Monday 10 August 2020

Munda Biddi Trail (WA) - Wungong to Jarrahdale


Day 3 of the Munda Biddi Trail, this easy section takes cyclists from Wungong campsite into Jarrahdale. Crossing Jarrahdale Rd, the trail follows old vehicle tracks to Balmoral POW Camp before a lovely, gradually downhill run along an old railway formation. Crisscrossing Balmoral Rd, the trail pass through a mix of farmland and forest to reach Jarrahdale. The easiest stretch of Map 1, and a lovely introductory section for first-timers


Distance: 27.15 km (one way)
Gradient: Mostly downhill, with mild undulations between Jarrahdale Rd and Balmoral
Quality of Path: Mix of vehicle tracks, rail forms and single track
Quality of Signage: Well signed at almost all trail junctions
Experience Required: Mountain Biking experience recommended
Time: 3 Hours
Steps: None, this is a bike trail
Best Time to Visit: All Year; but the South West of WA is always best from August-October
Date(s) Completed: 9th May, 2020 (Wungong to Jarrahdale Rd), 2nd May, 2020 (Jarrahdale Rd to Jarrahdale)
Entry Fee: No
Getting There: No direct access to Carinyah or Wungong Huts. Car access points can be located at Jarrahdale Rd, Balmoral and Jarrahdale


Although Wungong hut was well worth the detour from the main track, I couldn't stay around too long to enjoy its tranquil surroundings. Cycling sectionally from Brookton Hwy to Jarrahdale Rd, I'd made up a lot of time on the home stretch from Gleneagle to Wungong, however I was still running behind thanks to my slower, cautious approach after forgetting my helmet. Thankfully, it is a straightforward two kilometres of flat, easy cycling from the hut to my pick up point at Jarrahdale Rd.


The forest was just getting better and better as I reached the road, and while I'd been looking forward to finishing the day's kilometres, it was a bit sad coming to the end of the day's riding. Having completed the next stretch from Jarrahdale Rd to Jarrahdale the previous weekend, reaching Jarrahdale Rd was also another major milestone for my sectional End to End - by linking up everything from Mundaring through to Jarrahdale, I'd just completed the entirety of the first of the nine Munda Biddi maps!


Continuing forward on the trail but going back in time to a week earlier, Alissa and I had driven to the Jarrahdale Rd crossing point for me to complete the sectional home stretch to Jarrahdale. Known as a predominantly flat and easy section and promoted as being perfect for families, I was looking forward to a nice, cruisy 30 kilometre ride into Jarrahdale via Balmoral (and a bit beyond into the next map).


While it hadn't rained over the week leading up to this section, the weather was cool and comfortable and I was again enjoying the easy going ride. While the Jarrah through this first part of the day was thin and ordinary looking, I was impressed by the sheer number of tall Grass Trees that could be seen on either side of the trail.


As noted in the previous hut to hut section, the Bibbulmun Track had been diverted along the Munda Biddi at the time. Not unlike the previous section and Boulder Rock, an interesting quirk of the Munda Biddi's route through this area is that it goes pretty close to Sullivan Rock without actually going to it, and the Bibb branched off the Munda Biddi at the point where the vehicle track obviously linked up to the car park.


While at times undulating, the vehicle track was mostly easy going, fast and fun forest riding. The forest quality was getting nicer the closer the trail was getting to Jarrahdale, and while the lack of rain over the preceding week meant the pea gravel was looser than it had been both the week earlier and later, I was nevertheless confident and happy.


I'm often so disillusioned when hiking, cycling or driving through severely burnt and ghastly looking Jarrah forest given how much of a far cry most regrowth Jarrah is compared to virgin forest. While certainly not old growth, the regrowth forest here was so nice and lush it almost made me want to take back all the mean things I've half-jokingly said about Jarrah being a gaunt, hideous parody of a tree that is only good for firewood and furniture. To add to the magic, I witnessed two startled emus running off the trail at full speed as I can flying down the hill.


The forest reached a crescendo of greatness as the trail came close to Balmoral. This area must have been one of the first places in the area logged as the regrowth trees here are so large that they almost look like old growth. Instead of the scrappy, twisted and thin trees common to the Darling Scarp, these were giants more akin to the Karri forest.


A short distance from Balmoral, The Munda Biddi crosses the Balmoral Track. An old trail that links Jarrahdale with the Bibbulmun Track at Sullivan Rock, the trail had fallen into disrepair for a long time but has apparently been repaired and re-signed recently only for it to burnt terribly in a prescribed burn. It is a trail I'd really like to walk some other time, so one hopes it will return to its former glory in the near future.


