Editors Note: This is a guest post by Simon Duke about his experience on Piotr Babis’ SW Traverse mission earlier in the year. It can be read alongside my piece on the mission to which can be found here. I hope you enjoy a different perspective on the epic journey.
There are some places on earth that expose you to something beyond yourself, but also in doing so don’t allow you to remain the same. They leave an imprint. They are more powerful than you so you end up changing, moulding, adapting rather than the other way around…similar to a potter moulding clay rather than the clay moulding the potter. SW Tasmania is one of these places….after experiencing it you cannot stay the same person.
A couple of years ago I met Piotr in Alice Springs to go for a run in the mountains near Angkerle Atwatye (Standley Chasm) and from there our friendship grew with a mutual interest in big trail running adventures. One of the great things about Alice Springs is the people you meet and unexpectedly form deep comradery with. Over two years ago Piotr had already started forming an idea about a SW Tasmanian mission that would combine a number of the iconic trails into one long traverse. I said to Piotr whenever this topic came up in our conversations and dreamings about future projects that if he ever commits to a date one day that I’d love to come and would move heaven and earth to be there.
Late in 2025, Piotr set a date, invited me to join him and I didn’t move heaven and earth but I shuffled what I needed to, so that I could be there for this once in a lifetime chance to hang out with Piotr in a truly wild landscape and complete his project alongside him. Farmhouse Creek to Federation Peak continuing through Eastern Arthur’s until Moraine K then Western Arthur’s to Moraine A, Port Davey Track and South Coast Track…in 4 days or less…as you do.
This is the point where I admit that I had no idea what all this actually meant having not visited or hiked in SW Tassie before. I knew it would be challenging because everything Piotr does is challenging. I know I enjoy a challenge. I felt honoured that Piotr thinks I will be capable to complete this project with him. I am stoked to hang out again now that Piotr no longer lives in Alice.
Farmhouse Creek to Federation Peak
The first leg was good clean fun on fresh legs. Firstly on the access track now closed to vehicles, then through temperate rainforest on relatively good trail. Both of us were filled with optimism on the approach to the infamous Moss Ridge. The steep climb, vegetation and tree roots offering almost a playful way to move through the terrain, particularly with the perfect weather conditions.
About 6pm we reach the Bechervaise Plateau with Federation Peak looming ahead. It was important to be up and down the summit in daylight. On the final ascent proper that commenced around 7:30pm we slowed to allow a safe ascent up the notoriously steep and scrambly cliffs. Within 30 minutes our first major milestone was reached as we stood by the summit cairn and took in the 360 degree views of Tassie wilderness. Golden hour commenced on the descent and we continued with John Cannell who was waiting at the ascent junction for us. John had been with us from the start and would continue with us through the Eastern Arthurs until we met the next pacers.
Federation Peak to Moraine K
The golden hour running in the Eastern Arthurs was and will be for a very long time some of the most spectacular scenery I have ever witnessed. The last light of the day in Tassie seems to have so many surfaces and textures to play with…the grey and white quartzite stone, the alpine vegetation, the rolling mountains in the distance and of course the impermanent cloud formations that roll over the range. For an hour or so, almost unaware of the time and the rest of the missions demands to come, we revelled in the moment as we moved from one saddle to another. Every ascent and descent revealing a new unforgettable scene on a section of the trail much less witnessed than others.
Once the darkness of the first night set in, there was naturally less looking around and more focus on just moving forwards into the bubble of headtorch light in front of us. Whilst by this time we had been moving constantly for over 12 hours, the body could barely tell. In the context of ultra running on trails, the first 12 hours is largely a warm-up, especially in the context of a 3-4 day mission.
Eventually we met Joey and Ziggy around 2am at the Arthur Plains Junction who would be taking over pacing duties from John (John still went all the way to Moraine A on the plains track solo). Joey and Ziggy had ‘camped’ at the junction (translation = slept in the open with whatever clothing they could muster) and we’re glad they did as it was vaguely marked with a stick with some tape on it and could have otherwise been easily missed.
The track appeared and disappeared for the next couple of kms until we were ascending the Eastern Arthurs again up towards Lake Rosanne. This whole section until Moraine K is much less visited and you could certainly tell by the vagueness of the track and the vegetation overgrowing it. The alpine vegetation was scratching up any uncovered skin on our legs – some being more uncovered than others. I suppose it was a distraction for a while from feet starting to come to terms with being used for a longer than normal period of time. This stretch to get to Moraine K on the one hand felt like it was going at a very sustainable pace whilst also taking longer than expected. Moraine K wasn’t reached until around noon.
Moraine K – Moraine A through the Western Arthurs
By now, 27 hours or so in, I had no idea that the baptism of fire, being the Western Arthurs was about to begin. We hadn’t slept at all during the first night, Joey and Ziggy expertly guiding us through as our brains and bodies continued to fatigue. The Western Arthurs is one of those special places that lures you in due to its beauty and magnificence, but can close in on you like a Venus Fly-trap and kill you if you’re not paying attention. Piotr is no stranger to this terrain, having adventured in many sections of the route before, setting a number of other FKT’s around Tasmania as well as lugging large packs as a guide through various similar locations. Piotr is the fly that can safely enter the fly trap and exit again unharmed due to the strength of his legs and focus of his mind. There is a way that he moves through mountains that makes it look easy and effortless like anyone who has mastered their craft, such as ice-skaters, dancers and the world’s best rock climbers. Whilst effort is constantly being exerted, his body handles it far better than most…but it is not luck or a fluke…it is hours of time spent in mountains and a developed muscle memory that is embedded deep in his tendons and ligaments.
