BIBBULMUM WALK 2008
Saturday 13 September 2008 marks the 10th Anniversary of the opening of the Perth-to-Albany Track, now well-known as the Bibbulmun Track. This milestone will be commemorated with a community celebration in each town along the Track as a group of end-to-end walkers, accompanied by sectional walkers, complete the 965km End-to-End Walk: Bibbulmun Walk 2008 – the journey of a decade.
The Bibbulmun Track Foundation is encouraging people from all over Australia to join in the celebrations by walking a section on the historic End-to-End walk.
The journey will begin with an official ‘send-off’ ceremony in Albany on Wednesday 16 July 2008. A small group of End-to-End walkers accompanied by guides Steve Sertis, Events Manager of the Bibbulmun Track Foundation and Mike Wood, Chairman will spend the next eight weeks walking the Bibbulmun Track to Kalamunda, arriving on the date of the 10th Anniversary – Saturday 13 September to a warm community welcome.
Community Celebrations are organized in each town along the way, where the ‘core’ group of End-to-Enders will be joined by a new group of walkers to walk the next section. Registrations for the sectional walks are now open and are expected to be filled very rapidly. There are 12 sections to choose from with varying degrees of difficulty, length of walk and nights spent on the Track.
This event is a fantastic opportunity to thank all those who were involved in the initial building of the Bibbulmun Track and those who maintain it” said Linda Daniels, Executive Director of the Bibbulmun Track Foundation “We would love to encourage as many people as possible to become involved either by walking a section or joining in the community events planned for each town”. |
|
 |
The Bibbulmun Track’s reputation has grown significantly in the past 10 years and it is now recognized as a significant recreational resource for West Australians and a major tourism draw-card attracting walkers from around Australia and overseas.
The idea of the Bibbulmun Track was born in 1972 when avid bushwalker Geoff Schafer approached then Minister for Forests H D Evans with a concept to encourage urban people to get out in the bush. The Track was officially opened in 1979 as part of WA’s 150-year celebrations. In 1988, the Department of Conservation and Land Management (CALM) significantly overhauled the Track, which was realigned and extended to Walpole. The major upgrade of the Track in the mid 90’s proposed a route that included a radical realignment, retaining less than 10% of previous alignments. This ‘new’ Bibbulmun Track which was officially opened on 13th September 1998 now provided quality access to the widest variety of scenic and natural attractions, and the significant south coast extension, taking the southern terminus some 200 kilometers further east to Albany, thereby fulfilling the original dream of a 'Perth-to-Albany' walk.
For more information or to book a sectional walk contact the Bibbulmun Track Foundation on 9481 0551 or email: events@bibbulmuntrack.org.au
May 2008
