If you are planning a walk over the school holidays, in addition to your usual planning, take five to read ten things you need to know:
Check which sections have any closures or diversions. Prescribed burning will impact some sections of the Track.
Check where campfire bans are current (seasonal but may be in place) or total fire bans (declared on a daily basis) in the area you plan to walk. Some campsites have campfire bans all year round. Take and use your fuel stove.
Do all of the above by checking the Track conditions on the section you are walking by visiting the relevant Section by Section Guide and clicking the Realignments/Diversion tab on our website.
Large groups will be using some campsites out on the Track. Check these by going to the Section By Section Guide and clicking on the section you would like to walk and then the Groups On Track tab. Avoid these campsites if possible. There will be a number of groups walking between Kalamunda and North Bannister in particular.
Take a tent as space in the shelters cannot be guaranteed and many campsites will be very busy.
Only access the Track at permitted vehicle access points marked with a red car on the official maps. Click for more info and scroll down to Dieback and Bibbulmun Track access.
Take enough water. If you are only doing day-walks, carry enough for the day and leave the water in the tanks for the long distance walkers.
Remember vehicles of any kind (i.e. anything with wheels) are not permitted along the Track or at any Bibbulmun Track campsite. If you see one, take a photo which includes the registration plate so the authorities can follow it up.
Rainbow in the valley. Should I check out the pot of gold?
We are delighted to welcome Small Things Wine as a Sponsor. Hailing from Margaret River in Western Australia, Small Things Wine produce handcrafted vegan-friendly premium wines packaged in aluminium cans. Perfect for that overnight hike!
The sustainable 250ml cans play a significant role in reducing energy and transportation costs with a significantly higher recyclability potential. Cans are infinitely recyclable, use less energy to manufacture, chill and transport.
Small Things Wines produces premium wines from the prestigious Margaret River region that are grown in sustainably accredited vineyards and made using sustainable winery practices in their sustainable accredited winery.
Founder and chief winemaker, Ian Batt, said it was his experience travelling the world, filming a documentary about the revolution of Australian wine, Chateau Chunder, when he first pondered wine and cans.
“I started wondering why you never saw high quality wine in cans. The more I researched it, the more reasons I found to do it. It’s much more environmental than glass; it’s easier to recycle, and significantly reduces carbon emissions.”
Their wave logo acts as a gentle reminder to consumers of what they are protecting when they make sustainable choices.
“I made sure we considered the ocean as part of our brand. It reminds me of our place; where we’ve come from and how we need to make sure to look after it,” Ian says.
With cans often associated with low quality wine, Ian has had his work cut out for him. The response so far has been overwhelmingly positive, with environmentally conscious markets like Sweden drinking it by the pallet.
“Our philosophy is to under promise and over deliver. We have a responsibility to carry the mantle for alternative sustainable packaging in wine, so when someone decides to have a can of our wine it must be good.”
To achieve this, Ian works closely with Sustainable Winegrowing Australia certified growers to source his fruit.
These grapes lower the brand's environmental impact, with the additional benefit of producing wines that are exceptionally expressive of the natural landscape. Ian even admits he doesn't have to work very hard to get it right in the winery.
For Ian it’s all about giving back. Where each can of his wine captures a piece of the region, it also preserves its longevity.
“While it’s still immaculate, I feel we had the best of Margs when we were kids. It’s taught me that if we don’t think about the future, we will jeopardise it for the next generation.”
We’re thrilled to announce that planning has started for our next big celebration, the Bibbulmun Track’s 25th Anniversary. Saturday 13 September 2023 marks the 25th Anniversary of the opening of the Perth-to-Albany Track, now known to us as the Bibbulmun Track. As part of the anniversary, a range of festivities will be held in the communities along the length of the Track between July and September 2023, with opportunities for walkers, young and old, to get involved.
On 13 September 1998 the ‘new’ Bibbulmun Track was officially opened in Albany. The Track had been significantly realigned, extended from Walpole to Albany and upgraded with the addition of timber shelters at the campsites. An official function was held at the Bibbulmun Track southern terminus to open the Track and farewell a group of walkers, 11 of whom completed the first official End-to-End. Along the way they were accompanied by sectional walkers. The event was called ‘Bib Walk ‘98’
On 13 September 2008, the 10th Anniversary celebrations - the journey of a decade, culminated with the conclusion of an end-to-end walk in Kalamunda. Over 100 walkers joined the end-to-enders for a part of the eight week journey. The celebrations included gatherings at every Track Town and they brought together hundreds of people who share a passion for the Bibbulmun Track as well introducing many people to it.
We will be commemorating this amazing milestone in the tradition of previous celebrations. We will be holding an End-to-End walk.
The event will begin with a special ceremony in Kalamunda in July 2023. A small group of End-to-End walkers will then make their way to Albany and arrive in September. At each town along the way we will have a community celebration and the End-to-Enders will be joined by a new group of walkers (sectional walkers) to walk the next section. The distance between towns varies from three to eight days and people are invited to register for these sections when registrations open. The anniversary celebrations culminate in a gathering in Albany after walkers finish the Track.
We invite local walkers, volunteers, community groups and schools to get involved with the festivities.
Applications to join as an end-to-end walker open in June and close August 31st, 2022.
Registrations to become a sectional walker will open in January, 2023.
Make sure you are subscribed to our e-news, Bibbulmun Bytes or even better, become a member and keep an eye out for advanced information in the Bibbulmun News (our member's only magazine) and member only notifications.
