Walking Mates - Western Australia

Where: Meet up near the Lo Quay River Café. Click on the map to find the exact location of the pin drop where we will gather.
Parking: Plenty of parking at the MeetUp point.
Difficulty: This is not a challenging walk but the 12km distance means you should only attempt it if you are a regular walker. The paths are mainly bitumen paved walks & cycleways but also some hard packed gravel tracks and a little bit of sandy tracks. There are no mountains to climb.
What to bring: We try to stay as close to the river as possible as it has reasonable shade but ensure you have water and a hat if the day is hot. Additionally good walking shoes, sunscreen and possibly mosquito repellent.
Toilets: At the 6km & 9km points and the end of the walk
Café after the walk: Sadly our favourite café in this area is closed due to renovations, at least the toilets are still open. On Gareth's recommendation Espressoul Coffee & Kitchen is a short 3 minutes drive from here and easily found on your GPS or by clicking HERE
All trails maps: Canning River Regional Park loop (12km)
A little about the park.

• The Kent St Weir was built in 1928 to prevent salt water moving upstream and destroying the alluvial soils of the market gardens. This allows for two different ecosystems to exist side-by-side, making this Regional Park an important refuge for a variety of bird and other wildlife.
• The park itself has 97 species of birds, which is approximately half the number of species recorded on the Swan Coastal Plain, many of these birds using the area to breed in. Commonly spotted waterbirds include cormorants, swamp hens, ibis, pelican, egret, ducks and spoonbills.
• Reptiles including the Western Longneck Turtles which abounds, maybe a lizard or two and apparently a shy snake.
• Several sites of historical importance include Woodloes Homestead, Mason’s Landing sawmill, Kent Street Weir, Castledare Boys Home and the Australian Sikh Heritage Trail.

RSVP - no shows & late arrivals: If you are on the "Going" list and can't make it on the day please RSVP "Not Going" at the earliest convenience as a courtesy so as to allow others to join who might be on the "Waitlist".
We aim to set-off for each walk at the advertised time and as a general rule, we set off on-time for each walk.
IMPORTANT
By confirming your attendance attendees agree to "WAIVE, DISCHARGE CLAIMS, AND RELEASE FROM LIABILITY" the organisers, co-organisers, event organisers, volunteers and members of the Walking Mates Australia Meetup Group from any and all liability on account of, or in any way resulting from Injuries and Damages, even if caused by negligence, in any way connected with Walking Mates Australia.
Attendees further agree to HOLD HARMLESS the organisers, co-organisers, event organisers, volunteers and members of Walking Mates Australia Meetup Group from any claims, damages, injuries or losses caused by their own negligence while a participant on the Event.

Bold Park Internal Trails on AllTrails
https://www.alltrails.com/explore/map/map-16bda72-9?p=-1&sh=n89xcs&utm_medium=map_share&utm_source=alltrails_virality

EMERGENCY CONTACT NUMBER
0412 987 698 (Paul)

****By confirming your attendance attendees agree to "WAIVE, DISCHARGE CLAIMS, AND RELEASE FROM LIABILITY" the organisers, co-organisers, event organisers, volunteers and members of the Walking Mates Australia Meetup Group from any and all liability on account of, or in any way resulting from Injuries and Damages, even if caused by negligence, in any way connected with Walking Mates Australia.
Attendees further agree to HOLD HARMLESS the organisers, co-organisers, event organisers, volunteers and members of Walking Mates Australia Meetup Group from any claims, damages, injuries or losses caused by their own negligence while a participant on the Event.****

RSVP - no shows & late arrivals: If you are on the "Going" list and can't make it on the day please RSVP "Not Going" at the earliest convenience as a courtesy so to allow others to join who might be on the "Waitlist".
We aim to set-off for each walk at the advertised time and as a general rule, we set off on-time for each walk.

