Choosing A Trail
When you’re a kid from a working-class family growing up in Perth, driving 5 hours down south for your holidays was very special. The thought of walking there didn’t enter your consciousness. So when one day you do, you discover it is possible. The moment you climb over the first dune and witness the south coast, it is an exceptionally special and emotional moment. I will never forget.
Family Safety
There is a lot online about the Bibbulmun Track, this magnificent long-distance trail that we here in Perth called “The Bibb”. This is my brief perspective on how this hiking trail has affected me, along with some track info that I’m often asked about. I grew up hearing about it as a teenager. I didn’t really know where it started, ended, or how long it was. I used to spend my time hiking around Jarrahdale and the beautiful Kittys Gorge Trail and camping at Gooralong Brook, which you can no longer do. The Bibbulmun Track is 1000km (620 miles) long (approx), running between Kalamunda, a hill suburb east of Perth, and Albany on the south coast.
My first genuine exposure to the track was a visit to the Dwellingup Visitor Information Centre in July 2015. If you begin at Kalamunda, the track walks right through it, approximately day 12. Dwellingup is one of 11 towns the track passes through. When you complete an end-to-end, you are walking literally from one end to another. Another term you may hear is a “through-hike,” which they use in the US.