Day 1
The Bibbulmun Track is a long-distance walking path in Western Australia that runs from the Perth eastern suburb town of Kalamunda to the town of Albany on the south coast. At roughly one thousand and three kilometres long (623 miles), it is estimated to take approximately six to eight weeks to walk if done continuously. Many people complete it in stages over a longer time period.
There are 58 stages to the walk and over forty-five campsites consisting of three-sided huts with sleeping platforms, often in bunk bed format. There is also a water tank (the water may need to be treated), a pit toilet, picnic tables and cleared tent sites. Some of the sites have a barbecue facility and plate and a fire pit. Fires are banned in the southern section of the trail. It is not possible to book the huts and spaces on the sleeping platforms are on a first come, first served basis. Because of this you need to carry camping equipment with you in case the huts are full. This can mean that you carry tent etc., but never actually use it, as we did. In the northern section of the walk the huts are approximately ten kilometres apart. There is a reason for this; the walking is steep and arduous.
The purpose of my visit, as well as to enjoy the walking, was to gain some of experience of the trail with a view to returning at a later date to complete the whole walk. On this occasion, my niece’s husband had scoped out a short walk for us that covered some of the sections on the northern end of the trail in the Darling Hill Range (or Darling Scarp) just east and south of the City of Perth. As well as myself the party consisted of my younger brother James, niece's husband Ross and, his father Terry. Two Scots of Irish descent with two Irish Ozzies. Recipe for skulduggery? You better believe it!
Leaving from the North Western suburb of Quinns, we drove to the Perth Hills Discovery Centre where we parked our car, met up with my younger brother James and his wife who then drove us in their car via Mundaring Weir to our starting point for the trail at Mount Dale. From there we would walk back to Mundaring Weir, going through four sections of the walk in two days. In retrospect, given the weather forecast it might have been wiser to restrict our outing to two stages and taken more time to enjoy the marvellous scenery and look out for the wildlife for which the area is well known.
Construction on Mundaring Weir began in the late 1890’s with the intention to provide a water supply to the goldfields of Coolgardie and Kalgoorlie. It is built on the flow of the Helena River and was completed in 1903. The main purpose of the weir now is as a water supply to over 100,00 people, mines, farms and other industries. The length of the dam wall is 308 metres with a height above the riverbed of 42 metres. Original height was approximately thirty-three metres but it was raised a further nine metres in the 1950’s.
Lake C Y O'Connor (Mundaring Weir)
At 546 metres, Mount Dale is one of the highest points in the Darling Scarp. There are fantastic views to the south and the north from the top. It was once the site of a fire-look out post on the top as it provided a three hundred and sixty degree view over the national parks and forests that surround it, a view that is now restricted by telephone masts.
Our drop off point was at the recreation area just below the summit, but which nonetheless offered us dramatic views. The summit is called after Ensign Robert Dale who in 1829 became the first European explorer to investigate the Darling Scarp. In this photograph the smoke on the horizon is from a DOC (Department of Conservation) controlled burn. Such burns are used to combat forest fires by controlling the volume of undergrowth on the forest floor.
Our drop off point was at the recreation area just below the summit, but which nonetheless offered us dramatic views. The summit is called after Ensign Robert Dale who in 1829 became the first European explorer to investigate the Darling Scarp. In this photograph the smoke on the horizon is from a DOC (Department of Conservation) controlled burn. Such burns are used to combat forest fires by controlling the volume of undergrowth on the forest floor.
The section of the track we completed over the two days from Mount Dale to Mundaring Weir (approximately 40K), is located in part of the Darling Range or Escarpment. Geologically, an escarpment is a steep slope or long cliff that generally forms as an effect of faulting or erosion and it separates two relatively level areas of differing elevations. The Darling Fault is an old and major fault line that separates two areas known as the Archaean Yilgan Crater to the east, composed of mainly granite/gneiss metamorphic rock and, the much younger Pinjarra Orogen to the west, seaward side of the range. The Yilgarn is a very old (measured in the billions of years) and stable part of the continental lithosphere (the topmost two layers of crust and upper mantle). The Pinjarra Orogen is about four to five hundred million years old and consists of mainly sedimentary deposit. The location of the Darling Scarp and the fault line that formed it coincided at one time but with erosion of the scarp over time they are now about nine miles apart.
