Stirling Range National Park is one of my favourite places in the Southwest when I want to get away from the bustle of the city and do some landscape photography. A relatively simple drive from Perth ( although I constantly underestimate just how long it takes to get from Cranbrook to Bluff Knoll - it's a big Park! ) brings you to some of the most dramatic landscape that the state has to offer. There is a lot to appreciate here, and due to the geology, flora and fauna there are plenty of different photography pursuits that could be enjoyed. The wildflowers are bountiful and diverse during the flowering season with local tours available, and I've seen bird-watchers happily set up their equipment and wait patiently for their quarry. However, I'm all about the grand views that the Stirling Ranges have to offer, so my article will concentrate on that.
Unable to climb? Here are some suggestions for locations on the ground level.
I think it would be prudent to first discuss what can be seen from the ground - and there is opportunity here! The issue is that much of the bushland on the plains consists of mature trees that tend to block any good views, so it is often difficult to gain a good view of the mountains as well as the plains below them. I often climb up on top of my car which helps to gain a bit of height, but there is a natural advantage to a bit of altitude.
The first and most obvious location is the car park at Bluff Knoll. Here you get good views to the west toward Mt Trio and Mt Toolbrunup, as well as seeing Bluff Knoll tower above you to the southeast. Due to the distance, I don't really favour the views west, as the expansive plains mean a lot of negative space between the mountains - however, a short walk back down the side of the access road will give a nice view unspoiled by trees. The views of Bluff Knoll, Mt Success and the Eastern Ranges are quite good, if you can find a spot where the trees are not obstructing the
view. I have found that the grid-mesh walkway that leads to the toilets is a good spot ( as long as you can stop your tripod feet from disappearing through the grid-mesh ), and the southern end of
the car park is also good if you can find a gap between the trees there. There is a dedicated viewing platform at the start of the walking track to the summit, however I have always found that the view has been badly spoiled by trees there, and cannot recall personally seeing any great potential.
The two other prominent viewing areas are the Western and Central Lookouts, located along Stirling Range Drive. As the name suggests, the Western Lookout is in the western side of the Park, but has an eastward view toward Mt Magog and Toolbrunup. I have climbed up on top of my car to maximize the vantage point here and improve the view over the small trees, but it again suffers to everything being quite distant, so wider-angles can be a bit dull with little in the foreground. Looking east, a sunrise from mid-March through to early April would be best with the sun rising behind the peaks. The other issue of course is the distance, as the lookout is quite a drive through kangaroo-infested areas from the nearest campgrounds. Otherwise, the only other reason why I would go would be if I was arriving late in the afternoon and knew I would have the time to drive to any of the other peaks for sunset. I have made one sunrise here, and I actually took the photo from the road beside the lookout with a longer focal length.
I have visited the Central Lookout on a couple of occasions, but I have not made any sunrise or sunset attempts here. I have little recollection of finding any composition of interest, but I suspect the winter months would be the best time due to the southern location of the Lookout itself. In regard to other places to view the mountains from the roadside, there are a few options. There is a dedicated pull-off spot just west of the Chester Pass Road and Formby Road South junction where you can look across to Bluff Knoll and at Mt Trio in the opposite direction. I climbed on top of my car again and have had some minor success here, mostly due to the bushland being badly burnt during the 2020 fires. Still, it would make a good sunrise spot with the sun coming up behind Bluff Knoll.
There are also a number of spots along Stirling Range Drive, with the most memorable one for me being between the Western and Central Lookouts. A straight stretch of road gently rises and falls through several troughs and valleys, and the landscape to the south of the road drops away gently, enabling views to the west over some of the smaller peaks. Small trees on the edge of the road still obscure the view, but if you can find a clear spot you can get a reasonably clean composition looking west.
Everybody views potential through different eyes, so going for a drive would be the best option to pick up any different spots.
Red Gum Pass Road also offers some interesting spots, with the first hill after driving south off Salt River Road offering views out to the east, and some of the patches of white gumtrees can provide some good photos of the bushland itself.
Bluff Knoll
The main event. I have made a number of ascents up Bluff Knoll, and I intend to make more in the future. It has expansive views to the western peaks, a relatively open view to the eastern peaks, and the fact that the trail ascends along the western edge of the bluff means that there is plenty of opportunity to find a good vantage point further down the slope. The view to the north is out across the farming plains, while to the view to the south is down the long sloping back of the bluff toward the coast.
