Alarming and locking up my home. My daughter and her partner, plus next door neighbours, are all keeping an eye on the home so I can relax.

One pink and grey (galah parrot) weatherboard home will no longer be where I roost. "Robert" takes the photos with his camera, before giving me a half-hour lift up to the starting point in the hills above "Perth" - "Kalamunda". No passports, injections, visas, foreign languages or foreign foods. All you have to do is plan -

An almost barren area to start from, although there is a supermarket across the road. I just want to get going, as it has been a long wait after 5 months training.

No smile in this shot as I had not expected so many photographs. "Robert" wanted to make sure it was well documented - thought he might not see me again!!

On goes the backpack - it was 8kg heavier than planned. 28kg in total. The only way I could have lightened it was to increase my food drops to more than four. I had eleven days of dehydrated tucker (food) on-board.

Backpack buckle does up OK. Even carried a spare one, as it is a critical part of the pack, being constantly used. I went to a planning course at the "Bibbulmun Track Foundation" to learn some of these points.

The first yellow "Waugal" (rainbow serpent) sign to follow. The immensity of the task ahead was just sinking in. I had never walked more than 20kms in training, yet I was about to do that day in, and day out, for around 55 days with a few breaks. I had told so many people that I would make it - now to prove those easily said words!

The"Kalamunda Terminus" of the northern section of the "Bibbulmun Track" at 8.21am on September 3rd 2007. "Robert Scanlan" a good friend dropped me there and took the initial photos of the start of my solo trek. Thanks Robert.

It dawned on me that I had over one million steps to take to reach "Albany". The realization of the challenge ahead suddenly hit me, but there was no turning back now. It was just another spring 27C day and all I had to focus on was the NOW and where I put my boot down for my next step. Interesting light "Orbs" on the left.

I had only walked 5kms when I met "Gazza" or "Gary" an Irish carpenter who had taken four days off to experience the "Bibbummun Track". He was going the same direction so we teamed up for 2 days. We double-hutted passed "Hewett's Hil"l campsite, heading for "Ball Creek"

A "Ring-Necked" parrot commonly called a "Twenty-eight" picks up scraps at the "Kalamunda Hotel".

Camera shy twenty eight parrot checks out other empty tables for left over food scraps

"Gary" with the first of two pints of "Guinness" at the "Mundaring Hotel" - this could become a pub crawl!

Gary has a bowl of wedge chips which were tasty with sauce, with a "Guinness" to wash them down, at the "Kalamunda Hotel" beer garden. Very relaxing.

You can tell it's a good "Guinness" because of the head residue on the sides of the glass after drinking.

The second pint of "Guinness" on day ONE at 2.30pm. Time to get going again before we settle in.

"Ball Creek campsite" at 8am and the sun already has a bite: while some have already left, the rest of us pack up. My backpack is on the far right. A bit of a barren campsite as it is so heavily used.

"Ball Creek" was my shelter number two, although I double hutted passed "Hewett's Hill" , so this was my first hut. Slept Ok. The 28kg pack was heavy to lug up the hills with 11 days of dehydrated food inside. Re-stocked with another 2.5 to 3 litres of cold water from the rain water tank before leaving.

"Waalegh" at 3.30pm when I first met "Andrew", "Kim and Heath". They arrived 30 minutes after me, as they had walked down the hill to sign the register at "Helena Campsite". Just shows you can walk passed someone and miss them in the middle of the day. Their goal was Albany too.

Andrew had some challenges with this new stove that was designed to work with multiple fuels. He solves it in the end!

One thing you have on your side is time, to learn how to best make things work for you. The rest of us just watched and learnt - giving advise of course!

Not the sort of flame you can cook on, but it's all part of the heat-up process

You can see the one match on the table. I prefered to use an extra small Bic's women's gas lighter (carried one spare as well). Unlike matches they have: an adjustable length flame, don't suffer from the wet or the box being crushed, and take up less space. Basically buillet proof.(highly recommended)

It might look messy but everything had it's place around the camp fire. The rocks for sitting on, the charred blackboy (grass tree) bottom right, for its resign in lighting the fire and the smaller kindling firewood on the left. The billy had already boiled on the hook and was now just keeping warm for the next mug of tea. I believed in saving my gas stove for wet weather, and using a fire where possible. Buy a Billy (highly recommended).

