Photos featured on this site are courtesy of Tourism WA, Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions, Doug Coughran, Colin Ingram, Peter Nicholas, L-A Shibish and Nature Play WA. He was also a pretty good breeder himself, fathering nine children! As with all long distance hiking, the lighter your pack the better your journey will be. Hello Andrew. Despite and abnormally rainy experience, it was quite the relaxing hike. Youll be carrying your whole life on your back, so youll need to make sure you have the right equipment and supplies to make it work. Many campsites also have a fireplace, but between October and May fires are banned or restricted. Next time I would dehydrate even more of my own food, specifically dinners if time allowed (they just worked out so well! It traverses the Darling Range and has inspired reflections about the state of the Western Australian environment by William J. For example, I discovered from the registers that the Track markers on the Monadnocks (a series of exposed rocky hills) were piles of rocks instead of the usual waugals. It doesnt do much to help the toe nail situation though! Nowadays, I use an ultraviolet wand which doesnt affect the taste of the water. A "horrifying" attack on Perth's world-famous Bibbulmun Track has left two hikers in hospital after one was allegedly run down by a car before both were allegedly set upon by the driver wielding a . Notes for Potential Hikers of the Bibbulmun Track Introduction. Ever since I got them, my arch pain has been a non-issue. Bibbulmun Track - Walkingtwobytwo Suggest you make a post on one of the Bib track sites on facebook as lots of experts there. That said, its totally doable to do a thru-hike solely on town-bought supplies if you dont mind paying a little extra and youre not a fussy eater. How big were the towns and what were their supermarkets/food stores/cooperatives like for resupplying? Pemberton to Walpole The section from Pemberton to Walpole is exciting. Cooking for two, I prepared and dehydrated batches of 8-12 serves (4-6 days) of 11 different dishes, once or twice a week during our preparation time rather than all at once at the end, so the task wasn't too overwhelming. The track was first proposed in 1972 by Geoff Schafer, a member of the Perth Bushwalking Club. Have booked to complete it later this year. The next most important consideration for a long distance hike is your pack. Dwellingup Collie: Pack everything (except breakfast), dehydrating my own food & post to Dwellingup accomodation to reach Collie. Experiencing the Bibbulmun Track - WA Parks Foundation An Australian owned one-stop-shop for outdoor and adventure equipment! On an excel spreadsheet I mapped out my entire walk highlighting where I was planning to stay each night, how many days I would be on the track, how many nights I would be in each town to provide an overall understanding of where I would be for each day and for each meal. 4WD campers have the luxury of an engine with a few hundred horsepower to lug all their gear around, while hikers only have their own two legs. Dont know why I packed them), and not enough dried fruit & nut snacks. We like to track how the item was listed at the time of the sale. My kneecaps tend to rub against their track if I allow my IT band to get too tight, so I make a point of stretching it and rolling it out whenever I get the chance. I really wouldnt change much. A practice walk of three or more days should give a good indication of how much food you need, otherwise allow about one kilogram of food per day. Karri sleepers from Pemberton were also used in the early development of the London Underground and other railway lines in the UK. That way the cooler areas in the south would be warming up, but were unlikely to be too hot, by the time I got there. I might end up with a couple of 40km+ days I think but the majority should be around 30km. Summer is not recommended as Western Australia has extremely hot dry summers, making it a high-risk fire season. The Bibb connects the outskirts of Perth on the west coast with the town of Albany on the south coast. Today there is still a timber mill in Pemberton, surrounded by old mill cottages, but tourism is also important for the towns survival. Overall my resupply plan worked out better than I could have imagined along the track. I have done many day walks, 2 overnight walks and one 4 day/3 night walk on the Bibb. I created a spreadsheet which recorded, for each date, the starting and finishing points and the number of kilometres between them. It is situated in a valley surrounded by karri forests, so its history is inextricably linked to forestry and logging. Leave No Trace is all about promoting and inspiring responsible outdoor travel and recreation through education, research and