Bibbulmun Track 1000

Mission Accomplised

2010-11-30T02:18:00.000-08:00

The Bibbulmun Track is an Australian Treasure. It passes through some of the great towns and landscapes of the South West. We acknowledge the Department of Environment and Conservation (DEC) and the Bibbulmun Track Foundation for their great work.
Walking the track is a life changing experience and the whole 'Bibbulmun Track 1000' team has grown from it.
To break the record requires strong team spirit, you need to be cohesive and flexible, which the BT1000 team was Paul & Joy Madden, Garry & Beth Shuttleworth.
We thank God for the life changing journey. It took a lot of prayer and effort to set a new record of 16 days 8 hrs 15 mins from the old record of 16 days 15 hrs 40 mins.
We were going to break the record by about a day until severe crippling feet blisters slowed Paul to a snail's pace, but in true grid we managed to hold on and break the record. It was in this time that the team had to dig the deepest.
Reasonable amount of rest and proper nutrition were two vital ingredients necessary to sustain the body to manage such a huge task. The raw food diet provided by Joy, my wife was an integral part of the success. It gave me concentrated energy in unprocessed forms and my body was able to quickly process it without it slowing me down during the walking or during my recovery sleeps.
Special thanks go to Uwe Thiel of the 'Extreme Walkers' who provided great advice to our BT1000 team. Paul would like to continue the tradition in that he too would like to provide advice to other challengers.
The attempt was very well planned and mainly went to script. It was just the blisters that stopped a greater record breaking margin.

Record Breaking Attempt - Day 17

2010-11-28T18:55:00.001-08:00

Hello everyone,

Paul has done it! He finished his walk at the Southern Terminus Albany after 16 days, 8 hours and 15 mins.

This was what happened earlier! With 17 kms more to go, Paul left Sandpatch Road at 8.30am with good weather temperature at 30^oC.

Sandpatch Road

Albany, here I come!

Paul's final recordings of his personal journey on the

Bibbulmum Track!

Always walk towards on-coming traffic

Paul was about to cross Frenchman's Bay Road

Let's take a quick look at the day's events recorded on Garry's Video player!

Paul was greeted by Albany Weekender Reporter, Ken Matts

Paul touched Southern Terminus Albany at 1.10 pm

Sharing moments of victory with mum & dad

Paul signed his name and recorded his time at Albany Visitor Centre

This beats the old record of 16 days 15 hours and 40 mins by the Extreme Walkers Team set in 2005.

Record Breaking Attempt - Day 16

2010-11-28T18:18:00.000-08:00

Paul's knees, which were giving him lots of problems prior to November 13, have been very good for the last 15 days. The blisters under his feet however have been the major concern.

On Day 16, Garry, Joy & Paul continued to pray for the Lord's Blessings and Joy walked Paul down Eden Road as he headed towards Nullaki Camp.

On Eagles Wings on midway at Tennessee Rd South

Shelley Beach

Paul dusting his shoes at Shelley Beach Road

March Flies (also known as Horse Flies) are large strongly built flies with large eyes - the male's eyes meet in the middle. The eyes often reflect iridescent colour patterns. The "feet" (or tarsi) have three pads instead of two. Some species have hairy eyes. These flies can be a pest at picnics and bush walks as many species bite humans.

Paul walked down stairway to Cosy Corner Road

Paul took his packed dinner and off he went again

Torbay Inlet

Day's Videos from Garry

Paul met his anxious awaiting Joy

Joy quickly dresse up Paul's blisters

I feel better now!

So Day 16 was the most challenging day for Paul as he struggled to walk through 62km from 5.15am from the Nullaki Wilderness in Denmark till he reached Sandpatch Rd, outside of Albany at 3.35km/hr. He finished at 11.45pm.

Paul has approximately 17km more to go before arriving at Southern Terminus Albany the next day.

Record Breaking Attempt - Day 15

2010-11-27T02:35:00.000-08:00

Paul needed lots of good nutrients in his body, so Joy continued to juice away.

With 6 hrs of sleep after Paul arrived early in the morning at 12.45am from yesterday's walk, Paul headed off for the 15th Day at 9.20am at similar weather temperature from yesterday. There were more beaches to take on and Paul eventually covered 47km and stopped at Nullaki Wilderness after 14hrs at 3.34km/hr.

At 3.34km/hr, Paul finished at Nullaki Wilderness at 11.15pm, which left him the remaining approx 77km more to walk to Southern Terminus Albany.

Record Breaking Attempt - Day 14

2010-11-26T20:48:00.000-08:00

On Day 14, Paul had to make a quick decision and cut short his distance because he had over estimated his speed. The sand dunes along the beaches and the blisters on his feet had slowed him down to 3.2km/hr. It was good we had a cool weather at max 20^oC and min 12^oC. So instead of doing 67km as scheduled, he only covered 55km in 17 hrs 20 mins. He finally get to sleep at 2.00am.

Peaceful Bay

We're not very far from the Irwin Inlet Crossing

Hi Joy, Isn't this Great Fun?????

Joy also followed Paul 8 km to the Irwin Inlet Canoe Crossing and took some native plants along the way!

