BIBBULMUN BONUS

Friday May 4 – Thursday May 10, 2018

Finishing the Bibbumun Track hike earlier then planned has left me with time to explore a little bit more of the southwest region of Western Australia. It has been more then 16 years since I’d been here so it was good to have time to look around. First I had to get back to Perth to pick up a car.

Friday May 4, 2018

The trip back to Perth ended up being a full day ordeal. I had booked a bus to Bunbury and then a train to Perth. It was a slow bus trip as it stopped at all the trail towns to Pemberton.

The bus left Albany at 8am. I started a conversation with the passenger in front of me, a local Albany resident Tony. He was going to Manjimup to meet up with his wife for some official engagements. His wife is a Chicago native, transplanted to Albany via a period of the family living in Sydney. She is a local Greens representative in State Parliament.

We had a long and interesting discussion about a range of topics but particularly insightful to me were his thoughts about what makes a community, what motivates people to move home, what makes a home and questions about what distance hikes like the Bibbulmun mean to me. It helped me to crystalise my conflicting emotions about Hammer and my plans for next year and beyond. It is something I’ve been thinking about for the past few weeks while hiking and this conversation just brought it all together in my mind with great clarity. It was also interesting to go through the towns I’ve passed on trail and hear a little bit more about what shapes them.

A few hours into the trip the bus driver announced that the train we were to board in Bunbury was involved in an accident. This meant a slow bus trip to Armadale where a local train connection will take us into Perth.

I was still in transit as the most magnificent sunset was taking place behind me. So after 12 hours on two buses and local train, I was back in Perth.

Saturday May 5, 2018
A glorious summerlike day. Perfect for drive along Perth city beaches to Busselton.

Sunday May 6, 2018
Busselton – Margaret River – Augusta via Busselton Highway

A complete contrast to yesterday. Wet and cold. I spent some time watching the Busselton Half Ironman. The conditions were so awful the swim leg had to be cancelled. A lunch stop at the totally stylish Riversmith cafe in Margaret River. And a visit to Leeuwin Estate and Voyager Estate wineries completed the day. The town of Augusta is the gateway to Cape Leeuwin to see whete two oceans meet at Australia’s most south west corner.

Monday May 7, 2018
Augusta – Dunsborough via Caves Road

Pretty much a Cape to Cape day. Starting at Cape Leeuwin lighthouse at the tip of the of the coast where the Indian and the Southern Oceans meet. And ending at Cape Naturaliste in the north, with numerous stops at coastal locations and wineries along the way.

Tuesday May 8, 2018
Dunsborough – Freemantle

A day to explore Freemantle. A visit to the Shipwreck Museum was a fasciating insight into the long history of the early Dutch explorers. I staying overnight at the World Heritage listed Freemantle Prison where the womens section of the prison offers has a range of accomodation options. Definitely a unique location that was also very quite and comfortable.

Wednesday May 9, 2018
Freemantle – Perth

A drive along the city beaches on a gloriously warm and sunny day. Looking at the calm and clear ocean it is hard to believe that many lives have been lost here due to shark attacks.

Thursday May 10, 2018

Perth

Another beautiful warm day exploring around town. Kings Park and the botanical gardens were a standout.