The Bibbulmun Track Foundation’s efforts to increase awareness and understanding of Nyoongar culture on the Bibbulmun Track has been given a boost by a Lotterywest grant of $10,600. The presentation was made by Matthew Hughes MLA, State MP for Kalamunda at the Northern Terminus of the Bibbulmun Track.
Foundation Executive Director, Linda Daniels said that the grant was for consultation with aboriginal artists to create a design representing the 1000-kilometre Track which stretches between Kalamunda in the Perth Hills to Albany on the South Coast.
"The route of the Bibbulmun Track has been overlaid onto the AIATSIS map of Indigenous Australia” she said. “While boundaries are not finite, the Foundation has been able to identify which of the eight language groups to acknowledge at each of the 49 campsites along the Track and wishes to use the artwork on the signs and interpretation booklets which will be placed in the shelters.”
The Foundation is also working with an Aboriginal tourism business to develop and promote guided experiences on the Track. The inaugural walks will give Foundation staff and volunteers the opportunity to learn more about Nyoongar culture and bush interpretation.
Photo: At the Northern Terminus of the Bibbulmun Track. From L to R: Matthew Hughes MLA, State MP for Kalamunda with the Foundation’s Executive Director, Linda Daniels and Marketing Manager, Ash Gibson.
Hamish Gibson, of WFB Cape to Cape Explorer Tours, has sent us this account of walking the Track in the Walpole-Nornalup Conservation Park, famous for its towering karri and tingle trees. The park is part of the larger Walpole Wilderness Area that was established in 2004.
As I listen to the red-tailed cockatoo’s "karack!" call high in the canopy, green against the azure sky, a grey fantail flirts dangerously, almost hitting me in the face, showing the forest’s awareness of my presence. The petrichor accentuates the smell of peppermint leaf between my fingers, awakening my senses like an espresso. I hear the rustle of one of the forest’s marsupials, a beautiful quenda. Stepping into such a landscape for the first-time bombards us with different shapes, colours, textures, sounds, smells and tastes. It feels as if the land is inviting us to be part of its story, asking us to dive a little deeper to discover its secrets. It’s a rare privilege in this fast-paced existence to feel the primordial force that this wilderness represents—a reminder of our own need for biophilic relationships, a world away from Covid dominated conversations and the busy dynamic of modern life.
Walking the Bibbulmun Track in the Walpole-Nornalup Conservation Park is a perfect place to observe the intricacy of interconnections in the natural environment and escape from the pressures of our working and family lives.
Much of the flora and some of the fauna originated on the vast supercontinent of Gondwanaland. As the continents of South America, Asia, Australia, and Antarctica split apart so too did the distinct but related plant groups. Geologically speaking the separation occurred a relatively short time ago, approximately 50 million years. Since then, the stability of the region has led to the further diversification of plant species and the development of a myriad of symbiotic relationships between, plants, fungi, mammals, and birds. When we immerse ourselves in an environment as isolated as the Southwest corner of Western Australia and the Greater Southern region we really are stepping back in time, to an island within an island, bordered by the ocean to the west and south, and desert to the east and north.
Perhaps like me you’ve been hanging out for a change of pace, a chance to take in some new scenery and find yourself a comfy cabin or secluded campsite nestled in nature. So, a hike with friends or on your own, winding through massive stands of eucalypts, or meandering through wattle and banksia country towards the spectacular coastal vistas, might be just what the doctor ordered. I am fortunate enough to work as a forest guide for Bibbulmun Explorer Tours that offers that very experience. We are based at Coalmine Beach, within walking distance of the Walpole township. Here the Caravan Park is meticulously kept by Phil and Cathy, providing a range of accommodation options from two-bedroom self-contained cottages and safari style eco-tents to roomy powered sites for caravans and tucked away corners for vans, camper trailers and tents. A stone’s throw away from the inlet, it is an ideal location in which to unwind.
The region is rich in European and indigenous history. The best way to learn about its cultural and biological diversity is to step aboard a WOW tour with Gary Muir who takes you on a journey reminiscent of a romantic scientific voyage, moving from the micro view of the botanical grim reapers, Heartleaf poison and Dieback bacteria to the macro perspective of anthropogenic factors impacting climate change. Delivering a rich silk tapestry of precise nomenclature, cheeky wit and humour and quizzing guests with infinite amounts of information, Gary and his crew use photographs and props to provide interesting facts and explanations from multiple scientific disciplines, unique historical stories and occasional dissertations and translations in a foreign language. Stimulating even the most curious minds, Gary imparts an intimate sense of place with countless insights about the Walpole region, where five generations of his family have grown up in a place they love dearly,
So, what’s stopping you from experiencing this magical place? Maybe the logistics of organising accommodation, meals and transport to and from the sections of track or feeling you’ll be roughing it in order to get the hiking job done? Think again. Our crew, along with the extended team in Walpole, take care of every detail, down to sourcing beautiful local produce including wine, cheese and preserves as well as a visit to a local restaurant, the Nornabar. All manner of dietary requirements for breakfast, lunch, dinner and track snacks are fully catered for and hikers of all ages and a wide range of abilities are encouraged to participate.
The Bibbulmun Explorer Tour is the opportunity you’ve been looking for to reconnect with nature, flip the script and do something that truly nourishes the mind, body and soul. So, no excuses, get your hiking gear ready and we’ll see you in the green room.
