March in WA???

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March in WA???

Postby jimmeyer176 » Sat 04 Dec, 2010 1:04 am

What can you guys tell me about hiking on the Bibbulmun Track starting very end of Feb or very early March? I have heard of March flies and would like to hear more about them, just how bad they are, prevention, things like that. I would be starting in the north.

But also just overall heat, March seems like a good month in the sense that it's technically Autumn and relatively dry, but will it hit the 30's every day? Will it drop at night? April sounds better, but not sure if I can do in April.

Finally, I've heard different things about snakes. Some say snakes are most common in later winter and early spring, others say they are most common in the height of summer?? What is your experience?

Finally, if you do not have first hand experience of these matters please don't respond, I am not looking for hearsay, etc...

Thanks in advance
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Re: March in WA???

Postby stepbystep » Sat 04 Dec, 2010 7:31 am

Hi mate,

March will be hot 20 days out of 30 and probably 30+ for those 20 days. Feb it will be hot 28 days out of 30 and you will get several 40+ days......
Can't tell you about March flies being a particular problem, usual precautions should be fine. I never found them in plague proportions.
I never had problems with snakes over there, sure you will see them, mainly Dugites and Tigers but the track is mostly open and they would be easy to spot so I wouldn't worry too much, once again just the usual precautions and you will be fine.

Having said all that I have not walked the full length of the track, only sections, are you walking the whole 1000km?
This is a massive undertaking in such hot weather. May or Oct/Nov would be nicer as some fresh rain will have filled tanks(hopefully) and the drier sections in the North make for much nicer walking when the forest and creeks have received some rain.

BTW April can also have some very hot days.....hope this helps.
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Re: March in WA???

Postby rogo » Sat 04 Dec, 2010 10:13 am

March flies can happen all year round. They bite but don't cause anything more than an ouch.
It's the heat that is more of a worry. As SbS says it is HOT. If you are walking the 1000ks is it possible to walk from Albany to the north? Albany is a little bit cooler and then walking north it can get cooler as the weeks go by. Not you but the ambient temps.
The biggest danger IMO will be the water supplies. Tanks can be almost empty or maybe even empty and there is no water source around esp this year being the driest on record. You would have to carry at least 8litres for 2 days walking to make sure you are well covered.
Just as Tas has its precautions with weather, walking in WA has well. Good thing is a lot of the track has good shade coverage from the sun. One thing you won't need to worry about taking is rain gear for that time of year, well maybe a rain jacket, like you would send your kids to school in. At least you could use it to collect any moisture overnight LOL.
Never had a problem with snakes, as SbS says they here you and scuttle away mostly. I walk in the spring as well. If you can delay your trip til then, we have fabulous displays of wildflowers. One walk I did near Mt Cuthbert I swear I was walking thru a church decorated with flowers for a wedding, beautiful.
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Re: March in WA???

Postby Liamy77 » Sat 04 Dec, 2010 12:51 pm

there are "sticky flies" down collie-bunbury-greenbushes areas atm..... grab a fly headnet cause you have to get em in a wing-lock to remove them from your eyes n nose :evil:
they lessen off once its been in the 30+ degree range for a while and the dung beetles come out and knock their numbers down a bit...
of course by then you gotta carry more water....
have fun tho - march flies are not as bad as the tiny sticky flies and a good squirt of bushmans repellant or similar stops em i reckon :)
ps had a little rain in bunbury today so if it reached west a bit the tanks might have a bit in em...

i think winter is great for this track.... like tassie in the summer lol.

there is a changed route not yet shown on the maps too:
http://www.sharemyroutes.com/search/def ... untryid=27
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