The minute I saw Barrabup Pool and the Old Timberline Trail bridge coming in at its northern end, I knew that I couldn’t miss riding the Old Timberline Trail.
The previous day I had cycled the Sidings Rail Trail (which is also the Munda Biddi Trail for this section) between Jarrahwood and Nannup. Almost halfway along, at Cambray Siding, I had noticed the start of the Old Timberline Trail. It looked attractive.
I bought a map showing the route of the Old Timberline Trail from the Nannup Caravan Park, where we were staying. Today Derek and I were checking out the parts of the trail that were accessible by car to decide whether it would be feasible for me to ride it. There was no mobile coverage for most of the trail and I would be relying on the satellite phone if anything went wrong.
History of the Old Timberline Trail
When the government opened the railway between Busselton and Nannup in 1909, the Kauri Timber Company established the Barrabup Mill on the banks of St John Brook and built a connecting railway to Cambray Siding (on the government line).
The Barrabup Mill employed 150 men in its heyday. The timber town had a school, doctor and nurse, boarding house, billiard hall and post office. Company railway lines criss-crossed the bush bringing the highly-prized jarrah logs to the mill.
However, when a new mill was established in Nannup in 1925, the Barrabup Mill and timber town were closed. Almost everything was dismantled and transferred to the new mill.
The Old Timberline Trail follows the path of some of the Kauri Timber Company lines. At Cambray Siding, where I would start my ride, the trains topped up their water from a water tank at the siding before continuing on to Busselton jetty.
Cambray Siding to Sleeper Hewer’s Camp (5 Kms)
We drove into Cambray Siding along Cambray Road. It was sandy in places, but this was no trouble for our 4WD. Derek said goodbye with a warning about snakes and I watched the Prado disappear over the hill.
The trail started gently. Ten minutes later I was following a road that looked as though it had been built along the path of a former railway.
A few kilometres more and I caught my first glimpse of St John Brook through the trees.
After five kilometres, I saw the signs for Sleeper Hewer’s Camp.
Sleeper Hewers Camp
I am so glad that I took the short detour to Sleeper Hewer’s Camp. I was amazed at the facilities available for walkers and cyclists. There were tent sites,
a cabin that could sleep eight,
a water tank, a drop-box toilet (with toilet paper!), a picnic table and a lovely swimming hole nearby in St John Brook.
I sat at the picnic table enjoying my morning tea.
Sleeper Hewers Camp to Barrabup Pool (5 Kms)
Shortly after leaving Sleeper Hewer’s Camp, I pedalled through this cutting. I no longer had any doubts that I was on a former Kauri Timber Company line.
A few minutes later I came to this dead end where a bridge had been. Looking down, I noticed that St John Brook was quite a long way below. This bridge must have been quite a structure when the steam trains were using it!
Re-tracing my steps, I discovered that the Old Timberline Trail turned sharply right just before the dead-end at the bridge. I pushed up (sometimes walking) a steep, narrow track and then descended to return to the railway formation.
The next few kilometres were extremely enjoyable following in the path of the old railway. As I approached the 11 kilometre mark of my ride, the Old Timberline Trail marker pointed off to the left.
I felt reluctant to leave the lovely smooth formation, but soon I realized that I was descending to Barrabup Pool. The bridge that crossed St John Brook was even more beautiful than I had anticipated.
Before continuing on to Barrabup Pool, I stood in the middle of the bridge, where there was a clearing in the trees, and used the satellite phone to call Derek to let him know all was going well.
Barrabup Pool to Workman’s Pool (2 Kms)
It was a Wednesday and there was nobody else at Barrabup Pool. I imagined that on a hot weekend this place could be quite busy.
It was so lovely sitting on this bench near the pool, eating my frozen yoghurt and listening to the sounds of the bush.
Somewhat shockingly, in the days of the Barrabup Mill’s operations, only the mill manager and his family were allowed to swim here! The workmen had to use Workman’s Pool.
After a short break, it was time to move on.
The Old Timberline Trail to Workman’s Pool was narrow and occasionally quite challenging.
A few trees lay across the track in one area, as though a storm had been through.
Soon I arrived at the Workman’s Pool camping ground and followed the track down to the pool.
Workman’s Pool was beautiful too, although oddly, a greener colour than Barrabup Pool.
I made a couple of circuits of the camping area trying to determine the correct path to continue on the Old Timberline Trail. Eventually I decided to follow a single track marked “Nannup”.
Workman’s Pool to Nannup (11 Kms)
I found the second half of the Old Timberline Trail from Workman’s Pool to Nannup to be quite tough and challenging. There was a steep climb for the first four kilometres after Workman’s Pool and quite a lot of single track studded with tree roots, rocks and plenty of sand. Fortunately, there were still some sections that followed an old railway formation.
As the trail had moved away from St John Brook, the forest was drier, with different vegetation.
Eventually, after another eleven kilometres, I was crossing the 11-metre long Blackwood River Rail Bridge
and cycling into Nannup. Soon Derek and Kenji the dog joined me for a yummy lunch at the Nannup Bridge Cafe.
I had cycled 23 kilometres and climbed 275 metres. However, because of the steep gradients in some sections, I felt as though I had done much more.
You can read about other rail trails in the south-west corner of Western Australia at 5 Wonderful West Australian Rail Trails.
Other great rides are the Munda Biddi Trail between Torbay and Albany (which includes the Torbay-Elleker Rail Trail) and the Great Ocean Trail in Esperance.
Top picture: Lion’s Timber Park in Nannup, displaying the 3 main types of timber milled in the area: Jarrah, Blackbutt and Karri.
