Trails and Tails in and around Dowerin
Whether it’s searching for wonderful wildflowers, a hunt for history or simply a stroll, Dowerin offers a range of informative trails carefully developed for your enjoyment.
Pioneers Pathway Drive Trail
Starting in either Perth or Merredin, the scenic Pioneers Pathway wanders past expansive Wheatbelt farmland and through the towns of Goomalling, Dowerin, Wyalkatchem, Trayning, Kununoppin and Nungarin. This trip is a rewarding alternative to the Great Eastern Highway direct route and adds only 44 kilometres to the journed when travelling between Perth and Merredin. It offers the remarkable view of wildflowers in colourful profusion during the season, invigorating leg-stretching nature walks, as well as numerous buildings and museums reflecting the unique rural historical significance of the region.
Take the pathway to enjoy:
• Spring wildflowers, natural rolling vistas, unique rural history
• Lakes, huge granite outcrops, nature walks, bird watching Off road driving, museums, history, heritage,
• Safe family holidays, excellent roads, comfortable stops
For further information regarding activities, accommodation and places to see in the Central Wheatbelt click here to visit the Central Wheatbelt Visitors Centre website. Updated brochure available from the Shire Of Dowerin Office.
Tin Dog Trail 
Join Rusty the Tin Dog on an adventure throughout his home Tin Dog Creek, located just off Redding Road. Pick up a walk trail map from the visitors centre at the Community Resource Centre on Stewart Street or at the Shire of Dowerin Office on Cottrell Street and head to the Tourist Information Bay on Goldfields Road and follow the green or red Rusty signs to enjoy the long or short walking trail. Take a stroll through some of the last stands of untouched bush in the Wheatbelt and you won’t have to look hard to find some fantastic native flora, fauna and wildlife throughout the trail. There are many educational signs for your interest, the Tin Dog Creek Bird Hyde and some resting points along the way.
The Wheatbelt Workcamp are currently rejuvenating the site to make for a more relaxed and peacful walk.
Dowerin Town Site Heritage Walk Trail
The Dowerin Heritage & Recreation Walk Trail is a gentle stroll throughout the town site on a trail of discovery highlighting the culturally significant buildings & sites that Dowerin has to offer. Click here to download the Heritage Walk Trail map for more information and stories relating to the use and development of each building/site for a further insight of pioneering history in Dowerin. Enroute visit our range of church buildings, the site of the original Dowerin Shearing Shed and the Dowerin Showgrounds, now famous for the annual Dowerin Field Day event.
Wells…the water story
The stories about water use, scarcity and the way in which each successive generation sought to resolve different water issues is fascinating. The wells along the goldfields track are located in the north east Wheatbelt district of Western Australia. Commencing 135 kilometres north east of Perth at Goomalling the Goldfields track encompasses over 250 km to the Yilgarn Goldfields at Eenuin. Early reports talk about water as the ‘haunting phantom’ and in Dowerin we are able to tell the story of water carting at Namelkatchem and Nanning Wells where wagon wheel tracks made by travelers on their journey to the gold fields in the late 1800’s are still visible today.
Dowerin Lakes were an ephemeral fresh water lake system based upon early accounts and an area was definitely settled here because fresh water existed and grazing, farm operations could be based from the lakes. Rising groundwater and salinity is a well known issue to most farmers and Dowerin Lakes illustrates the impact that land clearing, rising water tables and the impact that this has caused on farming land.
