As I mentioned in the last blog, there are 48 campsites on the Bibbulmun Track. This includes how to get there, highlights, interesting places, weather forecasts, Track conditions, the Track towns and photos. Somewhere in the world: However, you don't need to finish it in one go, with 49 campsites along the track. It is roughly 1000 kilometers in length. 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!) 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. 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. 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. 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. Make a note of where youve buried the food in your journal because youll be desperate for it when you eventually get there! 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. Karri trees grow in the high rainfall areas of south west Australia. I think the more packs i try the more i go crazy. Fast forward Finishing the Front Corrugated Iron. Revitalisation of John Forrest National Park. Wildlife abounds on the Bibbulmun Track. It was originally envisaged by keen bushwalker Geoff Schafer, in 1972. This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. 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 Bibbulmun Track stretches 1,000 km from Kalamunda in Perth to Albany in the south-west. Traditional camping equipment is rarely suitable for hikers, so youll need to buy equipment thats designed for hiking. BT Day 34: Monadnocks to Mt Dale 889.5km (33.3km) June 21, 2021. 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. 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. Do you keep your phone on you? The Bibbulmun Track passes a wide range of experiences, from a gentle stroll to enjoy the peace and beauty of the natural environment, to an epic eight week adventure camping out at the 49 campsites and enjoying the hospitality of nine communities along the way. How much water youll need to take will depend upon the time of year. Hi Emma, The Bibbulmun Track, Western Australia Ranging from inland planes to beaches, limestone ranges to damp gullies, the 965-kilometre Bibbulmun Track, spanning from Perth to Albany, is one of Australia's great walks. More to come, I'm sure. In my defence, I find it difficult to get well-fitting boots because my second toes are longer than my big toes. They cost nearly $700 and dont look like much, but theyre probably the best money Ive ever spent on hiking gear. Each hut can accommodate between eight and 15 people (depending on the design) sleeping on wooden boards. 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. After some months now of planning and preparing the walk is almost upon me. The track is one of the world's longest walking trails stretching from Perth to Albany. I might end up with a couple of 40km+ days I think but the majority should be around 30km. 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. I highly recommend it! The Group page. Cheers! You can add to this if you like, but remember you will have to carry whatever you take! SA, WA & NT specific bushwalking discussion. But once my heart had spoken, I felt I had to follow through. 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. The Bibbulmun Track is a walking trail located in Western Australia running over 1000km between Kalamunda in the north and Albany in the south. The next most important consideration for a long distance hike is your pack. 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. 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. Ridiculously crazy and amazing adventures for trail runners. 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. I am so glad I dehydrated a lot of my own food. Thanks for the feedback, really chuffed you liked it! Well be talking & typing all things #tinyhouse #hiking #permaculture #gardening #bushwalking #simpleliving #organic #wastefree #reading. I want to walk the Bibbulmun Track, I said confidently when my turn came. 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. Right now Im hiking the Via Dinarica trail through the Balkans, beautiful!! 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 WAs powerful southern coast. The Track is popular with locals, interstate and overseas visitors alike. I took water purification tablets on my first hike, but the treated water tasted so foul I couldnt drink it! 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. The stores arent that basic, you should be able to get all those items you mentioned. . 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. Collie was a bigger town with a large supermarket. If you can't find what you're after, please contact us. Then bury it. I charge both from a portable battery pack, which usually lasts me between towns. was to work out what to take with me. There are three-sided shelters with picnic tables, rainwater tanks, as well as dunnies with toilet bowls and sometimes even toilet paper. 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. 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. Please read my food goals for a deeper understanding on some of these food choices, and the food menus for details of my daily diet. Rain and flooding can be a problem that time of year, but its generally nothing that cant be overcome with good rain gear and a positive attitude. Nowadays, I use an ultraviolet wand which doesnt affect the taste of the water. 