Our dog Noodles has quickly adapted to our outdoorsey life here in Perth, and insists on coming out and about with us every chance he gets. Bringing him along on adventures adds a wonderful dimension to our family experiences which we all enjoy. That means that I am constantly on the lookout for dog-friendly hikes. But I am also looking for hikes that have interesting terrain and areas to explore and discover.
Well the Portagabra Track in the Perth Hills has it all going on. Let me tell you about it.
Fred Jacoby Park
Fred Jacoby Park is in Mundaring and easily found using Maps or Waze. In the 1830’s the land was settled by the Swan River Colony’s first botanist, Mr James Drummond. It was later sold to the Jacoby family who renamed it Portagabra.
The park itself is a stunning picnic ground, with tables scattered around and fire pits with hot plates attached, so you can have your open fire in the off seasons. But we packed up the camp stove and our picnic, just to be sure we got our sausages in the end. The facilities are great and there is a lot of space on either side of the river that runs through it for kids to kick balls and run amok. And there are picnic stations all along the length of the park too, offering extra seclusion if it’s a busy day.
Portagabra Track
The track itself runs through the thick bush land of the park, and begins just past the entry into the park. You will see a signpost where the Kalgoorlie Pipeline is. For those who don’t know what that is, it is an epic water pipeline built between 1898 – 1902. With a length of 560km, this pipeline was built to transport water uphill from Perth to the Goldfields. This pipeline is still celebrated across the globe as one of the greatest engineering feats in history. And it was all thanks to Mr Charles O’Connor, an internationally renowned Engineer in his time.
Okay, back to the walk. Pass under the pipeline and you will find the track is very well sign posted. The track is well made and really easy to navigate. You will traverse through the bush, inhale deeply and take in that beautiful perfume the Australian bush offers. When we were there, it was just after a controlled burn and the new growth was peeking through the black ash of burnt bushes. The colours on display were so stunning.
New growth at Portagabra Track, Mundaring 
Beautiful colours on Portagabra Track, Mundaring
The path follows the direction of the stream. The children loved having a rest stop next to the water to build cairns, or rock piles. We wandered through the trees looking at the colourful display of burnt leaves, bark and new growth.
Making bush craft 
Bush Craft on Portagabra Track, Mundaring
Soon we were back on our way and after crossing over the stream, we found ourselves on an upward stretch. It wasn’t too difficult, but you do need a reasonable fitness level. You soon curve around large boulders and up well made stairs. Once again, we stopped for a rest so the children and Noodles could do some rock climbing and exploring of the area.
Checking out the view at Portagabra Track, Mundaring 
Exploring the surroundings 
Looking for treasures at Portagabra Track, Mundaring
Soon the landscape flattens again briefly before the decline begins. There are some steep bits, but it is all very manageable and personally, I feel the variety in landscape keeps things interesting. I get a bit bored on a flat, straight gravel road.
There are some steps and puppy-downey bits on this hike 
Exploring our surroundings 
Portagabra Track, Mundaring
Just shy of the end is a wooden bench, built under the very interestingly named Snottygobble tree. Okay, so that’s not its official name, the botanical name is Persoonia Elliptica. It is a nobbly tree with good personality. And while I thought it was awesome, the kids were more interested in sitting down and resting their weary legs. After all my fussing over the tree, I forgot to get a photo of it…
Soon enough we were on our way again, and we finally made it back to the picnic ground. The walk took us around two hours. The children were really tired by the end, it was a huge effort for them, but they did it. I laid out the picnic blanket and they got all their toys and blankets out of the car and set up camp while SB and I cooked sausages and served up their lunch.
Noodles had a great time too. He was a knackered Noodles by the end and after enjoying his sausage and a sniff around the picnic area, he slept the entire trip home.
Details
Where: Fred Jacoby Park, 37km from Perth on Mundaring Weir Road
What: Picnic grounds, tables, fire pits, toilets and a bush walk. Parking is on the side of the road.
Take: Hat, suncream, good hiking shoes, water, picnic and snacks for along the way. Don’t forget your camera.
Dog Friendly: Yes, be sure to pack water and food for your pup. Leash off seems the go if your dog is okay like that. During summer to be safe from snakes, I would keep the leash on.
