Mountain to Mouth 2016 is just under a week away, meaning it's time to make sure you are registered and prepared for the event. This means discussing a few things some of us might forget in the excitement of it all.
What to Bring
- Ensure you have comfortable clothes for a variety of hot, cold, wet and dry weather, including raincoats, hat/hood, poncho etc.
- Durable, well-fitting footwear suitable for walking distances.
- Thick and breathable socks with anti-chafing products for walkers planning on doing long distances.
- Sunscreen and refillable water bottle.
- Trail mix/snack food and money to purchase food.
- A fully charged torch if you are walking at night or early in the morning.
- A fully charged mobile phone.
Amenities
- Toilets will be available at each of the 12 Songline Stations during the walk. This includes accessible toilets.
- Drinking water is available at each Songline Station.
- Toilets are also available near Suma Park railway siding, mid point between Drysdale and Swan Bay. The stages from Drysdale to Swan Bay, and from Point Lonsdale to Ocean Grove, are particularly long. Walkers should plan accordingly.
Transport and Parking
- Free shuttle buses are available to registered walkers between Songline Stations along the walk. Use your Mountain to Mouth 2016 passport to gain access. No payment or booking is necessary for these coaches if you are a registered walker.
Note that these buses take walkers back through all the previous Songline Stations before travelling forward along the path of the walk. Shuttle buses will depart from each Songline Station approximately 15 minutes after Canoe has departed. To get an idea of the timing, consult the timetable.
- A coach will depart from a signed bus bay at Geelong Railway Station, to Big Rock at the You Yangs at 12pm Friday 6 May, for the Gathering of the Elders ceremony and the start of the walk.
A coach will depart from a signed bus bay at Barwon Heads Foreshore to Geelong Railway Station at 8pm Saturday 7 May, after the conclusion of the event.
Seats for these trips need to be reserved through the registration portal. Tickets for these trips are $5 return and are payable at the time of registration or in cash on the bus.
- Limited parking will be available within the vicinity of the Songline Stations.
- Please note that parking is very limited at You Yangs Big Rock on Friday 6 May and walkers should plan for this in advance.
Food
- Karingal will be providing fruit and other food goods for a gold coin donation.
- A number of Songline Stations will feature a variety of food and beverages from local vendors that can be purchased.
- There will be extensive dining options in the Central Geelong area. Check out www.centralgeelong.com.au for more information.
- At the Heads is a beachfront eatery in Barwon Heads, located within the vicinity of the last Songline Station, which they officially sponsor. We highly recommend walkers visit this charming, relaxed, nautical-themed restaurant which uses sustainable produce and methods to deliver delicious meals.
The Walk
- It is highly recommended that you train in advance and consider your physical fitness level. Contact your GP for advice if you have any considerations. Have a realistic goal for your participation in the walk and be aware of your limitations. Please look at our fitness guide to get an idea of an appropriate amount of training in preparation for the event.
- All care has been taken to ensure that the route follows the safest pathways wherever possible, however we cannot guarantee that the condition of the path meets your abilities. Consult the timetable for details of the pathway or the Route Marshals on the walk for advice.
- Make sure you walk at a pace that suits you and rest regularly. There is no need to keep pace with Canoe or other walkers.
- We recommend that walkers planning on completing long distances do so in company and/or arrange support teams that can travel by car and carry belongings, provide nourishment, transport and moral support.
- Persons under 18 must be accompanied by an adult at all times.
Accessibility
- Many parts of the walk are uneven, and include sealed and unsealed paths, as well as steps, inclines and declines. The stages between Songline Stations 10, 11 and 12, are along the beach, on wet sand, and across informal gravel paths. Walkers may wish to personally assess the stages or only complete the Walking Circles (which are free to everyone). Certain aspects of this walk are not fully accessible.
Please note that the stage from Steampacket Gardens to the Barwon River, which will take place on Saturday 7 May, is via a footpath. The stage involves a moderate gradient up to McKillop Street, a moderate decline to the Barwon River, as well as a short gravel path to the sealed path towards Barwon River rowing sheds. We recommend that you make a self assessment about this journey based on your individual requirements.
Anything else?
- Everyone is welcome to experience any of the 12 Walking Circles or 3 ceremonies without registering. It is a great way for friends and family to be involved for free. The registration process constitutes a donation to the Green Corridor strategy, the artists and the future of Mountain to Mouth.
- The Connecting Memories app app gives you access to a rich collection of digital stories about the iconic places and people of Geelong and the Bellarine Peninsula. The app allows you to hear diverse voices telling fascinating local stories through short films, audio narration, music, images and text. Find out more information here.
