Williams Nature Reserve is a high hill on 230 hectares of bushland vested in the DBCA approximately 6km by road north of Williams. To get there turn off Albany Highway at Mckenzie Road and follow signs to the parking area. Facilities include picnic tables, an information bay, a 1.5km walk trail, and a lookout. There is no toilet. Fires and dogs are not permitted.
The Grade 3 walk trail suits moderately fit walkers as it has steep sections, and low ironstone outcrops adjoining the breakaway. The best time to visit is from June and November with peak flowering from August to October.
The Grade 3 walk trail suits moderately fit walkers as it has steep sections, and low ironstone outcrops adjoining the breakaway. The best time to visit is from June and November with peak flowering from August to October.
 The reserve is located on mafic rock from the mighty Binneringie Dyke (as does Foxes Lair). Reddish ironstone laterite has resisted erosion over millions of years, leaving a high plateau, with breakaways, steep flanks and deep gullies. |  |
The Echidna walk trail leads to a breakaway lookout then loops down from the ironstone plateau through underlying rock/soil layers, which can be recognised by characteristic vegetation.
- Jarrah (Eucalyptus marginata) / Powderbark (E. accedens) woodland on ironstone ridges and gravelly upper slopes.
- Powderbark open woodland with almost no understorey on underlying 'pallid zone' pale to hard setting reddish sand / loam soil.
- Wandoo - Rock Sheoak (Allocasuarina huegeliana) woodland on weathered bedrock soil.
- Rock Sheoak, Wandoo (sandy surfaced), York gum (Eucalyptus loxophleba, loam) on flatter surrounding farmland soils.
Cross section of a landscape with similarities to Williams Nature Reserve
Echidna Walk Trail 1.5km
( approximately 45 minutes to 1 hour)
1. Walk upslope on the Jarrah ironstone mesa to a lookout at a breakaway.
The trail continues north near the breakaway edge. This section is very uneven with ironstone outcrops on the trail.
 Picnic table and information bay |  Lookout |  Jarrah on ironstone plateau |
2. The trail turns downhill to Powderbark woodland on reddish pallid zone soil below the ironstone gravel layer.
Water repellent powderbark woodland below the gravel layer.
3. Further downhill the soil changes to to open Wandoo woodland on reddish soil overlying bedrock
4. Further downhill the soil becomes rockier as you enter Rock Sheoak woodland with winter ferns and low scrub and annual herbs. Many annuals are weeds, but I found a Blue Lady Orchid Thelymitra crinita flower one October.
 Red loam under Rock Sheoak |  Thelymitra crinita October |  Native fern in winter |
5. The trail becomes rocky and weaves through small wandoos and Calothamnus quadrifidus bushes as it crosses a small gully and ascends the other side.
 |  Calothamnus quadrifidus October |  Banksia fraseri Frasers Dryandra July |
6 Gently ascending trail 6. The trail gently climbs an upland saddle/valley with vegetation that varies from Powderbark and Wandoo overlooking the Calothamnus gully, and then below the lookout plateau.
7. The trail becomes sandy as it weaves through granite rocks under rock sheoaks.
Check for orchids here in August- September.
7. Sandy surfaced granitic soil in Rock Sheoak woodland
8. Vegetation becomes sparse as you ascend through powderbarks on red brown 'pallid zone' soil to the gravelly plateau.
9. The last stage of the trail is through Jarrah / Powderbark woodland with a dense understorey of Pingle Banksia/Dryandra squarrosa.
9. The last stage of the trail is through Jarrah / Powderbark woodland with a dense understorey of Pingle Banksia/Dryandra squarrosa.
 Open Powderbark woodland |  9 Powderbark with Pingle understorey |  Pingle / Banksia squarrosa August September |