Walpole Wilderness
Mount Frankland National Park, 29km north east of Walpole, in the South West, is part of the Walpole Wilderness. It is the area of wild landscape that is untouched by human activity and any technological intervention. You can have a bird’s eye view of that wilderness that includes majestic karri, tingle, marri and jarrah forest from Mt Frankland Wilderness Lookout. It is a short walk from the carpark, universally accessible.
For those seeking more adventure and physical workout there are two trails leading to 411meter high granite rock Mt Frankland. We followed 600-meter-long bitumen Summit Trail to the base, while enjoying the scenery and wildflowers on the way. To get to the summit, one needs to climb a ladder and over 300 steps.
It is strenuous and quite steep 200 meters climb to the summit where there is a Towerman’s lookout. The sweeping views of the surrounding area from the summit are quite impressive. Interestingly, Towerman’s station is still in operation for recording weather and smoke (fire) during dry months between December and April. We even had a chance to go inside and talk to “the weather woman” Susan, who was on duty at the time.
On the way down we took Caldyanup trail – 1,6km loop around the base of the granite rock. The trail goes up and down with some small rocks and uneven parts through a mixed forest (moderate difficulty walk). Part of the trail is Soho Lookout – a newly constructed metal bridge, offering views of the forest below and around.
There is no entry fee to the park. Dogs are not allowed.
Where to camp in Mount Frankland National Park
If you are visiting Mount Frankland and are looking for a camping place nearby, then Fernhook Falls DPAW managed campground is a great choice and is only 20km away. It offers excellent facilities, which are well-maintained and cleaned daily. There are only 8 camp spots there, each one with a picnic table, fire ring and rubbish bin. There are also 2 huts with a bunkbed (but can accommodate at least 2 more people on the floor) with a fireplace and outside rain water tank – perfect for hikers!
The campground also has a kitchen area with a sink, tables and bbq plate. For $15 per person per night, we thought it was a good value.
Camping spots have a lot of privacy, are well spaced from each other, yet close to amenities. The whole campground is within the mixed karri, jarrah and tingle forest.
There are some nice short walks around the campground leading to Fernhook Falls and Rowell’s Pool created by the Deep River, passing through the region. Interestingly, the Deep River, although it looks dark brown due to the presence of tannin from native plants breaking down in the river, is actually one of the purest rivers in the south, because 95% of it is flowing through the forested catchment areas.
You cannot book the campground and payment is by cash only. It is quite a popular place even during hot months, so it is best to arrive early. Unfortunately, you cannot bring a dog to the campground. We enjoyed our 2 -day stay at the campground in January and it’s one of the places we would love to visit again in winter when we could enjoy lighting a fire.
