Michael Freemantle (Michael F)

Track Towns and Supplies

• How many days did you stay in Track Towns? 9
• Did you have any issues finding food/supplies? No
• Prepared food packages at home and posted to track town accommodation. Only needed to buy a small amount of cheddar cheese (~100 g) to supplement lunch snacks. In 2025 saw lots of freeze dried meals in Visitor Centres and local shops - mainly Backcountry brand. Gas cannister found a most visitor centre and hardware stores but not always available in the size wanted.

Particular Track Towns that you would return to:

• Dwellingup
• Collie
• Donnelly River Village
• Pemberton
• Walpole
• Albany

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Your Story or Advice for Others

General Comments
I had scheduled every day of my walk from Balingup to Albany (2022) and Kalamunda to Balingup (2025) and prebooked all accommodation, return airfares etc. If you are running a flexible schedule you need to check what is happening in the track towns. In 2025, the Saturday I arrived in Dwellingup where was an MTB event and Hotham Valley Tourist train operating, in Collie I missed the annual Collie to Donnybrook Handicap cycle race by one day and Balingup I arrived in time for the Medieval Festival. Events can take up all available accommodation (beds and hot showers). One stupid thing I did was not to study the profile of the track - originally intended to walk Gringer Creek to Mt Wells (~30 km) skipping White Horse Hills but luckily felt good enough to made up a day doing Monadnocks to Nerang. Given the choice now I would take an extra day's food to limit myself to around 25 km in a day.

Your Best Equipment
Swapped out my Nemo mummy mat for Big Agnes Rapide SL extra wide mat. The Big Agnes a couple hundred grams heavier but worth it for comfortable night - don't compromise on sleep comfort. Got a lighter OR 2.5 layer rain coat and titanium pot to compensate.

Your Worst Equipment
Sunglasses - I think I only wore them on the day I arrived in Kalamunda.

Advice for Others
I liked a comment in a red book written by someone who initially admired people who could double hut and triple hut but then began to admire the people taking it slow and therefore more likely to appreciate their surrounding. I admire everyone who goes on the track and wish I could double hut at will and equally see what there is to see, hear what there is to hear etc. If you don't have to rush it don't.

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Trip Details

How you completed the Bibbulmun Track:

• In sections

• How many days did it take you to complete the Track? 55
• Who did you complete the Track with? With friends
• Was undertaking your hike the PRIMARY/MAIN purpose of your TRAVEL from where you currently live? Yes
• What first prompted you to walk the Bibbulmun Track? BTF website
  

What did you use to navigate the Track?

• App (please specify)
• - FarOut and Organic Maps

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Your Experience

• Availability of information: Excellent
• Amount of Wildlife Encountered: Good - Probably the closest to special was Emu dad with chicks in the wild.

Favourite Section
Pingerup plains to Mandalay Beach

Highlight of your trip
Not having to book and pay for the privilege of walking 1000 km through a special part of Australia.

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