In the later part of our walk, we crossed some of the ancient exposed granite plateaus, huge promenades of age and wisdom that form the high ground of the Darling Range. These rock formations have been silent observers to the myriad changes wrought by man on this beautiful but unforgiving landscape. The two major resources of the Darling Escarpment (rocks & trees) have resulted in extensive mining and tree-felling activity including stone quarries and boxite mining, with the jarra forest used for construction (including furniture making), transport (railway sleepers) and power.
The northern sections that we were walking in were mainly through what is called jarra forest. It is a tall, open forest in which the dominant overstory tree is Eucalyptus marginata. In the Darling Range this includes jarrah, marri (eucalyptus) and wandoo (white gum) varieties. These tall, stately trees are curiously bare on the main part of the trunk with just a small canopy on top. Many of them have beautiful bark of white and silver, which falls off the tree in long strips. Walking through the forest there is a wonderful aroma of eucalyptus in the air. On this first day there were often contrasting scenarios to right and left of the path where there had been controlled burning of the undergrowth on one side. This had left tree trunks black with soot on one side, while on the other various colours of silver, white and red bark glowed in the morning sunshine. One of the positive consequences of the burning was to be seen in the vibrant growth on the forest floor where late spring / early summer wild flowers abounded and on the unburnt side tree ferns colonised the dusty ground.
Forest Floor
The jarra forests are, despite major initiatives by the Department of Parks and Wildlife, under constant threat on a number of fronts. A major threat at this time is from 'dieback', caused by the introduction to the forests of a soil borne pathogen that results in lesions on the structure of the trees. The spread of the disease is exacerbated by mining and timber production which helps to spread the pathogen. In addition to the threat of disease, natural disasters like bushfire are never far away in what can be a very dry environment in the hot summer months.
Many of the trees are hundreds of years old. These very old trees provide a crucial habitat for many of the birds that nest here. Of particular importance are the tree holes that develop when branches have fallen off. These are not to be found in younger trees, hence the importance of maintaining the older plantings.
Many of the trees are hundreds of years old. These very old trees provide a crucial habitat for many of the birds that nest here. Of particular importance are the tree holes that develop when branches have fallen off. These are not to be found in younger trees, hence the importance of maintaining the older plantings.
In January 2005 the jarra and the pine forest here was subject the largest bushfire for over a hundred years that caused extensive damage to over 28,000 acres of forest from which the forest and forest floor are still recovering. While some jarra trees were lost, many are showing signs of recovery. The same cannot be said for the pine forest which does not have the same capacity as the jarra to recover from burning.
In an attempt to limit the damage of such fires; which many of the plants in the forest rely on for assistance in replicating, controlled burns are carried out to reduce the build up of flammable materials on the forest floor (see the first photograph). A final threat to the forests is that jarra is one of the best general purpose hardwoods in the world and demand for it is high for quality furniture and flooring.
In an attempt to limit the damage of such fires; which many of the plants in the forest rely on for assistance in replicating, controlled burns are carried out to reduce the build up of flammable materials on the forest floor (see the first photograph). A final threat to the forests is that jarra is one of the best general purpose hardwoods in the world and demand for it is high for quality furniture and flooring.
Fire Damage
As a red-haired Scot of Ancient Irish descent I am not known for my tolerance of the yellow ball in the sky. The weather forecast had hinted that today might be a scorcher somewhere in the eighties. As the day went on it was nearer to ninety and my intolerance of the searing conditions meant that I imposed more often on the patience of my walking companions than perhaps I should have. Although we were not carrying tremndously heavy packs, the rucksack I had borrowed was an old one and it did not have the belts and straps and whistles of my own ultra-modern one at home. Consequently, the weight I was carrying hung off my back, nearer the base of my spine than my shoulders. I too often called for water breaks and a wee rest in the shade. To be honest, I'm not beyond playing the age card when it is required!
On my coastal adventures I regularly walk between twenty four and thirty two kilometres a day. Here, in the unremitting heat, I struggled to complete twenty. It was with great relief we reached the first of the huts where we stopped for lunch.
One of the things that kept me going was the banter and humour you get when four men of indeterminate developmental ages get together. At times, it was like being back in school and our wives and partners might, I suspect, have been horrified at how easily the regression took place. My fellow school boys, I salute you.
One of the things that kept me going was the banter and humour you get when four men of indeterminate developmental ages get together. At times, it was like being back in school and our wives and partners might, I suspect, have been horrified at how easily the regression took place. My fellow school boys, I salute you.