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. This is a very rewarding and quite remote expeditionary hike. Pembertons first settler was Edward Brockman, the son of Perths first mayor, who moved to the area in 1861 to breed horses. Feel free to comment below for advice, or suggested additions to this guide. In the 1920s, free land was offered to group settlers to establish a dairy industry. Choose a section of the Track for a day of amazing scenery or challenging walks or, if you're game, tackle the whole Track. 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. Embrace it, and figure out what works for you. 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 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). Theres all kinds out there, Best thing I have ever done. I packed too many teabags and sugary lollies (things I never would normally eat! She made a road trip the week before she left and dropped off her own supplies. This is useful for working out how much food you will need for each section and for arranging to meet other people. This well blazed trail travels through many national parks and state forests with various terrain that ranges from dense forest to beautiful coastland. Blisters are a big problem for many hikers, so its worth experimenting with different shoe and sock combinations to see what works for you. Erika Lori sets a new record on the 1,000km Bibbulmun Track. They generally only have one brand of everything though, and fresh items are often very limited. Pingerup Plains, the swamps comprising days . A fully-stocked ultralight backpack using mainly gear from decent overseas manufacturers will cost somewhere between 2000-3500AUD. There are eight towns along the way, where well be able to buy supplies, but other than that, well be relying on what we carry to keep us going. 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. Im passionate about the Bibb, and am forever encouraging others to give it a go. A range of tasty Back Country Cuisine meals are available in select stores along the Track. So far, our base packs come to approx. Bushwalking is a natural tonic, providing a balance between enjoyable, low impact physical activity and a wellbeing workout. Cate. Dont know why I packed them), and not enough dried fruit & nut snacks. Trekking The Bibbulmun Track End to End - Planning. 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). If youre only walking a section of the Track, planning a walk can be trickier as vehicular access points and public transport are limited. 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. Thanks Ben. Today, Pemberton has a population of just over a thousand people. Most of the towns on the Bibbulmun Track are serviced by buses, but they are infrequent and may need to be booked in advance. If that makes your eyes water, its possible to put together a reasonably lightweight backpacking kit with gear from Paddy Pallin, Wild Earth and a few other retailers for less than 2000AUD. Nowadays, I use an ultraviolet wand which doesnt affect the taste of the water. Your email address will not be published. Which towns were I planning to have rest days? Celebrate our 25th year with an adventure! Cheers, Andrew. These pages are bursting with information to help you have a safe and pleasant journey. Leave No Trace is all about promoting and inspiring responsible outdoor travel and recreation through education, research and partnerships. These pages provide youth group leaders with the necessary tools to plan, lead and complete a successful expedition on the Bibbulmun Track. 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. 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. The facilities are world class compared to most long-distance trails around the world. Leave No Trace builds awareness, appreciation and respect for our natural and cultural heritage. There is no charge for accommodation and it cant be pre-booked, so if youre hiking for a long time or overnighting during a busy period (e.g. Innovative lightweight backpacking and travel gear for your next adventure. As you become more experienced you will get better at knowing what gear works for you. This saved me a lot of stress wondering whether I was on the right track in the absence of waugals. The Bibbulmun Track often has temporary diversions and permanent realignments for various reasons, which can extend the distance to be walked on any day. How much water youll need to take will depend upon the time of year. Good luck choosing one! Download the app on Wi-Fi and then open the Bibbulmun Track and make sure you have downloaded the maps for offline use. As a traveller from eastern side of Australia doing this hike in pieces wasn't an option. The Bibbulmun Trackis a 623mi/1,002km trail that runs near the Southwest coast of Australia from Kalamunda (near Perth) to Albany. I was really happy to be a trail angel for one of your re-supply days. I take a Sony A6000 camera, which I have attached to my backpack with a Peak Designs capture clip. 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. However, walking with too heavy a pack will also be uncomfortable. The website also carries excellent suggestions for itineraries ranging from two to six days, with each itinerary including suggestions for day-walks on the Track, as well as sights and attractions to visit.