Ever since I got them, my arch pain has been a non-issue. (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address). Your email address will not be published. I think the more packs i try the more i go crazy. The only bad time to walk the Bibbulmun is summer. Able to buy peanut butter, tortilla flatbread and instant pasta meals like those kind of things? 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. Glad you found my post useful. In this section you will find a brief description of the towns that lie on, or adjacent to, the Track. I vividly remember the day I committed to walk the Bibbulmun Track. Home Trip Planner Distance Calculator. Thanks for the feedback, really chuffed you liked it! Ill call them and ask and add something to the blog about that section, it probably warrants a mention. Answering these questions helped me map out how manybreakfast, lunches, dinners & snacks I would need across the hike, & where they would potentially come from along the way. However, walking with too heavy a pack will also be uncomfortable. Erika Lori sets a new record on the 1,000km Bibbulmun Track. The Bibbulmun Track stretches 1,000 km from Kalamunda in Perth to Albany in the south-west. Distinctive yellow triangles displaying a waugal symbol (a rainbow serpent spirit-being from the Aboriginal Dreaming) are nailed to trees along the way to mark the Track. In August of 2018 after 2.5 years of planning I started my thru-hike of the 1005km Bibbulmun Track in Western Australia. Testing out the Sawyer Filter in a murky Peak District stream. Metal rungs were hammered into the tree trunks to form a spiral ladder leading up to a look out in the canopy of the tree. These pages are bursting with information to help you have a safe and pleasant journey. Unfortunately, in the 1930s they found themselves out of work again when the Great Depression hit and many families had to leave their properties. Its become an obsession. One of my favourite places to escape to is a little town called Pemberton, 335 kilometres south of Perth. Each of the towns on the Bibbulmun has at least a mini supermarket, but the range is often limited and the prices are high. The towns on the Bibbulmun Track are pretty spread out, with the greatest distance between two towns being 202 kilometres. 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. I will definitely have to crack down on what I bring in order of importance. Everybodys body is different, so do some training hikes to work out any physical issues you might have, and how to manage them. 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!) Youll need more if you walk when the water supply is less reliable. Then bury it. was to work out what to take with me. The track was first proposed in 1972 by Geoff Schafer, a member of the Perth Bushwalking Club. 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. Spring is really recommended to see all the blooming flowers. The distance calculator is designed to help you plan your walk. Karri sleepers from Pemberton were also used in the early development of the London Underground and other railway lines in the UK. We will be able to top up our food supplies (and replace our worn out shoes!) South Australia, Western Australia & Northern Territory, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BHfaBZT Q&index=15, https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc sp=sharing. Bibbulmun Track Food planning & resupplying on the Bibbulmun Track! To walk the whole track is an adventure in contrasts, where the reward for your hard work is to see the world change before you at the speed of a human being. Youll want to make sure you get plenty of calories about 4000-6000 a day is recommended for long-distance hikers. It traverses the Darling Range and has inspired reflections about the state of the Western Australian environment by William J. One thru-hike at a time. 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. In my defence, I find it difficult to get well-fitting boots because my second toes are longer than my big toes. Sharing the journey. At the end of the weekend we felt tired yet recharged by our brief break in the country. Visitors can go four-wheel driving or mountain biking or fish for trout and marron. I created a spreadsheet which recorded, for each date, the starting and finishing points and the number of kilometres between them. Many other hikers swear by this method, but feet are very personal things! I took water purification tablets on my first hike, but the treated water tasted so foul I couldnt drink it! My niece is currently on the track and has pre-planned food drops along the way. 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. Have booked to complete it later this year. The Bibbulmun Track takes hikers through the Karri trees of the southern forests | credit: Bibbulmun Track Foundation. Western Australia, AU Distance 992.8 km Vertical Gain 17,500 m The Bibbulmun Track is one of the world's great long distance walk trails, stretching 1000km from Kalamunda in the Perth Hills, to Albany on the south coast, winding through the heart of the scenic South West of Western Australia. Spring (September to November) is the best time to walk the Bibbulmun Track. Good luck! If an access point is not shown here, then it is likely that it is not a permitted vehicle access point. 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. This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. There was a cooperative in Pemberton I didnt know about! Your email address will not be published. The Track was radically realigned (retaining less than 10% of the old route) and extended to Albany. 