Record Breaking Attempt - Day 13

2010-11-25T22:16:00.000-08:00


Mandalay Beach

Time of Departure at Mandalay Beach: 6.30am
Date of Arrival at Valley of the Giants Rd: 11.55pm
Total Distance covered: 61km
Total Hours taken: 17hrs 25mins
Average Speed: 3.48km/hr
Reported Weather temperature: 23^oC / 10^oC


Mandalay Beach Hut & Water Tank


Final laundry spree

Midway stop at Walpole

Paul has found a way to strap his muscles around the patella

Record Breaking Attempt - Day 12

2010-11-25T21:41:00.000-08:00

Day 12 backpacking begins soon after the alarm went off at 6am. We woke up to a bright and cool morning at a max 25C and min 8C. After all was done, Paul left with Garry in the 4 wheel drive to Dog Rd where he headed off to the first camp at Dog Pool Camp some 9km away. The total distance for the day from Dog Rd to Mandalay Beach Rd was 58km. He started at 7.30am and arrived at 9.50pm at 3.8km/hr.

Mandalay Beach Road

Record Breaking Attempt - Day 11

2010-11-25T21:39:00.000-08:00

Day 11 has arrived with another challenge for the BT1000 Team. The weather reading was max 20C and min 9C. With 57km to walk from Middleton Rd to Dog Rd, Paul left at 6.10am. He finally arrived at Deeside Coast Rd after 15hrs 50 mins at 3.8km/hr.

Record Breaking Attempt - Day 10

2010-11-25T21:34:00.000-08:00

Pemberton here I come! This was on Day 10 and the Big Brook State Forest awaited Paul as the Bibbulmun Track passed through it to take him to the town of Pemberton. Paul took the morning walk at 6.30am and came to Big Brook Dam. Let's read more......

The Gloucester Tree is a giant karri tree in the Gloucester National Park of Western Australia. At 72 metres in height, it is the world's tallest fire-lookout tree, and visitors can climb up to a platform in its upper branches for a spectacular view of the surrounding karri forest. It is owned by the Shire of Manjimup.

Videos from Garry's Video Camera

Paul did good on Day 10 to walk 4km/hr after 15 hrs 30 min at weather temperature of max 20^oC and min 14^oC.

Record Breaking Attempt - Day 09

2010-11-20T19:26:00.000-08:00

The BT1000 Team woke up on Day 9 to the welcoming sound of rain as the alarm went off at 4.30am. It was nice for Paul to start the day cool and you can see he had already taken out his yellow gortec shirt to put on, and no doubt he brought along his poncho too which he also used to lie on the ground to lift both his feet up.

At 5.30am Paul headed off from Graphite Road, outside of Manjimup to finish off at Stirling Road near Pemberton. The track distance between the two roads is 63km. The weather reading for us was max 27^oC and min 17^oC, with possible thunderstorm.

Thanks for your support & encouragement. Catch you later!

Paul's Turbo Hedgehog

Record Breaking Attempt - Day 08

2010-11-20T19:03:00.000-08:00

Paul woke up on Day 8 at 6am and left at 7.15am to cover his distance of 43km from Brockman Hwy to Graphite Road. It was another warm day of max temperature of 36^o C and min 16^o C. Paul finally emerged from the track at 6pm after 10 hrs and 40 mins at 4km/hr.

Can anyone guess what this is! Find out more!

Well, this is Paul's massage tool which Joy brings out every night before Paul goes to sleep. Paul calls this the 'Chinese Torturer'. Ha Ha

Garry's Day Videos

Record Breaking Attempt - Day 07

2010-11-20T17:53:00.000-08:00

It had ben a long day for Paul the day before so the alarm went off in the morning at 6am. Off he went at 7.10am to face another challenging walk on Day 7 at a weather temperature of max 36^oC and min 17^oC. The distance covered was 56km from Grimwade-Kirup Rd to Brockman Hwy. He finished the 56km walk at 9.00pm at 4km/hr.

Record Breaking Attempt - Day 06

2010-11-18T20:46:00.000-08:00

Day 6! Wow! It was a big challenge for Paul because it was his first attempt to walk for 6 days in a row. He left Coalfields Road (Collie) at 5.10am and reached Grimwade-Kirup Rd at 9.50pm at weather temperature recorded for us was max 34^oC and min 13^oC. So that was 16 hrs 40 mins having covered 66km at 3.95km/hr.

Beth having a cool dip at Glen Mervyn Dam

My walking spray mist

Waterstone Castle

Day's Videos By Garry

Paul's Personal Videos

Record Breaking Attempt - Day 05

2010-11-17T23:04:00.000-08:00

Well, we have gone into Day 5 of the BT1000. This track started from Harvey Quindanning Road to Collie at a distance of 61km. Paul left at 6.20am to face another yet sunny day of max 31^oC and the weather cooling off at a min 9^oC. He arrived at the bus earlier than expected at 8.20pm after 14 hrs, which recorded his speed of 4.35km/hr.

Day's Videos By Garry

Harris Dam

Record Breaking Attempt - Day 04

2010-11-17T15:43:00.000-08:00

On Day 4 Paul walked from Dwellingup at 6.05am and arrived at Harvey Quindanning Road at 9.15pm which was 61km after15 hrs 10 mins at 4.07 km/hr. The temperature was max 28^oC and min 9^oC.

Day's Videos By Garry

Passed by this No Entry Sign

Does anyone know what this is?

Joy's new found nest

Can I doze off here?

This is tough!

This burnt tree reminded us of Paul's gorilla