Helen
- Start date: 13 August 2017
- Age When Completed: 31
- Direction Walked: North to South
- Others in Group:
Adam
General Comments
The Bibbulmun Track was an amazing experience. I loved every moment, even the blisters at the start. I am proud, as an Australian, that we have a trail that allows locals and foreigners to explore this beautiful part of the country. All the tireless love and commitment from the foundation and others has astounded me. Cannot wait to do it again!
Food/Supplies Comments
Resupply in all the towns was great. Understandable to cost a bit extra in the more isolated areas, like Donnerlly River Village. In hindsight, did not need bounce boxes/resupply boxes. Felt good to support the rural towns. Would only recommend one for between Kalamunda and Dwellingup if intending to take it a hut at a time.
Favourite Section
Entering Balingup and through to Pemberton. The greenery of Balingup, walking under the trees, finding a perfect place to sit next to a pond and seeing bunnies bounding across our path.
Highlights
Gosh, so many! Wildlife! Fellow hikers and the fun conversation. Kindness of locals. Climbing the Gloucester Tree. Food and hot showers in each town. Seeing animal tracks and trying to guess what they were. The ocean and seeing the entire coast and being able to see where we’ve come from and where we’re going. Making friends! Meeting and staying with Jacko and Annie in Denmark. Tingles! Wildflowers! The icy dip in the water at Beedlup!
Personal Reactions
Wow, Awesome! Loved it all. Pinching myself still that I was fortunate to do the Bibbulmun End to End. Cannot wait to do it again! So grateful for the many people who have made this track a reality. Felt the love and kindness every step of the way.
Wildlife
Soooo many! Wild Emu chicks with their Dad on two different occasions. Walking the last loonnnggg dirt road into Dog Pool Hut, hearing Emus but not seeing them. Look ahead, there is one in the distance, think it must of freaked out seeing us so it started running away. Very funny running style! Would stop on occasion to look back and check where we were before it would continue running. It was funny that the emu thought we had any chance of catching him. Saw tiny possums, heaps of blue tongues, whales waving at us at West Cape Howe hut in the early morning. Sooo many snakes starting from the plains region. We were seeing many Dugites and Tigers towards the end as they definitely love the dunes. Oh and a large Red-Back spider in the toilet at Mt. Wells. So I wrote an ode in the Chadoora Comments red book, the lyrics of ‘The Red Back on the Toilet Seat’ by Slim Newton. Meeting an Echidna on the track about 800m after Murray Hut.
Your Best Equipment
So many, but I would have to say my -6 degree down bag from Enlightened Equipment. The morning of the 5th of September at Dookanelly hut was sooo cold. Guessing around 0 degrees. For a Cairns born and raised girl, that is cold. Lol. Was difficult to motivate myself to get up out of bed that morning! There was also what appeared to be sleet on the grass.
Your Worst Equipment
Hmm.. tough one. Think I was pretty happy with everything I had. Probably only sort of upset, was arriving in Balingup and not being able to get accommodation under $100. It was a Saturday and we called 8+ accommodations at approx. 3:30pm in the afternoon, where no one answered. We finally found a BnB 6km outside of town that was willing to pick us up and drop us back in the morning which was good.
Advice for Others
Just do it! Take the leap. I recommend the Bibb to anyone and everyone, and add that young families have completed it too. And that we met and shared huts and meals with hiker John C, who was on his 5th end to end and was 73 years old! So awesome. Thank you so much Bibbulmun Track Foundation and all the volunteers. I was happy to sign up as a member for 3 more years. My parents enjoyed receiving the new letter in the post, and I’m glad they still can. I’m looking forward to coming back and doing it again.