Hill Street Walk is an easy loop walk through bushland in Kalamunda National Park. The track mostly traverses the top of the ridge so is relatively flat.
Parking is available street side at the end of Hill Street in Gooseberry Hill. At the moment there is quite a bit of room for parking but it looks as though the vacant block is being developed which may limit parking in the future. There are no toilet facilities.
We followed the Shire of Kalamunda trail notes and for once were pleased that all the trail markers (blue) are in place which makes the trail much easier to follow. The trail notes don't always make sense when you come to intersecting trails so the trail markers are very helpful. You can also download a KML file from the Shire of Kalamunda - unfortunately my phone is not compatible so we had to stick to the trail notes PDF.
The trail starts along the fire trail through Gooseberry Hill Reserve - walk through the white gate, stop to clean your shoes with the brush at the dieback sign and then turn immediately right. You come to another T- junction and continue along the fence line. At the end of the fence line the trail notes say to veer right on a smaller track. Well the track on the right is a fire trail following the fence line so we deliberated for a moment before veering left (almost straight ahead) on the narrower track.
This narrower track loops through the jarrah and red gum forests of Kalamunda National Park.
There are occasional glimpses across the Piesse valley but the bush is mostly so thick that it screens any wider views.
At one point we heard trail bikes but they soon faded into the distance and all we could hear was birdsong and later, as we neared the end, a gentle hum which at first we though might be the bees busy in the bush but it was more likely the buzz from nearby power lines.
The trail mostly runs through thick bush which in early September was a mass of yellow and white with spots of various other wildflowers in bloom.
There were several minor T- junctions before we came to the T- junction at which the trail notes direct you to take the left fork. Again here we were a little confused as the trail markers indicated both left and straight ahead - we went left and further along decided that had we gone straight ahead we would have ended up on the same trail.
The track eventually meets a fire trail which runs alongside the power lines and the back of residences. There was a little elevation on this section but it was off set by seeing cubby houses and natural swings which the local kids had built in the bush.
Eventually you emerge at the start point. This walk is 2.4km in total and will take about 45 minutes. Once you have completed your hike Pere Bakery and Embers Woodfired Pizza are a short distance away for a cuppa or a feed.
To read more blogs go to:
In the spirit of reconciliation Out and About- Family Nature Connection acknowledges the traditional owners of the Wadjak boodjar (Perth land) and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their elders past and present and emerging and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.
As always when hiking in the bush please help to reduce the spread of Phytophthora Dieback by sticking to the tracks and paths, staying out of quarantined areas and, if possible, clean your shoes before and after hiking. A spray of 70% methylated spirit and 30% water can be effective.