You might think I am exaggerating or trying to make a common man into a mythical figure. All I say to the doubters is that I was there, I saw him move, I know how hard I was working to move through exactly the same terrain. I have no doubt that he is one of the best in Australia at moving efficiently and powerfully through Tasmania’s notoriously steep and difficult landscapes.
The lakes and streams and camps of the Western Arthurs were enjoyed and moved through one by one with Lake Oberon the object of the second evening of golden hour sunset light. The spectacular views now savoured differently. I was enjoying the challenge, but my energy wasn’t sufficient to waste a calorie or two on outward expressions of exuberance. With no sleep for 36 hours now, concentrating on the next foot landing was the priority. By this point I was able to move consistently, albeit more slowly. I understood that the only way ‘out’ was ‘through’ to Moraine A, still 4-5 hours away. My knees could function but they were straining beyond anything they had had to do before. Descents were painful. Level ground was scarce. Despite all this, this is ultimately what I came here for – to get to a point where continuing is a genuine test of will and problem solving. To be in a landscape big enough to show me my limits and interrogate them.
As the hours of moving in the dark went on, hallucinations started to become more and more frequent. I’m not a stranger to these, I have been here before. They are a hint that the sleep boundaries have been thoroughly pushed. Large rock formations became huts and tents. Shrub vegetation became signs. The lights of the Moraine A meeting point in the distance were real but I had no way to perceive the distance. In this last part in particular, Piotr was forced into guide mode a bit as my pace had significantly dropped off on the descents. He would go ahead a bit and then sleep on the trail until I caught up and repeated that about 3 times. On the last stretch to camp I thought I might be on the wrong track because I hadn’t seen Piotr for a while. I needed to check the GPX map a couple of times for reassurance. I wasn’t sure if the lights in the distance were real or not, or of significance or not. Now around 2am I was also starting to wonder if I was going to be able to back up the following day.
I eventually made it to where the guys were waiting for us and where we would get a 3hr nap in before continuing on the Pt Davey Track. It was a huge relief. John and Ryan helped get me sorted out and I put my head down for some sweet, exhausted sleep. I wasn’t sure if I could go again or not the next morning but once again, I have been here before on previous missions and been able to knock out the next 90-100kms the following day…I was hoping for a repeat.
Pt Davey Track
We woke just before 7am on Monday morning with completing the Pt Davey track in around 12 hours as the objective. I felt much better. The Pt Davey track has much less elevation but also has more bogs. It was going to be a test of whether I could properly rebound or not. After about 90mins of faffing around for breakfast and changing clothes we got going. For the first few hours of the morning there were some hopeful signs as we averaged 5kms/hr. During the afternoon and night this decreased to a point during the day where the overall average for the day was closer to 4kms/hr. Plenty of bogs, overgrown trail and just enough elevation to have to make another significant withdrawal from the reserves.
Ryder was our pacer for this section and the next. He knew the Pt Davey track well. Ryder and Piotr clearly knew what 16hr Pt Davey Track meant for the South Coast Track the next day. When we finally got to Melaleuca, we were all spent and it wasn’t the right time to be making any big decisions about the next day of running. I knew that it was I was unlikely to be able to continue at a reasonable pace, but everyone would confirm what they were doing after sleep. Piotr had felt an unusual pain in his knee which also meant for the first time he was a little unsure whether this would stop him or not.
We managed to get one of the Melaleuca Hikers Huts to ourselves so the sleep was of reasonably high quality. Around 7:30am stirring started. I confirmed I wouldn’t be continuing. Yes I could technically finish, but it would be in the range of 30hrs for 85kms and for the first time ever in a situation like this, I decided to listen to my body and my form from the previous day and call it. In hindsight this was an excellent decision for my body, the project and safety in general. Piotr, on realising I was done, when asked what he was going to do, with great clarity said ‘Well I feel like I have no choice really but to finish it’. This was followed by a focus on then getting ready to get going. This is a project that has been in Piotr’s mind for a couple of years. Much thought and planning had gone into it. There was now only 85kms of the South Coast Track left for Piotr to realise his objective. Fittingly, he needed to complete this for himself, it might be years before he gets another chance, but also he felt the need to finish for everyone else who had given their support also.
About 15 minutes later Ryder decided he would also continue and support run for Piotr. This was such an important and inspirational call made by Ryder. Piotr was willing to go alone and probably capable, but given his level of fatigue at this point, the heat of the day ahead and the water crossings on the South Coast Track, company was much welcomed.
Upon leaving Melaleuca minutes before commencing the South Coast Track I said to Piotr ‘You’re making history today mate!’, upon which he replied to me, ‘I don’t think anyone really cares too much’…. All I could say in response is ‘I care and you care, and all the support crew care, it doesn’t matter if no-one else does – do what you need to do’
Again, Piotr showed his strength and expertise setting a great pace for the rest of the day despite temps reaching around 30 degrees, completing the South Coast Track in around 18 hours, and completing the full SW Traverse in a total of 3d18h4m43s. At the 3am finish, were Ryan Slater, myself, and a Polish lady named Diana who had been following Piotr’s feats. With torn tape on his knee and Ryder close behind him (who had paced him since the start of the Pt Davey Track), Piotr could finally stop, finally rest, finally see the mission completed in the rear-view mirror.
Piotr did what he needed to do, because ultimately this mission had called to him and chosen him as the one to complete it first. Piotr proved himself willing, worthy and capable. This impressive feat will be remembered and recognised by those who care about this kind of stuff and there will probably be a little record of it on a website, on his Strava profile and a podcast or two. The true reward, as with all outdoor adventures has already been realised in the doing, in being out there, in starting with an uncertain outcome and leaning in to the resources within and those of your mates and finding out…the seemingly impossible or improbable, is possible.
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