Tess Marlowe

Walks & trails editor · Perth Tourism

Tess has worn out more boots than she can count tramping the Bibbulmun and the Perth Hills. She writes up every walk we publish after actually doing it — water bottle, trail notes and all.

Articles by Tess Marlowe

Kalamunda to Mundaring: Bibbulmun Track section done properly

Twenty-two kilometres of jarrah forest between two Perth Hills towns. Here's what the Kalamunda to Mundaring section of the Bibbulmun Track

Bold Park bushland trails: a proper walk minutes from the coast

Bold Park bushland trails pack real elevation, banksia woodland and coastal views into 10km of Perth's western suburbs, just minutes from th

John Forrest National Park walks: every trail ranked

A working ranking of John Forrest National Park walks, from the crowded falls trail to the quiet dam loop nobody bothers posting about.

Kattamordo Heritage Trail: Kalamunda's overlooked bush loop

The Kattamordo Heritage Trail near Kalamunda gets a fraction of the foot traffic of its neighbours, despite decent jarrah forest, old mine r

Lesmurdie Falls in winter: the season that actually earns the climb

Lesmurdie Falls looks like nothing in summer's dry months. Come winter, after decent rain, the walk earns the climb. Here's when to go and w

Araluen Botanic Park walking trails outside tulip season

Away from the tulip crowds, Araluen Botanic Park's walking trails are quieter, grippier underfoot and worth a proper look. Here's what I fou

Zig Zag Scenic Drive: the short walks worth stopping for

Zig Zag Scenic Drive isn't a walk in itself, but four or five stops along it are. Here's which lookouts earn the brake pedal and which don't

Guildford heritage walk trail: history underfoot

A flat 2.5km loop through Guildford's colonial streetscape, where the Guildford heritage walk trades hill climbs for heritage plaques and a

The Serpentine Falls walk, done properly

The Serpentine Falls walk splits into two: the short stroll to the swimming hole, and the real climb up Kitty's Gorge. Here's how to do the

Hovea Falls walk: a Perth Hills loop worth the half-day

The Hovea Falls walk through John Forrest National Park is a short, grade 3 loop with a seasonal payoff. Here's what it's actually like unde

Kings Park walking paths beyond the lookout crowd

Skip the queue at Fraser Avenue — Kings Park's walking paths hide quieter bushland tracks, boardwalks and creek trails worth the extra kilom