This trail has been on my radar for a while. Training and weather finally aligned and I made hasty preparation, by uploading a hikers gpx up to FKT (shout out to Frank Goldy on Strava) as I couldn't find any files with an elevation profile. This course could easily be done self supported but as it was so last minute I decided to go supported as I was a bit worried about my safety and security after dark as it is popular with dirt bikers and 4wds so my friend Alexis planned to join for the return journey.
I started at 6.33am from McNess House Visitors Centre in Yanchep NP. It's rained quite consistently for the first 10km around the Ghost House Trail and across Indian Ocean Drive. Once to the east, I went through pockets of recently controlled burn areas. Made it to Ridges Hut after 3 hours and then to my water drop at Tomar Rd crossing by 4 hours. The rain compacted sand of the morning had now dried out and was soft and more difficult to move over. It was slow going to Moitch Hut.
The southern third of the trail becomes alot sandier and some sections along the southern most rifle range are completely overgrown so I had to divert to a boggy sand track, while listening to a barrage of rifle shots constantly. Navigation also became a bit sketchy on the single-track, the final few kilometres as I approached the Neaves Rd terminus. I made it there approximately 8 hours 9 minutes in. My partner Jim and friend Glen topped me up with nutrition and hydration, and Alexis joined me as pacer.
It was easier to navigate heading north. I had slowed down somewhat and had to have head torches on about 1km before the Tomar Rd water drop. It was difficult to get a good running rhythm with the sandy rollercoaster-like tracks but I tried to run as much as possible even though my pace was slower. We never encountered any vehicles but did see headlights from time to time, I was glad to have Alexis with me and he is great company.
About 12km from the end, I misjudged a push through a Zamia palm across the trail and it stabbed me in my right eye. Once recovered from the initial pain and shock, it left my eye constantly watering, swollen and blurry, so I closed it and kept going. After tripping up over a stump, I realised I would have to slow down as I had no depth perception.
Slow became glacial especially once back on the Ghost House Trail which is a little overgrown and has limestone rocky sections. Alexis had a fall about 3km from the end, maybe to make me feel better. But we ran all the flats until we were back on the foot path and I touched the Visitors Centre door 17 hours 38 minutes and 59 seconds after I had left that morning.
I want to thank my Jim, Alexis, Glen, my son Jimmy and my daughter Juliet for all their support on making this silly challenge a reality. And hopefully, this FKT will bring some attention and pedestrian traffic to the slightly neglected but unique trail in Perth