Gill Goes... Trekking The Bibbulmun Track End to End... White Horse Hills Shelter

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Day 10

Gringer Creek Shelter to Roadhouse to Gringer Creek Shelter to White Horse Hills Shelter 16.6km as per the Bibb Track Guidebook (23.5km for some of us- you'll read why)

Please watch for markers carefully as walkers have a propensity to become geographically embarrassed leaving this campsite"

A nice surprise visit this morning from Geoff (husband and birdwatcher). I walked out to the roadhouse to pick him up and take him back to the shelter- I thought he'd appreciate the bird life. Make him a cup of coffee and dig out a biscuit- it felt a bit like inviting someone around to "my place". Why he didn't bring me something (cake, fruit salad, yoghurt...) is beyond me! Anyway, after that we head off... in the wrong direction. Thoroughly geographically embarrassed. We come out at Wearne Rd, but the wrong bit of Wearne Rd. I cannot believe that we are lost. End up going up wearne Rd and find the track but it's the track that I walked on yesterday (I know this because I recognise the flowering plant that I squatted at photographing yesterday!).

We retrace back to Wearne Rd and start again. Total extra distance to add to today's hike - 7km.

Finally hit Albany Highway at 09:42 (morning tea time), I give up yet more of my coffee and biscuits to Geoff before waving goodbye. Time to get started on my day.

I have walked from here to WHH twice before taking in Boonering Hill. Given that I'm behind schedule for the day I decide not to take the spur trail up to the top but to stick with the track. It starts as a fairly uninspiring walk past the gum plantations along a wide gravel track. I reach the boot cleaning station after an hour. The sun is now out in full force so it becomes quite a hot ascent of the hill. Main source of vegetation being parrot bush. After another hour I reach the next boot cleaning station followed by an empty waterhole and a newly flowing stream. This is where things become tricky, unlike my last 2 walks out here through lush vegetation and a clearly marked track, I am now confronted with burnt out bush and a bit of regeneration. The trail has all but disappeared. Where dense bush kept me from straying off track there are now no landmarks and too many possible trails. Luckily, someone has tied blue tape around blackened trees to aid navigation.

Apart from the miraculous blue tape, the other outstanding feature of the afternoon is a fungus growing high up on trees that have been unscathed in the fires that came through this area last year. They look like lanterns on the trees and are called Laetiporus portentosus. According to DPAW it is a common but seldom encountered fungus in the jarrah forest because it generally fruits high in the crown of either living or recently dead jarrah and marri trees. The large fruit bodies, or brackets, can be up to 40cm diameter, thick, shelf-like or hoofshaped, dry, smooth, grooved or lobed, light creamy brown with a thick wavy or grooved margin. The texture is firm but spongy. The underside is a pore layer, light yellow to citrus yellow in colour, often with clear droplets of liquid attached . The brackets form in late autumn. They are long-lasting, often looking fresh for several months. Over spring and early summer they dry out and become quite light with a chalky texture. If conditions are right, a new bracket will develop in the same place the following autumn. Fascinating.

If you want a comprehensive fungi guide- this is a great link with excellent photos

https://www.dpaw.wa.gov.au/about-us/science-and-research/fungi-research/144-fungus-factsheets

After another hour and a bit I make it to the wide granite slab (with very cool moss) of Kimberling Hill. It's a nice spot for a breather at this time of year. WARNING- in summer/early autumn it is not a nice spot - as I discovered last year whilst sitting on one of the rocks. It went from "how nice is this?" to "OMG, this rock is crawling with ticks!!!!". Happy to report it was a tickless experience this year. A couple of other things to note- there is some Optus reception up here if you feel the need and at this point on be on alert for echidna spotting!

20 downhill minutes later (no echidnas unfortunately) I reach an unoccupied White Horse Hills campsite. Not for long though, in the middle of my unattractive stretching routine taking up a good portion of the hut, a couple that I passed earlier in the day arrive. They prove to be exceptional company. Paul, the photographer, and exceptional wood gatherer and firestarter, and Ali, (ex physio, ex journo) the policy writer and exceptional supplier of gourmet delights (peanut paste on rice crackers, chocolate ... and ... a shot of whisky) are my companions for the night. Clearly giving away my coffee and biscuits to my husband this morning earnt me big karma points that have come right back at me!



Impressions of White Horse Hills Shelter - It's quiet. The toilet is quite a ways off from the hut, which is totally fine during the day, but at night pay attention to your landmarks or hope that there is a headtorch shining back at the hut. One of the big trees between the loo and the hut has some luminous markers to aid the geographically embarrassed.

Body assessment- zero issues (still! clearly related to the stretches and the karma points!)

Total people seen for the day (apart from the ones in cars whizzing past on Albany Highway and Geoff) - 2 (Thanks Paula and Ali- it was a great to meet you both).

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Photos

Perfect
Grass tree, sunlight and rain drops

Views Back Over the Landscape
Taken on the ascent of Boonering Hill looking back at terrain of the last few days. The views from the summit of Boonering Hill are more outstanding.

Lifesaving Temp Tree Markers
Many of the track markers were missing or really hard to find- to the person who put these blue ribbons through- a million thanks!

White Horse Hills Granite Slab
Only a km to camp