Hi Kirsty

Please find my comments on what I encountered during this section of
my end to end. This email is also being forwarded to the Bibbulmun
Track Foundation, the Yahoo! group: Aushiker
<http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aushiker> and the Yahoo! group:
Bibbulmun Track Club
<http://groups.yahoo.com/group/bibbulmuntrackclub> so some comments
may not be applicable.

I have also dated each section so that you have an idea of the
currency of the information.

As always, the comments just focus on the things potentially needing
attention and may sound negative. This is not my intention. Overall I
am very impressed with the efforts of CALM Pemberton and Northcliffe
and the volunteers. I also believe that CALM Walpole does a
reasonable job.

ALL tree fell comments relate to tree fells across the track which
required either climbing over or going "bush" to get around. Tree
fells that could be stepped over are not reported.

All distances are from the quidebook heading in a southly direction
and represent a point in the track.


SEPTEMBER 11, 2003: SCHAFER TO NORTCHLIFFE

(1) Tree fell between Schafer campsite and access control gate;

(2) Lot of water on the track between Duck Road (6 km) and Minchin
Road (6.7 km). Had to go off-track to get pass;

(3) Bridge at 13.7 km VERY VERY slippery.

SEPTEMBER 12, 2003: NORTCHLIFFE TO GARDNER

(1) A tree has fallen damanging the western end of the Gardner River
bridge at Andrews Road - 11.4 km. Passable.

(2) Numerous tree fells between aforementioned bridge and creek at
12.4 km point.

(3) Gardner Hut: Love the broom! Sadly no rake in sight :-( Also
some nails to hang wet gear etc would be nice. Only two here at
present.

SEPTEMBER 13, 2003: GARDNER TO MARINGUP

(1) North of Chesapeake Road: Water on track but passable without
wading;

(2) Chesapeak Road to Lake Road: Water on track - one "lake"
required wading - water not up to ankles. Creek at 12.3 km - bridge
is flooded. Water nearly knee deep, but not flowing fast.

(3) Lake Road: Four "lakes" on this section. All required wading - up
to knee deep in parts. Creek at 14.9 km is flooded and flowing
rapidly. Requires care crosing.

(4) HUGE as in HUGE karri down across the track approx 700 m north of
Lake Maringup campsite. Very difficulty to get around or across.

(5) Some tree fell in the karri section just south fo Chesapeake Road
bridge. One easy to pass, one difficult.

(6) Rake at campsite, but no broom.

SEPTEMBER 14, 2003: LAKE MARINGUP TO DOG POOL

(1) Reasonable amount of water on the track between Lake Maringup and
Dog Pool. Generally easy to wade or get pass, with one exception.
The section between Deeside Coast Road and Dog Road, near Dog Road
was particular bad and overgrown. While it was possible to get around
the flooding by going fairly wide, the state of the track makes it
hard to pick-up again. Markers on posts would be helpful here.

(2)Some difficult to pass karri tree fells between Chesapeake Road
and the old alignment of Deeside Coast Road - 13.3 km.

(3) Creek at eastern end of rocky outcrop - 11.0 km flowing quite
fast, but crossable;

(4) No broom at Dog Pool campsite. Also nails in beam at front to
hand food bags etc would be apprecaited.

(5) The first 8.2 km south of Lake Maringup has been realigned. Not
as per guidebook or Map No. 6.

SEPTEMBER 15, 2003: DOG POOL TO MT CHANCE

(1) Track markers scare on Pingerup Road;

(2) Mt Chance a very dirty campsite. Woodchips and a broom would be
nice. Thanks for the nails. Paths to tent sites and toliet require
prunning.

(3) Some water on track between Pingerup Road and Mt Chance. All
easily passed.

(4) Some tree fell evident in the hillocks in the 15 to 18 km section.

SEPTEMBER 16, 2003: MT CHANCE TO WOOLBALES

(1) Tree fells in first jarrah hillock south of Mt Chance and in the
karri/jarrah areas north of Inlet River;

(2) Some prunning needed between Mt Chance and Inlet River;

(3) Track at creek - 2.8 km overgrown;

(4) Track well Waugaled, with the exception of the first 200 m south
of Broke Inlet Road. One or two extra Waugals would help clarify the
route;

(5) Little water on the track north of Broke Inlet Road. More south
of the road. All easily passable bar the last 1.5 km in to Woolbales.
Had to wade this section.

(6) Woolbales campsite. Thanks for the nails and broom. Much
appreciated. No directional signs to the toilet or tent sites. Floor
very sand and dusty. Woodchips would be nice.

SEPTEMBER 17, 2003: WOOLBALES TO LONG POINT

(1) Some water on the track between Woolbales and the granite outcrop
at the 4.4 km mark. All easily passed.

(2) Like the "glueing" of the trail markers to the granite. That said
it seems the mythical Waugal spirit has claimed some back.

(3) Some prunning is needed between the granite outcrop at the 4.4 km
mark and Fisherman's Track.

(4) From the crest above Mandalay Beach - 12.8 km through the open
sand dunes to where the track enters the vegated dunes some attention
to trail marking is needed. Some posts down or missing. For
northbounders the 3.2 km point is not marked and would be hard to
pick-up without footprints in the sand.

(5) Two rakes and lots of nails at Long Point. Thanks. But no broom!
Very messy campsite due to the sand. Also register is nearly full.
Finally southern sheet of clear roofing needs refixing. It flexes and
bangs pretty badly in a south-wester.

SEPTEMBER 18, 2003: LONG POINT TO MT CLARE

(1) Missing trail marker after rejoining track from the spur at Long
Point where the track drops into a gully. At this point a Y junction
is reached with two handcut trails.

(2) Some prunning between Crystal Brook and Nuyts Wilderness
Suspension Bridge is needed.

(3) Mt Clair campsite. Thanks for the broom and few nails. More nails
against the waslls would be nice, along with a rake. Also register
nearly full.

SEPTEMBER 19, 2003: MT CLARE TO WALPOLE

(1) Waugals needed at vehicle track at 1.0 km point; Tinglewood Drive
and at John Rate Lookout.

(2)Also where the track turns right on to the narrow sealed walkway
at head of the inlet before Junior Creek there is no Waugal for
southbounders on the marker post.

Buen camino

Andrew Priest