A Bliss(ter)ful Walk Along the Wiilman Bilya – Collie’s Newest Multi-Day Hike

Only two hours south of Perth, WA’s newest multi-day walk stitches together several day hikes, MTB routes, dual-use tracks, and fire trails to create an eclectic and – according to Joelle, feet-burning! – circuit walk along the Collie River and Wellington Dam.

We acknowledge that this adventure is located on the traditional Country of the Wiilman people who have occupied and cared for the lands, waters, and their inhabitants for thousands of years. We pay our respects to them as the Traditional Custodians and recognise that sovereignty was never ceded.

Quick Overview of the Wiilman Bilya Trail

Starting and ending in the small town of Collie, Western Australia, the 87km Wiilman Bilya Trail is a grade 4 walk located across several state forests, Westralia Conservation Park, and Wellington National Park.

This trail really is a diamond in the rough, weaving through diverse forests of ferns, Yarri/blackbutt (Eucalyptus patens), Marri (Corymbia calophylla), and Jarrah (Eucalyptus marginata) trees. As one of the region’s only multi-day circuit hikes, it’s a real treat for Perth-based Explorers, providing purpose-built campsites (with shelters, water tanks, and toilets!) and offering up many cheeky chances for a swim (or float) in the Collie River.

Wiilman Bilya Trail Facts

Distance: 87.2km
Duration: 4 nights/5 days
Elevation gain: 1832m
Nearest town: Collie
Map Download: Trails WA

About the Wiilman Bilya Trail

Approximately two hours (180km) south of Perth, the Wiilman Bilya Track passes through some of the finest Jarrah forest in the region.

It’s a well-maintained trail with great amenities and swimming spots galore. The recommended timeframe for completion is five days and four nights.

You’ll be spoilt for swims

However, I planned my hike to be four days and three nights to complete it during an extra-long weekend.

The multi-day hike will allow you to check out of your busy schedule and enjoy a quiet hiking trip with plenty of swimming in the beautiful Collie River.

A huge bonus is that water vehicles over 6hp are prohibited in the river, so you won’t be battling jet skis while you swim. Or struggling to find your inner zen over the buzz of their engines.

History of the Wiilman Bilya Trail

The Wiilman Bilya trail takes its name from Wiilman, a local Noongar (First Nations) group, and the Noongar word for river, ‘Bilya’.

The Wiilman people are just one of the Noongar language groups that have inhabited the south-western region of Western Australia for over 45,000 years and are widely recognised as the traditional custodians of the country, lands, and waters (Boodja) through which the Wiilman Bilya Trail traverses.

The Wellington Dam is home to the largest known mural on a dam wall in the world. The mega-mural titled ‘Reflections’, depicts six different scenes centred around the Collie River.

These were inspired by photographs and stories gathered by the artist, ranging from an image of First Nations children playing by the water to a couple of migrant workers who constructed the bridge.

The feat took approximately four months to complete and has to be seen – ideally up close – to be fully appreciated.

This is a lesson for blank dam walls around the world: please do this

How To Get to the Wiilman Bilya Trail

By Public Transport

This circuit hike is accessible by public transport. TransWA’s Australind rail service operates from Perth to Brunswick Junction (approximately two hours) followed by a coach service from Brunswick Junction direct to Collie Visitors Centre (30 minutes).

By Car

The easiest way to get to the start of the Wiilman Bilya Trail is by car. Collie Visitor Centre is located south of Perth, approximately two hours and ten minutes drive along the Kwinana Freeway, Forest Highway, and South Western Highway.

The trail map shows the start and end points as Collie Visitors Centre and Soldiers Park, however, these landmarks are just 900m walk from each other so don’t get confused! The Wiilman Bilya is a circuit hike.

I parked my car at the visitors centre because it felt a little more visible than parking at Soldiers Park, and it felt safer to leave my car there. While the trail can be walked in either direction, I opted for the anti-clockwise route to tackle the roadside walking first.

Where To Stay Along the Wiilman Bilya Trail

There are four purpose-built campsites along the Wiilman Bilya, with an additional campsite near the Wellington Dam Bridge (Potters Gorge) which requires booking and is accessible by car.

