Shannon Dam Trail Walk (3.5km)

Get away for a day at Shannon - the one time timber town, now a popular tourist destination deep in the heart of the Shannon National Park. The Shannon Dam Walk Trail is an easy 3.5 kilometre return stroll with gentle slopes.

To get to Shannon, head north-east of Pemberton to the South-West Highway and turn right, or drive south to Northcliffe then head east. After a peaceful picnic or barbecue lunch, take a step back in time. As you wander along the river to the dam, you walk through history; through forests that were the life-blood of the mill town. These have re-grown and again provide pure, natural enjoyment for today's generations. The first 600 metres of the trail are sealed and suitable for wheelchairs and prams. As you walk, try to spot remnants of the railway line, built almost entirely by haRoad, physical labour, and which transported the huge logs. Now, this line is being quietly invaded and reclaimed by the surrounding forest, and will disappear - to be remembered only, perhaps, by the ghosts of this once flourishing timber town. The Shannon Dam, set against a backdrop of tall karri forest, was a vital water supply for the townspeople and the mill. It was also a favorite picnic place, and families today still find it an ideal spot for fishing, canoeing, swimming, marroning, or simply watching reflections of the towering trees, and the woodswallows gliding and dipping to drink from the dam.