On the ealry hours on Monday (23rd September) morning a fire broke out in the Balingup Tavern. Thankfully, the owner managed to get out of the building avoiding harm, however the fire has caused a substantial amount of damage to the Tavern. The tavern will be closed for some time but reports say there are plans to repair and re-open for business in the future. For Bibbulmun Track walkers please plan ahead as there are limited (if any) options for a hot evening meal in Balingup, enquire with the Visitor Centre for alternate options. Further details here.
A boardwalk / possible bench seating will be built around the tree to protect the root system.
Discussions around relocating the Southern Terminus of the Bibbulmun Track and Munda Biddi Trail near the new visitor centre in York Street have progressed with a meeting held in Albany last week. The major redevelopment of the public space areas around the visitor centre, including Alison Hartman Gardens, has been undertaken in stages and we are hopeful that the development of a joint trailhead will occur within the next few months.
Mokare statue
As both long-distance trails are named in recognition of the Noongar people and their connection to country, Foundation and DBCA representatives suggested that the trailhead signs be positioned with the Mokare statue as the backdrop. The statue is in recognition of the role Mokare played in the peaceful coexistence between Noongar people and the first European settlers, and in particular his friendship with Dr Alexander Collie, explorer and botanist.
Southern terminus signs for BT and MB will be placed with the statue in the background.
The proposed trailhead location is visible from inside the visitor centre and from the street - and would greatly increase awareness of the trails. It will be a much better experience for both Bibbulmun Track and Munda Biddi end-to-enders to complete their journey by walking up the main street of Albany.
More information about the development of Alison Hartman Gardens is on the City of Albany website.
Bench seating just next to proposed trail head location.
The Southern Forest Irrigation Scheme is an agricultural irrigation scheme being developed in the Manjimup-Pemberton area in south west Western Australia. The proposed scheme will comprise a 15 GL reservoir located on Record Brook and a pipeline distribution network that will supply water to irrigators who have purchased a water entitlement for the scheme.
In June 2019, a meeting was held with Jeremy Bower, SFIS project manager, to discuss the scheme and identify any potentially negative impacts on the Track and walkers.
The Foundation’s primary concerns were:
Noise impacts along the Track (and at the Chappell’s Bridge recreation area) from any pumping system – and particularly at Boarding House Campsite which was estimated to be 3–400 metres from the pump house.
Visual impacts of the pumping station and associated infrastructure.
As a result of the meeting, amendments have since been made to the pumping system to reduce possible noise and visual impacts. An underwater pump will be used so no pump house or weir needs to be built and there is minimal disturbance to the river bed. We were also advised that water will only be extracted when bigger flow events occur in the river. The Board is satisfied that the concerns of Bibbulmun Track users have been mitigated.
DBCA’s Recreation and Trails Unit will look at the final plans when available.
Download the SFIS fact sheet. NOTE: this was produced prior to the amendments to the scheme mentioned above. No weir will be constructed.
The wildflower season starts in the north around early August and gradually blossoms from then on heading south. September and October tend to be the peak times but this can be earlier or later depending on the season in any particular year. The flowers vary along the Track in terms of variety, abundance and season. Experience a spectacle of colour and gain an interesting insight into this biodiversity hotspot. Over 2,000 species of plants can be seen along the Track.
Some of the first vibrant colours of the flowering season are the purples of hovea and the golden yellows of wattles. Donkey Orchids can start flowering as early as July (and have already been spotted!). They bloom in clumps of yellow and brown heads that appear to have large donkey-like ears.
Our current Calendar of Events includes wildflower walks and offers a variety of events for all ages and fitness levels. They are a great way to get out on the Track.
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