It sure felt good to not have to walk anymore for the day. At 4.12pm it was time to relax and swop stories of the day's events. 4th September 2007 at Waalegh camsite with a view across the valley below.

Sprung having just finished breakfast of Muesli, already pre-mixed with dried milk powder - just add water and you have a meal. After my thermo lightweight mug of tea, it's time to pack up and hit the Track again by myself. You tend to leave at different times, sometimes only bumping into each other at the next hut.

Checking out the clouds as the sun burns-off the early morning mist. After a while I would get a feel for the next day's weather, without any official forecast.

The tripod and time delay helps me take these photos, but as you can see it takes a while to get them right. Using a Fujifillm FinePix model S9500 camera that weighed 1kg with spare batteries. Don't take rechargeable ones as they weight too much. Use the high energy ones that take 600 shots and are then thrown away. They are much lighter. My advise is to take a much lighter smaller camera that you can put in your pocket. Mine had to go in my backpack whenever it rained heavily.

That is the country I am just about to walk across. The mist slowly rises at 8.23am. Somehow it felt quite daunting to see such dense tree growth, and I began to feel the size of an ant in my surroundings.

Another picture without the follage in the foreground, of the country I will have to walk across for day 3. Consisting of Wandoo plus Jarrah and Marri forrest

Mt. Dale 6pm and my wet clothes are drying on the bush-line in the background. Only took two sets of lightweight quick drying pants and two similar long sleeve shirts. Having my evening meal in my thermal teeshirt, which was my clean hut shirt. The importance of getting to a hut in the early afternoon, is that you have a chance of drying your sweat-soaked clothes or rain soaked as well. Cooked in the billy and ate out of it too, so reducing the washing up.

Mt. Dale having dinner. After walking all day with boots,"Crocs" were better than thongs for the campsite shoes, plus they were light to carry. You could also wear them with thin or thick socks when it was very cold, and the socks stopped any mosquitos bighting. Just remembered I double hutted past Beraking, so it was a 19.9km walking day

Stopped to eat some trial mix that I made up myself before leaving Perth, plus have a rest. Carried too many bags of trail mix snack food and gave several away later on. Once I started walking I never felt like eating, or perhaps it was always too hard to take it out of the backpack. Eventually made smaller bags of trail mix to put in my pocket.

Behind me in the last shot was my backpack conveniently perched on a tree stump. You get to eye-off a stump and know if it is right for a landing spot for your heavy pack. Too much effort to drop it on the ground and then pick it up again. Also less ants and other insects on the stump, but check it first. You cannot escape getting blackened from the burnt stumps, logs and trees.

Canning campsite on 6th September. First job is to light a fire for a mug of tea, plus the smoke keeps the flies and mosquitos away if you sit nearby. I loved the fact that the northern section of the Bibbulmun Track allows camp fires. It is certainly a central point at night to sit around - keeping me warm and allowing my clothes to dry.

The grime and the dirt of gathering semi pre-burnt wood from the bush, was always worth the effort once the fire was going. The only risky part was going bush in these Croc shoes when there were snakes around. Often you heard them moving away rather than saw them. You felt very unprotected without boots and gaiters on to stop snakes getting your ankles.I always kicked logs before attempting to pick them up, so there was less chance of get getting bitten on the hand or arm.

You use the hotplate to keep the wind out, the heat in, and protect you from the smoke. Also used it to light a fire when it was raining heavily once!! The billy when cool next day, was packed in a plastic bag because it was black, but then it was light-weight and I put other items inside it. The best five dollars I ever spent on gear!!

Dumped my backpack on the table and you can see my boots and gaiters about to get a sun airing. Top bunk has some items on to reserve it. The clothes line was left by someone else. I left my pegless line at one hut, as I forgot to look up when I checked that I had packed everything. Bought another pegless one at Dwellingup store.

