Thirteen years ago, while preparing for my End-to-End of the Bibbulmun Track, a close friend told me about his favourite hut: Blackwood. He described waking to mist filling the valley below like an ocean, and it became one of the places I was most looking forward to seeing for myself. Unfortunately, by the time I reached that section of the Track, a diversion meant I bypassed Blackwood altogether.
Thirteen years later, after injuries had pushed hiking increasingly out of my life, it was still the only hut on the Track I’d never visited. With Jonno now completing his own End-to-End, and me helping him plan the journey, I had a reason to risk another flare-up, join him for an overnight and see what I’d missed.
I met Jonno in Balingup on day 14 of his End-to-End. We spent the night in a chalet, then despite the forecast, passed up an early start the next morning in favour of breakfast at Mr Foster's Café before leaving town.
As we left the café, there were already a few signs it was going to be a good day for ducks.
The Track left Balingup along an old railway alignment before reaching an excessively well-marked road crossing.
We passed through Golden Valley Tree Park, pausing for a few photos amongst the old trees as the rain began to pick up.
Beyond the Tree Park, we climbed through the jarrah forest.
Our morning tea at a lookout was brief, with little shelter from the wind and rain.
The Track alternated between fire trails and singletrack, with early wildflowers already crowding some sections of the trail.
After lunch, the Track emerged into farmland, where we conversed with the cows and Jonno got distracted by a stream.
Climbing from the farmland into a plantation, my old injuries were really catching up with me; I was relieved when we caught our first glimpse of the valley below Blackwood Hut.
A downpour greeted us at Blackwood Hut, so we settled in with coffee and the cake I'd carried 18km uphill from Balingup.
The rain cleared as the sun began to set, so we walked to the top of the hill to take in the view.
Along the way, we made another friend.
The Next Morning
When we woke, it was immediately clear the trip had paid off, with mist already visible from the hut. Over the next hour it settled further into the valley, strengthening the ocean-like effect.
Every part of the morning routine looked spectacular in the morning light.
Leaving camp, we immediately passed another kangaroo before descending the infamous Cardiac Hill, which proved refreshingly easy travelling north to south.
At the base of the hill, we followed the Track along the Blackwood River through more farmland.
In no time at all, we arrived at Southampton Bridge and my waiting car. After a quick resupply, Jonno continued south towards Pemberton while I headed home to recover before joining him again a few days later.