partnerships. This isnt a problem on the outward journey, but on the way back it may be difficult to predict what time (or even what day) youll reach a town on foot. The track goes through every resupply town, which is also rare to find. BT Day 36: Helena to Kalamunda 947.3km (28.7km) June 22, 2021. I also maintain a rigorous stretching routine when Im on multi-day hikes, to keep my legs from seizing up and to protect my knees. Very jealous, Ill add it to my ever-growing bucket list. The shelters with the water supplies are 10 km apart in the first few days out of Perth, average 18 km over the rest of the track until they go back to 10-12 km apart as you come into Albany. ), while still leaving opportunities to add to my lunch & snack supplies. The other participants spoke of travelling to exotic places or going on extravagant cruises. Im just worried about how rocky the sleeping areas are etc. At this time the wild flowers (including orchids) are out, temperatures are moderate, and the streams and water tanks are likely to have plenty of water in them. In 1913 timber mills were established in Pemberton to supply half a million sleepers for the Trans-Australian Railway line. Full-day walks average about 16 km. The Bibbulmun Track is one of the world's great long distance walk trails, stretching 1000 kilometres from Kalamunda in the Perth hills, to the historic town of Albany on the south coast. The current incarnation of the Bibbulmun Track was opened to the public in September 1998. However, we went there last weekend to hike on the Bibbulmun Track a 963km walking trail that stretches from Kalamunda in the eastern suburbs of Perth to Albany on the south coast of Western Australia. This creates a logistical nightmare. Bibbulmun Track Planning Guide | How To Create Your Ideal Hiking The Bibbulmun Track passes through Pemberton and we did two walks, totalling 7 hours. Bibbulmun Track Gear - Mick Beckers This occurs on the first stretch (on a north to south hike) between Kalamunda and Dwellingup and involves walking for at least 10 days with no opportunities to resupply. It underwent many changes over the next two decades until, in 1993, work began to turn the Bibbulmun Track into one of the worlds great long distance walks, modelled on the Appalachian Trail in the USA. The only bad time to walk the Bibbulmun is summer. It will probably be very uncomfortable sleeping on the ground but you might be able to cope for two nights. I aimed to start my hike in late September and to walk north to south. As a rough guide, there should be five waugals per kilometre in forest areas, and two per kilometre in more open areas. The Bibbulmun Track takes hikers through the Karri trees of the southern forests | credit: Bibbulmun Track Foundation. Pingback: Dreaming of the Next Adventure Introducing the Bibbulmun Track Lifeone big adventure, Your email address will not be published. Each campsite has a three-sided shelter, a water tank, a drop toilet and picnic tables. The most important item on any hike is a pair of comfortable, well worn-in boots. Sugars and fats might be your enemy in the real world, but theyre your friend on the trail. I just googled the Via Dinarica and it looks amazing! Copyright 2023 Bibbulmun Track Foundation. The Pingerup Plains between Northcliffe and Mandalay Beach are usually inundated in late winter and spring, but many hikers believe its worth a few days of wading to see their magnificent wildflowers in full bloom. Bibbulmun Track - Slower Hiking The Track was radically realigned (retaining less than 10% of the old route) and extended to Albany. Bibbulmun Track (WA, Australia) | Fastest Known Time Some of this trusty kit does however weigh a hell of a lot more than some of the ultralight stuff on the market. BT Day 33: Nerang to Monadnocks 855.9km (25km) June 19, 2021. Personally, I would take one. You may be able to ship a resupply to the cafe, called the Three Ways Road House. More to come, I'm sure. These pages are bursting with information to help you have a safe and pleasant journey. I took water purification tablets on my first hike, but the treated water tasted so foul I couldnt drink it! The Bibbulmun Track: The Best Long Distance Wildflower Walk for Slower The Bibbulmun Track passes through some remote areas of Western Australia, so once youre on the Track you need to know how to stay on it. There are a number of things to consider before setting out on the Track. The Bibbulmun Track runs from Perth to Albany, 1000 km and takes about six weeks to thru hike. Wildlife abounds on the Bibbulmun Track. This is a very rewarding and quite remote expeditionary hike. However, walking with too heavy a pack will also be uncomfortable. I also occasionally use my phone. I have a question about the resupply in towns.. if you dont mind. Its become an obsession. Unfortunately, in the 1930s they found themselves out of work again when the Great Depression hit and many families had to leave their properties. At the end of the month, we'll be able to track which format and duration were most effective for us. Sending packages to yourself does make a bit of guess work. It won't be gourmet dining, but it will do the job. Im okay with sleeping on a hard surface (we are sleeping in a tent) but would you definitely recommend bringing one? The following list is what I take on multi-day hikes on the Bibbulmun Track. Innovative lightweight backpacking and travel gear for your next adventure. 