This was a short trip to meet up with a friend to attempt the Stirling Ridge Walk west to east so I slotted in a few locations along the way. The ridge walk trail is something I have wanted to complete for years but baulked at tackling it on my own.
Day 1 - 8/4/2024
Made my way to Marrinup townsite near Dwellingup to have a look around. Turns out there was a WWII POW camp there. Also a large mountain bike trail zone.
Drove 100km
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| At Marrinup |
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| Hiding |
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| MTB trails |
Day 2 - 9/4/2024
Went for a walk to the POW camp site. Rather interesting as it is well signed.
Hiked 5km including 92m ascent
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| Trail to the POW camp |
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| POW camp entrance |
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| Germans and Italians separated |
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| Old building bases |
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| Solitary confinement base |
Hike deets
Day 3 - 10/4/2024
Went for a walk to a nearby falls area. Unfortunately dry at this time of year but splendid landscape nonetheless.
Hiked 6.7km including 112m ascent
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| Tiny pool of stagnant water |
Hike deets
Day 4 - 11/4/2024
Decamped and moved onto Lake Kepwari near Collie. This is ex-mine redevelopment done correctly.
Drove 175km
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| Lake Kepwari |
Day 5 - 12/4/2024
A chilled day at Kepwari. Walked up to my second home at Collie Motorplex
Hiked 6.3km including 29m ascent
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| Typical Kepwari campsite |
Hike deets
Day 6 - 13/4/2025
Upped stumps and ended up at Queerearrup Lake. No water but nice location. Drone pics as well.
Drove 155km
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| Boat ramp |
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| Next to the camp kitchen |
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| Toilet block |
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| Campground |
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| Bright colours |
Day 7 - 14/4/2025
Headed to Stirling Range Retreat to prepare for the Ridge Walk hike.
Drove 175km
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| Ellen Peak and Pyungoorup Peak |
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| Isongorup Peaks |
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| Bluff Knoll |
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| Campsite at Stirling Range Retreat |
Day 8 - 15/4/2024
Preparation day
Day 9 - 16/4/2024
And away we go. Drove to Bluff Knoll carpark and set off up toward the summit. Found our way down the other side and along to a camping area among a thicket of short eucalypts. It was harder going than I expected especially given that I was carrying an achilles strain and it was very hot. I thought that doing the entire trail wasn’t achievable for me this time.
Hiked 7.9km including 835m ascent
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| Bluff Knoll carpark |
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| Up we go |
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| Toolbrunup Peak |
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| Looking down on the carpark |
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| Along the ridge from Bluff Knoll summit |
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| Bluff Knoll summit looking west |
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| East Bluff from Bluff Knoll |
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| Looking back to East Bluff/Bluff Knoll |
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| Looking back at East Bluff |
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| About to descend |
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| Looking back up the trail |
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| Sensational view |
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| Bivvy campsite |
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| Isongerup at dusk |
Hike deets
Day 10 - 17/4/2024
We decided to leave the camp intact and carry day packs up to Isongerup. This was significant as it was the last of the ‘high five’ of the Stirling Ranges for me to ascend. I felt unable to carry on with the big pack and water at a premium so we cut our losses and decide to head off the ridge along one of the exit trails tomorrow.
A disappointing but necessary call.
Hiked 6.4km including 491m ascent
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| Morning sun on Bluff Knoll |
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| Low cloud over the valleys |
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| Quite a precipitous drop |
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| Isongerup |
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| Isongerup Sth Peak |
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| Looking down on the plain |
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| Jagged formations |
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| Three Arrows (Mirlpunda) and Pyungoorup Peak behind |
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| Isongerup Nth Peak |
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| Lake to the south |
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| Mirlpunda, Bakers Knob, Pyungoorup, and Ellen Peak |
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| Southern aspect |
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| Looking back up the trail to Isongerup |
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| Wedgie |
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| Back at camp |
Hike deets
Day 11 - 18/4/2024
Finding our way down a little used ‘exit trail’ required a bit of improvisation and bush bashing but turned out fine until we reached a 4m deep washout. I had to lower my pack via rope then haul it back up the other side, or so I thought. My hiking partner just threw it on their back and climbed out the other side. Oh to be young again!
The heat was much more intense than up top however, so we had to combine our reserves and ration from then on. We necessarily broke our return to the resort into sectors between shade points. I was relieved to be back at camp.
Hiked 13.8km including 170m ascent
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| Looking south east |
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| Looking back up the exit trail ridge |
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| The old Nth Isongorup fire trail |
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| Different aspect for East Bluff and Bluff Knoll |
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| Isongerup |
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| The washout ravine |
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| Looking back along the fire trail |
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| Good night |
Hike deets
Day 12/13/14 - 19to21/4/2024
Three days of R&R at the retreat. My achilles was slowly improving.
Day 15 - 22/4/2024
Travelled to the Porongurups to have a look around. The particular area of interest was closed due to fire damage and weather was unkind as well. Continued on to Albany for a resupply and stay a night with Bex, my hike partner.
Drove 135km
Day 16 - 23/4/2024
Bade farewell to Bex and headed west to have a look at Cosy Corner. Yet another fisher-person type place so I kept going to Denmark and turned north to Lake Poorrarecup. What a wonderful location.
Drove 160km
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| Poorrarecup |
Day 17 - 24/4/2024
Out with the paddle board today to circumnavigate the lake.
Paddled 4.4km
Paddle deets
Day 18 - 25/4/2024
Hiked around the lake today. A bit of bushbashing was required at one point.
Hiked 7.6km including 41m ascent
Hike deets
Day 19 - 26/4/2024
Quite hot today. Lounged around in the shade and cooled off in the wonderfully fresh water. I could see the smoke plume of a bushfire in the distance so kept an eye on its trajectory.
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| So clear |
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| Water bubbles up from below |
Day 20 - 27/4/2024
Needed to rest my Achilles today, still troubling me while walking.
Day 21 - 28/4/2024
Wandered about camp looking for image subjects.
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| Irony |
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| Nearby lake system |
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| Little Poorrarecup Lagoon |
Day 22 - 29/4/2024
Spent the day planning for a trip along the Gibb River Rd later in the year.
Day 23 - 30/4/2024
Finally decamped and headed home. Dropped in to Lake Towerrinning for lunch.
Drove 425km
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A welcome sojourn to and from my Stirling Ridge attempt. It was a shame I ended up physically hampered but I did get to complete my ‘Stirling Range high five’ by getting to the top of Isongerup Peak. Thanks to my hiking partner Bex for putting up with this oldie.
High Five:
Bluff Knoll 1095m asl ✅
Ellen Peak 1042m asl ✅
Pyungoorup Peak 1050m asl ✅
Toolbrunup Peak 1052m asl ✅
Isongerup Peak 1008m asl ✅
Lake Poorrarecup was a wonderful surprise.
Drove 1320km
Hiked 53.7km including 1770m ascent
Paddled 4.4km
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