Dwellingup – Collie
124.3 km
2175 m
3.5 days
Dwellingup → Murrays → Possum Springs → Harris Dam → Collie
Fully caffeinated, we continued down the trail towards our next resupply town, Collie. This section of track was similar to the previous section, but unfortunately without the granite outcrops and nice views. There were lots of connecting 4WD tracks, some of which were quite popular amongst dirt bikers. Despite this, regrowth following recent fires created some of the most vibrant hotspots of wildflowers along the entire track.
It was in this section that we met a very nice conservationist who educated us about the different types of wildflowers that could be found along the track. From then onwards, we were on the lookout for rare orchids, stopping much more frequently to take photos. Once again, it was clear the track was well maintained and we enjoyed several conversations with track volunteers.
In this section, we ‘double hutted’ more frequently, increasing the distance walked each day compared to the previous section. As a result, Maddie’s knee began to flare up on occasion as it adjusted to the continuous load of walking.
The resupply in Collie took between 2-3 hours, including time taken to walk the uninspiring footpath into and out of the town. Collie is a large town, and resupply was easy. There is a Coles and a Woolies, as well as an abundance of cafes and restaurants for some nice food. We choose to resupply at Woolies due to its proximity to cafes where we could get lunch. Whilst Tom went grocery shopping, Maddie recharged all the devices at the Boulevard Cafe opposite Woolies and purchased some food for lunch. Whilst the quality of food wasn’t amazing, the cafe was excellent value and we purchased three large meals for $10 each.
We weren’t sure whether we wanted to spend the night in Collie or keep waking, at risk of overdoing Maddie’s knee. In the end, we pushed on as we had ample time to reach the next hut and Tom was happy to carry more weight.
