Local gratitude for Bibbulmun Track volunteers during National Volunteer Week
It’s National Volunteer Week, and we are celebrating the impact of volunteers on communities and the engagement with community fostered by being a volunteer.
In every ‘Track town’, the local community benefits from the ongoing reputation of the Bibbulmun Track as a world-class trail. The quality of the Track and the walker experience is in large part due to the contribution of volunteers. Some volunteers live locally – their work connects their participation as a walker with their residential community.
Walkers of the Bibbulmun Track start, finish or take a break from their walk in each town along the route. They access accommodation and transport providers, supermarkets, eateries and other local businesses. There are consistent benefits to the town from this subset of the tourism market. Even passing through, walkers contribute for a short time to social and cultural diversity.
The work of volunteers is a significant contributor to the reputation of the Track as a world-class walking trail. The ongoing quality of the trail and campsites; information, advice and introductory experiences provided to walkers; and promotional activities… all these outcomes (and more!) are achieved by our volunteers. The Foundation coordinates approximately 450 volunteers, of which about 25% live local to the Track in the Southwest and Great Southern (the majority are in the metro area).
We’re illustrating the connection of local volunteers with their role by several stories; examples of the ‘face of’ volunteering in each Track town.
David helping out at a recent BTF Field Day
Kalamunda local David has been a Bibbulmun Track volunteer for 9 years but has been part of youth clubs, service clubs and community leadership all his life – he says “it’s simply part of my makeup to volunteer – I’ve never needed a push!”. Living very close to the Northern Terminus, he frequently meets hikers as he walks past. He likes to chat with them and share the start or end of their journey. He also interacts with the team at the Visitor Centre regularly and finds out about any issues encountered on the trail.
David enjoys the social aspect of his work, picking up the walkers’ vibes and gaining a better understanding of why they do what they do. Volunteering helps him stay fit and active, and says the mental stimulation helps wellbeing. About to finish his 7th End-to-End, he says “I’d give any other 80 year old a run for their money”. Retired for 20 years, it’s “the best job I’ve ever had!”.
Hal lives very close to Chadoora campsite east of Dwellingup – which he has maintained for over 20 years – and volunteers out of gratitude for the pleasure the Track gave him. “I took the opportunity to make a contribution for the sake of other people” he said. He enjoys talking to the likeminded walkers he meets in the forest and gets great satisfaction from the improvements he can make to enhance the experience for others.
Chadoora campsite – Hal’s “2nd home” in the bush!
Wendy takes a break
Wendy is another volunteer who counts ‘giving back’ for her walking experiences as one of her main motivations. She started volunteering soon after her first End-to-End in 2001. Ten years later, on the Appalachian Trail, she was very impressed with the huge community support and range of volunteer roles and wanted to be involved providing that at home.
Most recently based in Collie, Wendy was also a Northcliffe local for several years. She values the connection which volunteering gave her with walking and walkers, even after health issues limited her own hiking activity. It’s a connection she now misses – meeting hikers, hearing stories of their background and their walk, their responses to the Track, and the opportunity to share with them Track knowledge and lore.
Wendy told me how they often went ‘above and beyond’ to support hikers: “We would take fresh fruit out, and extra water on hot days. A fully stocked first aid kit so we could give them bandaids or Fixomull – they might have run out and be close to pulling out of their walk – it was manna from heaven!”.
Like many volunteers, Wendy reflected a sense of ownership and pride over the sections and campsites she’s been involved with maintaining. “There’s such satisfaction in keeping this free resource of high quality – and showing some ‘Aussie pride’ for all the international hikers!” she says. The downsides were dealing with the aftermath of irresponsible walker behaviour – vegetation damage and rubbish left behind – and coping with a snake phobia which resulted in a swap to a less challenging section.
Tim (centre) supervising some work on his section in spite of injury!
Based in the Balingup area, Tim values his contribution to walkers’ experience. “It’s a great amenity for WA and I do it to encourage people to keep using it, to encourage people from further afield to come”. His volunteer role – which he has done for 7 years – increases his contact with people throughout the region, who know his involvement and approach him with questions. He enjoys connecting with walkers along his section overlooking the Blackwood River valley.
Nigel at Dog Pool campsite
Nigel is another volunteer who took the opportunity to ‘give back’ to something he’d gotten a lot of enjoyment from, after he moved to Pemberton several years ago. He’s a great example of the country town volunteer – as well as his contribution to the Bibbulmun Track, he is a volunteer with the Munda Biddi (the similar long-distance cycle trail), ambulance service and bush fire brigade. These roles give him connections with people from different walks of life he might otherwise not have met.
For Nigel, enjoyment comes from seeing the ongoing benefit of his work on the Track – although not so much if the vegetation grows back over since his last visit! He is the allocated maintenance volunteer for two campsites, and finds it satisfying that his work on the shelter, tent sites and paths is appreciated and maintained by users. Access to his remote sections can be challenging but enjoyable – although he recognizes there will come a time when an easier section will be his choice!
Tim (left) at home in the forest near Walpole
As a long-term walker, and with the Bibbulmun Track going past his back door, it was natural for Walpole local Tim to join the volunteer effort on retirement. A Track maintenance volunteer for more than a decade, he enjoys interacting with walkers – sometimes with the excuse of getting their observations of his section! Satisfaction also comes from the flora and fauna – a particular interest of Tim’s – and the fact that his section can be walked entirely downhill!
Wes doing what he does best – supporting other volunteers
The southern end of the Track in the Albany area is significantly enhanced by the dedication of local volunteer Wes. Sharing time with other volunteers, and ‘giving back’ for more than 40 years of enjoyment, are his motivation for volunteering. He enjoys the connections with other volunteers and meeting hikers, especially those from overseas. For Wes, satisfaction comes from seeing the improvement he can achieve and “a job well done”. According to Wes, ““If you like being outside and are relatively fit, you should give it a go!”.
National Volunteer Week is coordinated annually by Volunteering Australia and promoted locally by Volunteering WA.
