March, 2000

Blackwood Campsite

The Blackwood Campsite on the Bibbulmun Track is about 250 kilometers from Perth. I accessed the track by car, going south along the South Western Highway through Kirup and then turning right after Balingup, down Southampton Road. After another 8 or so kilometers Southampton Road is joined by Spring Gully Road at a T intersection. Here the Bibbulmun Track crosses and heads west. Here I parked my car and headed up the aptly named Cardiac Hill.

It was easy to pick up the track at the road junction. It headed into private property, a rather large pine tree plantation.

Initially the track followed a road that went straight up the hill. You have to be joking, they reckon that they get logging trucks up there, no way. No wonder why they call the hill Cardiac Hill!

The track mostly followed pine plantation groves - there was some bush track, but not much.

Also along the way were several blackberry bushes. I like blackberries but they were a little sour at this time of the year (March).

Blackberry bushes, an imported plant, are the scourge of the bush There has been some attempt to poison them as evidenced by the dead bushes about, but they will have to have another go.

There are a few freshwater springs in the area, but you would have to know how to find them.

The trip back to the car was also frought with danger as those little balls of bauxite on the roadway make it very easy to slip and fall.

The trip to the next campsite at Gregory Brook is no soda either as you have to negotiate going downhill, down what is called Heart-attack Hill.

At the top of Cardiac Hill at last and over the style at the fence. This photo does not do it the injustice it deserves. That sign there says you are now entering private property so behave yourself.

Heading into the pine tree plantation. No undergrowth as the pine needles had killed off all of the competition. Notice the yellow waugal sign.

Along the track we find some blackberry bushes. You could make some tea with the leaves and eat the fruit if they were ripe - as long as they weren't sprayed with herbicide!

Rows and rows of pine plantation. The sign says keep moving, no camping on private property. The pine plantation meant less of those biting march flies.

This clump of bullrushes just off the track is in a disused dam that I think was fed by a spring.

The track suddenly opens up to beautiful panoramic views. There is evidence about of a lot of wild pigs in this area.

Arrived at the Blackwood Campsite at last. Who should I find here but Barry and Jenny O'Brien of Lesmurdie. They had arrived just hours earlier and will be staying the night. There are magnificient views from this campsite. However there is no camp-fireplace as fires are banned here.
Jenny is making a cup of tea on the inside table. Barry says that his old army unit built this campsite. Thanks for the tea Jenny it was great.

Its just a matter of finding Southampton Road just past Balingup (or is it still in Balingup) and then heading south.

Southhampton Road turns into a dirt track after a while but there are adequate hiker signs about to alert one to the Bibbulmun Track.

Click the waugal sign to return to the Bibbulmun index page.