Unfortunately the last man in the picture dropped out through pain in his leg/hip area. Thie importance of training! The man in the middle lasted a few more days, but his feet were covered with blisters, after double hutting with near new boots! It was then too painful for him to continue. Andrew at the front lasted another 4 or more days, but the gear could not be successfully divided from three to one person to carry. He pulled out, but plans to have another go. Should do it by himself, as he has the fitness level and determination to succeed.

September 7th 6.40am at Monadnocks campsite. The sun is coming up after hail stones and 2 or 3 degrees the evening before. The wind-chill factor was the reason for the cold, with no clothes drying even a small amount. Decided to keep mine on, as my spare set were wet also. A big mistake.

It rained for most of the night and it was freezing cold. You can see how all the wood in this pic still looks wet. Such a shame that it was too wet to use any of these well layed out facilities.

Notice the luxury of a tap at the bottom of the steps, so you don't have to walk around to the rain water tank! Monadnocks was the only hut with this water feature. It was very well layed-out and the grounds were cared for too.

I suffered hypothermia the previous night, through cold wet clothes. When I started shaking uncontrollably, I got into my -5 degree sleeping bag to warm up and slept from 5pm for an hour. Then I wrapped my silver-foil space blanket around me for warmth. That did the job very well.

Monadnocks early morning. So cold I could not even get the focussing right, other than the table.

"Monadnocks". Another early morning shot without a flash. A hot mug of tea really makes a difference to how you feel about the cold.

I think this is Mt. Cuthbert rather the one next door Mt. Vincent. The view was spectacular from both.

As you can see by the puddles on "Mt. Cuthbert", there have been plenty of heavy showers recently. I know because I walked in them all!

Somewhere dry and easy to pick up the backpack again. Too strenuous to keep picking it up, rather than sliding myself back into it on this raised rock.

The "deadly trio" where they always have to wait for the slowest hiker amongst them.

That must be "Mt. Vincent", taken while coming down "Mt. Cuthbert". It was getting warmer and the going tougher. Looking forward to getting on flatter ground.

These rock cairns (piles of stone) are used to signify the top of the Mount. Otherwise they are used in small quantities to mark the track over rockfaces.Spectacular views across the country I just transversed. I really had a feeling of achievement.

Mt. Cooke campsite. Seven mums and eight kids on a "Mother and Child" walk and overnight camp, during school holidays. A bit of a shock when you have been walking all day by yourself. Notice the flash illuminated reflective Waugal on the tree, pointing which way for me to leave the site going south in the morning.

Kids love a fire and marshmallows are about to be toasted.

Mt. Cooke is the highest point in the Darling Range, at 582 metres above sea level. The white mist in the distance gets burnt-up by the morning sun.

Must have been a bush fire with so many dead small trees. Early morning mist in background with a near clear blue sky.

Mt. Cooke coming down. Follow that yellow triangle on the tree. Don't think you always have an easy cleared track to follow.

Mt Cookes amazing views and cetainly worth the climb. Those turned out to be shower clouds coming up from the South West. Notice my shadow or self-portrait. I lost 10kg on the walk, yet I thought I was fit after 4/5months training! Only weighed 76kg to start with.

Mt. Cooke. I stopped to spend 20 minutes appreciating and photographing the views.

I just loved the contrasts in scenery at Mt Cooke. Notice the shadow on the land from the clouds.

Mt. Cooke rocks on top of more rocks.

White Horse Hills campsite with an afternoon billy of tea - tea bags, powdered milk and water from the rain water tank. The mug is aluminum but thermo, so it keeps drinks warm with a lid on for 20 minutes. No shortage of firewood, although you have to drag it 100 metres. Always look out for snakes when gathering firewood, as you can see the protective boots and gaiters are missing. Not bullet proof any more.

White Horse Hills campsite has no views, but the country is more open, and the layout is good. Also it was dry and the sun was shining, which made such a difference as to how I perceive a campsite.

Looking back from the fire and table towards White Horse Hills home for the night. Diane is reading a book and does not double hut, so we only shared three or four huts together. Walking end to end was part of her retirement plan. Just goes to show that you can do it solo as a women! Quite a few do as you read about them in the track register and journal book in each hut.