Discussing the eastern views first, I have found that the best spot has been the peak of Bluff Knoll, and just down along the bluff's edge. The rocks and shrubbery add to foreground interest, while the Eastern Ranges peel away in the distance. It's not a view that is necessarily suited to a panorama, as the peaks are in a thin line, rather than spread out. Still, the cliffs are dramatic, and I intend to locate and scout along the walkway that is part of the Eastern Ranges Walk, which may give alternatives for different compositions. If you enjoy shooting sunrises, the peak is a good spot. I would expect that the months of April through May would be best suited for this, as the sun would rise behind, or just either side of the Eastern Ranges.
The weather here can play a major part of whether the sunrise will be at all worth it - and making a hour+ ascent just to have everything absolutely smothered in low cloud is something close to heart-breaking! Of the 15 or so times I have summited the Bluff for photos, I have had this happen four times - all in the late afternoon. I have also arrived at the car park in the dark, ready to climb for the sunrise but have seen the low cloud hovering on the peak and decided not to climb. I am not familiar enough with the weather patterns to predict what is going to happen, as so much depends on what is on the other side of the mountains - hidden to the south and only visible once you make it up two-thirds of the climb onto the southern back of the Bluff.
Bluff Knoll is well known for its cloud waterfalls, where the low cloud builds up on the south side, and when the day begins to dawn and warm up, the cloud will begin to rise and spill over the Eastern peaks. It is an astonishing sight, but the cloud can swell up and roll over the summit as well. One of my last sunrise attempts had this phenomenon occuring, and not only was visibility on the peak rolling in and out as the cloud occassionaly pushed up over the peak, but the wind was very strong and soaked my camera with the mist.
I have also had the privilege of a cloud inversion on the peak. The probability seemed pretty high from the weather forecast, with little to no wind all night, the temperature below the dew point, and no clouds forecast. I walked up the mount in the fog until nearly at the top, where I broke out of the cloud to a clear peak in a sea of slow-moving low cloud - a fantastic moment! The only other peak visible was the occassional glimpse of Mt Toolbrunup which would briefly appear out of the cloud before being swamped again - altitude does have its advantages.
Another note with the weather, is that ( especially in the morning ) it can get cold up here; very, very cold - likely below freezing with the wind chill factored in. The car park is on the sheltered side of the mountain, so the perceived ambient temperature when you start your walk can be very different compared to up top. The wind can pick up, and I've seen guys and girls in little more than shorts and T-shirt come to quite a rude awakening as they reach they top and realize that the wind speed only gets worse and there is little to no shelter. Please pack some warm layers for the peak. You likely won't die from hypothermia if you don't have a jacket or a beanie, but it will severely impact your enjoyment of the end experience and limit how much time you can actually spend at the top before you're miserable, can't feel your fingers or your ears, and are shivering uncontrollably.
So it is a gamble, but all six of my sunrise summits have thus far been successful at producing some good photos and great memories. However, if you are up on the summit in the mid-to-late afternoon and the wind swings in from the south, monitor the coast. If there is a ridge of cloud, expect trouble.
For sunsets, wider angles to include the breadth of the Western Ranges becomes more appealing. The location is flexible as well, as with the way the peaks curve away there is a wealth of different composition opportunities. During the summer months, the sun sets down behind Mt Success and to the south of the other peaks- cutting rays through the hills - whilst during the depths of winter, the sun will set to the north of Mt Trio - casting its golden light across the plains.
Shooting further down the slope will include Mt Success as a stronger compositional subject, and you may be able to include some of the western cliffs from the bluff on a sweeping panorama. One thing that I have observed, however, is that distance is a two-edged sword in situations like this, and you really need sunlight to make the most of it. The altitude and distance creates a haze where the peaks become silhouettes devoid of colour except blue. This means that it can be a bit boring without the sun rays catching the haze and lighting it up with colour.
Snow!
And lastly, Bluff Knoll offers some very interesting weather conditions to enjoy, aside from the cloud waterfall or inversions. Bluff Knoll is the only place in Western Australia that experiences snow on an annual basis ( except for maybe Toolbrunup? I feel it may get some snow as well if it's cold enough ). I have had the privelege of experiencing fairly heavy snowfall on the peak. If you do decide to catch a glimpse of the snow, pack plenty of layers, including a beanie and good gloves. It's not a lot of fun up on the peak, as it's below zero degrees C, the wind is likely to be brisk, and if it isn't snowing it's raining instead. I saw plenty of people suffering miserably once they were at the top, and hastily heading down after a few minutes of being enchanted by the snow only to be oppressed by it instead. Wet weather gear is also essential, as the snow will melt and soak through your layers. I had full wet weather gear, merino gloves, beanie, neck scarf, duck-down jacket, sweat shirt, thermal shirt, and two pairs of pants under my rain pants. I was cosy. Most other people weren't, and I was happy enough sticking around on the peak for a couple of hours in the cold.
