Hey Ben! Not a fussy eater at all, just after the basic hiker foods. Shane Johnstone, who set out to break a record of WA's Bibbulmun Track, has finished the gruelling run well ahead of schedule.. I highly recommend it! 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). One of many shelters with covered tables and water tanks. I take a Sony A6000 camera, which I have attached to my backpack with a Peak Designs capture clip. If you want to get the most out of your Bibbulmun Track walk, use it as an opportunity to explore the South Coast of Western Australia . They cost nearly $700 and dont look like much, but theyre probably the best money Ive ever spent on hiking gear. Water is available from tanks at each of the 48 campsites along the. But how basic are these village stores? I have opted for. How much water youll need to take will depend upon the time of year. 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!). Many people undertake this journey as a section hike, doing pieces of it over a period of months and even years. Travel from Perth Airport to Fremantle for $4.50, Take a walk on the wild side walking the Bibbulmun Track, What to take on a multi-day Bibbulmun Track hike, Follow Local Travel Tips on WordPress.com. There are many free shelters and towns along the way, so this trail is welcomed to many whether they be end-to-enders, weekenders, or day hikers. 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. It doesnt do much to help the toe nail situation though! They have very straight trunks that dont separate into branches until high up near the tops of the trees so they were in great demand for railway sleepers. Food can add considerably to the weight of one's backpack, significantly affecting the level of enjoyment experienced on the walk. (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address). If youre inspired to try, heres (some of) the info youll need to make it happen. The first version of the Track (from Kalamunda to Northcliffe) was marked in 1974, and named after a distinct Aboriginal language group, who inhabited some of the areas the Track passes through. Our current plan involves only restocking at the towns, although we are also exploring the option of calling upon the Tracks Trail Angels to drop off food on some of the longer, 7+ day stints to reduce our pack weights. As a rough guide, there should be five waugals per kilometre in forest areas, and two per kilometre in more open areas. Nowadays, I use an ultraviolet wand which doesnt affect the taste of the water. Im okay with sleeping on a hard surface (we are sleeping in a tent) but would you definitely recommend bringing one? There certainly are! Your email address will not be published. The Duke of Edinburghs International Award, . Doing the whole bib is a dream of mine, but for now day trips will have to suffice! 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. Tank water should be treated, either with a filter, a UV lamp or some chemical treatment method. For me, that meant getting a pair of custom orthotics from my podiatrist after experiencing some serious arch pain on multi-day hikes in the Darling Range. 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. I was really happy to be a trail angel for one of your re-supply days. Right now Im hiking the Via Dinarica trail through the Balkans, beautiful!! 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 walk would technically take more than two months to finish at an average walking pace. Pembertons first settler was Edward Brockman, the son of Perths first mayor, who moved to the area in 1861 to breed horses. The towns Tourist/Information centers and some petrol stations have stored supplies for her. 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!). South Australia, Western Australia & Northern Territory, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BHfaBZT Q&index=15, https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc sp=sharing. When buying a backpack, try on as many packs as you can before making a decision, and ask the shop assistant to add weight to them and adjust the straps to fit your body so you can assess how the pack distributes the weight. 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. Choose a section of the Track for a day of amazing scenery or challenging walks or, if you're game, tackle the whole Track. The towns on the Bibbulmun Track are pretty spread out, with the greatest distance between two towns being 202 kilometres. Bibbulmun Track Video December 29, 2021. Its designed to help decide which part of the 1000 km Track youd like to walk and to give you all the planning information you need. It was at a travel writing workshop with Susan Storm in early 1998. Pemberton to Walpole The section from Pemberton to Walpole is exciting. The following list is what I take on multi-day hikes on the Bibbulmun Track. My basic gear, not including food and water, weighed about 13 kilograms (see the list at the end of this blog). Thankyou in advance! Able to buy peanut butter, tortilla flatbread and instant pasta meals like those kind of things? 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. Walpole Denmark: Purchase all food in Walpole supermarket to reach Denmark, Denmark Albany: Purchase all food in Denmark shops/supermarket to reach Albany. Hi Ben, I did end to end over 10 years ago, agree with most of what you wrote but for your info, I passed a bloke wearing Dunlop volleys, an american wearing Teva sandals and socks and an Israeli carry a bag of rice. The Bibbulmun Track runs from Perth to Albany, 1000 km and takes about six weeks to thru hike. 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. 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. Preparing the right kind of food for an overnight or extended walk on the Bibbulmun Track is one of the most important considerations walkers need to make. I am hiking only a section of the Bibbulmum (two nights) during July (not the best time, Im sure) but I was wondering if you think I really need a sleeping mat? These notes will help to make your Bibbulmun Track experience safer and more enjoyable. How many days of food could I carry at a time? If you ever got foot pain while walking, its worth going to a podiatrist to get your feet assessed. Hi! But once my heart had spoken, I felt I had to follow through. Copyright 2023 Bibbulmun Track Foundation. Each hut can accommodate between eight and 15 people (depending on the design) sleeping on wooden boards. During the workshop, Susan asked everyone to talk about what their dream trip would be. 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. Scroll down for a Map of the Bibbulmun Track through Denmark WA. One of my favourite places to escape to is a little town called Pemberton, 335 kilometres south of Perth. The Bibbulmun Track passes through many different environments; we saw an astonishing 85 different orchid species and hybrids. But be warned, this is not a stroll in the park. 