Track Maintenance: Major Realignment Opened

Smoko at the best viewpoint on the Track. The work was completed after a recent prescribed burn.

The Murray River realignment finally opened last week!

On Wednesday 25 July 2024, the Support Volunteer team was thrilled to welcome the first walker, southbound from Dookanelly Campsite, onto the realignment which was the culmination of route finding from 2019, extensive planning, approvals and construction over two winters.

Having listened to its members in 2017, the Bibbulmun Track Foundation embarked on a very ambitious project to realign the Track away from the 4WD track and the climb up to the conveyor and over the hill. The 14km section that opened last week starts at the west side of Bilya Djena Bidi, climbing over hills giving fantastic views east over the Murray River valley before descending to cross Harvey-Quindanning Road, over the conveyor on Chalk Rd then east to reconnect with the Track north of Possum Springs Campsite.

Approximately five kilometres was built by a trails contractor, two kilometres uses an old track and

Staff from Newmont Boddington spent a day helping BTF volunteers to build the trail.

the remainder was built by the Foundation’s Support Volunteers applying leading edge sustainable trails design and construction methods.

The remaining two kilometres, connecting Bilya Djena Bidi to Dookanelly Campsite, will be constructed in late August, providing walkers with an exciting 16 kilometre experience immersed in the varying terrain and forest.

This realignment, including the successful planning, approvals and execution is a clear demonstration of the wide skills enjoyed by the Foundation’s Support Volunteers who work very closely with DBCA’s Parks and Wildlife staff at office and District level to deliver a world-class trail.

BTF volunteers greet the first walker on the new alignment with some helpful directions! From L to R: Steve Nota, Selene Moonbeams, Peter Veitch, Tim McGrath, Ross Simpson, Mark Davidson and Don Hill. Absent: Isabel McGrath, Sue Morley and Gordon Roberts.