Balmoral is the site of the old W20 Prisoner of War camp set up to house Italian nationals during World War II. It was also along an old logging railway, with the track most of the way from here to Jarrahdale being on comfortable, narrow railway forms.


While in the area, it is well worth checking out the short 500 metre WWII POW Camp Trail which, while lacking a clear trailhead at the trail junction, branches off the the Munda Biddi right near a public toilet block.


There is a very informative sign along the trail that provides information about W20. The fact the US interned people of Japanese descent during World War II is well known, but Australia's internment of Italians is less widely discussed.


While most of the buildings have long since been demolished, the fireplace to the Commandant's Office and the foundations of most of the buildings are still in place.


After the short side trip for the WWWII POW Camp Trail, the Munda Biddi heads along one of the nicest and easiest stretches of the trail to be found in Map 1. This narrow stretch of single track follows an old late 19th century rail formation through the forest, providing a lovely sense of closeness to nature that is just not possible along the wider vehicle tracks more common along the trail.


The forest increased in density the further along I went, and while the trees were not the majestic giants seen leading into Balmoral this was some of the nicest Jarrah forest of the day. I was really glad to have done this section at the time I did it given the area had been earmarked for a prescribed burn which would have made it a hideous shadow of the beautiful forest I had encountered. I guess one man's beauty is another man's fuel load. 


In spite of being an old rail formation, there is very little of the old rail infrastructure visible along the trail, however a number of railway sleepers can be seen next to an old railway loading ramp. Combined with the WWII heritage, I was really appreciating how historically interesting this day was.


After photographing the railway sleepers, I hopped back on my bike and realised something had gone wrong. My left brake lever was bent, and as I hit the brakes to inspect what was wrong, it completely snapped off. While the lever was working, there was no way of me actually using it while also holding the handlebar. Having one other brake, I thought I'd still be alright - especially given the terrain was fairly easy going.


Seven minutes later, I realised how wrong I was. Hitting the brakes to turn slightly to the left, my front wheel stopped while my rear wheel kept rolling on the pea gravel. As a result the bike lost control as I slid around, my knee scraped along the ground and my should collided with a tree. While the blood from the knee was a much more obvious injury, the shoulder pain was terrible. As bad luck would have it, it was the same shoulder that had been injured when I slipped while hiking on the Karioi Track in New Zealand back in December last year.


Learning the hard way that a rear brake is pretty damn crucial when riding on pea gravel, I decided I needed to find a way to temporarily fix my left brake lever. Unfortunately, while I had a medikit and toolkit, I'd left the gaffer and zip ties in my multi-day hiking pack so had to use a wrap-around bandage to McGuyver a clumsy but effective solution.


Being in a reasonable amount of pain, I have to admit the winds were definitely out of my sails as I continued along. There were interesting sections like a stretch of forest that appeared to be filled with Bullich rather than Jarrah, but my aching shoulder was certainly a bit of a distraction from the otherwise lovely riding. Something I would realise later is the track basically criss-crosses over Balmoral Rd again and again; if you ever drive to Balmoral you'll see what I mean.


Interestingly, the Balmoral Track (or Trail, which are apparently different things) branch off at a fork in the road, with the Munda Biddi continuing onwards to the left.


The trail then turns onto Balmoral Rd for a brief stretch before heading on some sandy single track that was thankfully not too difficult to cycle on.


There is a fair bit of cycling along farmland in the last few kilometres of the day, which is understandable given the trail is coming into town.


Surprisingly, the trail heads through one last lovely stretch of Jarrah forest right on the doorstep of town.


The last few hundred metres of the day are fairly uncomplicated road cycling that even passes a Transperth bus stop!


While I didn't notice an official Jarrahdale trailhead, the Jarrahdale General Store is one of the main hubs in town for cyclists as it features a large car park and easy access to the nearby trails. Jarrahdale is a special place for Alissa and I as I proposed to her along the nearby Kitty's Gorge Walk Trail.

Injury aside, the cycle from Wungong to Jarrahdale was a fantastic section of the Munda Biddi. Map 1 is often considered one of the hardest parts of the trail, however this day is a lovely, easy going ride through some of the best quality Jarrah forest close to Perth. The trees near Balmoral were particularly impressive giants compared to the usually scrappy appearance of most regrowth forest, and the historic aspect of the Prisoner of War camp and the logging railway made this the most interesting day of Map 1. One map down, eight more to go!

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