About the Walking Route

Enjoy a hike through the native scrub and pine plantations on Mount Hayward, which is part of the Second Valley Forest Reserve (Kalumunda Plantation). The route follows fire tracks and wide forest access tracks. On the northern side of the loop there are views to Gulf St Vincent and Normanville. Whichever way you do the loop, clockwise or anticlockwise, the hike begins with a descent down to Blackfellows Creek, before climbing the other side, and on the return route descends and climbs again. The northern side has the steeper descent and climb, so we recommend walking anticlockwise to make best use of your energy, and it’s easier to follow the correct route without getting lost.

There is an option to shorten the hike at the mid-point as the nouthern and southern sides of the loop are connected by a short track.

This hike is a route, not a trail – it is not marked with arrows or names, and the forest tracks are not signposted, and the trailhead is not named. However it’s easy enough to follow.

Route instructions for walking anticlockwise:

1. Begin the hike on Mount Hayfield Road, at the start of the Attril Track. Mt Hayfield Rd begins to dissipate here. Attril Track looks like a property driveway.

   Depending on weather and dirt road conditions, the last 1km of Mt Hayfield Rd to Attril Track may be difficult for 2WD vehicles. You can drive as far as you’re comfortable, the road tends to be reasonably good up to about 1km from Attril Track, so you could park there and walk the last 1km to Attril Track.

2. Walk down Attril Track about 150m, and the top of the first subtle rise, jump over the fence (it’s an easy fence to get over) to enter the forest reserve.
3. Before you can see three track options:
   • on the left a forest access track heads into the forest, heading downhill – if you wanted to walk clockwise, take this track
   • in the middle, a fire track climbs uphill through native scrub – walking anticlockwise take this track
   • and on the right, back over the fence you just came over, Attril Track heads uphill
4. Follow the fire track over the hill, it will descend steeply down to Blackfellows Creek
5. At the bottom, there is the option to turn left and and walk just 50m to join the southern return route. This would shorten the 6.4km hike to 3.4km
6. The fire track now steeply climbs out from the creek, to then walk across an open ridge with views to Gulf St Vincent and Normanville
7. The trail swings to the left and the south-west, coming to a junction where the pine forest plantation is. Avoid the fainter fire track heading through the native scrub to the right. Turn left here, as you walk now the native scrub is on the left side of the track, and the pine forest plantation on your right.
8. Near the bottom of a hill, the area opens up, and you come to an area with 5 tracks leading out from it. It can seem confusing which track to take, but it’s not if you keep one thing in mind: take the left track, following Blackfellows Creek back towards the start. As before, keep the native scrub and the Creek on your left, and the pine forest plantation on your right
9. After passing the halfway point where you could have shortened the hike, keep a watch out on the right, there is a waterfall here that might be flowing
10. You’ll soon arrive back near the car