A Complete Guide to Thru Hiking the Bibbulmun Track

The Bibbulmun Track is Australia’s most well-known long distance hike or thru hike. The 1000km trail runs from Kalamunda near Perth to Albany on the south coast of Western Australia. It’s certainly something that many Aussie hikers and outdoor enthusiasts want to do in their lifetime, with its world class facilities and impressive group of trail volunteers that is virtually unmatched compared to other trails in Australia.

After completing the Heysen Trail in 2022, I decided it was finally time to head over to Western Australia and complete my second thru hike. I walked from Kalamunda to Albany at the start of spring in 2024 over seven weeks and it was certainly one of my most memorable adventures to date.

While it’s a popular trail, the Bibbulmun Track is still a long way to walk and requires some thoughtful planning and preparation. So, I thought I’d compile all the information you’ll need to know to complete an end to end adventure on the Bibb. This is my complete guide to the Bibbulmun Track.

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Quick Facts About the Bibbulmun Track

• Distance: 972km (measured by my Garmin watch but commonly advertised as 1000km)
• Time to complete: 5-8 weeks
• Total climbing: 23,854m
• Direction: NOBO (northbound) or SOBO (southbound)
• Northern trailhead: Kalamunda
• Southern trailhead: Albany
• Walking options: Day hikes, section hikes, or full end to end
• Campgrounds: Free official trail huts/hike-in camps available 
• Fees: Free to walk and camp on the trail (no permit required)

About the Bibbulmun Track

The Bibbulmun Track is one of three long distance walking trails in Australia, with the other two being the Heysen Trail and the Australian Alps Walking Track. It runs from Kalamunda near Perth to Albany on the south coast of Western Australia. It’s widely considered the most popular long trail in Australia, due to its accessibility, impressive facilities, and dedicated trail volunteers.

The track is a well maintained network of single track walking trails, fire trails or access tracks and old 4×4 tracks. One of the greatest aspects of the trail is the incredible free hike-in camps along the way which all have shelters, water tanks, and toilets. Modelled after the great Appalachian Trail in the USA, the trail’s facilities are impressively maintained by members of the Bibbulmun Track Foundation.

Noongar people are the traditional owners and custodians of the land in which the Bibbulmun Track crosses. They maintain a deep spiritual, emotional, social and physical connection to “country” (Boodja) and the trail markers are yellow triangles with a Waugal, the rainbow serpent of the Aboriginal Dreaming in recognition of this connection.

The track can be walked in its entirety, known as an end to end or thru hike. But it’s also incredibly popular to complete over sections or day hikes, for those who don’t desire to walk the entire trail in one go. You can walk south or north and at different times of the year. All of this information is explained further below.

History of the Bibbulmun Track

The first alignment of the Bibbulmun Track was marked in 1974, but it wasn’t until 1979 that the Bibbulmun Track was officially opened as part of Western Australia’s 150th year celebrations. At this time, it was a 900km trail stretching from Kalamunda to Northcliffe.

A local farmer, Jesse Brampton, returned from hiking the Appalachian Trail in America in 1988 and proposed a major overhaul of the Bibbulmun to model it after the great thru hike in the USA. In 1994, a proposal was finally forwarded to the state government, outlining an extension of the trail to Albany, a reroute to avoid mining areas, and upgraded facilities with shelters at every camp just like the Appalachian.

The proposal was accepted and the entire trail was upgraded and reopened in 1998. The not-for-profit group, the Friends of the Bibbulmun, had been established in 1997 to oversee the future maintenance of the trail. The Friends continue to voluntarily maintain the trail and upgrade sections and campgrounds as needed and they do an incredible job.

When to Hike the Bibbulmun

The Bibbulmun Track is open all year round, but there are certain seasons that are more ideal for hiking. The two most popular seasons to hike the Bibbulmun are autumn and spring, with spring being arguably the most popular and the best time to hike the Bibbulmun. 

