The origin of the Western Walking Club can be traced back to 12th August 1937, when with the encouragement of co-founder Nancy Morgan, a meeting was held to discuss the possibilities of forming a walking club. At a subsequent meeting on the 29th August, it was decided to form the ‘Golden West Walking Club’.  Officers were elected and annual subscription was set at five shillings (50c). A month later the name was changed to ‘The Western Walking Club’.

A program of walks and other activities was drawn up and the club was under way. The first club walk took place in August 1937 with a group of three men and six women walking from Subiaco at the edge of suburbia, along the ‘old plank road’ and through the sand hills to City Beach.

In those early days walks were conducted in places such as Kings Park with a break for ‘billy tea’ (camp fires being allowed in Kings Park at the time) and in John Forrest National Park, this being an all day event with transport from Perth Railway Station by train.  Other walks included one around East Perth and Belmont crossing the river on the fire damaged Bunbury Railway Bridge and another walk between train connections at Kalamunda and Mundaring.  Walks are still conducted in these areas and still provide “fine views from points quite new to some of the party, enabling us to discover our State and City in new and interesting ways”, even if refreshing billy tea has been replaced by a thermos. Sixteen walks were conducted in the first full year of 1938. In recent years the club organises over 100 walks in the year including weekends away and overnight camping trips.

The first treasurer’s report December 1937, announced ‘a very satisfactory’ cash in hand of 2 pounds, 13 Shillings and 3 pence. Annual subscriptions of five shillings were dropped to two shillings and six pence during the war years.

It is recorded that in October 1942, three ladies completed a walking tour from Donnybrook to Pemberton, a distance of 120 miles  (193 Kilometres). After the war, membership gradually increased, as did the variety of walks and other activities such as weekends away.  Until the early sixties public transport was used to get to the starting points of walks.  Until 1978, the Seaforth to Crystal Brook walk was still accessed by public transport – usually at a hectic pace over the last stretch (uphill) to catch the bus home!

1954 saw the commencement of the club magazine which has progressed from an eleven page duplicated publication to a full colour twenty page presentation as from 2006. In 1972, the club was incorporated, and later in the seventies became involved in the “Life be in it” campaign.  The numbers on walks increased dramatically (100 plus on some easy walks) with a consequent increase in the time for a walk.  In 1979, the problem was somewhat alleviated by scheduling two walks for each Sunday whenever possible – one easy and the other for more experienced walkers.

The year 1973 saw the opening of the first section of the Bibbulmun track with the club, and it’s President at the time, Bob Frayne, playing a part in paving the way.

The “Bibb” still holds a significant place in the life of the club with several of our walks incorporating sections of the track, with members walking long sections and a few being ‘end to enders’. Club members also volunteer to maintain sections of the track.  In 2019 our club was in the fortunate position to be able to donate Ten Thousand dollars to the foundation. This donation was used to significantly upgrade the Waalegh Shelter.

Training courses were first mentioned in 1956 following a shortage of leaders, with occasional courses in following years.  Regular annual training courses commenced in 2004, and in 2009 were expanded to include a course on the use of a GPS. In recent years, first aid training has become a high priority with the club trying to ensure a trained person will be on most walks.  In 2001 the club established a web site which now provides the main contact with the public and source of new members.  In 2018 we added our profile to Facebook, with both a closed Facebook group for club members, and a public Facebook page. In 2020 we also added an Instagram account to our club digital media presence.

The club continues to provide two walks in the hills every Sunday in the winter months.  These are graded from easy, to medium to hard. Easier walks around the metropolitan area are conducted during the summer months. Trips away staying in caravans and chalets or camping at Christmas and Easter and weekends continue to be very popular and provide opportunity to walk in other locations, mainly in the south-west.

The ongoing success of the club is very much the result of our many enthusiastic members, the support and dedication of our office bearers and the tireless work of our willing walk leaders.