BTF Kicks off Boat Harbour Stabilisation Project

Thanks to the WA government’s Natural Resource Management grant, preparations are underway to repair sections of the Bibbulmun Track in the Boat Harbour region, which will include stabilising sand, addressing erosion, maintaining signage, as well as restoring stairs and other structures. The preparation of this project is the culmination of months of detailed planning and is a major milestone in the Boat Harbour works.

The transport of materials and equipment to remote areas of the Track required substantive coordinated planning and logistics by Bibbulmun Track Foundation volunteers. Works will stabilise the Track similar to what was achieved on Conspicuous Cliffs and sections near Parry Beach in 2020.

In late February a team of Bibbulmun Track Foundation Support Volunteers travelled to Walpole to cut, drill, sort, bag, strap and mark over 10 tonnes (33 loads) of materials at the Parks and Wildlife yard in readiness for airlifting to selected drop off points beside the Track on both sides of Boat Harbour. While that was underway other support volunteers marked the 22 carefully chosen stockpile locations to make them more visible from the air.

In close collaboration with crew from Frankland Dept of Parks and Wildlife, 33 loads of materials and equipment were loaded and transported to a paddock near Parry Beach ready for helicopter delivery to the designated stockpile locations beside the Track in March.

The strong partnership between Bibbulmun Track Foundation and Parks & Wildlife to secure and mobilise materials and equipment has meant remote sections of the Track can be restored.

Actual stabilisation work will be carried out in four-day working campaigns starting in May and proceeding through the winter months until complete.

This project is supported by funding from the Western Australian Government’s State NRM Program.