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Kitty's Gorge

Kitty's Gorge - Part 1 : Kitty's Gorge

Kitty's Gorge - Part 2 : Monarch Butterflies

Kitty's Gorge - Part 3 : Burnt Banksias

Kitty's Gorge

PROTECTED STATUS :

Serpentine National Park is located at the foot of the Darling Scarp to the south-east of Perth. The Serpentine River that runs down the slopes has carved out a valley of polished granite that ends at the well-known Serpentine Falls. The waterfall is not very impressive (especially during the dry season) and by itself does not warrant the fairly steep park entry fees (AUD12 per car), but I feel that the park and the trails around the waterfall definitely do. There have been some fatal accidents over the years however, when people have attempted to jump from the waterfall, so following suit is definitely not advised.

Serpentine Falls, all dried out!

Getting There

If you are coming from Perth, head south towards Rockingham on the Kwinana Freeway (State Route 2) and turn off onto Mundijong Road (State Route 22) to head eastwards. After 16 kilometres, the road meets the South-Western Highway (State Route 20). Turn right here and head south for about seven kilometres before turning left onto Falls Road and into Serpentine National Park.

Location of the carpark (-32.368239, 116.008155)

Western grey kangaroos (Macropus fuliginosus) congregate at the roundabout just before the carpark and expect food from visitors. Bear in mind that feeding the kangaroos is considered illegal and that fines can and most likely will be issued. So please do not ever feed the wildlife. It may seem that doing so may not be detrimental to the individual at the time, but it is almost always detrimental to the population as a whole. Feeding wild animals not only makes them dependent on human beings, but introduces food that is not part of their natural diet. This can sometimes kill them. Wild animals that depend on humans for food also begin to lose their ability to forage for natural foods.

A western grey kangaroo (Macropus fuliginosus) chewing on grass

The Walk

The Kitty’s Gorge walk has quite a variety of terrain: beginning at a waterfall and hiking up and along the river, cutting in and out of dirt roads and walking trails, swooping around on the hills above the gorge before descending right down into the gorge itself. When it rains, the rapids of the river are apparently quite impressive. Too bad we went during dry season! I guess that explains why it has been named as one of Western Australia's Top Trails by the Trails WA website.

Difficulty Rating : 3.0 / 10.0 (Class 3 - Straightforward)

*Click here to learn more about the difficulty rating.

Serpentine Falls lies approximately 200 metres from the carpark. Walking eastwards and keeping left will take you directly to the viewing area. The trail head for the Kitty Gorge walk however, begins after crossing the pipeline pedestrian bridge that is just next to the carpark. From here, there is a fairly steep climb eastwards until the trail meets a dirt road of sorts. You only follow the dirt road for 200 metres or so, well above the river, until the trail veers off to the left, on its own once again. The trail hugs the sides of the river as it continues along for a bit before, once again, joining the dirt road.

Cirrus Clouds

Next : Kitty's Gorge (Part 2)

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Tags: Outback