walk south through the park and carpark and then along the path that runs next to Panamuna Drive for about 80m, and take the coastal path where Panamuna Drive bends to the left (Plate 4).

After about 350m the path ends and come out at a bend in the road: head south along the path adjacent to Avalon Parade. After about 150m there is a carpark and small park with toilet block, showers and drinking water tap. Continue down Avalon Parade passed another carpark – which has a lookout (Plate 5) - for about 450m and take the coastal path to the right just where Avalon Parade begins to bend left. This is the start of the Port Bouvard Estate (Plate 6).

This path runs all the way to the Dawesville Channel, first in front of a row of houses, and this through the foreshore reserve. After about 300m there is a carpark with a toilet block and showers – this is the exit carpark to the return to the start bus stop (see above). After another 450m there is a path off to the left to a lookout – Plate 7.

Take this path, first to the lookout, and then continue along it through a linear park (Plate 8) until you arrive at the water’s edge of the canal estate. You will notice that the water front here is private access only, with no public access (Plate 9).

Head back to the coastal path and turn left and continue southwards, through another carpark and to the end of the path at the Dawesville Channel – about 600m from the lookout (Plate 10).

Turn right and head to the end of the rock groyne (Plate 11), then head back passed the coastal path and along the path that runs along the rock wall of the Channel. The path ends at the water entrance to the canal estate – this is the turn around point (Plate 12).

If you do the return walk, there is no need to do the two short out and back legs – to the end of the rock groyne and the walk to the canal.

Garry Middle, February 2018