Back Roads on ABC and ABC iview S11E11 – Keen hiker Rae Johnston sets off with her tent and camping stove to explore a region that’s home to half of Australia’s plant and animal species.
The 1000 kilometre Bibbulmun Track runs from the outskirts of Perth to Albany on the south coast, weaving its way through mighty forests and along a rugged coastline. It’s not a daunting walk, apart from its length, attracting both beginners and seasoned hikers from around the world. Many tell Rae how they’ve been transformed by their time on the track.
Among them is Steve Sertis, the passionate lead guide at the Bibbulmun Track Foundation, which manages the trail. He tells Rae how he had no interest in hiking before stumbling on a sign 27 years ago that pointed to Perth in one direction and Walpole, 650 km away, in the other. He now loves nothing more than introducing newbies to the ‘Bibb’ Track
Rae also meets Zara White, who as a 17-year-old became the youngest person to walk the whole track in 2023. Undeterred by losing all her toenails early on, Zara walked up to 38 km a day for 54 days. She tells Rae her toughness came from forced camping trips on the track with her Dad growing up.
And then there’s Bellamore Ndayikeze, who moved to Perth from a refugee camp in Tanzania after fleeing a civil war in Burundi. She was introduced to the Bibbulmun Track as a 16-year-old, by the First Hike Project, which introduces young migrants to the bush. She tells Rae how it’s helped her deal with childhood traumas and find a sense of peace.
Production credit:
Executive Producer: Brigid Donovan. Series Producer: Louise Turley.
Back Roads on ABC and ABC iview – Thursday 20 March at 8.00pm
TV Central ABC content HERE
Back Roads on ABC and ABC iview S11E11
