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. The Duke of Edinburghs International Award, . 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. The Bibbulmun Track walk would technically take more than two months to finish at an average walking pace. Im quite an experienced hiker, and find your blog post very usefull. The towns Tourist/Information centers and some petrol stations have stored supplies for her. In my defence, I find it difficult to get well-fitting boots because my second toes are longer than my big toes. I have opted for. Hi! Unfortunately, Ive been nursing a small injury in my hip so our grand plans for training has gone out of the window, but we are now walking to and from work whenever possible, as well as planning longer walks in the Peaks and near London as well as the Lakes in the coming weeks to build up our strength and endurance. Hi Emma, Each campsite has a three-sided shelter, a water tank, a drop toilet and picnic tables. The solitude and peace on this trail is incredibly unique for one so near civilization. Estimated length: 1000 kilometres / 621 miles. Unless something goes wrong, all your water will come from the tanks at campsites or taps in towns. Is there anything else less essential you can leave out of your pack? Life on the Bibbulmun is pretty simple: You wake up each day, walk as far as you can, camp, and repeat. 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. 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. This is useful for working out how much food you will need for each section and for arranging to meet other people. Sending packages to yourself does make a bit of guess work. 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. You need to be a special type of person to live in them and I admire people who thrive in these conditions I know I couldnt. Ill call them and ask and add something to the blog about that section, it probably warrants a mention. Most hotels, hostels and post offices along the track will happily hold resupply packages for you, just be sure to call in advance before you send them. 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. I just googled the Via Dinarica and it looks amazing! 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. 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. I took water purification tablets on my first hike, but the treated water tasted so foul I couldnt drink it! Since I started using this I havent had a blister. Walkers should always check the current Track conditions before embarking on a walk. 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. Thanks for the feedback, really chuffed you liked it! This includes how to get there, highlights, interesting places, weather forecasts, Track conditions, the Track towns and photos. 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. 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. Ive got a Wilderness Equipment Discovery 1 (medium), but I bought it in 1998 so things will have moved on since then! It is important to keep an eye out for these waugals, as you can easily stray off track if youre daydreaming. Ive only done Bibbulmun day hikes as of yet. Over 1000km, the walk traverses red ironstone gravel in the Darling Range, elevated granite domes with vast views, coastal cliffs of jagged limestone, peaty swamp plains, gorges with cascading . The Bibbulmun Track runs from Perth to Albany, 1000 km and takes about six weeks to thru hike. Northcliffe had a great food cooperative selling bulk and local food that I wanted to support. Ive decided to walk the Bibbulmun Track! There are buses from all the main track towns to Perth or Albany in case we get injured and need to bail. Of course this is all a bit subjective but if there is a lot of unstable rocky ground or long, steep walks uphill then I might be in trouble, Thanks for your quick reply, Andrew. Then bury it. While I had mapped out many of the places to shop along the way, where I planned to buy certain items, sometimes that didnt work out. Glad to have stumbled upon your blog! This is intended as a guide for the absolute beginner. They generally only have one brand of everything though, and fresh items are often very limited. 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. Once youve bought or borrowed everything necessary to hike the Bibbulmun Track, the next thing is to plan your walk. I was really happy to be a trail angel for one of your re-supply days. In my defence, I find it difficult to get well-fitting boots because my second toes are longer than my big toes. 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? 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. Innovative lightweight backpacking and travel gear for your next adventure. Required fields are marked *. It doesnt do much to help the toe nail situation though! Luckily, the huts along the way collect rainwater, so well always have a supply of drinking water once we have purified it. Then bury it. The most important item on any hike is a pair of comfortable, well worn-in boots. The Bibbulmun Track, south Western Australia. I used a pyramid tarp which gave me good all round protection although next time I would choose something with a smaller footprint. These pages provide youth group leaders with the necessary tools to plan, lead and complete a successful expedition on the Bibbulmun Track. 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. 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. 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. You will know the right one when it comes along! 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. Many other hikers swear by this method, but feet are very personal things! 