This is mostly because of the abundance of wildflowers, whales, and mostly good weather in spring. However, this will mean you’ll likely have to contend with the flooded Pingerup Plains after the winter rains. The water level on the plains widely depend on how much rain has fallen over winter and early spring, but this is one of the main downsides of hiking in spring.

Autumn presents a really nice alternative to spring. The weather can still be quite nice and warm, and the Pingerup Plains are likely to be still dry. On the other hand, the trail can be really dry in general, with the jarrah forest in the north being extremely brown during this time.

Winter can be a good time to hike if you want to avoid the crowds. However, you’ll likely have some pretty miserable weather, depending on the year. Summer is just simply too hot to be hiking in Western Australia. Somme of the southern sections can be okay in summer, but generally it’s not recommended.

Which Direction to Hike the Bibbulmun?

You can hike the trail in either direction, but it generally comes down to when you’re hiking and what your preference is for logisitics.

NOBO (Northbound)

Those going northbound on the trail are walking from Albany to Kalamunda. This is generally recommended for those walking in autumn as you’ll be starting in the cooler weather down south and walking into Perth as the temperatures are starting to cool off into winter. 

I met a few people walking north in spring, but it’s definitely not as common. The other part of walking north is that you’ll have to contend with the sandy trails in the south which can be a real tough introduction to the trail for your feet and legs. Blisters and overuse injuries are quite common for those starting in the south.

SOBO (Southbound)

Hiking southbound means walking from Kalamunda to Albany. This is the most common direction for those hiking in the popular season of spring. This means that you’ll be walking away from the warmer weather in Perth as it starts to heat up and you’ll be getting the cool ocean breeze into late spring on the coast. 

There are a couple of downsides for starting in Kalamunda though. The first section to Dwellingup is the longest between resupplies, so you’ll either have to arrange a food drop (recommended) or struggle with a very heavy pack to start. You’ve also got some of the tougher climbs in this first section, but I’d say also some of the best views.

Check out my Bibbulmun Track Itinerary here!

Why Did I Go SOBO?

I planned to hike in spring, so going southbound was already the preference for that season. It was also logistically easier for me to store my van in Perth and catch the bus back from Albany, rather than drive down to Albany and find somewhere to store my van there.

I also personally like the idea of walking south from the city to the coast. Similar to my experience on the Heysen Trail, I really like having the coast as the end point and the goal of the trail. It makes it really special when you get to see the ocean for the first time on trail knowing that you’re nearly done.

Cost of Hiking the Bibbulmun Track

The trail itself is free to walk and free to camp at the shelters/huts and hike-in camps along the way. However, there are some associated costs with the trail, especially if you plan on doing an end to end, particualely when it comes to food and accommodation in towns.

I added up everything I spent on trail and this is exactly what I spent hiking the Bibbulmun Track to give you a rough guide. Of course, everyone will be different, particularly regarding food and accommodation choices but it hopefully gives you an idea.

• Camping on the trail: $0
• Food consumed on trail: $1,180
• Town food (at restaurants, cafes etc.): $680
• Accommodation: $804
• Van/vehicle storage: $240
• Food resupply postage: $60
• FarOut App: $27
• Gas canisters: $55
• Uber to/from trailheads: $48
• Bus back to Perth: $71
• Total: $3,165

Camping and Shelters on the Bibbulmun Track

The Bibbulmun Track has 50 free campsites along the trail, each with a three-sided shelter or hut. Each shelter has platforms for sleeping under cover, hooks for hanging packs and drying clothes, and the log book for registration. Some shelters also have a food box to store your food overnight away from mice and other critters.

The campsites all have a long drop toilet (toilet paper is not guaranteed, but about half of them had TP) and a couple of picnic tables for cooking. You’ll also find fire pits at campsites where fires are allowed, although there are seasonal restrictions on these over the summer months (information is posted in the huts). The shelters are free and can’t be booked, you simply walk in and set up camp on a first in first served basis.

Most end to end hikers tend to sleep in the shelters on the platforms. However, each campsite also has tent sites around the shelters for those who prefer to camp out. Some huts have more than others, but in general they all have at least a couple of tent sites marked out.

