Mount Dale is a
mountain
A mountain is an elevated portion of the Earth's crust, generally with steep sides that show significant exposed bedrock. Although definitions vary, a mountain may differ from a plateau in having a limited Summit (topography), summit area, and ...
in
Western Australia
Western Australia (commonly abbreviated as WA) is a state of Australia occupying the western percent of the land area of Australia excluding external territories. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Southern Ocean to th ...
about east of
Armadale in the
Shire of Beverley. At high, it is one of the highest points in the
Darling Scarp
The Darling Scarp, also referred to as the Darling Range or Darling Ranges, is a low escarpment running north–south to the east of the Swan Coastal Plain and Perth, Western Australia. The escarpment extends generally north of Bindoon, to th ...
.
It is best known for its walk track, which forms part of the
Bibbulmun Track
The Bibbulmun Track is a long-distance walk trail in Western Australia. It runs from Kalamunda in the east of Perth to Albany, and is long.
It is managed by government agencies, and has a foundation.
It traverses the Darling Range and has i ...
. The track leads from a parking and picnic area to the summit, passing through of
jarrah
''Eucalyptus marginata'', commonly known as jarrah, djarraly in Noongar language and historically as Swan River mahogany, is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a tree with roug ...
forest, which is coloured by a host of
wildflower
A wildflower (or wild flower) is a flower that grows in the wild, meaning it was not intentionally seeded or planted. The term implies that the plant probably is neither a hybrid nor a selected cultivar that is in any way different from the w ...
s in spring. South of
Mundaring Weir
Mundaring Weir is a dam (and historically the adjoining locality) located from Perth, Western Australia in the Darling Scarp. The dam and reservoir form the boundary between the suburbs of Reservoir and Sawyers Valley. The dam impounds the Hel ...
, Mount Dale is visible when looking south-southeast from
Glen Forrest outside Helena College on Bilgoman Road.
Mount Dale was once the site of a fire lookout tower as it provides almost uninterrupted 360° views over the National Park and surrounding State Forest areas.
[ a 1925 reflection on being in the fire tower ]
This has now been replaced by a communications tower which obstructs the 360° panorama, though the footings of the old lookout tower and associated equipment are still visible among the undergrowth and stunning panoramic views are available from the parking area just below the peak. It was named after Ensign (later Lieutenant)
Robert Dale
Lieutenant Robert Dale (1810–20 July 1853) was the first European explorer to cross the Darling Range in Western Australia.
Robert Dale was born in Winchester, England in November 1810, son of Major Thurston Dale and Helen Matthews. Throug ...
, who in 1829 became the first European explorer to venture into the Darling Scarp.
See also
*
Mount Cooke
Mount Cooke, near Jarrahdale, Western Australia, is one of the highest points on the Darling Scarp, at . It was named after William Ernest Cooke, Western Australia's first Government Astronomer.
Mount Cooke is well known for its walk track ...
*
Mount Gunjin
Notes
References
WalkGPS.com: Mount Dale-Beraking Brook Walk (Walk #12)
Dale
Fire lookout towers in Australia
Darling Range
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