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. The most well-known is the Gloucester Tree, which is located only a couple of kilometres out of Pemberton.Despite not being very confident about heights, I climbed the Gloucester Tree once in the late 1980s so do not feel the need to climb it again. After some months now of planning and preparing the walk is almost upon me. 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. Despite and abnormally rainy experience, it was quite the relaxing hike. Thats it. The solitude and peace on this trail is incredibly unique for one so near civilization. I am planning a walk from Pemberton to Northcliffe in September. 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? Whether you are thinking about planning your first ever walk on the Track or wondering which section to walk next, the Trip Planner pages will assist you regardless of your level of experience. One of many shelters with covered tables and water tanks. If you can't find what you're after, please contact us. 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. Restocking food has been one of the biggest dilemmas for my hikes. It was another early settler who arrived a year later, Pemberton Walcott, who gave the town its name. As a rough guide, there should be five waugals per kilometre in forest areas, and two per kilometre in more open areas. Full-day walks average about 16 km. 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. I have done many day walks, 2 overnight walks and one 4 day/3 night walk on the Bibb. Right now Im hiking the Via Dinarica trail through the Balkans, beautiful!! It was at a travel writing workshop with Susan Storm in early 1998. 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. As I mentioned in the last blog, there are 48 campsites on the Bibbulmun Track. Where were the best opportunities to send parcels, such as to my accomodation spots or visitors centres? Well be weighing out all our food and making decisions on menus based on the weight/calorie ratio ( and cost will have a small impact on decision-making), to ensure were carrying the most calorie efficient food. Starting from just outside of Perth, it will take approximately 45 days to hike through the towering forests, quiet farmland and wild beaches until we reach Albany. Your email address will not be published. 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. By Ben Dickinson. Best time to hike the Bibbulmun track is between April and October. It was originally envisaged by keen bushwalker Geoff Schafer, in 1972. With tips on how to create your ideal. Do you keep your phone on you? 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. She made a road trip the week before she left and dropped off her own supplies. Karri trees grow in the high rainfall areas of south west Australia. 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. You get to experience the famous (or infamous!) A range of tasty Back Country Cuisine meals are available in select stores along the Track. WA Parks Foundation Chair the Hon Kerry Sanderson AC CVO with Board Director Eva Skira AM hiking on the Bibbulmun Track. If you are doing more than a day walk on the Track, you will need to take a lot of equipment: sleeping gear, cooking equipment and food, a change of clothing, basic toiletries, a first aid kit and maybe a tent. It is a great community of enthusiastic Bibb Track hikers, supporters and the Bibbulmun Track Foundation. Some hikers drink straight out of the tanks without treating the water, but I wouldnt take the risk. Im okay with sleeping on a hard surface (we are sleeping in a tent) but would you definitely recommend bringing one? Hey Ben! I waited for my turn, not knowing which of the places on my bucket list to choose. I take a Sony A6000 camera, which I have attached to my backpack with a Peak Designs capture clip. Celebrate our 25th year with an adventure! The rest includes a teeny, tiny cooker and gas canister, down jacket, one change of clothes, basic hygiene kit, first aid kit and basic electronics. 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!). Country towns in Western Australia are spread out throughout this massive state; small pockets of civilisation with miles of bush in between them. It was quite a process!! 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. Know that most who hike this track choose to hike hut to hut in almost double the time that I chose to do this track, and enjoy a relaxed experience of not having to hike full days. The Archer family became trapped in their remote cabin when floodwaters rapidly rose last month After three days they hiked out, with three young children, including a baby, to their neighbour's place They are now rebuilding and say they look forward to moving back to their 'rainforest homestead' How many days of food could I carry at a time? document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Travel from Perth Airport to Fremantle for $4.50, What to take on a multi-day Bibbulmun Track hike. 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. Cheers, Andrew. The local food shop in Balingup had closed down. This Bibbulmun Track FB Group page was started by David Baird in mid 2009. Therefore, we will put "30 day fixed", "7 day auction", etc in this column. Im in the market to buy a new one but there is so much out there! . The calculator works in both north and south directions. Traditional camping equipment is rarely suitable for hikers, so youll need to buy equipment thats designed for hiking. They generally only have one brand of everything though, and fresh items are often very limited. Next time I would dehydrate even more of my own food, specifically dinners if time allowed (they just worked out so well! Reflections from the reality & how it all worked out. We like to track how the item was listed at the time of the sale. Hi Sue, I got an injury before then. Im all about lists & planning for a hike. Choose a section of the Track for a day of amazing scenery or challenging walks or, if you're game, tackle the whole Track. 