When sleeping in the shelters, please be considerate of other hikers. Only take up the amount of space you need to sleep and be mindful of making too much noise while others are trying to sleep. Most of us simply slept on our sleeping pads in the huts with a sleeping bag, but on occasion I also set up my tent inner when the mosquitoes were really bad. However, I only did this when there was plenty of space for others.

Accommodation on the Bibbulmun

Once you make it into a town on the Bibbulmun Track, you’ll have more options for accommodation. However, some of the towns have limited choices, so you can’t always expect too many options. In general, caravan parks and pubs are popular choices for hikers, but you can also choose hotels, B&Bs, and other places depending on your budget.

Take a look at the most popular accommodation in towns and where I stayed (prices are as of the 2024 season):

Dwellingup

• Dwellingup Caravan Park: They have tent sites, cabins and hiker rooms. The hiker rooms are popular and honestly pretty good value for money. They’re really old and basic, but right across from the amenities. It’s about a kilometre walk from the Main Street though. I paid $45 for a hiker room.
• Dwellingup Hotel: This was another popular choice. The pub has decent rooms and the central location is what wins most hikers over, but it is a bit pricey at $170 per night.

Collie

• Black Diamond Lodge: This is the main place hikers stay and it’s definitely a highlight of the trail accommodation options. This lodge has single and double rooms with shared bathrooms, huge shared kitchen and lounge area, lovely courtyard, free laundry, and free shampoo and conditioner. The staff are incredibly friendly as well. There’s a pub next door for dinner, but it is located on the opposite end of town to the trail. I paid $85 for a single room. Check it out here.
• Collie Tourist Park: Another option if you want to pitch your tent or get a cabin. Bit of an inconvenient location as well, behind the Main Street though. They charge $35 for unpowered tent sites.

Balingup

• Transit Park: A council run caravan park style place. It’s right on the trail as you come into town from the north. There’s nice green grass to pitch your tent next to the river, with toilets and hot showers. I paid $15 for an unpowered site.
• Rails and Bails: A local couple who host hikers at their home. This has become a bit of an iconic stay but they only have 3 rooms so you need to call and book. Find their details on the Bibbulmun Track Facebook group.

Pemberton

• Gloucester Motel: I enjoyed my rest day at this motel. It’s a bit of an uphill walk out of town, but on the trail as you head south. The rooms have ensuites and a fridge, kettle and microwave. It was really comfortable. I paid $120 for a room.
• Pemberton Caravan Park: A nice spot on the trail as you come into town from the north, there’s plenty of room to pitch your tent or they have small cabins available too. It’s a bit of a walk into town up the hill though. I paid $40 for an unpowered site.

Northcliffe

• Northcliffe Holiday Park: Just off the trail as you’re coming into town from the north, it’s still a couple of kilometres out of town but it’s convenient if putting in a double hut the day before going SOBO. It’s a basic caravan park but decent facilities. It’s $30 for an unpowered site.
• Naughty Noodle: The lady that runs this restaurant in town also hosts hikers for around $75 per person including breakfast. You can call or inquire once arriving in town, but she does have limited spots.

Walpole

• Walpole Tree Top Walk Motel: They have decent rooms for $125 right in town and is really one of the only options in the main town area. Check it out here.
• Coalmine Beach Caravan Park: It’s 3km south of town, but it suited me to get ahead for the next day going SOBO. It’s a really nice caravan park on the water with good facilities and friendly staff. It’s $30 for an unpowered site.

Denmark

• Blue Wren Travellers Hostel: The main place hikers tend to stay in Denmark is this hostel with private rooms. There’s also a good kitchen and laundry available. A single room was $50 with shared bathroom. Mark also takes hikers around the inlet crossing in Denmark for $50 per run (can be split between hikers), which is convenient for those hiking in spring.

Albany

• 6 Degrees Hotel: A great budget option in Albany that’s really close to the main street, IGA and the bus station. It has a small shared kitchen as well. I paid $125 per night for a room with a shared bathroom. Check it out here.