55 days on the wallaby -- the Bibbulmun Track - Ian McAuley This occurs on the first stretch (on a north to south hike) between Kalamunda and Dwellingup and involves walking for at least 10 days with no opportunities to resupply. If youre walking upwards of 20 kilometres a day for weeks at a time, its a battle to keep weight on. Ive never had a single blister since I started wearing Injinji toe socks as a liner, underneath thicker wool socks (in my case, Darn Toughs). Required fields are marked *. The Duke of Edinburghs International Award, . It allowed me to work out how many meals to dehydrate, pack and post, or alternatively buy in town.. Spring and autumn are the most popular times to walk the track, but winter is my favourite because I love seeing all the creeks and rivers in full flow. As I mentioned in the last blog, there are 48 campsites on the Bibbulmun Track. For a thru-hike or multi-day section hike youll need: The key difference between hiking equipment and regular camping equipment is its size and weight. I found these answers by completing some research on the Bibbulmun Track website, Facebook, Google maps, and asking people who had previously hiked the track. The Bibbulmun Track is one of the world's great long distance walk trails, stretching nearly 1000kms from Kalamunda (Perth Hills) to Albany (South Coast) through the heart of the scenic South West of Western Australian town of Denmark, Western Australia. Bibbulmun Track | Overview - the-life-of-py Walking the Bibbulmun has been one of the best things Ive ever done not only because it whipped me into shape after years of being overweight, but because it gave me an appreciation for adventure and the natural world. Bibbulmun Track (WA) ~ The Long Way's Better Reflections from the reality & how it all worked out. The name comes from the Bibbulmun, or Noongar people, Indigenous Australians . Sharing the journey. It was quite a process! One thru-hike at a time. There are many businesses and organisations along the entire length of the Track that offer goods and services to help you get the most out of your walk, whether it be for a few hours or an epic end-to-end journey. If youre on a tight budget, its still possible to put together a kit with gear from AliExpress and sale items watch this space for gear reviews on how to make that happen! The next most important consideration for a long distance hike is your pack. It is managed by government agencies, and has a foundation. Blisters are a big problem for many hikers, so its worth experimenting with different shoe and sock combinations to see what works for you. I was thinking I could toughen up for two nights, but would love to hear from someone who has already walked it as I dont want to regret not bringing a mat when I cant get to sleep. There was a cooperative in Pemberton I didnt know about! It would have taken way to long and once I start something I'm driven to . The towns on the Bibbulmun Track are pretty spread out, with the greatest distance between two towns being 202 kilometres. Unless you can talk friends into bringing supplies to you, which could be difficult to coordinate, youll need to do a food drop before you go. Still buying from towns did provide some good flexibility. Id read an article about the newly aligned Bibbulmun Track that would be opening later in the year, but hadnt thought much more about it. This Bibbulmun Track FB Group page was started by David Baird in mid 2009. Luckily, the huts along the way collect rainwater, so well always have a supply of drinking water once we have purified it. I used a pyramid tarp which gave me good all round protection although next time I would choose something with a smaller footprint. It was quite a process!! Do you keep your phone on you? Bibbulmun Track - Wikipedia BT Day 35: Mt Dale to Helena 918.6km (29.3km) June 21, 2021. Everybodys body is different, so do some training hikes to work out any physical issues you might have, and how to manage them. I have since found a fabulous tape called fixumol, which I put on my heels and toes at the start of a hike as a preventative measure and add more of as hot-spots begin to develop.