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!). This well blazed trail travels through many national parks and state forests with various terrain that ranges from dense forest to beautiful coastland. This well blazed trail travels through many national parks and state forests with various terrain that ranges from dense forest to beautiful coastland. Top-line results of the planning so far: 8 resupply towns + two possible food drops, Having been brought up hiking in the bogs of Dartmoor, the Peak Districts moorlands and the soggy Scottish Highlands, Ive always owned hardcore walking boots, with hard soles and waterproof casings. Download the app on Wi-Fi and then open the Bibbulmun Track and make sure you have downloaded the maps for offline use. If you are doing more than a day walk on the Track, you will need to take a lot of equipment: sleeping gear, cooking equipment and food, a change of clothing, basic toiletries, a first aid kit and maybe a tent. Each campsite has a three-sided shelter, a water tank, a drop toilet and picnic tables. Some of this trusty kit does however weigh a hell of a lot more than some of the ultralight stuff on the market. 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. 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 tried to allow at least one rest day in each town to stock up on supplies, do my washing, shower, eat and, most importantly, rest. 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. On my first attempt at hiking the Bibbulmun Track end to end, I was thwarted by very nasty blisters, caused by my boots being slightly too loose and rubbing on my heels. Each town has its own distinct character, and the offerings of each are there to be savoured by walkers who have spent a few days in the bush. I also occasionally use my phone. Read More. Each hut can accommodate between eight and 15 people (depending on the design) sleeping on wooden boards. Summer is not recommended as Western Australia has extremely hot dry summers, making it a high-risk fire season. Once youve bought or borrowed everything necessary to hike the Bibbulmun Track, the next thing is to plan your walk. I just googled the Via Dinarica and it looks amazing! Bushwalk Australia and contributors 2007-2013. Mmm, difficult question! 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. 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. Megan, I find this very good sharing, especially on the resupply considerations that included supporting local businesses. Me most of all that article had obviously made a bigger impression on me than Id imagined. As much as I tried I still arrived in Northcliffe on a Sunday, which is the one day the cooperative is closed! 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. Dwellingup Collie: Pack everything (except breakfast), dehydrating my own food & post to Dwellingup accomodation to reach Collie. 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. Oct 10, 2021 28 Dislike Share Dori's Hiking Adventures 2.03K subscribers This video is for everyone that is planning to hike the Bibbulmun Track. 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. Proud of your achievement. Its a good idea to split your food into two parcels and bury them in different places to reduce the chances of losing everything. 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. 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 Bibbulmun is on my list of possibilities. After all, hiking is only walking for a long time. Suggest you make a post on one of the Bib track sites on facebook as lots of experts there. It was quite a process! The next most important consideration for a long distance hike is your pack. Pick one itinerary or join several together to customise your Bibbulmun Track holiday adventure. The Bibbulmun Track is a long-distance walk trail in Western Australia.. Let's see how we go! From Perth, there are a couple of public buses that will take us straight to the Northern Terminus of the Bibbulmun Track in Kalamunda. The route is clearly marked out, with signs all along and huts every 10-20 km for hikers to sleep in (well be bringing a tent as a backup). Deciding what equipment you need for a Bibbulmun Track walk doesn't have to be a daunting process. Thanks Ben. Northcliffe had a great food cooperative selling bulk and local food that I wanted to support. What pack did you use for this hike? Those that walk every step of the way can be registered as end-to-enders. I currently have a fracture of my fifth metatarsal which will heal by then but I am wondering about the steepness of the terrain, especially near the Gloucester tree, and also the unevenness of the ground. 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. Pemberton to Walpole The section from Pemberton to Walpole is exciting. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); The Banksia Burrow is a place to build and grow together. And if youre tired enough youll fall sleep! These pages provide youth group leaders with the necessary tools to plan, lead and complete a successful expedition on the Bibbulmun Track. Food planning & resupplying on the Bibbulmun Track! Hi Emma, It was a useful meeting in that he gave some good key advice on certain sections and we spoke at length about the inlet crossings to be factored in. The Group page. But why? 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 . So far, our base packs come to approx. To help you get started on overnight walks the Foundation also has a range of items for hire. 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. Im quite an experienced hiker, and find your blog post very usefull. Thankyou in advance! Thanks for the reply. 