Other Accommodation on Trail

Donnelly River is an old timber mill town which has now been converted into a holiday destination. It’s located between Balingup and Pemberton. It technically has a Bibbulmun Track Shelter available for free for hikers. However, they also offer a dorm room/bunk room for hikers and bikepackers for $30 per person. You also get access to a shared kitchen and bathroom with hot showers. If you want to camp for free in the shelter, you can also pay $15 for access to the facilities.

There’s also a couple of times, especially along the southern coastal section where you can opt to stay at paid campgrounds instead of the huts. The most popular one is Peaceful Bay because the distance between the huts for that day is 36km, so it makes a lot of sense to break it up with a stay at the campground there. It costs $35 for an unpowered site for 1 person.

You can also stay at Parry Beach Campground, which is a council owned campground in between Boat Harbour Camp and William Bay Camp. This is popular for those doing longer days through this section or wanting to skip Boat Harbour Camp (notorious for high winds and bush rats!). They usually let hikers camp for free otherwise there is a $20 per night cost for car campers.

Transport and Logistics

The Bibbulmun Track is really accessible which makes it quite unique to other more remote long trails in Australia. Not only are the two trailheads incredibly accessible, but there are an endless amount of access points to the trail in every section as well which is great for section hikers.

Here’s how to get to and from the trailheads.

Getting To and From Kalamunda

The Northern Terminus of the Bibbulmun Track is located in Kalamunda just 26km east of Perth CBD. It’s strangely right across from a Coles shopping complex, which seems like a weird place to begin or end an epic long adventure but it makes it easy to access from the city.

The easiest way to reach the trailhead is by Uber or taxi, if you don’t have someone to drop you off. Otherwise, you can also take the bus but it would take quite a bit longer. Bus Route 282 is convenient as it runs from Elizabeth Quay – Kalamunda.

Getting To and From Albany

The Southern Terminus is located right in Albany at the Albany Visitor Centre. The easiest way to reach Albany is by TransWA bus which departs daily to and from East Perth Terminal. It costs $72 and takes just over 6 hours, with a lunch stop included halfway.

There are also flights from Perth to Albany and return with Rex Airlines. They run flights daily and cost from $150, depending on the time of year.

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Safety While Hiking the Bibbulmun

The Bibbulmun Track is an incredibly safe hiking trail. As I’ve mentioned, it’s quite well-marked and heavily trafficked, as well as being quite accessible compared to more remote trails in Australia. However, there are still a few things to think about when it comes to safety on trail.

As a solo hiker, here’s what I found to be the biggest safety risks and how to manage them.

Remoteness and Trail Access

The Bibbulmun Track isn’t as remote as some other trails in Australia and the trail itself is very accessible at many spots along the way. While you can definitely feel like you’re in the middle of nowhere sometimes, it’s not quite as remote as you think.

You’ll meet many people along the way doing day hikes or sections of the trail, with various points accessible by car. If you hike in the popular seasons of autumn and spring, you’ll almost definitely see other hikers every day of your end to end adventure. However, in winter, you may have some camps to yourself and feel a little more isolated, but in general there are places to get off trail almost every day if you need to.

Phone Signal and Reception

Despite the accessibility of the trail, phone signal is very poor along the Bibbulmun. I would say this surprised me the most. I went many days without having any phone reception, so it’s important not to rely on it and let someone know your plans in each town.

In the first section from Kalamunda to Dwellingup, there are quite a few hills and mountains to climb and I got reception on most of these. However, after Dwellingup, you really are in thick vegetation and under a tree canopy for much of the way down to Pemberton meaning that phone reception is very limited outside of towns.

Along the coast after Pemberton, phone signal did come and go a bit more often, but outside of towns you still shouldn’t rely on it. It was much more frequent at camps from Walpole to the end at Albany.

Telstra is definitely more reliable than Optus or other providers. Regardless, every hiker should carry a PLB or some sort of satellite communication device for emergencies.

Always carry a Personal Location Beacon (PLB) in case of emergency, like this Ocean Signal PLB which is small and lightweight.