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. The current incarnation of the Bibbulmun Track was opened to the public in September 1998. 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. BT Day 33: Nerang to Monadnocks 855.9km (25km) June 19, 2021. We wont be reaching anywhere near that kind of weight but does make sense to keep it down to the bare minimum with a combination of our existing kit and, where affordable or where it makes sense, new, super lightweight bits and pieces. The Bibbulmun's Wagyl or Rainbow Serpent blaze. Hi Emma, Besides a 5,000-litre rain water tank, each campsite has a sturdy three-sided timber hut with a tin roof, a bush toilet, tent sites, and a picnic table. How big were the towns and what were their supermarkets/food stores/cooperatives like for resupplying? The Bibbulmun Track takes hikers through the Karri trees of the southern forests | credit: Bibbulmun Track Foundation. Thanks for all the information about the Bibbulman Track. As you become more experienced you will get better at knowing what gear works for you. Thanks for your comment. I want to walk the Bibbulmun Track, I said confidently when my turn came. A combination approach really worked well for me. Despite and abnormally rainy experience, it was quite the relaxing hike. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Create a website or blog at WordPress.com, Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window). It traverses the Darling Range and has inspired reflections about the state of the Western Australian environment by William J. I took water purification tablets on my first hike, but the treated water tasted so foul I couldnt drink it! Most of the towns on the Bibbulmun Track are serviced by buses, but they are infrequent and may need to be booked in advance. Designed by Elegant Themes | Powered by WordPress. Theres all kinds out there, Best thing I have ever done. Innovative lightweight backpacking and travel gear for your next adventure. It was originally envisaged by keen bushwalker Geoff Schafer, in 1972. The Group page. The Bibbulmun Track is one of the longest continuously marked trails in Australia, stretching 963 kilometres from Kalamunda, 20 kilometres east of Perth, to Albany on the southern coast of Western Australia. There was a cooperative in Pemberton I didnt know about! Everybodys body is different, so do some training hikes to work out any physical issues you might have, and how to manage them. Donnelly River Village Northcliffe: Pack everything dehydrating my own food & post to DRV accomodation to reach Pemberton. 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. Solar chargers arent up to the job, especially on the Bibb where theres so much tree cover. Cate. Youll want to make sure you get plenty of calories about 4000-6000 a day is recommended for long-distance hikers. Whether you want to walk for a couple of hours or a couple of months, the Bibbulmun Track provides the means to get away from it all and to experience the peace and beauty of south-west Australia. Pingerup Plains, the swamps comprising days . Which towns were I planning to have rest days? It is roughly 1000 kilometers in length. Autumn (March to May) is another good time weather-wise, though water supplies will be low if you set off early in the season before the rain. I really wouldnt change much. Celebrate our 25th year with an adventure! The Bibbulmun Track is one of the longest continuously marked trails in Australia, stretching 963 kilometres from Kalamunda, 20 kilometres east of Perth, to Albany on the southern coast of Western Australia. The solitude and peace on this trail is incredibly unique for one so near civilization. Megan, I find this very good sharing, especially on the resupply considerations that included supporting local businesses. Its important to ensure your pack fits comfortably and has a good hip belt to keep the weight on your hips rather than on your shoulders. Ill call them and ask and add something to the blog about that section, it probably warrants a mention. This is a very rewarding and quite remote expeditionary hike. Required fields are marked *. For advice specific to the Bibbulmun, the Bibbulmun Track Hikers Facebook group is a useful resource. If youre an experienced hiker you probably wont find much here for you, but hey you dont know what you dont know! 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 Bibb connects the outskirts of Perth on the west coast with the town of Albany on the south coast. Feel free to comment below for advice, or suggested additions to this guide. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); The Banksia Burrow is a place to build and grow together. It is important to keep an eye out for these waugals, as you can easily stray off track if youre daydreaming. 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. You will need to take some sort of shelter, both for safety reasons (getting caught out inbetween the huts) and just because sometimes the huts do get full. I think the more packs i try the more i go crazy. There are a number of things to consider before setting out on the Track. 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 . 55 days on the wallaby -- the Bibbulmun Track 55 days on the wallaby - an unauthorized guide to the Bibbulmun Track (Text by Ian McAuley, photographs by Helen McAuley) In October and November 2008, three of us walked the 966 km length of the Bibbulmun Track, from Albany to Perth. Water is available from tanks at each of the 48 campsites along the. If youre attempting an end-to-end for the first time, youll inevitably develop your own way of living on the track that will probably vary a little from the directions in this guide. I am planning a walk from Pemberton to Northcliffe in September. However, even if you walk regularly, its surprising how much difference carrying a heavy backpack makes. Youll need more if you walk when the water supply is less reliable. Glad to have stumbled upon your blog! For example: Kalamunda to Dwellingup was approximately 11 nights, which was too far to carry food the whole way. So I thought it might be helpful to share in a little more detail some of the things I considered when organising food for the trip. Thank you so much for the quick reply! It won't be gourmet dining, but it will do the job. Proud of your achievement. You may be able to ship a resupply to the cafe, called the Three Ways Road House. If youre more tech-savvy than me, a GPS could also be invaluable, though youll need to take a solar charger too as there are no power points between towns. This would create the best variation and flexibility, encouraging me to explore the track towns and purchase local foods, while still predominately enjoying the same meals I would eat at home everyday!! If youve got a decent budget, Id recommend looking at equipment made by speciality manufacturers in the US like Zpacks, Enlightened Equipment, ULA and others (detailed gear reviews coming soon!).