A handful of camps have huts, which is essentially glamping

If you plan on staying at the Arcadia campsite and you have a group of eight or more, you’ll need to fill in a registration form before you leave. This is most likely because that campsite is shared with the popular Bibbulmun Track.

The official WA Parks itinerary recommends these campsites for anyone hiking the Wiilman Bilya in an anti-clockwise direction:

Day 1: 13.9km to Nyingarn Campsite
Day 2: 20.4km to Arcadia Campsite
Day 3: 19.8km to Yakkan Campsite
Day 4: 14.8km to Kooboolong Campsite
Day 5: 18.3km to Soldiers Park

Skill Level

Intermediate

While this trail is marked relatively well, it links up a number of different routes that can be confusing when diversions are in place (as they were when I completed the walk). The steep sections can be gruelling and the declines quite unstable and slippery.

Essential Gear for the Wiilman Bilya Trail

• Good hiking boots. The terrain’s varied and much of it is covered in honkey nuts (gumnuts for those of you who aren’t from Perth!) which makes rolling your ankle, very possible
• Water. There are tanks at each campsite but all water must be purified prior to drinking and some sites were running low
• Stove and gas
• Food (plus an extra day’s worth, just in case)
• Sleeping bag and pillow
• Tent (in case the shelters are full)
• Gaiters
• First aid kit
• Sunscreen and hat
• Swimmers and towel (for allll the swimming spots)
• Crocs or similar (to keep you mud-free after your swims)
• Maps.me or another route-finding app to sanity-check detours
• Wiilman Bilya Trail map

Read more: Packing List For An Overnight Hike

What It’s Like To Walk the Wiilman Bilya Trail

I hadn’t completed a multi-day solo hike in a few years (and none in Perth) so the new Wiilman Bilya Trail has been on my hit list since its opening in 2022. Unfortunately, the Wellington Dam Bridge was closed for maintenance work until mid-2023 so the full loop wasn’t possible until recently.

All of a sudden it was open! I booked some leave, grabbed a pair of trusty* summer hiking boots, packed my pack, and headed down to Collie to dust off my solo-hiker mentality. The explanation below covers my itinerary for a compressed hike (four days and three nights).

*The boots turned out to be not-so-trusty…

Day 1 – Collie Visitors Centre to Potters Gorge

Distance: 29km
Time: 7 hours

Setting off from the visitors centre and heading west along Coalfields Road for approximately 10km, the trail turns left into Wellington National Park following the trail marker for the Wiilman Bilya (two sets of feet in a black square for those playing along at home).

The first views of water here were a great preview of what the rest of the hike would be like. The trail is constantly weaving from the riverside to the forest, out to 4WD tracks, fire trails, bordering fields, and farmland, then back to the riverside again.

Passing the Nyingarn campsite (great lunch spot!) I continued through the undulating forest towards Potters Gorge, where I’d booked an unpowered site.

It was packed with weekend holiday-makers and a school camp. I recommend skipping Potters Gorge and staying at one of the hikers-only sites listed above, for a bit of solitude.

By the end of the day, the pads of my feet were burning and blisters had started to form. I chalked this up to my out-of-practice body adjusting to carrying a pack again, cooled off with a swim, and retreated for the night.

A sight for sore feet

Day 2 – Potters Gorge to Yakkan

Distance: 25.1km (without my accidental detour)
Time: 7 hours

The real treat on day two is that you pass the Wellington Dam kiosk within the first ten to fifteen minutes, so if you’re after a real coffee and some banana bread…Bob’s your uncle.

The gentleman on shift (his name wasn’t Bob) was kind enough to fill up my water bladder for me.

From here, the trail takes you over the Wellington Dam Bridge. Make sure you stop to have a look at the epic mural.

Imagine getting to look at art AND drink a real coffee on a multi-day hike

Follow the signs for the lookout for a brilliant vantage point from the east, otherwise follow the signs for the ‘Dam Walk’ to cross the bridge over to the southern side and turn left, following the Wiilman Bilya trail markers.

Day two follows a section of the Bibbulmun Track, peeling you away from the water and into the thick of the bush, stitching together forest walks, steep 4WD tracks, and unsealed slippery clay roads between fields.