Snakes, Ticks and Other Animals

There are several animals and insects that might give you some grief on the Bibbulmun Track. Unfortunately, it’s just part of spending so much time outdoors. Here’s what you need to know:

Snakes

Snakes are the main thing that people are concerned about and yes, you’ll definitely see them (unless you’re walking in the middle of winter, but even then you might). Most snake sightings are in the southern section of the trail between Pemberton and Albany. North of Pemberton it’s much less likely, although I did see one near Collie.

Between Pemberton and Albany you’ll likely come across dugites and tiger snakes, both of which are venomous. However, as long as you give them plenty of room, they’ll move away from you at their own pace without a fuss. The real danger is when you get too close to them or accidently startle one that is unaware of your presence. Make plenty of noise and alert the snake within a safe distance and it’ll likely move off the trail. I saw 15 snakes in total over the course of the whole trail and that’s not many compared to other hikers I met!

Serious dangers mainly come in the form of injury or snakes. Make sure that you carry a first aid kit, including a snake bite bandage, in case of emergency.

Ticks

Ticks are actually a major problem on the Bibbulmun Track which was a surprise to me considering they aren’t much of a concern in Victoria. They are particularly common in the first section from Kalamunda to Dwellingup, but can also be found on other sections. I didn’t see a single tick during my hike, but others saw them around the White Horse Hills Camp area, which is known for them. 

They tend to be more active in warmer weather, so mid to late spring and autumn is definitely when you’ll have to be prepared for them. While spraying yourself with repellent can work, you should still check yourself for them each night, especially in the northern section. You can purchase proper tick removers, because you must be careful when pulling them out that you remove the entire insect. Another method is smothering them with Vaseline and they will remove themselves from your skin. 

Mice, Rats and Quendas

Water rats, mice and quendas are common at some of the campsites and shelters along the trail. Generally, wherever they are a problem, you’ll find a large container or food box provided in the shelters for you to store your food. Otherwise, there are hooks as well where you can hang your food.

I hung my pack up every night and used the boxes for my food. If there wasn’t enough room for everyone’s food in the box, I also hung my food using some fishing line and a carabiner that I carry with me. We never had any issue with mice or rats, but I did see and hear them at a handful of shelters. I also saw quendas at a few shelters on the south coast, but they’re less likely to get into your food unless you leave it out.

Rats can be really determined though, so make sure you’ve collected all your rubbish, food, wrappers, tooth paste, sunscreen and any other items from your pack and put them into a dry bag to hang or hide in the box. I also used a spray that was a 50/50 mix of lavender oil and tea tree oil which I sprayed on my pack each night. This is meant to deter mice and I guess it worked?!

Wild Pigs

Wild pigs are quite common on the trail. You can see the damage they do to some of the forest areas, where they’ve been digging and looking for roots to eat. I heard them at night rustling around at a few camps and one weekend, we even heard hunters out in the forest chasing them. 

I never saw any with my own eyes, but many other hikers did. If you give them space, they’ll run away from you as soon as they know you’re there. They aren’t generally aggressive. However, if you do see piglets, do not approach them as some people warned that you may see a pretty aggressive mother pig if you get close to their young ones!

Weather

You can’t really predict the weather in the southwest. The summers are hot and the winters are cold and rainy. This is why autumn and spring tend to be the most popular seasons. However, spring can be known for some cold, windy and rainy conditions, especially early in spring, while the same can be said about late autumn.

Either way, you’ll likely have rain at some point during your hike, but how much you get will depend on the year. Keep an eye on the forecast when you come into towns to ensure you can be prepared for the next section.

It can be cold overnight in some sections of the trail, but in general the weather is more mild in Western Australia compared to Victoria or South Australia. I’d still recommend you be prepared for cool weather if hiking and camping in winter, spring or autumn.

