Granite Skywalk, Castle Rock — Attraction in Porongurup

Porongurup National Park fees apply. There is a pay machine near the car park. Concession $10 this covers you for any National Park for the day. Display a ticket on your dashboard.

Before heading up to Castle Rock Skywalk make sure you have a hat, wind proof jacket, glucose snakes, water about 2 litres and are wearing good shoes for hiking.

The 2.2km hike to the base of Castle Rock from the car park is on a constant incline as expected. The last 700m is steeper.

The path is well delineated with rock steps intermittently.

I am a 62 year old unfit person with hip and knee issues. It was a hard walk but if you take it slow and steady, sipping your water and admire your surroundings it can be a pleasant walk. A lot of the path is under trees.

Once you get to the base of Castle Rock there is a metal platform lookout area. Lovely views.

The next part you need to climb up onto a rock about 900mm high. There are smaller rocks near it to help you up. They have also anchored into the adjacent rocks steel hand grips to help you pull yourself up. Ducking under an overhanging rock you reach a rocky area. This is only about 3-4 metres above the base area.

Then head between big rocks and using the foot and hand grips they have anchored into the rock climb up another 2-3 metres where you will reach the mid metal lookout platform. Stunning views even from this level.

At one end of this platform you will see a very well constructed metal ladder with a cage around it. With 3 points of contact (2 hand grips and foot) you climb up 20 rungs. Then WOW, WOW the view from the skywalk platform is absolutely breathtaking. It is windy up there which is why I said bring a wind jacket.

It is only worth doing on a clear day you can almost see to Albany and Bluff Knoll, Stirling Ranges.

It is so worth persevering to get to the top.

Climbing back down you have the down hill 2.2km hike to return to the carpark which does wear on knees and hips.

Round trip took me 2 1/2 hours.

I am so glad I achieved my goal and encourage the majority to try to get to the skywalk. A must do in the Porongurup...

Info for those going up with young children: it's a 2.2km hike up with rocky steps. Gradient isn't terrible but it is all up. At the top you get to the rock perched precariously (actually a tor so super stable), and you only go a few more metres before the trail splits. To the left is the Karri lookout - a flat metal board walk that anyone can do. To the right is the skywalk which is the real challenge. There is a section where you climb up using handholds - going up isn't too hard but if you're baby wearing it's harder on the way down (send someone else down first to help). Next there's a small flat section with views, then another climb using handrails - this is a little trickier as the hand hold aren't really where you want them to be. Each climb is only a few metres but challenging. Finally there's the 6m ladder - it's simple enough for adults (my husband had an osprey carrier with our toddler in it and I wore the baby), just might be a challenge for small kids on their own as they are rounded rails rather than flat steps. The skywalk is beautiful but if you are scared of heights or nervous about rock climbing with a kid on you it's still worth the hike to the Karri lookout. Toilets are just at the bottom and it takes a decent few hours if you're going toddler paced (took us an hour and 20 up). We did it at 25 degrees and wouldnt want it too much hotter. Photos are of the first hand holds looking up, husband climbing looking down, the ladder, then a video of husband climbing the second section (he's climbing down, this is before...

These are two panoramic lookouts built into the granite boulder outcrops known as Castle Rock in the heart of the Porongurup National Park. The Granite Skywalk is accessible by way of a roughly 2km trail that is a steady ascend through mature forest filled with Karri, Marri and Jarrah trees until you reach the Castle Rock boulder field and outcrop.

Here you will first see the Balancing Rock, shortly afterwards the trail enters a boulder field, where you climb up into an outcrop up and onto a viewing walkway that includes a fun ladder climb. From here you can enjoy sweeping panoramic views.

Unfortunately on the day we visited, we were engulfed in thick clouds. However, the Granite walkway was still very enjoyable. The experience was eery because of the thick ominous clouds and howling winds. We enjoyed being here and look forward to returning in the future to visit again when visibility is better.

The trail is nice, passes through some massive fell trees, one that you walk through a sliced out section. Really neat all around experience, worth doing if planning to do a bit of hiking in the...