Walking on fire trails is the sacrifice we make to reach swimming spots

Arcadia Camp’s shelter is large with wooden picnic tables and chairs and contains the track logbook for you to record your trip details. 

Continuing towards Yakkan Campsite, the southernmost section of the trail diverts you past sections of forest that are being felled. 

Note that this detour is a little unclear and some markers are missing. Unfortunately, I was turned around in this section and accidentally added around 5km to my day. 

Pay attention and hopefully, you won’t repeat my mistake! 

Yakkan Camp was an absolute treat with no other campers and a shelter that overlooked the stunning water.

My blisters had formed their own blisters to retaliate against my boots so I set up camp underneath the shelter to avoid walking any further, went for a quick float in the water, and hit the hay.

The height of hiking luxury tbh

Day 3 – Yakkan Camp to Kooboolong Camp

Distance: 14.8km
Time: 5.5 hours (with severe blisters)

On the morning of day three, the birdsong and the buzz of the bugs melded together to create possibly the most effective alarm clock ever.

The trail weaved into the forest a little more today, however, it still mostly hugged the water providing beautiful, moody views of the red river banks.

This is Alone season 1 adjacent

One of the unexpected struggles of the trail so far is that between campsites, there’s nowhere to sit and have lunch. 

Today lunchtime aligned with an opening in the forest which meant that I could set up shop on an old tree stump overlooking the water. 

This was the shortest of my days on the trail and I arrived at Kooboolong Camp (another shelter by the water) with plenty of time to rest my blistered feet, take a dip, and prepare for my final day.

Note: On the map, it looks like Kooboolong Camp can be reached by vehicles, however, the road down to the camp is a very old 4WD track that is absolutely inaccessible. Don’t plan for a pickup from here if you’re cutting the hike short.

Day 4 – Kooboolong Camp to Collie Visitors Centre

Distance: 19.1km
Time: 5 hours (without swim stops)

The final day of the Wiilman Bilya Trail starts with a steady climb out of camp and away from the water into the forest – one last time. After around 7km you’ll reach the Kaniyung Wiilman pedestrian bridge to cross the Collie River and meet civilisation once more.

The final day of the trail is mostly flat along the waterfront (which is so good for sore feet!) and offers up plenty of swimming opportunities in the river.

The multiple road access points allows for day-trippers to complete smaller sections of the trail, especially around Minninup Pool, and also provides for more picnic facilities and lunch-stop options.

The final section combines footpaths with river paths before delivering you back to the road to the Collie Visitors Centre to complete the loop.

Tips for Walking the Wiilman Bilya Trail

• Wear boots you’ve worn in… recently (may my feet RIP)
• Carry more water than you think you need
• Sunscreen and hat are a must. There are plenty of exposed sections
• Swimmers and a towel are also a must
• Phone signal was sporadic so make sure you’ve downloaded everything you need prior to departure
• Walk in early spring or autumn
• If you want to stop at Potters Gorge campsite, you’ll need to book ahead of time
• If you’re travelling in a group of eight or more, you’ll need to register your visit to Arcadia campground before you leave

And don’t forget, ignorance is blisters

FAQs for the Wiilman Bilya Trail

How long does it take to hike the Wiilman Bilya Trail?

Everyone walks at different speeds but for the average person, the Wiilman Bilya Trail will take five days and four nights to complete.

Is the Wiilman Bilya Trail good for beginners?

The Wiilman Bilya Trail is rated as an intermediate hike and isn’t the best choice for beginners. At 87km in length, it’s not short, and it includes gruelling steep sections. Knowledge of navigation and an understanding of how to filter your own water is required. If you’ve done multi-day hikes before, have good fitness, and you take all the essentials then you should be ok!

What other hikes are close to Perth?

Western Australia is home to some pretty epic hikes but there are also plenty of shorter hikes near Perth if you’re looking for something closer to home.

Can I get to the Wiilman Bilya Track using public transport?

Yep! From Perth, you can use a combination of rail and coach services to land your excited feet at the Collie Visitor Centre trailhead. Otherwise, it’s just over two hours by car.

What’s the best time of year to walk the Wiilman Bilya Track?

For the most comfortable walking conditions, I recommend attempting this one during spring or autumn. It’s not too hot and not too cold.