The snow doesn't last for very long. There was heavy snowfall, but when the snow stopped falling it lasted about 10 minutes on the ground before it had all melted. Some of the snow on the bushes stuck around for longer, but it's quite fleeting in most circumstances. So while there is snow on the ground, you'll probably be stuck in low cloud ( which is busy dumping the snow ) and when the cloud clears much of the snow will have melted, so if you do catch an incredible sunrise complete with snow on the ground, I tip my hat to you and offer my congratulations!
I did have a very good sunrise. It was snowing when I got to the peak, and the snow tapered off while I was busying adding my extra layers. By the time I was set up, the low cloud had cleared and we all witnessed an incredible sunrise. There is snow in the photos, but it's only some minor amount still stuck to the branches of the bushes. Some of my other photos yielded some more, but it's hit and miss with the cloud cover.
Mt Toolbrunup
I have made fewer ascents of Mt Toolbrunup than I have of Bluff Knoll, but it is still a fantastic peak to climb. The views at the top are panoramic; however this does not necessarily make it more suited for photography.
The view east is dramatic, and with a clear day you can see Bluff Knoll and the Eastern Ranges, along with Mt Trio and Mt Toll beside it. An issue I have with the view in this direction is the distance between these peaks, and that they are rather spread out. The height of Mt Toolbrunup as a vantage point adds to the negative space between the subjects, but there is enough there to fill a 24mm equivalent field of view with the main peaks, and to chance a sunrise here could be stunning. This, I have attempted twice, but with no success.
The view to the west is where I find Mt Toolbrunup to be the best to my panoramic style, and the western peaks are spread out on the plains below with Stirling Ranges Road winding its way between them. There is a lot of negative space due to the plain just below Mt Toolbrunup, however the collection of Western Peks form a bowl of sorts that neatly frame the area. The rocks and ridges of Toolbrunup's peak also give opportunity to include some foreground, however I have found that longer focal lengths have also suited the views. I would recommend a sunset here, and I would suggest the months of March through to April would be best as the sun would set centrally behind the peaks, with it's light cutting through them as it drops. This is a bit of a theme for me, and I hope I don't overdo it!
Being the second-highest peak, Mt Toolbrunup also offers the opportunity of a cloud inversion with 360 degree views, however I have not had the opportunity to experience this. Typically being a taller peak, it's head is often obscured by low cloud instead! I have made four sunset attempts on Mt Toolbrunup; three of these have had the low cloud roll in from the south and obscure everything; one of these also brought rain, but at least offered a rainbow as some form of recompense!
Mt Trio
I think I have ascended this peak twice, and have no real interest in doing so again. As I write, I'm even wracking my brains trying to think of all the details of the views - it obviously left that little of an impression on me. I was very excited to experience the views to the west, as it has clear views over towards Mt Hassell, Mt Toolbrunup, and the smaller peaks extending to the north-west. However, I found the distance to be too great, and there was simply not enough in the foreground to especially interest me. The silhouettes of the western ranges are interesting, but I feel that there is simply more to offer from other peaks in the park.
I don't recall the view to the east very well. I was there for the sunset, but again I think that although the view across to Bluff Knoll and the Eastern Ranges is expansive, the distance is too great with little pay-off in the foreground. However, I may revisit Mt Trio at some point and re-evaluate; who knows, maybe I'm missing out!
Mt Hassell
In regard to reward vs effort, Mt Hassell is probably the best peak in the Park, and a definite favourite of mine. It is the location of not only my single most-favourite photo from the park, but also probably the bulk of my better shots - and this due to it being so accessible. The views from the peak are great, as are the views from various points on the way up. From the top you get a fantastic view across to Mt Toolbrunup, with the smaller western peaks leading away from its base. A sunset here from mid-April through to mid-May will have the sun setting to the right of Mt Toolbrunup among the smaller peaks.
The view to the east from the peak is a bit less expansive, owing to the way that Mt Hassell gently slopes away to the south-east, meaning that you may need to walk 50 metres back down to find a point where it drops away and offers a bit more of a vantage-point - of which there are quite a few, including the first "false peak" on the climb up, as well as some rocky points on the final climb. However, unlike Mt Trio and Toolbrunup this is possibly the only peak that offers a good view and composition of the eastern peaks, such as Mt Trio itself, Bluff Knoll and Mt Success together.
