Welcome to my Damn Long Walk of The Bibbulmun Track
What are I doing?
I am heading off to walk the Bibbulmun Track which is 1,000 km from Perth to Albany in Western Australia which will take about 2 months September to October 2021
For more details see https://www.bibbulmuntrack.org.au/
Why go for another damn long walk ?
I finished 3,000km of Te Araroa a few days before the Covid 19 lockdown and it has not been off my mind since. I enjoyed the enforced rest of the lockdown and it gave me plenty of space to process Te Araroa and cement the memories.
Then I took on a fixed term accounting role which will end 20 August 2021. So I needed another plan and because the borders were all closed I decided to do Te Araora north bound NOBO.
Then the borders opened to Australia and my Perth based son suggested I do the Bibbulmun Track instead of the North Island of New Zealand. So my plan is to go to Perth at the end of August and persuade my son, daughter-in-law and teenage granddaughters to accompany me for sections. Then return to New Zealand and walk the South Island NOBO after Christmas.
I know the landscape and the flora and flora will be very different. The track is well marked through National Parks with 49 dedicated campsites spread a nice day’s walk apart. These campsites have a hut, which is a 3 walled purpose built structure, and camping areas, tables, toilets etc. There are 9 towns to pass through for resupply. Unlike Te Araroa it is easy to plan a schedule. Here is mine
The total elevation gain is about 25,000 metres compared to 98,000 on Te Araora. I will not come across days of deep mud, raging rivers or mountains but I will be there for the wild flower season and will get up close with some of the amazing creatures that inhabit this part of Australia including snakes and ticks. That will make it a different walk for me
You are all welcome to follow me from the comfort of your homes or load up your pack and walk a bit with me.
What do I take with me?
I will not change much from what I took on Te Araroa except I will be adding a snake bite bandage to the kit. See my gear list here
How will I know where to go?
I will use the Guthook App. This uses GPS and have a wealth of information available at any time. There are maps and guide books available however I probably wont use them.
At anytime where I was not sure if I was on the trail I could just look on my phone and see exactly where I was in relation to the track. No data or service is required as it uses the GPS satellites