Water Crossings and Flooding

Aside from being miserable to walk in, rain also impacts the overall water levels of the inlet crossings on the south coast and the flood levels of the Pingerup Plains. This mostly affects hikers in the spring when there tends to be much more water around from the winter. Here are the main things you need to know about the plains and inlet crossings:

Pingerup Plains

The Pingerup Plains basically flood every year, it’s just a matter of when and how much. If planning to hike in winter or spring, you should expect to be walking through some water between Northcliffe and Walpole. 

Some years after heavy rainfall it can be as high as waist deep, but in general it’s typically lower than that. At its deepest when I hiked in spring, some puddles were knee deep, otherwise most puddles were around mid-shin deep.

Don’t avoid the puddles, because you can’t avoid all of them and you’ll have to get wet at some point. It’s better just to accept your fate and walk through the puddles directly otherwise you’re just wasting time trying to walk carefully around them. Some people like to wear old shoes or water shoes through this section, but I just simply walked through in my boots and just let them dry out over the next few days.

Either way it’s up to you. If you want to avoid any water on the plains, then it’s best to hike in autumn when it’s usually still dry from the summer and just a sandy plain section instead.

Inlet Crossings

There are a few inlet crossings along the southern coastal section. The main ones of concern are Parry Inlet, Irwin Inlet, Wilson Inlet and Torbay Inlet. The most up to date information is on the Bibbulmun Track website, so it’s best to find out as you get closer to these crossings.

However, in general, Parry Inlet and Torbay Inlet are sometimes crossable by a sandbar and sometimes open and flowing heavily, it all depends on the water levels. When I crossed in mid-spring both were easy to walk across, with Parry being just mid-shin deep and Torbay Inlet being completed closed off by a sandbar. Check the latest levels before heading out.

Irwin Inlet is a few kilometres south of Peaceful Bay and is the famous canoe crossing on the Bibbulmun. There are canoes provided on both sides of the inlet for hikers to use to get themselves across. It’s a fun little excursion for the day! You must ensure that there are canoes left on both sides of the crossing though, if not, you have to tow a canoe back across and leave at least one on each side.

Wilson Inlet is a tricky one. The official Bibbulmun Track route takes hikers across the inlet on a sandbar. However, in spring, this sandbar is sometimes breached and flowing deep and heavily into the ocean. If this is the case, you have to walk into Denmark and get a lift around the inlet (an alternative is a long walk out of Denmark by the road and rejoin the trail near Nullaki Camp but this is not encouraged). In mid spring, the sandbar was breached, so me and three other thru hikers got a lift from Denmark to a few kms before Nullaki Campsite with Mark, the owner of Blue Wren Travellers Rest in Denmark.

Navigation on the Bibbulmun Track

The Bibbulmun Track is an extremely well maintained trail and it’s incredibly easy to follow for the most part. The volunteers do an incredible job keeping the trail clear and the amount of foot traffic also helps to keep the trail foliage down. 

The trail is also well-marked with waugals, yellow markers on trees and posts along the way. In general though, the markers are not always as common as you think. They are visible at intersections or point where the trail makes a turn. However, on long straight sections, sometimes you won’t see a marker for a while. 

To be sure that you’re on trail at all times, I recommend having a GPS app downloaded for offline use on your phone, like FarOut or AllTrails. I personally used FarOut and found it to be very accurate and the comments really helpful.

Otherwise the Bibbulmun Track Foundation also sell paper maps and a guidebook which many hikers had on trail. However, I’d say if you don’t want to carry anything extra, then an app on your phone should be enough.

Navigation for long distance trails: I recommend the FarOut App for any long distance hiking trail, including the Heysen Trail, Bibbulmun Track, Australians Alps Walking Track and more!

Food and Water on the Bibbulmun Track

Food and water are extremely important for any thru hike. You must ensure you’re paying attention to your energy levels and hydration. Here’s what you need to know about water on trail and also food resupply options. 

Rainwater Tanks and Water Supply

Every hut and campsite have rainwater tanks, some even have two large tanks. This ensures that there’s plenty of water for everyone to use. However, if it’s been particularly dry over the previous few months they may be running low. Keep an eye out on the Bibbulmun Track Facebook page and the comments in the FarOut app where people will leave any concerns about water levels. But in general, water is rarely an issue on trail.