The southeastern slope of Mt Hassell adds to the foreground, and the gentle way the valleys cut between the peaks means that there is less negative space between the peaks - and I love it! Wider angles and panoramas work well, and due to the expansive view a sunrise between the months of late-February through to early April would work nicely.
I mentioned reward vs effort earlier, and if you don't feel like climbing too far, there is a spot about 5 to 10 minutes walk from the base of the hill that looks out to the east over Stirling Range Drive and toward Bluff Knoll. This is a good spot to visit if the morning has the peaks clouded over, and late-February through to early April still work great for capturing the early-morning sun rays.
Mt Magog
Mt Magog is the last of the main peaks that I climbed. The trail is one of the more challenging of the parks, and well deserving of its Level 5 rating. The trail begins with a long walk along the plains before ascending steeply up the side of the hill very much in the style of Mt Talyuberlup. The trail is not as developed as the other main peaks, with no steps or stairs installed - just a steep trail that is a cross between dirt and rock. I would not be too keen to climb it in the rain, and although I have only climbed it once, it's the only peak that I haven't had the stomach to stay for the sunset and climb down by myself in the dark; in case I had an incident on one of the many steep scrambling sections. The hike back down isn't as bad as I thought, however - Magog does have a saving grace.
It's a toss between Mt Magog and Mt Taly as to being the worst trail to climb down from. Climbing up is not really a big deal; however with a heavy backpack, descending does become tricky. Magog has a lot more trees and branches to grab onto when descending; sure, they may only be the thickness of your wrist, but in that situation you'll happily take anything to assist you making it down safely. The Taly trail, on the other hand, may not having as many sections that insight visions of hideous calamity, but the lack of trees does make the descent oddly more difficult.
Bottom line is, take care.
The peak of Mt Magog allows nearly 360 degree views, and it's only the fact that the peak has plenty of extablished shrubs that stop you from being able to see everything from one single spot. To the north, there is another peak that does restrict your views out onto the plains, but the peak can also be used as a feature in photos. I did not attempt to access this peak, even though it is relatively close by - the climb up had spooked me enough, and there are sheer cliffs on the narrow ridgeline between it and Magog.
I was interested in the view toward the east, and despite the distance the views across the valley to Mt Toolbrunup, Mt Trio and Bluff Knoll are good, with them all sitting in a compact composition. You would require a longer focal length to capture them neatly, however; as I think without any truly dramatic lighting or weather conditions the surrounding plains would create too much negative space for my liking. During the months of late-March through to late-April the sun rises behind the peaks, and it would likely make quite a good sunrise spot. To the west there is a vast plain and the smaller peaks peel off toward the north-west. Photos in the summer from the peak will have the sun setting behind the southwestern peaks, while in the depths of winter the sun will set behind the more prominent peaks to the northeast; it is this time of year I would recommend more.
Mt Talyuberlup
The sister peak to Mt Magog, it is a shorter climb, but still as steep at Mt Trio but the path does not have established steps. The final part of the climb rounds the edge of the rocky bluff to a great viewing area looking west, while another short scramble brings you to the summit itself. The summit of the Talyuberlup is dramatic, with rocky outcroppings and steep cliffs. It also offers panoramic views in all directions.
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The views to the east are a lot like what you will see from Mt Magog, with excellent views back toward Mt Toolbrunup. The view to the west is more dramatic, with its sister-peak Mt Magog resting just beyond and leading toward the smaller peaks in the distance. Talyuberlup also offers plenty of handy vantage points to view from on its north-western side, so it is ideal for sunset photos from anywhere between March - where Mt Magog will catch the late afternoon light - through to late-April where the sun will set more centrally behind the furthest peaks. Later in the year the sun will be setting just beyond Magog itself, but this is less ideal for wider angle photos or panoramas. However the rocky features of Talyuberlup's peak make it ideal for some shots with more foreground or using the rocky outcrops to frame a longer focal length. There is a lot of potential here!
Stirling Range Ridge Walk / Eastern Ridge Walk
This is another walk that is on the list but I haven't yet attempted. Unfortunately due to the two relatively recent fires it has been closed during the times where I have actually looked into completing it! Undoubtedly there are some amazing photography opportunities here, and I hope to have the privilege of completing it some day.
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