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. The Bibbulmun Track can be tough so, go on take a walk on the wild side! It is situated in a valley surrounded by karri forests, so its history is inextricably linked to forestry and logging. 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. The most important item on any hike is a pair of comfortable, well worn-in boots. Thanks Andrew for such detailed notes. Lines in his book A long walk in the Australian bush.. 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 . During the summer months (December to February) very hot weather, low water supplies, and abundant flies can make long walks very uncomfortable and even dangerous. The Bibbulmun Track Foundation hires out dehydrators to Western Australian locals for a fortnight. Which towns were I planning to have rest days? The Bibbulmun Track walk would technically take more than two months to finish at an average walking pace. I hope to do this one day soon. 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. Here are the main points we are currently looking at: If left to my own devices I would happily stick with the full contingent of hiking kit I currently own - including a sleeping bag dating back well over 15 years and a hiking pack purchased for my Bronze D of E. In my mind, if its not broken, why replace it? This is intended as a guide for the absolute beginner. 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). It is named 'Bibbulmun' after a group of . Should just bite the bullet and get one! Nick. There are great opportunities for fit walkers to challenge themselves, on at least two of the days we walk around 25 km. My basic gear, not including food and water, weighed about 13 kilograms (see the list at the end of this blog). But once my heart had spoken, I felt I had to follow through. Slower Hiking 12/9/22 Slower Hiking 12/9/22. 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 Bibbulmun Track is one of Australia's famous long distance bush walking trails. Collie Donnelly River Village: Purchase all of my food from the Collie supermarkets & Balingup shops to reach Donnelly River Village. Sending packages to yourself does make a bit of guess work. It can get extremely hot in WA between December and February, and the risk of bush fire is too great. Still buying from towns did provide some good flexibility. In 1913 timber mills were established in Pemberton to supply half a million sleepers for the Trans-Australian Railway line. Cheers! Also, the campsites, which are located between 10 and 20 kilometres apart, are closer together near Perth, which is useful for end to end walkers to ease themselves into condition. 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. 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. You can add to this if you like, but remember you will have to carry whatever you take! I am so glad I dehydrated a lot of my own food. Definitely not perfect but I was trying! Wildlife abounds on the Bibbulmun Track. Sounds as though it might be possible..Rosie, > miso soup (Ajishima freeze-dried miso with fungi, South Australia, Western Australia & Northern Territory, https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Sawyer-Sque :rk:2:pf:0, https://www.facebook.com/andrew.richman 1913222176, https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/ edit#gid=0, https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/ 1858826788, https://www.facebook.com/andrew.richman 1659377176. These notes will help to make your Bibbulmun Track experience safer and more enjoyable. If youre picky about what you eat or you have specific dietary requirements, you can make dried meals with a dehydrator and vacuum sealer, and ship them to yourself along the way. The most important item on any hike is a pair of comfortable, well worn-in boots. Collie was a bigger town with a large supermarket. 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. At the end of the month, we'll be able to track which format and duration were most effective for us. 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. We have included all campsites, towns, recreation sites and legal vehicle access points as shown by the red car on the Bibbulmun Track maps and guidebooks. Doing the whole bib is a dream of mine, but for now day trips will have to suffice! With a couple of exceptions (like the excellent Tier Gear, Wild Earth and Paddy Pallin), the Australian industry seems to have decided its simply not going to even try and keep up with technological advancements that are making it into the mainstream of the global hiking community. You should always use this calculator in conjunction with the Bibbulmun Track maps and guidebooks as whilst the distances are a good guide, they are rounded to the nearest 100 metres. BT Day 34: Monadnocks to Mt Dale 889.5km (33.3km) June 21, 2021. 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 have met a lot of people with the same foot conformation so, if this applies to you, you may need to choose between sore toes or blisters on your heels. 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. Copyright 2023 Bibbulmun Track Foundation. We have been planning in earnest for a few weeks now and we have been using a huge excel spreadsheet to help us battle the logistics one step at a time. Scroll down for a Map of the Bibbulmun Track through Denmark WA. 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. 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 you take this option, be warned you WILL get sick of the food you make yourself, so be prepared to improvise. In Pemberton purchase two days worth of food to reach Northcliffe. It was originally envisaged by keen bushwalker Geoff Schafer, in 1972. This creates a logistical nightmare. Bushwalk Australia and contributors 2007-2014.
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