You should definitely filter or purify the water to ensure it’s safe to drink. While it’s technically rainwater which should be fine, I recommend being safe rather than sorry. 

For filtering water on a multi-day hike, I use a Sawyer Squeeze Filter because it’s small, lightweight and easy to use. For shorter hikes, I also have a Lifestraw filter bottle, which is great for day hikes and everyday travel.

Resupply Boxes: Do You Need Them?

This is a personal preference, but most hikers completing an end to end of the Bibbulmun had resupply boxes posted along the way. A few hikers relied purely on the towns for resupply, but this limits you to whatever the small general stores have in stock. While this is fine if you’re not overly picky with food or don’t have any dietary requirements, it can be a little challenging. 

I’d recommend doing a few resupply boxes at least. This ensures that you can get the food you want and gives you a bit more control over your nutrition. How many you do is up to you. Each town along the way has a visitor centre and they are all happy to hold boxes for hikers. You can either drop them off yourself or post them ahead. If you post them, make sure you write your name, that you’re a Bibbulmun Track hiker, your mobile number, and estimated date of arrival in town on the box.

I personally had four resupply boxes that I’d packed and posted ahead of time. However, looking back, I probably should have had more because I ended up with some really long food carries of over a week at a time which made my pack incredibly heavy. Some of the general stores along the way are limited, so I probably would’ve liked to have more boxes. But it’s still nice to support the trail towns by buying what you can there.

Read more: How to Plan your Food for a Thru Hike on the Bibbulmun Track

Supermarkets/General Stores in Towns

If you’re going to be relying on the towns along the way for resupply, then here’s a rundown of the supermarkets and general stores.

Dwellingup General Store: This was actually better than expected. They have a section with hiking food, including a variety of dehydrated meals and classic hiker favourites like Deb Potato. They also have plenty of snacks and good options for other meals. The Visitor Centre also sold some dehydrated meals from Back Country and Radix. Gas canisters available at multiple shops.

Collie: This is the best resupply on the trail, as Collie has all the major supermarkets so you can basically get whatever you need. The visitor centre also carries some Back Country dehydrated meals and JetBoil gas.

Balingup General Store: This was a little disappointing to be honest. They had some basic staples and snacks but not much for hikers. They did have a few dehydrated meals but not a huge variety. The Visitor Centre has a few Back Country dehydrated meals too. 

Donnelly River General Store: A very small shop, but they do have a little section dedicated for hikers with some dehydrated meals from Strive and other staples. Not a massive variety though, so most hikers have a resupply box here.

Pemberton IGA: A large IGA with plenty of choices, plus the Visitor Centre has some dehydrated meals too. Gas is available at the hardware/general store.

Northcliffe General Store: This was bigger than I expected and better for hikers than Balingup in my opinion. But it’s still quite limited for a full resupply, but it does have good snacks and some basic hiker supplies like porridge and pasta meals.

Walpole IGA: This was much bigger than I expected too and has plenty of choices for a resupply. Plus, the Visitor Centre is great, with lots of snack options, dehydrated meals, and gas canisters.

Denmark IGA: A couple of supermarkets, including a large IGA with everything that you’ll need for a resupply. The Visitor Centre is inconveniently a bit out of the main street.

Opportunities for Pub Lunches on Trail

Outside of the main towns that hikers tend to stay in, there’s actually a few pubs in random places on the trail where you can grab a counter meal for lunch if you time things well. This is always a highlight, so try and see if you can score a meal at some of these places:

Mundaring Weir Hotel: Being just near the start of the trail some hikers can’t resist going in for a meal. The trail goes right past the door. They’re open for lunch everyday and breakfast as well.

Mumby Pub: South of Collie just after Yabberup Campsite, this pub is right on the trail so it’s hard not to walk in for lunch if they’re open. Unfortunately, their hours are hit and miss, but currently open Fri, Sat and Sun for lunch from 11am onwards.

