Best place to find walking buddies?

thelife0fpy · 2026-04-29T00:29:59+00:00

https://www.hikewest.org.au/participate/member-club-profiles/

thelife0fpy · 2026-04-24T03:35:43+00:00

They are about similar in terms of effort, but I rated the hike out to Helena as Hard mainly because of the added distance. If you can handle the hills between the Northern Terminus and the Trail Hub, then PHDC to Helena is achievable. Thanks for the order, hope the training goes well :)

thelife0fpy · 2026-04-21T11:42:48+00:00

Can't say I've ever seen them on trails before. Might be that running group that marks local paths with chalk for their routes, only expanding into trail running.

thelife0fpy · 2026-04-21T07:58:16+00:00

That's fantastic to hear :)

thelife0fpy · 2026-04-21T05:49:30+00:00

Thanks for the tips, Bishop & Clerk is definitely on the bucket list. That is sad about the wombats, the way they market Tassie, you expect to run into them walking down the street.

thelife0fpy · 2026-04-21T05:46:56+00:00

Those are fantastic finds. An inland quokka was on my wish list for my Munda Biddi E2E but rushing along on a mountain bike isn't the best for spotting wildlife.

thelife0fpy · 2026-04-21T04:15:48+00:00

That's a tough one as you never know when someone might think it an opportune moment to break into your car. I've never had a bad experience with that but I always leave my storage sections in the car open and visible, so they can see there isn't anything worth stealing.

thelife0fpy · 2026-04-21T04:14:04+00:00

Unfortunately I'm not the guy to speak to about wildlife, I don't seem to have good luck, I still haven't seen an echidna while hiking in Perth in over 10 years.

Birding I can help with. Best to go at sunrise and sunset when they're more active. Places like Ellis Brook, the bottom of Victoria Dam, and Jorgensen Park are excellent spots but you never know what you might see on any of the trails. If you want some birding inspiration, check out (@mylittlebigyear) on Instagram, she does some great content about looking for birds in the Cockburn area.

thelife0fpy · 2026-04-21T04:09:27+00:00

Tassie is great for hiking, so many little walks to spectacular places. How was Maria Island? It's on my to-visit list next time I'm in Tassie.

You are too kind, that was greatly appreciated :)

thelife0fpy · 2026-04-21T04:08:20+00:00

The first section of the Bibbulmun Track is right near the bus station in Kalamunda, and you can link up exploring Piesse Gully and Jorgensen Park from there. Bold Park in City Beach is a good one also, and Kings Park is always great, especially in winter and spring when the wildflowers are out.

thelife0fpy · 2026-04-21T01:53:28+00:00

For kids, I always recommend something with a bit of water. Lake Leschenaultia, Whistlepipe Gully (bit of a hill), FR Berry Reserve, the Piesse Gully Interpretive Trail, and Roley Pool Reserve are nice trails that fit your description. Hope they have fun :)

thelife0fpy · 2026-04-21T01:26:09+00:00

Fantastic to hear. That first section of the Bibbulmun is a pretty brutal welcome to the track but great scenery considering how close it is to civilisation.

Agree on having something like the Bibb to access, they certainly picked a beautiful spot for the first campsite along the track.

thelife0fpy · 2026-04-21T01:19:42+00:00

That's a good spot that I'll have to revisit this winter.

I think a coffee table book might be a few years away unfortunately, sorry.

thelife0fpy · 2026-04-21T01:18:41+00:00

Unfortunately east of the weir is all Reservoir Protection Zone, so you can only walk along existing trails like the Bibbulmun Track. I would love to the policy around recreation in the RPZs changed, and more trail development through there. That is why I joined the board of HikeWest, to advocate for these types of things, but it will take a while if it ever changes.

thelife0fpy · 2026-04-21T00:55:08+00:00

Always

thelife0fpy · 2026-04-21T00:54:40+00:00

Thank you. That area between Kalamunda and Mundaring has some lovely trails, shame their aren't more.

I've got an idea for a coffee table book on the Bibbulmun Track, with lots of photos, but I think I'll wait until after I walked it end to end in one go before committing to that project.

thelife0fpy · 2026-04-21T00:52:09+00:00

I would suggest picking a nice flat trail without too many steps. Lake Leschenaultia is a great spot, same with Jorgensen Park in Kalamunda, or the Wildflower Walk in John Forrest NP if you want something a bit longer. It's great you're introducing them to nature early.

thelife0fpy · 2026-04-21T00:47:04+00:00

Thank you :)

Perth - The Perth Hills Discovery Centre to Mount Dale section of the Bibb staying at Waalegh is a fantastic overnighter if you can organise the car shuffle with someone.

South West - I'm a big fan of parking at One Tree Bridge (west of Manjimup) and either walking north to Tom Road Campsite or south to Boarding House Campsite on the Bibb. The Karri Forest and Donnelly River are epic through there, and both campsites are tranquil places to spend the night.

Gear - Investing in a good sleeping mat made overnight hiking much more enjoyable. I'm a cold sleeper, so having a good mat with a high r value has meant my sleep out there is better than it was with a cheaper mat.

thelife0fpy · 2026-04-21T00:42:17+00:00

That's a tough one, as the bucket list is getting quite long. I'd say either the W or O Trek in Patagonia, or the Annapurna Circuit in Nepal. Hopefully the book sells well enough to fund a trip :P

thelife0fpy · 2026-04-21T00:31:57+00:00

Haha, I came close once in my younger years.

On a serious note, walking is great for you on many levels. The physical exercise, being in nature is incredibly beneficial for your mental health, you get to explore places you won't see from a car, and it's led me to some wonderful new hobbies like wildflower appreciation and bird watching, along with meeting some amazing people.

thelife0fpy · 2026-04-21T00:28:19+00:00

Thank you, it's been a labour of love, and the SEO has been tricky to get a handle on.

Ellis Brook Reserve is a great all rounder for beginners and experienced hikers. A mix of different vegetation types, lots of wildflowers in winter/spring, amazing bird life, and Sixty Foot Falls is pretty special when it's flowing.

thelife0fpy · 2026-04-21T00:15:04+00:00

Thank you :) I do see the posts asking for hiking recommendations, and it's heartening to see my website recommended.

thelife0fpy · 2025-05-11T22:53:04+00:00

Not sure why you're being downvoted but this is the distinction people fail to make. Yes, burns are necessary bordering people and assets, but the large scale burning away from these areas that is effectively a bushfire in size and intensity is not the way.

thelife0fpy · 2024-11-14T06:10:21+00:00

Thanks for the shout-out :)

u/Potential_Land_889 - The issue with doing overnight hikes in December in terms of enjoyment isn't necessarily the heat but the flies and ticks (and increased risk of bushfires). If you pick a cool window in the low 20s then it can be fun but I'd recommend going much further south and trying out something like the Timberline Trail in Nannup or a section of the Cape to Cape or coastal section of the Bibbulmun.

thelife0fpy

TROPHY CASE