1,000 kilometres on a bike from Albany to Mundaring
I chose to ride from Albany to Mundaring, carrying everything I needed on my bike and travelling alone. For anyone interested in bikepacking in Western Australia, the Munda Biddi Trail is one of Australia's great cycling adventures. It is one of the world's longest off-road cycling trails, stretching more than 1,000 kilometres between Mundaring, near Perth, and Albany on Western Australia's south coast.
Munda Biddi Trail Quick Facts
The Munda Biddi Trail, meaning 'path through the forest' in the local Noongar Aboriginal language, is a world-class off-road cycling experience. Starting in Mundaring, just outside of Perth, Western Australia, the trail meanders through scenic river valleys and the magnificent eucalypt forests of the state's South West. It winds through a network of bush tracks, firebreaks and disused railway formations and has sections suitable for cyclists of all ages and experience levels.
QUICK FACTS
- Trail Length: Approximately 1,000 kilometres
- Location: Western Australia
- Route: Albany to Mundaring
- Trail Type: Off-road cycling and bikepacking trail
- Difficulty: Moderate to challenging
- Best For: Adventure cyclists, bikepackers and long-distance riders
Why did I take on a challenge like this?
In 2016, after closing my Fremantle gallery, I found myself at a crossroads. For years, my life had revolved around art, exhibitions, commissions and running a business. While I loved the creative journey, I also felt a strong pull back towards something that had always been part of who I am – adventure.
People often ask why anyone would voluntarily spend weeks riding through the bush, sleeping in trail huts and pushing themselves to exhaustion. The answer is surprisingly simple. Adventure strips life back to the essentials.
When your day revolves around finding water, setting up camp, navigating a trail and getting to the next destination, everything else falls away. There is a clarity that comes from physical challenge and self-reliance that can be difficult to find in everyday life.
There is also an appreciation that comes from hardship.
After a long day in the saddle, a hot meal tastes better. A comfortable bed feels luxurious.
A simple conversation with a stranger becomes memorable. Even if that stranger is an emu!
Reading my Where's Stripey? book to my mate at Donnelly River.
