Right now Im hiking the Via Dinarica trail through the Balkans, beautiful!! Which towns were I planning to have rest days? The towns on the Bibbulmun Track are pretty spread out, with the greatest distance between two towns being 202 kilometres. May 4th 2016 It is the night before (it actually isn't but I am now writing this all in retrospect) and I am so very excited. Open the map and click on a hut and then there is a button to download photos - so do that on Wi-Fi too. 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. It will probably be very uncomfortable sleeping on the ground but you might be able to cope for two nights. I want to buy food as I go like you suggested, support the communities along the way, always choose that option. It will come in very useful when I finally get to do my own E2E. Sharing the journey. It is managed by government agencies, and has a foundation. The Track was radically realigned (retaining less than 10% of the old route) and extended to Albany. I took water purification tablets on my first hike, but the treated water tasted so foul I couldnt drink it! I will definitely have to crack down on what I bring in order of importance. Cate. Karri sleepers from Pemberton were also used in the early development of the London Underground and other railway lines in the UK. A combination approach really worked well for me. Traditional camping equipment is rarely suitable for hikers, so youll need to buy equipment thats designed for hiking. as we pass through the eight track towns along the route, but other than that will be camping out in the specially designated campsites for Thru-hikers with only the snakes for company. Water is available from tanks at each of the 48 campsites along the. Shane Johnstone, who set out to break a record of WA's Bibbulmun Track, has finished the gruelling run well ahead of schedule.. Nick. It also provides schools with the resources to participate in the WACE endorsed end-to-end program and students to attain the Duke of Edinburgh's Award. Over the last couple of weeks before I left for the Bibbulmun Track, I was up until midnight planning my itinerary, counting sections, cooking up curries, dehydrating meals, weighing portions & allocating food for each day. Revitalisation of John Forrest National Park. Weve bought a Sawyer Squeeze Filter - apparently it gets rid of 99.9% of bacteria and only weighs 85 grams (I did say weight was now the only thing I think about!). Scroll down for a Map of the Bibbulmun Track through Denmark WA. In August of 2018 after 2.5 years of planning I started my thru-hike of the 1005km Bibbulmun Track in Western Australia. Once youve bought or borrowed everything necessary to hike the Bibbulmun Track, the next thing is to plan your walk. 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. The WA Parks Foundation is running two prize draws online throughout March to encourage membership to help support the Foundations, Dark Sky Festival celebrates total solar eclipse, The Dark Sky Festival from 19 to 21 April will take place in the Shires of Ashburton, Carnarvon and Exmouth, Signing up to protect endangered black cockatoos, Murdoch University is working closely with Main Roads Western Australia on projects to minimise the impact of motorists and road. Matt. I am planning a walk from Pemberton to Northcliffe in September. If you can't find what you're after, please contact us. I really wouldnt change much. Blisters are a big problem for many hikers, so its worth experimenting with different shoe and sock combinations to see what works for you. The Track is popular with locals, interstate and overseas visitors alike. The first thing I needed to decide about was when to start the journey. Each campsite has a three-sided shelter, a water tank, a drop toilet and picnic tables. I just googled the Via Dinarica and it looks amazing! a long weekend) its best to take a tent with you. 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 . Luckily, the huts along the way collect rainwater, so well always have a supply of drinking water once we have purified it. Since I started using this I havent had a blister. You get to experience the famous (or infamous!) 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. It was at a travel writing workshop with Susan Storm in early 1998. The karri tree is one of the tallest species in the world, reaching heights of ninety metres, and some of the tallest karri trees in the area were used as fire lookouts from the 1930s to the 1960s. Megan, I find this very good sharing, especially on the resupply considerations that included supporting local businesses. There are also taxi services and tour operators who can help you to co-ordinate your walk, and some B&Bs near the Track offer drop-off and pick-up services. 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. The towns Tourist/Information centers and some petrol stations have stored supplies for her. The $270,000 structure was designed by the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions (DBCA) in consultation with the Bibbulmun Track Foundation and has been constructed using fire resistant products such as rammed earth and steel. Lines in his book A long walk in the Australian bush.. Is there anything else less essential you can leave out of your pack? Overview Stretching just over 1000 kilometres from Kalamunda in the Perth Hills to Albany, the Bibbulmun Track is Western Australia's longest walking trail, falling just behind South Australia's Heysen Trail as the longest walking-oriented trail in the country (the impressively long 5330 km Bicentennial National Trail is not designed with walkers in mind). Thanks Ben. my partner and I are planning to do the Bibbulmun Track starting ~14th of September (we're arriving 10th of September in Perth from Europe) and we're looking for some advice. Over its (roughly) 1000-kilometer length, the Bibbulmun winds its way through dense native forests, passes through a handful of sleepy country towns, climbs up and down ranges with magnificent views, and traverses the white, sandy beaches of WA's powerful southern coast. Pingback: Dreaming of the Next Adventure Introducing the Bibbulmun Track Lifeone big adventure, Your email address will not be published. (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address). It may be several weeks before you arrive there on foot, so make sure your food parcel is water- and vermin-proof by packing the food in plastic bags, inside plastic boxes, inside another large plastic