Freshwater rock pool in the southern ridge of White Horse Hills. Diane takes off down the hill, while I take a few shots, having dumped my backpack.

Rock pool is teaming with life, as I stopped to study it carefully. That is the hard part to decide what is worth spending time on and what to walk past. The wildflowers, snakes, insects, birds and animals are all around if you really look for them - or signs of them having been there. My backpack in the distance. Another day in paradise.

It just seemed such a contrast to find water on top of the granite hill.

Mt.Wells. This OLD towermn's hut is used as a sleeping shelter. The worst most run-down hut on the total journey. But when the heavens open with a heavy downpour, it presented a welcome shelter from the cold winds too. Glad there were only two of us in it. The pot belly fireplace inside the hut was full of half-burnt wood, from the previous occupants, as it was too wet outside for them to remove. We cleaned it up and got it roaring hot. Just loved the challenge of getting it going with wet wood.

Mt. Wells view from the old fire tower viewing platform. More heavy showers coming in from the left side of the horizon. Wildflowers everywhere. Solar powered operational communication tower in the distance.

Worth the climb up the wet slippery steps, while the wind gusts pushed you around. Mt Wells was only memorable for the masses of wildflowers on fairly barren land. Worsley Aluminum funded the renovations for this old tower, so that it was safe to climb.

Just got down from the Mt. Wells tower when the rain clouds in this shot dumped buckets more water on the hut's tin roof. Would not like to have been walking up the hill in that lot! Generally you can see the rain fronts coming, so you can get your waterproof jacket and hood on, whilst also placing a waterproof cover over the backpack. Never bothered about the top of the legs getting wet, which the jacket did not cover.

A distant view of Mt. Wells old fire lookout tower and sleeping hut underneath. You cannot reach the very top platform. 9th night of my journey and 168kms completed. I was living each day by the minute, rather than looking at the 799kms yet to travel.

Solar panels provide the energy for this active communications tower at Mt Wells.

Chandora campsite as I determindly light a fire, while the heavy rain attempts to put it out. There were 5 minute breaks between very heavy showers, but I had all afternoon to waste, and two hours later had my mug of hot tea. Diane was also the only other person in this hut too, although we never walked together, because we wanted to stop and view or photograph different events.

Without the hot plate protection, the firewood could never have caught alight in heavy rain. I used the dry dead grass tree or blackboy fonds as kindling. I even sheltered under the tree and picked them off in the pouring rain. The resign in them makes them very combustible. The billy was my most used item.

Fortunately there was some dried wood in the hut, gathered by previous occupants. There was no dry wood in the bush after hours of heavy rain. On leaving I replaced it with wet wood that would hopefully dry soon.

I should have been a "boy scout". Nothing stopped me from lighting a fire whenever one was available. You can dry clothes, keep warm and get rid of flies or mosquitoes by sitting on the smokey side. It saves on gas that you only use for the morning stove cooking, as there is no time for wood fires then.

Which orchid is it? Could not find it in my book but it might be a Donkey Orchid?. Preferred to identify birds, as I know most of them, as you see them year round rather than just in spring.

Notice how close this orchid is to the hut at Chandora.

In the middle of the picture is a "Blackboy" or the officail term "Grass Tree", which looks like it has had a hair cut, after I sheltered under it in the rain, while breaking off the long dead dried fonds or spikes, to use as tinder for the fire. It does not damage the tree and they are amazing firelighters.

I only came across this one tree with this orange "Fungi", so I was glad I photographed it.

The Track goes by on the left of this colourful looking tree.

While taking the previous pictures, my backpack stays propped up on a handy log, so that I can just step back into it afterwards.

A tree to shelter inside from the rain, named the "Yarragil Hilton". There were several other trees that I also used to stop inside, when the rain showers were very heavy. Quite often the pack would have to be left outside throuh lack of room, but not in this tree.

Here I have confirmation that I have just walked 7km from Swamp Oak campsite, with another 12kms to go to Murray campsite.

