Statham’s Quarry is our locals only secret. You can hit the trail from two points off Ridge Hill Road. The lower entrance is the uphill access road for rock climbers in cars and the other entrance is off a path via the Zig Zag (this road is currently closed to vehicles between 8:30pm and 11am making it a pleasant walk for early morning pedestrians). There’s also a back way further up the Zig Zag next to a lookout point.
With our two year old, we take the path from the bottom of the Zig Zag. We walk here on average once a month – more often during winter since flies can be pesky in late spring and summer.
There’s plenty of areas off the beaten path in this area to explore and multiple ways to reach the top of the quarry. The view is breathtaking from the top, if a bit knee-wobbling. It’s unfenced so exercise extreme caution with kids and pets. We tend to stick to the bottom.
At the bottom of the quarry there’s some amenities but we always BYO rubbish bag as there’s no bins. When I was pregnant I hiked there weekly and the thunder box came in handy for sudden baby kicks to the bladder. There’s a covered picnic table next to the pond with some resident ducks. We walk our dogs here often and, being labs, it’s their favourite spot to cool off.
Statham’s is a ledge point at high elevation that trickles down into a deep valley. There tends to be plenty of huge puddles after a big rain. It’s inevitable that Oliver will get wet so we make sure to pack a change of clothes, spare shoes and a towel.
There’s plenty of shady trees but some parts are unshaded and the sun can be quite harsh in the warmer months. Given flies are a bit of a hassle we avoid hiking here if it’s hotter than 30 degrees. A pleasant 24 degree day is perfect, or a squelchy midwinter walk.
The vegetation is gorgeous and the whole area bursts with colour once the spring wildflowers come in late August/early September and hang around until October. Freesias are abundant in spring and the area is dotted with huge grass trees. There’s a cherry tree near an old building.
When Ollie was younger we ensured to pack the Ergobaby. This is a good beginner trail for kids but all little ones have limits – I’ve been caught out with Ollie refusing to walk and having to carry him the 3-5km distance back to the car. The return walk is probably only about 5-10km depending which route we take and how much we explore.
Now that Ollie is a lot bigger he mostly walks or runs the entire way. This area is a nature play dream. We’ve wasted hours observing ants, bird watching and checking out creepy crawlies. This isn’t a busy trail so the wildlife are plentiful.
Ollie particularly loves the puddles for splashing in. We used to bring a basket when he was very interested in collecting rocks or other treasures. Now he usually puts them in his pockets.
This location holds a special place in my heart. I’ve been walking dogs here since I was little. Even with hyperemesis in my pregnancy with Ollie I still managed to walk there every Tuesday. Sometimes I’d have to carry an ice cream bucket with me.
There isn’t a time of year that it’s not alive and teeming with typical WA flora and fauna. You see it all from kangaroos, magpies, black cockatoos to silvereyes and finches.
It’s a beautiful slice of Perth Hills and packs an incredible punch of colour. The golds, russet red and greens are incredible to see in person.
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