bag. Not a fussy eater at all, just after the basic hiker foods. It would have taken way to long and once I start something I'm driven to . Solar chargers arent up to the job, especially on the Bibb where theres so much tree cover. It should be noted that access points shown with a green car on the official maps and guidebooks, are not included as they involve walking various distances along trails or forestry tracks to access the Bibbulmun Track. After some months now of planning and preparing the walk is almost upon me. Im quite an experienced hiker, and find your blog post very usefull. The most important item on any hike is a pair of comfortable, well worn-in boots. Two of the original fire lookout trees can still be climbed by daring visitors. Most of the towns on the Bibbulmun Track are serviced by buses, but they are infrequent and may need to be booked in advance. Anyone with an average level of fitness should be able to complete an end-to-end, so long as they actively manage their body and dont injure themselves. As you become more experienced you will get better at knowing what gear works for you. The next most important consideration for a long distance hike is your pack. The only place you might need to plan ahead is the Kalamunda to Dwellingup section, where the only resupply point is the North Bannister Road House. It is roughly 1000 kilometers in length. The tank water is potable but if you get water from natural sources along the way its a good idea to treat it. The Bibbulmun Track is a walking trail that stretches from Kalamunda, on the outer reaches of Perth, to the south coast harbour town of Albany. Buying food along the way also allowed me to get meals that I wanted to eat at the time, instead of having to make those choices months in advance. 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. And if youre tired enough youll fall sleep! More information can be found in an accommodation and services guide for walkers published by the Friends of the Bibbulmun Track. There are plenty of great online resources with more info on long-distance hiking. 1000km. My niece is currently on the track and has pre-planned food drops along the way. The current incarnation of the Bibbulmun Track was opened to the public in September 1998. The Bibbulmun Track Foundation hires out dehydrators to Western Australian locals for a fortnight. In the end I came away with the resupply plan: Kalamunda Sullivans Rock: Pack everything, dehydrating my own food & carrying from the start to reach Sullivans Rock, Sullivans Rock Dwellingup: Pack everything, dehydrating my own food & organise a trail angel to drop off near Sullivans Rock to reach Dwellingup. Your email address will not be published. Walking through the massive karri trees as they stretch high above you like a natural cathedral is awe inspiring, and we were lucky enough to see emus and kangaroos, the two native animals on the Commonwealth Coat of Arms. The next thing I needed to do in preparation for hiking the Bibbulmun Track (see my previous blog for the background to this crazy idea!) Id actually recommend this option for an end-to-end, because it supports the communities that host you and it saves you from agonising over a nutrition plan before your hike. At the end of the month, we'll be able to track which format and duration were most effective for us. This series will show you what it's like to thru-hike the 1002 km (623 mile) Bibbulmun Track in Western Australia, including the terrain, life in camp, the b. It was another early settler who arrived a year later, Pemberton Walcott, who gave the town its name. Track so, if you walk in the spring when water is plentiful and temperatures are not too high, you could get away with carrying about two litres of water. How much food you need to take will depend on your metabolism, how long you are walking for, and which section of the track you are doing. Country towns in Western Australia are spread out throughout this massive state; small pockets of civilisation with miles of bush in between them. March 27, 2018 Bibbulmun Track Planning - Spreadsheets and an obsession with weight In May this year, Tim and I will be flying to Western Australia to take on our biggest challenge yet; we'll be hiking the Bibbulmun track, 1,000 km through the remote Australian wilderness. Most hikers take several months to cover WA's famous 1,000km Bibbulmun Track, but Perth school teacher Jono Ride managed to do it in just over two weeks, despite not setting out to break records. If youre not walking alone and have two cars at your disposal, a good strategy is to park a car at each end of the section. If youre an experienced hiker you probably wont find much here for you, but hey you dont know what you dont know! If an access point is not shown here, then it is likely that it is not a permitted vehicle access point. This well blazed trail travels through many national parks and state forests with various terrain that ranges from dense forest to beautiful coastland. Western Australias famous Bibbulmun Track extending from Kalamunda in the Perth hills to Albany on the south coast has much to offer in that regard and the best seasons to walk it are Winter and Spring. Well be sending a second pair of each ahead to one of the Track towns in case they are so worn we need to replace them (gulp!). In the past, Ive hiked with a mix of homemade meals and supplies bought in towns. 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. Pingerup Plains, the swamps comprising days . Bibbulmun Planner then met with a track veteran, "Wrong Way Jim" (eeeeekkk) at the Bibbulmun Track Foundation (BTF) to hone it further. Therefore, if my boots fit well at the heels, my second toes end up getting battered on hikes and eventually, the nails turn black and drop off. The Bibbulmun Track, south Western Australia. While cooking and dehydrating meals took extra time & energy, this allowed me to enjoy meals that were more delicious, full of veggies & legumes, lighter & cheaper than many supermarket options. I want to walk the Bibbulmun Track, I said confidently when my turn came. The next thing I needed to do in preparation for hiking the Bibbulmun Track (see my previous blog for the background to this crazy idea!) There are about 50 open sided shelters along the track, most a very easy day's walk . If youre of average fitness, you could expect to finish the Bibbulmun in somewhere between 40 and 65 days, depending on your pace and how many rest days you take in towns.