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 tank water is potable but if you get water from natural sources along the way its a good idea to treat it. Cheers! The Bibbulmun Track can be tough so, go on take a walk on the wild side! Donnelly River Village only had a simple general store. Slower Hiking 12/9/22 Slower Hiking 12/9/22. Collie was a bigger town with a large supermarket. Most of the sections are somewhere between 20 and 25 kilometres long, or about a full days walk for the average hiker. Maps, other guides and information on diversions can be found on the Bibbulmun Track Foundation website. I want to buy food as I go like you suggested, support the communities along the way, always choose that option. Overall my resupply plan worked out better than I could have imagined along the track. 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. 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. Copyright 2023 Bibbulmun Track Foundation. There are about 50 open sided shelters along the track, most a very easy day's walk . We like to track how the item was listed at the time of the sale. Copyright 2023 Bibbulmun Track Foundation. Well be talking & typing all things #tinyhouse #hiking #permaculture #gardening #bushwalking #simpleliving #organic #wastefree #reading. Ive lived in Western Australia all my life, but it wasnt until I walked the Bibbulmun that I really appreciated what a rich and incredibly diverse landscape were blessed with. Open the map and click on a hut and then there is a button to download photos - so do that on Wi-Fi too. WA Parks Foundation Chair the Hon Kerry Sanderson AC CVO with Board Director Eva Skira AM hiking on the Bibbulmun Track. Leave No Trace is all about promoting and inspiring responsible outdoor travel and recreation through education, research and partnerships. Do you keep your phone on you? There was a cooperative in Pemberton I didnt know about! There are a number of things to consider before setting out on the Track. 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. Everyone looked stunned. 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. Some hikers drink straight out of the tanks without treating the water, but I wouldnt take the risk. This creates a logistical nightmare. The Bibbulmun Trackis a 623mi/1,002km trail that runs near the Southwest coast of Australia from Kalamunda (near Perth) to Albany. For gear reviews, I often rely on Outdoor Gear Lab. As much as I tried I still arrived in Northcliffe on a Sunday, which is the one day the cooperative is closed! Home Trip Planner Distance Calculator. Although walking is a relatively safe pastime, there are hazards associated with the bush. 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. This well blazed trail travels through many national parks and state forests with various terrain that ranges from dense forest to beautiful coastland. Me most of all that article had obviously made a bigger impression on me than Id imagined. The tank water is potable but if you get water from natural sources along the way its a good idea to treat it. But once my heart had spoken, I felt I had to follow through. Dont know why I packed them), and not enough dried fruit & nut snacks. If an access point is not shown here, then it is likely that it is not a permitted vehicle access point. 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. Not a fussy eater at all, just after the basic hiker foods. 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. 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. She made a road trip the week before she left and dropped off her own supplies. 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. Matt. 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. Posted on July 8, 2018 I was happy to eat different mueslis, snacks and lunch meals by the end of the hike. The Bibbs campsites are far better than those on the famous Appalachian Trail, but not quite as lavish as those in Tasmania or New Zealand. One thru-hike at a time. 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). Although well be walking in Australias winter and rain is a distinct possibility, weve opted for lightweight trail shoes which will offer the tread we need without the weight and (hopefully) the blisters and pressure points on the feet. 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!). It will come in very useful when I finally get to do my own E2E. 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). In May this year, Tim and I will be flying to Western Australia to take on our biggest challenge yet; well be hiking the Bibbulmun track, 1,000 km through the remote Australian wilderness. Nowadays, I use an ultraviolet wand which doesnt affect the taste of the water. 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. Thanks Kelly! Feel free to comment below for advice, or suggested additions to this guide. Your email address will not be published. Somewhere in the world: By Ben Dickinson. What a contradiction! Your email address will not be published. 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. Some of this trusty kit does however weigh a hell of a lot more than some of the ultralight stuff on the market. 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. Karri trees grow in the high rainfall areas of south west Australia. It also helped me to better understand my bodys abilities, and made me realise how much more I could be doing with my life! The calculator works in both north and south directions. 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 passes through some remote areas of Western Australia, so once youre on the Track you need to know how to stay on it. I charge both from a portable battery pack, which usually lasts me between towns. The first thing I needed to decide about was when to start the journey. For advice specific to the Bibbulmun, the Bibbulmun Track Hikers Facebook group is a useful resource. You can get some pretty light self-inflating mats so Id explore that option if you plan on hiking regularly. 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.