Karri Valley Resort: near Beedelup Falls and slightly off track, you can easily get to Karri Valley Resort in time for lunch. It’s worth the detour and doesn’t really add much distance, as you can walk around the lake on a nice trail to reach it. It’s a fancy restaurant open daily, but they’re welcoming to hikers.

Tree Top Walk Coffee Van: There’s a coffee van at the carpark of the Tree Top Walk south of Walpole which is a very popular stop for hikers. It’s usually open daily from 10-2.30pm with some treats and coffee.

Peaceful Bay Fish and Chips: Highly rated fish and chips freshly caught each day. The shop is open next to the caravan park reception currently: Monday-Sunday 11am-3pm (except Thursdays, they’re closed all day) and 4-6pm Monday-Saturday for dinner.

Training for the Bibbulmun

You can definitely start the Bibbulmun Track having just a decent level of fitness with minimal specific training. However, this will impact your comfort level, risk of injury and ability to push for longer days. 

Even if you’re a relatively fit person, carrying a pack makes things much more difficult. I recommend doing some hikes with a pack before you begin an end to end, even day hikes are fine. This will ensure your back and legs adjust to carrying a load. The more that your body is prepared the less likely that you’ll develop overuse injuries and you’re more likely to feel comfortable from day one.

If you start the trail down in Albany, you should also be prepared for a lot of sand walking, which is much more taxing. Any beach walking you do will help develop those legs muscles required to push through soft sand.

Another long trail in WA? Complete Guide to Cape to Cape Track in Southwest WA

What to Pack for the Bibbulmun Track

Everyone wants to know what to pack for a long hike. It’s best to keep your pack weight down as much as possible because this definitely impacts your enjoyment level. However, packing can also be a really personal thing, with plenty of optional extras that you might want to consider depending on your comfort preferences. Here’s what I packed on my thru hike of the Bibbulmun Track:

Hiking Gear

• Big Agnes Copper Spur UL2 Tent
• Big Agnes Copper Spur 2 Footprint
• Sea to Summit Ultralight Sleeping Mat
• Sea to Summit Spark IV Sleeping Bag
• Sea to Summit Premium Inflatable Pillow
• Osprey rain cover
• Gossamer Gear Mariposa 60 Backpack
• Black Diamond Rechargeable Headlamp
• Helinox Trekking Poles
• Patagonia Ultralight Hip Belt
• Sawyer Squeeze Water Filter
• Osprey 3L Hydration Reservoir
• Stainless Steel Drink Bottle
• PLB
• Assorted dry bags

Cooking

• JetBoil Zip Stove
• Titanium mug
• Gas canister
• Spork
• Matches

Toiletries and First Aid

• Small first aid kit
• Snake bite bandage
• Sunscreen
• SPF Lip Balm
• Bamboo toothbrush
• Toothpaste powder
• Wilderness soap
• Electrolytes
• Fisiocrem (Arnica Cream)
• Small massage ball
• Toilet paper

Electronics

• Nitecore Power Bank 10,000 x2
• OM Systems OM5 Camera and 12-40mm f/2.8 Pro Lens
• Peak Design Capture Clip
• GoPro Hero Action Camera
• Garmin Forerunner Watch
• All the charging cables
• Earphones
• 240V USB wall charger adaptor

Other/Misc.

• Fishing wire and carabiner for hanging food
• Journal and pen
• Pocket knife

Clothing

• Macpac Leggings
• Ottie Merino T-Shirt
• Macpac Fleece jacket
• Macpac Uber Light Down Jacket
• Long sleeve shirt (from op shop)
• Cap
• Amble Outdoors Beanie
• Injinji Socks
• Keen Hiking Boots
• Teva Sandals
• Amble Outdoors Raincoat
• Amble Outdoors Hiking Pants
• Underwear and crop top

What I Didn’t Pack (But Others Did):

• Mosquito repellent
• Rain pants
• Deodorant
• Thermals or sleep clothes
• Gloves
• Gaiters

Read more: Comprehensive Overnight Hiking Packing List

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