John Gavin (John G.)

Completed: 1 June, 2024

John Gavin thumbnail — **John Gavin**
John G.

Start date: 17 April, 2024
Age When Completed: 52
Direction Walked: Northbound

Track Towns and Supplies

How many days did you stay in Track Towns? 13
Did you have any issues finding food/supplies? No
I dehydrated and freeze dried my own food prior to starting, and I could have relied on track towns more than I did.

Particular Track Towns that you would return to:

Dwellingup
Balingup
Donnelly River Village
Pemberton
Denmark
Albany

Your Story or Advice for Others

General Comments
This was my first long distance walk and I had only walked a few sections of the Bibb track previously so wasn't sure what to expect. I found the mental approach to be different when there wasn't a clear goal or a fixed finish line as there is with 1-2 week walks.

Your Best Equipment
I bought a Neve Gear Waratah quilt for the walk, and it was perfect for the temperatures in Autumn.

Your Worst Equipment
I had to swap out my Thermarest sleep mat for a sea to summit Etherlight XT in Dwellingup The Sea to summit was the noisiest mat ever! I didn't get much sleep for the last section, and neither did those near me.

Advice for Others
Take less equipment than you think and be open to variations in your plan and approach.

Trip Details

How you completed the Bibbulmun Track:

All at once

How many days did it take you to complete the Track? 46
Who did you complete the Track with? Solo (primarily)
Was undertaking your hike the PRIMARY/MAIN purpose of your TRAVEL from where you currently live? Yes
What first prompted you to walk the Bibbulmun Track? Word of mouth/friends

What did you use to navigate the Track?

BT Guidebooks
App (please specify)
- Far Out

Your Experience

Availability of information: Great - The website and guidebooks contain everything needed and were really useful. I also purchased the maps but didn't end up using them as the level of detail on the actual maps wasn't as useful, with many tracks etc. missing.
Amount of Wildlife Encountered: Fair

Favourite Section
It is hard to say because there were so many. Probably Harris Dam to Yourdamung. I really liked the diversity of the vegetation through this section, and I was in a really good mood!

Highlight of your trip
The kindness and support of strangers when you are walking. I love that the communities along the track support it so much. Who knew that the gift of fresh fruit could be so special.