Mount Augustus Summit Trail

5 h to 8 h

11.3 km
return

↑ 689 m
↓ -689 m

Very challenging
Starting from the Flintstone - Beedoboondu car park off Mount Augustus Road, Mount Augustus National Park, this walk leads to the summit of Mount Augustus and back via the Summit Trail. An outstanding Outback mountain walk, Mount Augustus offers two routes to the summit, the easier Summit Trail and the extremely rugged Gully Trail, allowing walkers to choose their own adventure. The trails are well signed for most of its length, with the markers supplemented with painted dots on the rock. The first section of the Summit Trail is relatively gentle and easy-going, but the gentle gradient ends as the trail reaches a junction with the Gully Trail. At this point, walkers can choose to add an extra level of difficulty to their walk by switching to the Gully Trail, or take the easier going Summit Trail. While no scrambling is required along the Summit Trail (aside from a few minor spots near the summit), the section beyond the junction is much steeper and more difficult. While the junction is a clear division point, the steep climbing continues on for a few hundred metres more, with some walking along some rocky ridgelines. The trail evens out as it makes its way across the flats to the summit, then the landscape narrows as the trail skirts the edge of a steep slope leading towards the summit. Following the contours eastwards, the trail takes a sudden turn south as the final ascent to the summit begins. This is the only part of the walk that requires some scrambling. The man-made rock cairn will let you know that you've made it to the summit. The view from the summit is remarkable, with extensive views over the surrounding plain, river systems and distant ranges. This is a very demanding walk, and it's important that you are well prepared and understand the risks. The conditions are extremely rugged with little to no shade and the radiant heat can exceed 50°C, making heatstroke and dehydration a real risk. Take all necessary precautions before you set off on a hike and make an early start if you want to complete the walk in the cooler hours. Ensure you have sturdy footwear and carry at least 3 to 4 litres of water per person. Avoid walking to the summit in the hotter months between September and March. Let us begin by acknowledging the Traditional Custodians of the land on which we travel today, and pay our respects to their Elders past and present.
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Warning
This journey requires significant bushwalking experience, specialised equipment and navigation skills.
Please ensure you and your group well prepared and equiped for this journey.

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Safer Bushwalks
Tips on staying safe on track
Before you start any bushwalk ensure you;
• Tell someone you trust where you are going and what to do if you are overdue
• Have adequate equipment, supplies, skills & knowledge for the whole journey
• Consider the impact of weather forecasts, park/track closures & fire dangers
• Can respond to emergencies & call for help at any point
• Are healthy and fit enough for this journey
If not, change plans and stay safe. It is okay to delay and ask people for help.
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Getting There
Transport options and directions
Start (-24.3196549,116.7975318)
Mode Car
DirectionsFrom Great Northern Highway, 95, Kumarina.
  • Turn on to Peak Hill-Three Rivers Road then drive for 49 km
  • Turn sharp right onto Mingah Springs Road and drive for another 66.1 km
  • Continue onto Ashburton Downs - Meekatharra Road and drive for another 5.7 km
  • Turn right onto Woodlands - Mount Augustus and drive for another 175.5 km
  • Turn right onto Landor-Mt Augustus Road and drive for another 20.3 km
  • Turn left onto Mount Augusta Road and drive for another 6.3 km
  • Keep left and drive for another 570 m
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Track Notes
Turn by turn instructions & maps
Getting started
From the Flintstone - Beedoboodu car park off Mount Augustus Road, head southwest along the dirt trail (Summit Trail) for about 200 metres. At the 3-way intersection, keep right to continue along the Mount Augustus Summit Trail.....
Turn map Directions & comments
Start.
Find the car park at the start.
There is a toilet (about 35 m back from the start).
The starting point of an alternate route. This alternate route follows the much more challenging Gully Trail, visiting Flintstone Rock (an Aboriginal art site) along the way. Keep in mind that the Gully Trail is extremely rugged, and you can just visit the art site and get back to the Summit Trail if you'd like to. To take the alternate route turn left here. Details below.
After another 230 m (at the intersection of The Summit Trail & Flintstone Rock Walk) continue straight, to head along The Summit Trail.
After another 1.2 km (at the intersection of The Summit Trail & Flintstone Rock Walk) turn right, to head along The Summit Trail.
The alternate route finishes here. Continue straight to rejoin the main route at the 2.8 km waypoint. Details below.
After another 1.5 km (at the intersection of The Summit Trail & The Gully Trail) turn right, to head along The Summit Trail.
After another 2.8 km come to "Mount Augustus Summit".
Mount Augustus Summit
Mount Augustus Summit