Beraking Camp Site
A major feature of our days were the many and wonderful late spring and early summer wild flowers and shrubs that abound here. Crossing over the granite exposures we came across numerous small, beautiful, alpine-like flowers of such delicacy and softness that they took the breath away. There were also individual orchids of startling beauty and colouring. The contrasts between the beauty of the small and delicate flowers of the floor and the majesty of the tall and gargantuan trees of the jarrah, marri and wandoo forest; the bright light and unremitting heat of the day and the sudden cold of the dark, dark night; the seeming poverty of the salty, sandy soil and the richness and opulence of that which grew from it, testified to the wonders that is this green and blue earth of ours still produces in albeit diminishing abundance.
Wild Flowers
I'm not quite sure what my prior expectations of the walk were, but it certainly was not the arduous and physically draining experience it turned out to be. The heat after lunch was unremitting; a near searing 90F, moisture-sucking dry heat which we expected but which I struggled in nonetheless. There was not a single white cloud to be seen against the endless blue of the sky.
As we started out after lunch the paths were reasonably level and wide, which lulled us in to a false sense of security. Soon, the climbs and descents were long and steep and seemed to be very frequent as we crossed over the Darling Hills. They do not seem to have discovered the zig-zag path on the Bibbulmun yet, preferring to go for the straight up and down. While I am sure there were fairly level sections in there, the drama queen in me could not acknowledge them nor the occasional lovely dappled shade! We encountered two others walkers early on who told us that from the second hut on it was fairly flat. We are still looking for the flat bits!
On the steep sections the walking underfoot was often difficult on grainy terrain with gravel or clay balls rolling under your feet as you tried to climb or descend very steep inclines. There were also sections where we were walking on the hundreds of gum nuts that had fallen from the trees and that posed the same problems as the gravel. The sussuration sound as someone lost balance, slipped and struggled to regain an upright position became as familiar as the cry of 'oh, ooh' from the hidden bird observers. Where are the flat, pleasant walks along the cool, shady forests floors, I ask? No one answers!
On the steep sections the walking underfoot was often difficult on grainy terrain with gravel or clay balls rolling under your feet as you tried to climb or descend very steep inclines. There were also sections where we were walking on the hundreds of gum nuts that had fallen from the trees and that posed the same problems as the gravel. The sussuration sound as someone lost balance, slipped and struggled to regain an upright position became as familiar as the cry of 'oh, ooh' from the hidden bird observers. Where are the flat, pleasant walks along the cool, shady forests floors, I ask? No one answers!
The jarrah forests support about thirty mammal, 150 bird and 45 reptile species, many of them rare and endangered. As you walk through the bush, and particularly where it is low lying and thick, you can hear the various creatures moving about in the long undergrowth but seldom get to see them unless you stop and be quiet and still. Often, we would spy single kangaroos (photograph) , watching us suspiciously from the deep undergrowth. We could hear myriad birds clacking about in the tree canopies but generally too high to get a good look at them.
The broad airy paths and fairly open countryside soon gave way to a more enclosed environment with the undergrowth thicker and taller. After we had passed over some of the grantite outcrops the shrubbery was for a time shoulder high and we were wary of what we could hear moving about in the undergrowth. There are over a hundred snake species in Western Australia, some of which are venomous. Of these there is a chance you may encounter the dugite or the tiger snake on the Bibbulmun. The time of year we were walking was when the snakes were just coming out of hibernation after winter; a time when they are known to be just a little bit cranky as they search for warmth. However, our encounter with a snake didn't happen in the undergrowth, it happened in bed, at night, in the pitch dark. But more of that later!
Bush
By the time we arrived at the hut that was to be home for the night, we were all feeling the exertions of the day, me more than most. With no thought of food or drink, I headed for the sleeping platform where I quickly dozed off while the youngsters in the party (that includes you, Terry) set about getting a fire going and preparing food. With food and tea in our bellies (red wine and beer for some) the world was a different place.
The bush is a more subtle, silent and soothing arena at night and we settled round the fire to watch the sun slowly set behind the hills and to discuss the experiences of the day. I remembered my father telling me that one of the main benefits of growing up for a man is that you are allowed to light and enjoy a good wood fire. I concur!
Continued on Day 2
Continued on Day 2
Wild Flower Slideshow