About the Walk
Matagarup Bridge
Optus Stadium
Windan Bridge
Causeway bridge
Heiresson island

RSVP - no shows & late arrivals: If you are on the "Going" list and can't make it on the day please RSVP "Not Going" at the earliest convenience as a courtesy so to allow others to join who might be on the "Waitlist".
We aim to set-off for each walk at the advertised time and as a general rule, we set off on-time for each walk.

IMPORTANT
By confirming your attendance attendees agree to "WAIVE, DISCHARGE CLAIMS, AND RELEASE FROM LIABILITY" the organisers, co-organisers, event organisers, volunteers and members of the Walking Mates Australia Meetup Group from any and all liability on account of, or in any way resulting from Injuries and Damages, even if caused by negligence, in any way connected with Walking Mates Australia.
Attendees further agree to HOLD HARMLESS the organisers, co-organisers, event organisers, volunteers and members of Walking Mates Australia Meetup Group from any claims, damages, injuries or losses caused by their own negligence while a participant on the Event.

An easy walk for a Saturday morning!
This is a slightly longer variation on our Riverside Gardens walk. A brisk start to the day sees us heading to the Eric Singleton Bird Sanctuary making our way across the Tonkin Hwy bridge into Ascot and down to Kuljak Island and then loop around the Baigup Wetlands returning back to the start.
Finish off with my favourite café on the river, The Oarhouse is awesome!
Just about 2.5 hours of walking plus coffee afterwards.
Difficulty: The long range forecast suggests a mild day with temperatures from 11°C when we set off to 17°C when we sit down for a coffee. At this stage the morning is predicted to be sunny. There are no mountains to climb on this walk along the Swan River. Expect a spirited walking pace of about 5.5 - 6km/h. The tracks are level and paved most of the way with a few compacted dirt paths. The distance and pace will suit regular walkers.
Where?: MeetUp exactly at the pin drop by clicking on the map.
Parking: There is plenty of parking near the meeting point.
What to bring: Water, good walking shoes, hat & sunscreen and a chair would be good.
Toilets: At the Oarhouse Café and possibly the Kiln Café.
Cafè: The Oarhouse has a well deserved reputation for its muffins and other gastronomic delights and the coffee is the best in this area. This is a very popular café, we might need to take our own chairs so leave one in your car.
Alltrails map Riverside Gdns., Bird Sanctuary & Kuljak Is., Baigup Wetlands Loop (13km)

Fast Facts
The Nyoongar word 'baigup' means 'rushes'. A total of 96 bird species have been recorded at the site, including bush birds, waterfowl and coastal birds.
Kaljuk (Black Swan Island) is an artificial island created by dredging two channels as a part of the Ascot Waters development in 1997. For 25 years up until the early 1980's the site was a council rubbish tip. Kuljak means swan.
Eric Singleton Bird Sanctuary: Due to nutrients and pollutants from runoff, the wetlands were severely degraded. In 2015, the wetlands underwent a $3 million rehabilitation project to improve water quality and reduce pollutants flowing into the Swan River and improve the ecology for the habitat of birds, fauna and native plants. 170,000 native plants were added.

RSVP - no shows & late arrivals: If you are on the "Going" list and can't make it on the day please RSVP "Not Going" at the earliest convenience as a courtesy so to allow others to join who might be on the "Waitlist".
We aim to set-off for each walk at the advertised time and as a general rule, we set off on-time for each walk.
IMPORTANT
By confirming your attendance attendees agree to "WAIVE, DISCHARGE CLAIMS, AND RELEASE FROM LIABILITY" the organisers, co-organisers, event organisers, volunteers and members of the Walking Mates Australia Meetup Group from any and all liability on account of, or in any way resulting from Injuries and Damages, even if caused by negligence, in any way connected with Walking Mates Australia.
Attendees further agree to HOLD HARMLESS the organisers, co-organisers, event organisers, volunteers and members of Walking Mates Australia Meetup Group from any claims, damages, injuries or losses caused by their own negligence while a participant on the Event.