Bluff Knoll: Five months after a devastating bushfire that tore through the Stirling Ranges in Western Australia, there's some good news for bushwalkers.
Hiking trails to the top of Bluff Knoll and three other peaks, which have been closed since the fire, have been reopened after being completely rebuilt.
In the Stirling Ranges, they've called in the air support.
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Another load of timber heading up the slopes of Bluff Knoll to rebuild the track to the top.
Fires burnt vast areas of the park late last year, destroying popular hiking trails on four peaks.
Fifty tonnes of new material lowered in and ten tonnes of the old lifted out.
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The chopper makes quick work flying in heavy timber, but the workmen still have to use hand tools and it's hard work.
At ground level, the crew rebuilt just twenty meters a day.
Peter Hartley the park's biodiversity and wildlife services manager said: "It's been a long process they've been going for three months already and we've got another month to go. It's hard labour intensive work."
The famous trek to the summit attracts more than 60,000 hikers each year, especially for the snow.
Now, a new 2,00,000 Australian dollar (AUD) track has lower steps and more of them, to make it family-friendly.
There's even a new bridge halfway up for hikers to catch their breath.
"So, it gives people a chance to walk up there, take in the view and if they don't want to carry on the summit they can turn around and walk back again," says Hartley.
A breath of fresh air to look forward to after the lockdown.
AP
