Each year, the Golden Pipeline Festival in Mundaring, Western Australia, invites you to engage with an iconic piece of engineering woven into the rugged landscape. This event is more than a celebration; it’s an active invitation to explore the 150-kilometre pipeline path—an enduring lifeline carved through challenging terrain, now a corridor for hikers, cyclists, and history seekers alike.

Set against the backdrop of the Darling Range, the festival exhibits how the Golden Pipeline, completed in 1903, still commands the land with a quiet force. Trails snake through thick jarrah forests and along rocky ridges, with the pipeline itself daring you to keep pace. Along the route, the ground inclines steadily, with elevation gains that test fitness but reward with the occasional clearing opening into sweeping views of the Perth Hills and beyond.

The terrain varies—compact earth paths, uneven rocky sections, and occasional timber bridges crossing creeks that seem to push forward with restless energy after rains. The breadth of the festival’s activities includes guided hikes, heritage talks, and interactive exhibits centered on the pipeline’s role in supporting Perth’s growth and the vibrant ecosystems around Mundaring.

For your hike, plan for about 5 to 6 hours if tackling a 20-kilometre stretch, taking breaks to appreciate the forest’s sounds—leaves crunching underfoot, birds punctuating the silence with distant calls. Hydration is crucial here; the trail’s exposure and undulating terrain mean water needs can increase quickly, especially during warmer months. Footwear with good ankle support and grip is essential for navigating the variable surfaces.

The festival also highlights community and conservation efforts to protect water quality and the native wildlife that thrive here. Keep an eye out for the restless kangaroos bounding across open fields at dawn or dusk, and the spirited kookaburras that challenge the quiet with their laughter-like calls.

Arriving early allows you to experience the softer morning light, which illuminates the red earth and crown-like canopy of the jarrah trees. Photography enthusiasts will find plenty to capture, from the intricate metalwork of pipeline valves to the rugged horizon stretching under vast skies.

Whether you’re a casual walker or a seasoned adventurer, the Golden Pipeline Festival offers an engaging blend of physical challenge, historical insight, and nature’s raw personality. This is a journey of connection—between a waterway that shaped a city, the forests that guard it, and the people who keep its story alive.