Wadandi Track

Overview

The Wadandi Track is a 46 km dual-use rail trail in WA's South West, built on the alignment of the former Busselton–Flinders Bay branch railway (1884–1957). It currently runs in two open sections — Busselton Jetty to Carbunup River (≈15 km, mainly sealed) and Cowaramup to Sebbes Road near Witchcliffe (≈31 km, mostly compacted gravel). The trail is named in recognition of the Wadandi people, Traditional Owners of the area — "Wadandi" translates to "People of the Sea."

For mountain bikers it sits at the gentle end of the spectrum: a wide, hard-packed, near-flat former rail corridor (≈1% average gradient) winding through peppermint, jarrah and young karri forest, vineyards, farmland and granite outcrops. It's the connective tissue of the Margaret River region's cycle-tourism scene — great for families, beginners and gravel-bike day-trippers, and a sensible cross-region link between the dedicated MTB networks at Wooditjup, Middle Earth, Nannup and Pemberton.

A $17.5 million expansion package — funded under WA's $165m Outdoor Adventure Tourism program (May 2024) and confirmed via a $16.87m delivery agreement signed in December 2025 — will extend the trail to its full 109 km between Busselton and Augusta, with completion targeted around 2028. The project is jointly delivered by the City of Busselton, the Shire of Augusta Margaret River and the WA Department of Transport and Major Infrastructure, and includes new and refurbished bridges, smaller water crossings, wayfinding and interpretation.

Location & Access

Address: Memorial Drive, Cowaramup WA 6284 (northern trailhead of the Margaret River section); Sebbes Road, Witchcliffe WA (current southern terminus). Busselton Jetty (Busselton WA 6280) is the northern terminus of the Busselton–Carbunup section.
Region: Margaret River / South West WA
Drive times: ~3 hr (270 km) south of Perth; ~1 hr from Bunbury; ~25 min from Busselton to Cowaramup.
Public transport: TransWA coach services between Perth, Bunbury, Busselton, Margaret River and Augusta stop in or near the trail towns.
Parking: Free, multiple trailheads:
Cowaramup — Bussell Hwy, Hall Road, next to the Fire Station at the trailhead.
Carters Road — gravel car park.
Margaret River — Rotary Park, Fearn Ave (behind the shops), and Margaret River Recreation Centre on Wallcliffe Road.
Gnarawary Road — gravel car park.
Witchcliffe — Bussell Hwy and Redgate Road fronting the tennis courts.
Coords: -33.9223, 115.0501 (approximate centroid near Margaret River; verified against Google Maps and OSM way 181607654)

Best Season & Conditions

Peak riding season: April–October (Trails WA recommendation). Spring (Sep–Nov) is the headline season for wildflowers in the South West's Mediterranean biodiversity hotspot.
Wet-weather impact: Sections are not well drained and can become muddy in winter, including making the surface unsuitable for wheelchairs. Still rideable on a hardtail / gravel bike; expect dirty gear.
Fire-danger / TFB impact: Sits within a high bushfire-risk region in mid-summer. Avoid extreme weather days (the official brochure explicitly says "do not use trail in extreme weather").
Snow / alpine season: N/A (coastal, sea level)
School-holiday surge: Margaret River region peaks Dec–Jan and Easter; expect busy trailheads in Cowaramup and Margaret River but the trail itself disperses crowds.

Managing Body & Trail Builders

Land manager: Shire of Augusta Margaret River (Cowaramup–Sebbes Road section) and City of Busselton (Busselton–Carbunup River section). Capital works delivered jointly with the WA Department of Transport and Major Infrastructure (DTMI).
Trail builder / maintainer: Same — local government in-house plus contracted bridge/drainage works.
Volunteer / dig days: None publicly listed (council-maintained corridor, not a club-built MTB network).
Donations / membership: None. Rail Trails Australia advocates for the corridor at a national level.
Contact (Shire of Augusta Margaret River): (08) 9780 5255 — amrshire@amrshire.wa.gov.au
Contact (City of Busselton): (08) 9781 0444

History & Background

1880s: Timber businessman M.C. Davies built private timber railways linking inland mills to jetties at Hamelin Bay and Flinders Bay for export.
1916: WA Government bought the Augusta–Margaret River line as the timber industry declined.
1925: Line extended to Busselton, servicing remaining timber, group settlements, farming and passengers.
1957: Busselton–Flinders Bay branch closed as road freight displaced rail. Most rails and sleepers were salvaged; cuttings, embankments and many bridges/culverts remain visible today.
2010s–early 2020s: Progressive opening of dual-use sections by the Shire of AMR and City of Busselton.
May 2024: WA State Government commits $17.5m under the $165m Outdoor Adventure Tourism package to complete the 63 km gap.
December 2025: $16.87m funding agreement finalised between DTMI and local governments.
2026 → 2028 (planned): Design and construction of the missing sections, including new/refurbished bridges, wayfinding and interpretation; targeted completion of the full 109 km Busselton–Augusta corridor by 2028.
The track was formally named for the Wadandi people (Pibulmun Wadandi / Bibbulmun Noongar group), Traditional Owners of the South West coastal country — "Wadandi" meaning "People of the Sea".