Murray campsite after lunch white waiting for my clothes to dry in the wind. Showers stopped them from being hung out in the sunny intervals.

Looking from the hut through the campsite down to the Murray river. Muddy water because of recent heavy rain. Decided not to swim as the current was quite fast.

Progress was slow as I had to navigate around rather than over and under some of the large trees that had fallen on the Track.

I went "bush" to the right, managing to get around the tree stump roots and back on the Track on the other side.

Before I worked my way around this fallen tree, I took a look on the other side to see what else I had for obstacles?

I might have managed to climb on top, but getting down the other side of this fallen tree would have been difficult.

A ford in the distance, but fortunately the Track veered left and I only had to cross a tributory creek.

I had a choice, cross the log or try balancing on the stones and wood in the water. I chose the log, although getting off the other end was not as easy.

Sometimes I was amazed at what had been built by "Track Volunteers". Here I found a set of stone steps, built with concrete in the middle of nowhere!

This wide log made a good bridge for crossing a creek.

All these trees were so lush green after re-growth from a bush fire.

"Dookanelly" campsite where other hikers are drying their sleeping bags. Mine was waterproof and kept in a waterproof bag. Just occasionally it needed an airing, but I slept inside a silk liner, so I only had to wash that when I reached a town.

Sometimes the toilet (dunny) was a long way from the hut - especially noticed when you were sitting there and it started raining heavily!

Half-way between the dunny and the hut. Notice how far away the rainiwater tank is from the hut.

One of the more spoken about huts, because of all the luxery items you can see. Congratulations to the "Volunteers" who takes so much pride in this particular hut.

My usual top bunk that I choose in all the northern huts. The southern ones don't have bunks, but just one large communial area to sleep in. Here you can see the blue silk liner that went inside the sleeping bag, so that my dirty body did no soil the bag.

Looking down from my bunk bed. Some walkers light candles to save battery power. They are good for general purpose lighting, as long as it's not too windy.

The Track starts another down-hill section, with this bush road having many rocks in it.

The scenery is always changing. This section has many "Grass Trees" under the main tree growth.

Climbing up this steep dirt-road hill, the sunlight was quite blinding at the top. I tried to not stop too often when climbing hills like this, as it was difficult to get going again.

This photo tries to give an idea of how this hill I had just climbed, dropped away so quickly.

Looking down the hill, I found a walker (Cathy) taking a break to photograph flowers on the way up.

I turned around after walking across "Long Gully Bridge" crossing the "Murray River", to stop and take some pictures.

It is the largest and most significant bridge in the "Jarrah" forest. It's wooden trestles look in good condition, but only walkers are now allowed to cross it.

This fence line makes sure walkers do not get too close to the edge. At the other end I met a passing driver that had stopped on the bush road. He said this was as far as his daughter ever managed to walk from Perth, before she had to stop through exhaustion. He congratulated me for getting this far in good condition, and wished me every success in making it to Albany.

I was lucky to find an "Echidna" crossing the Track. It quickly rolled up into a ball of self-defending spikes.

You can see how many of the spikes have been broken, while protecting this "Echidna" from it's preditors.

With it's back forming sections, it can manouvre itself out of any position by leverage. Fascinatiing to watch, as I did for 20 minutes. A time out moment.

It looks like there are two "Echidnas", yet it is just how the spikes are divided up.

On gently and slowly rolling it over I found there was no way I could see its head or main body. Totally protected.

Flowers and plants still growing after the water has receded.

I had just crossed this "floodplain", before the camera had to be packed away again to avoid another down-pour.

Yes another (close-up this time) of some of the million flowering plants, around my feet all the time.

The rain eventually lands on my camera lens, as I take a big detour to avoid this flooded part of the Track.

And I am meant to walk through this?!! The area around was very wet too, but a Vol. (Volunteer) had put up some temp signs that allowed a wide detour - there was no Track to follow just scan every tree around for the next temp. yellow triangles. The only time I came across such help in a flooded area. Many thanks to the "Volunteer". That was really helpful!

Still a drop of water on the lense, but I am back on the original Track again after the previous detour.