There certainly are! 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. 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. The stores arent that basic, you should be able to get all those items you mentioned. The following list is what I take on multi-day hikes on the Bibbulmun Track. These pages are bursting with information to help you have a safe and pleasant journey. It would have taken way to long and once I start something I'm driven to . Unfortunately, in the 1930s they found themselves out of work again when the Great Depression hit and many families had to leave their properties. 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. I charge both from a portable battery pack, which usually lasts me between towns. Near Perth, the campsites are closer together, allowing most hikers to walk two sections in a day known as double hutting. ), while still leaving opportunities to add to my lunch & snack supplies. Thats it. Short and sweet, to the point, just what I needed. 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. 1000km. Definitely not perfect but I was trying! Choose a section of the Track for a day of amazing scenery or challenging walks or, if you're game, tackle the whole Track. 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. By Ben Dickinson. Everyone looked stunned. Open the map and click on a hut and then there is a button to download photos - so do that on Wi-Fi too. Some things Im curious about: if you dont mind answering: What do you bring to take photos? I aimed to start my hike in late September and to walk north to south. I take a Sony A6000 camera, which I have attached to my backpack with a Peak Designs capture clip. There is also a natural outdoor pool, but it wasnt warm enough for that when we were there. I took water purification tablets on my first hike, but the treated water tasted so foul I couldnt drink it! 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. Maps, other guides and information on diversions can be found on the Bibbulmun Track Foundation website. Many Different Landforms. Estimated length: 1000 kilometres / 621 miles. 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!) So far, our base packs come to approx. 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. Keep up to date on our projects, our supporters, opportunities for involvement and more. There are buses from all the main track towns to Perth or Albany in case we get injured and need to bail. Posted on July 8, 2018 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. 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. Next time I would dehydrate even more of my own food, specifically dinners if time allowed (they just worked out so well! What my heart chose surprised even me. Your email address will not be published. Nowadays, I use an ultraviolet wand which doesnt affect the taste of the water. This well blazed trail travels through many national parks and state forests with various terrain that ranges from dense forest to beautiful coastland. 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 campsite has a three-sided shelter, a water tank, a drop toilet and picnic tables. A practice walk of three or more days should give a good indication of how much food you need, otherwise allow about one kilogram of food per day. The distance calculator is designed to help you plan your walk. The Bibbulmun Track is a 623mi/1,002km trail that runs near the Southwest coast of Australia from Kalamunda (near Perth) to Albany. 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. These notes will help to make your Bibbulmun Track experience safer and more enjoyable. 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. 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. Thats literally just a petrol station with very basic, expensive options, although it does have an attached cafe so you can have at least one decent hot meal. The Bibbulmun Track passes through Pemberton and we did two walks, totalling 7 hours. It doesnt do much to help the toe nail situation though! Sugars and fats might be your enemy in the real world, but theyre your friend on the trail. Im all about lists & planning for a hike. It is situated in Western Australia starting in the beautiful suburban town of Kalamunda and stretches 1000 km's south down to the historical coastal town of Albany. For advice specific to the Bibbulmun, the Bibbulmun Track Hikers Facebook group is a useful resource. If you ever come this way let me know so I can return the favour Charting my travels around the world, one adventure at a time. There are plenty of great online resources with more info on long-distance hiking. 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. As you become more experienced you will get better at knowing what gear works for you. Winter conditions (June to August) are not for the faint hearted, particularly further south where temperatures are lower and rainfall higher. 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. This well blazed trail travels through many national parks and state forests with various terrain that ranges from dense forest to beautiful coastland. 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. 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. 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 first thing I needed to decide about was when to start the journey. Premier Partner of the Foundation and the Bibbulmun Track maintenance volunteer program. The next most important consideration for a long distance hike is your pack. 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. I highly recommend it! There are a number of things to consider before setting out on the Track. The majority of this comes from the big four: pack, sleeping bag, sleeping mat and tent - most of which we already had and are heavier than we might like. 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. Many people undertake this journey as a section hike, doing pieces of it over a period of months and even years. I tried to find a balance between: The ethical conundrum of what to buy & where, was so big in my head that I tried to change my itinerary to make sure I reached Northcliffe on a day that the food cooperative was open. 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. People also record their experiences in these registers so, as well as being a safety precaution, they are a useful source of Track intelligence about such things as: missing markers; the condition of the Track; the state of the water supply at the next campsite; big hills en route; flora and fauna to look out for; or the school party that took over the campsite the day before. Deciding what equipment you need for a Bibbulmun Track walk doesn't have to be a daunting process. The Bibbulmun Track can be tough so, go on take a walk on the wild side! 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. We are flying to Perth from London on Qantas new direct flights. 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. Thanks for the feedback, really chuffed you liked it! Slower Hiking 12/9/22 Slower Hiking 12/9/22. 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. This is useful for working out how much food you will need for each section and for arranging to meet other people. You will know the right one when it comes along! (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address). 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. 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. One of many shelters with covered tables and water tanks. For a thru-hike or multi-day section hike youll need: The key difference between hiking equipment and regular camping equipment is its size and weight. Youll need more if you walk when the water supply is less reliable. Doing the whole bib is a dream of mine, but for now day trips will have to suffice! Donnelly River Village Northcliffe: Pack everything dehydrating my own food & post to DRV accomodation to reach Pemberton. He was also a pretty good breeder himself, fathering nine children! I just googled the Via Dinarica and it looks amazing! 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. SA, WA & NT specific bushwalking discussion. This is intended as a guide for the absolute beginner. I have done many day walks, 2 overnight walks and one 4 day/3 night walk on the Bibb. This is a very rewarding and quite remote expeditionary hike. Ever since I got them, my arch pain has been a non-issue. Lines in his book A long walk in the Australian bush.. The towns on the Bibbulmun Track are pretty spread out, with the greatest distance between two towns being 202 kilometres. was to work out what to take with me. Bibbulmun Track Food planning & resupplying on the Bibbulmun Track! 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. She made a road trip the week before she left and dropped off her own supplies. Home Trip Planner Distance Calculator. Then bury it. 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. After some months now of planning and preparing the walk is almost upon me.