健行和步道：Cam Bostock

Q & A

What is your most unforgettable hiking experience?

One that stands out is my first long distance hike globally - on the Bibbulmun Track, our longest hiking trail in Western Australia. It runs from Perth down to the south coast and Albany. In 2021, I took on the challenge of walking the full 1000km with a friend – that ignited my love for long distance hiking. I have so many good memories of that trail… pushing myself physically and experiencing the beautifully diverse trail along that route, from the south coast and beaches to the old growth forests and the Darling Scarp closer to Perth. It was an incredible experience.

In October, I set out to walk the Bibbulmun Track for the second time, this time faster as a personal challenge. I attempted the unsupported fastest known time on the trail, which was hard. I walked the Bibbulmun Track over 14 days, averaged about 72km per day, and was able to experience the beauty of the trail while pushing myself to the limits, which is one of the reasons I love hiking.

Where did your interest in hiking come from?

I was my early 20s when I first got down to some trails here in Perth and just fell in love with the wildflowers, the waterfalls, the hills, our local trails. They're really special. I was maybe 21 or 22 when a mate took me out of my first overnight hike on the Bibbulmun Track with a really short section just south of Perth, and that's when I discovered that I just love spending extended periods of time in nature on trails and sleeping out there, and making it my home for a short or even a really long period of time. From there, I've slowly started to look for longer trails and more diverse trails around the state and, really, fallen in love with it. Now all I can really think about is hiking.

You've hiked all over the world.  How do West Australian trails compare?

Over the last few years, I've explored a lot of trails globally and interstate, and I always miss Western Australia when I'm away. We have world-class trails and some of the most incredible multi-day hikes in the world. The organisations looking after those trails do an incredible job maintaining them.

One thing about West Australian trails that I love, and I think we do better than most of the world, is how accessible they are. People of all skill and experience levels can head out on multi-day trails and day hikes without too much worry. The Bibbulmun Track, for example, is so well looked after and has 49 campsites with toilets, shelters and water tanks. You can get out for the first time overnight and not be too worried about where you’re going to sleep or where you’re going to get water. I love that about West Australian trails.

There's such a diversity here as well that you can't find anywhere else on Earth. You've got the mountains, the coast, the forest, some arid desert you can walk through, and gorgeous areas further north in the Pilbara, with so many different trails to explore.

How do you prepare yourself physically and mentally for some of those longer hikes?

My wife and I, every morning we'll go on a 5 to 10 kilometre walk, and often I'll have my backpack on with me to simulate the weight and how that will feel. There’s a mental aspect to these long hikes as well. I think the best way to prepare for that is to just hike - whether it's like starting small and going down to your local park or your local trails and doing a couple of kilometres and slowly building your confidence over time. That's what I've done over the last five years. I've just done longer and longer hikes to the point now where I'm really comfortable being out on a trail for a month at a time.

What is the one trail you would recommend for someone seeking that dreamlike moment to disconnect?

If you're looking for a sense of getting out remote and into nature, I'd recommend Bluff Knoll in the southwest at Stirling Range National Park. It's one of my favourite trails in Western Australia, and probably one of the most iconic as well. It's the tallest mountain in the southwest, and it's an incredible rugged climb with an insane view at the top, but it's also very accessible for a lot of people. My favourite thing to do is to start the hike really early so you can reach the summit at sunrise and you watch the sun rising over the Stirling Ridge – it’s one of the most incredible things you can experience in Western Australia.

How do you capture the spirit and magic of WA's trails in your storytelling?

Capturing the magic of West Aussie trails in my content comes naturally. It’s easy to be authentic when I'm out on trail, even talking to a camera, because I'm feeling these things. My goal is to inspire other people to get outside. I know the benefits of spending time in nature, and I want others to experience that too.

What is a Dreamer?

A Dreamer is somebody striving for more and looking to improve and grow. That's why I love hiking – it’s a way to leave your comfort zone and find a new version of yourself. I strive to do that in all aspects of life, to dream bigger. A Dreamer is someone seeking discomfort and finding something bigger than they had in themselves before.