Mount Augustus, or Burringurrah as the local Wajarri Aboriginal people know it, is an inselberg, meaning 'island mountain'. One of the most spectacular solitary peaks in the world, it rises 715m above a stony, red sandplain of arid shrubland dominated by wattles, cassias and eremophilas. The rock itself, which culminates in a small peak on a plateau, covers almost 5,000 hectares and takes a whopping 49km to drive around. At sunrise and sunset, the colour of the rock transitions through many colours on the visible spectrum. The summit of Mount Augustus is marked by a picnic table and an impressive summit cairn that has actually been cemented together. A metal box is located on the picnic table, containing a summit logbook for hikers to write in, as well as a couple of spare bottles of water as another emergency cache. The box also contains a note congratulating those who have climbed to the summit. However, the most interesting information relates to the cairn, which was made by Senior Park Ranger Keith Moon who had to haul the water and cement up the mountain either himself or by talking hikers into helping him. He also brought up the materials for the table and benches which he constructed on-site. Moon died in 2006, but his memory lives on through his magnificent cairn.
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Mount Augustus, or Burringurrah as the local Wajarri Aboriginal people know it, is an inselberg, meaning 'island mountain'. One of the most spectacular solitary peaks in the world, it rises 715m above a stony, red sandplain of arid shrubland dominated by wattles, cassias and eremophilas. The rock itself, which culminates in a small peak on a plateau, covers almost 5,000 hectares and takes a whopping 49km to drive around. At sunrise and sunset, the colour of the rock transitions through many colours on the visible spectrum. The summit of Mount Augustus is marked by a picnic table and an impressive summit cairn that has actually been cemented together. A metal box is located on the picnic table, containing a summit logbook for hikers to write in, as well as a couple of spare bottles of water as another emergency cache. The box also contains a note congratulating those who have climbed to the summit. However, the most interesting information relates to the cairn, which was made by Senior Park Ranger Keith Moon who had to haul the water and cement up the mountain either himself or by talking hikers into helping him. He also brought up the materials for the table and benches which he constructed on-site. Moon died in 2006, but his memory lives on through his magnificent cairn.

A picnic table.
Turn around here and retrace the main route for 5.7 km to get back to the start.

This alternate route follows the much more challenging Gully Trail, visiting Flintstone Rock (an Aboriginal art site) along the way. Keep in mind that the Gully Trail is extremely rugged, and you can just visit the art site and get back to the Summit Trail if you'd like to.
Turn map Directions & comments
At the intersection of The Summit Trail & Flintstone Rock Walk Start heading along Flintstone Rock Walk (a walking track).
After another 1.3 km (at the intersection of Flintstone Rock Walk & The Gully Trail) continue straight, to head along The Gully Trail.
After another 1.6 km come to the end.
At the end of this alternate route, rejoin the main route.
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Terrain
Know the Hills, grading & facilities

Mount Augustus Summit Trail


Grading
Class 5/6
Very challenging
Length 11.3 km
Time 5 h to 8 h
Quality of track Rough track, where fallen trees and other obstacles are likely (4/6)
Gradient Very steep (4/6)
Signage Directional signs along the way (3/6)
Infrastructure Limited facilities (such as cliffs not fenced, significant creeks not bridged) (4/6)
Experience Required High level of bushwalking experience recommended (5/6)
Weather Forecasted & unexpected severe weather likely to have an impact on your navigation and safety (5/6)

Some facilities on route
Toilet: There is one -33 m back from the start.


Order of key facilities on route
ItemFrom StartName & link to notes
Toilet
-33 m[toilet]
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Articles
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