Mount Brown, Shire of York, Western Australia

Gorgeous property, Shire of York

It's still warm in Perth, not horrendously hot like a couple of months ago but still warm. 

The sun lingers into the early evening warming clothes that dry on the line and the mornings are cool, hinting that Autumn's near.

This weekend for a change the sky was grey and cloudy, so we took out our hiking boots put gas in the car and set off. Approximately 97 kilometres east of Perth in the fertile Avon Valley is the small Shire of York. 

York town hall 

Back in 1829 when Western Australia was founded it quickly became evident that more suitable land was needed to support the growing population. At the time, the first explorers begun their search over the rocky Darling ranges. 

Then shortly after in 1831 the first settlers arrived and immediately begun farming along the banks of the local Avon river. The historic town of York is now the oldest inland town in Western Australia but additionally long before European settlement it was also regularly visited by the ancient migrating aboriginal tribes; the Nyungar people. 

What interested us about York was the old aboriginal folk legends.

Long ago in the Dreamtime, the Hills People used to meet the Plains and Valley People at the foot of Walwalling for games and sports.

Wunding was a handsome young warrior of the Hills People who excelled in the skills of spear throwing etc. Lots of the young ladies had their eyes on him. However, Wilura, a beautiful young girl from the Valley People was the one he loved. In their family groupings this would have been a forbidden relationship. The two decided to ignore the taboo and they eloped together.

When it was discovered that Wilura was missing, the Valley People demanded the return of the young girl. The Hills People said they didn’t know where the young couple were. The Valley People didn’t believe this and they declared war.

The Hill People came down over the slopes outnumbering the challengers and a bloodthirsty battle ensued, with the Valley People doing badly. They called in their Muburum (wise man) and asked him to use his magic powers. He was able to change all the Hills fighting men into blackboy bushes. To this day you can see the wide band of grass trees where in the Dream-time the warriors from the hills were coming over the top of Walwalling and down the eastern slope, and they stand there still.

The Muburum then turned his powers on the two missing young people who had caused such bloodshed, and pronounced a curse on them. Their dead bodies were found later and his curse was that the man’s spirit would stay on Walwalling (Mt. Bakewell) and her spirit was sent to Wongboral (Mt. Brown) and that they would never meet again until the mountains crumbled together. (Acknowledgement to the Shire of York tourism board).

Walking the Mt. Brown trail

Where are we? 

Our little car quickly chugged over the Darling ranges, across the Avon Valley and into York. Our Saturday mission was to hike the 7.5km return trip up Mt. Brown accessible from the Avon Park. Following a printout of instructions that got a little wet in Johns backpack when his drink bottled started leaking, we parked the car at the north end of town and crossed over the Avon river. It was suddenly a little chilly, the wind picked up and rustled the fallen leaves but we carried on. The instructions were informing yet haphazardly unintelligible; (The rectory with its long-abandoned tennis court is on the right and Holy Trinity Church (1853) on the left. You will arrive at a Y fork, take the left road). We lost the track maybe back at the cemetery where we should have turned in a 'e' shaped formation? 

But we kept trying to read the instructions: The way ahead is barred, turn right and almost immediately right again onto an unsealed firebreak track into the bush of Mt. Brown. But we didn't even know at that time what an unsealed firebreak looks like? We couldn't see any form of path... were we looking for a path?

Putting the map back in the bag we just starting walking in an upwards direction keeping a lookout for kangaroos and the elusive echidnas! As it looked like we were nearing the top of the hill something smelt delicious, we sniffed and sniffed some more, it was such a sweet smell. Pleasant and sweet, was it the large black soldier ants that scurried across the dry ground? How strange. Further down the track we saw an information board that we were in a plantation of jam trees, called so for their rich raspberry jam smell! Of course! Our stomachs started grumbling.

Arriving at the top of Mt. Brown after a navigating nightmare

Soon enough we reached the Mt. Brown summit and lookout platform and even though it was still grey and cloudy we had a great view over the town and valley. Looking out across towards Mt. Bakewell we searched for an interesting geological feature (as the information board told us) which was meant to look like a man-made road that the aboriginal people attribute to their mythical Serpent, the Wargul. We couldn't really see it, but nevertheless we might have just needed to be closer.

York- Main street

Beautiful verandas around the town hotel

Coming back down into York we had a short walk around the town. The small houses were adorable and down at the far end of town it seemed everyone was out and about attending the children's rugby matches. 

It didn't look like much had really changed in the town for years, well kept and attractive the town boosted an 1840s court house, police station, stable yards and old town hall, it even looked like they had original light posts. We grabbed some lunch from a small bakery and headed back towards Perth.

Lake Leschenaultia

Welcome to Lake Leschenaultia

As we came over the Darling ranges we veered off for a short break at Lake Leschenaultia. A former man made dam in the Shire of Mundaring was built as a reservoir to supply water to the steam trains travelling the Eastern Railway in the late 19th century. 

Since 1949 the large historic lake has been used for recreation purposes and was were we dipped our feet and rested under the cool shade of a gum tree.

We chose not to stay long it was very busy with kayakers, children feeding geese and walkers. 

Getting back on the road we retuned to Perth in no time! It was a great little trip! 

Tot siens,

John and Kara

Down by the water