Respectful conversation in Australia – a First Nation’s Voice to Parliament

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A contribution from the Friends of the Heysen Trail Reconciliation Committee.

We encourage all members to be informed on the Voice from all perspectives and to respect all individuals and their positions in relation to the Voice.

Uncle Lewis O’Brien, a significant Kaurna Elder teaches that when non-Aboriginal people look at a proposition or a problem they tend to divide into camps with a Yes or No response.

The Kaurna people were the teachers and knowledge keepers. They looked at the brain and called it muka muka because it appeared in two halves.

What that means for decision making in the Aboriginal community is that we should think both ways. In other words, look at a problem from all sides before resolving which direction to take.

The Referendum on October 14th 2023

Australians are being asked if they support Aboriginal recognition and an Aboriginal Voice to Parliament at the Referendum on the Australian Constitution that will be held on October 14th 2023.

A Referendum is the people’s choice. We should hold respectful conversations as it is beholden upon us to be informed. We need to look at this question in principle from all angles.

All perspectives are relevant; all questions are legitimate; all positions are respected.

The 1967 Referendum with a 91% Yes vote resolved to count Aboriginal people in the census for the first time. It was a campaign that supported Aboriginal rights.

Yet, up to that time, Aboriginal people had been named in the Australian Constitution solely by exception. The powers that enabled the Australian Government to make laws on the basis of race previously read, “……….except for Aboriginal people……” as it was the States that made laws for Aboriginal people. Those words were removed and since then the Constitution has remained totally silent upon Aboriginal people; not a single mention.

A bi-partisan approach to recognition in the Constitution

In 2015, Tony Abbott, as the Liberal Prime Minister, met with 40 Aboriginal leaders at Kirribili House and Bill Shorten, the Opposition leader, joined him. It was resolved in a bi-partisan way to establish a Referendum Council that would consult with Aboriginal people as to their views on recognition.

The Referendum Council held twelve Regional dialogues right across the country. From these, delegates were appointed to go to Uluru. Six years ago the Uluru Statement from the Heart was developed as a result of the meeting at Uluru.

The Uluru Statement from the Heart

243 people at Uluru agreed by consensus that not only did they want Constitutional Recognition, they wanted something more substantive by having a Voice to Parliament.

Click on this link to read the Uluru Statement from the Heart.

This remarkable statement, which is full of grace and meaning, is clear and invites us to join the people’s movement across the country to unite for change.

“In 1967 we were counted, in 2017 we seek to be heard. We leave base camp and start our trek across this vast country. We invite you to walk with us in a movement of the Australian people for a better future”.

Follow this link to read the full statement prepared by FOHT Reconciliation Committee.

The Friends End of Year Bash is on again at Belair, November 26th 2023

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The Friend’s End of Year Bash – a family affair.

All Friends of the Heysen Trail are invited, with their families.

Let’s gather to celebrate a year of walking and wonder on The Trail.

Family and friends of members are welcome.

Date and Time : Sunday November 26th, 12 noon to 4.30 pm

Place: Main Pavilion, Belair National Park

What to bring: BYO food, drinks, chairs (there are some bench seats in the Pavilion), cutlery, drinkware  or anything else you need to share the day with walking friends and your families.

Cost and Booking: There is no charge for this event but you need to book so we can give Belair National Park some idea of numbers.

Bookings are now open so you can use this link to register on the Walk Calendar on our website.

Bookings close on Monday November 20th.

The 2024 Calendar will be available for collection or purchase at this event.

Park entry fees are waived for attending members and guests. On entry, just mention you are with Friends of the Heysen Trail.

We look forward to seeing you there.

Heysen Trail through the Buckaringa Sanctuary Closed Wed 4th to Tues 10th October

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The Buckaringa Sanctuary will be temporarily closed for a few days in October 2023. As the Heysen Trail passes through the sanctuary, we advise walkers to consider the closure if planning to walk in the area.

The closure will commence on the evening of Wednesday 4th October and continue until the morning of  Tuesday 10th October 2023.

 

 

The Buckaringa Wildlife Sanctuary is home to many Yellow-footed Rock-wallabies and is located between Quorn and Hawker. You can find it on map 6, chapter 4, of the Heysen Trail Northern Guidebook and on Sheet Map 7b – Dutchmans Stern Conservation Park to Mernmerna Creek.

The Heysen Trail enters the southern boundary of the sanctuary at grid reference 195 440. The northern section on the trail exits the sanctuary at 257 490.

The closure affects the trail in the following walk sections:

51 Warren Gorge to Buckaringa Gorge

52 Buckaringa Gorge to Callabrinda Creek

The closure is because the Australian Wildlife Conservancy (AWC) will be undertaking feral animal control in the sanctuary.

AWC will place closure signs at all entry points to the sanctuary to warn walkers of the danger.

Big bold idea for Heysen Trail Northern Trailhead

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The Existing Northern Trailhead

Exciting news about a bold new proposal to enhance the Heysen Trail northern Trailhead!!

Do you remember the feeling as you started or completed the Heysen at the Parachilna Gorge trailhead?   Many have described the climb over that Trailhead stile as “underwhelming” – for such a grand occasion.

The new design – northbound view

In 2022, The Friends Council supported a proposal to investigate ways to give the 30+ year old Trailhead a makeover.

We envisaged a gateway offering a greater sense of significance and a place of arrival/launching for the 1200km Heysen achievement.

The Friends engaged Landscape Architects to work with The Friends and consult with local landholders, community organisations, and local Adnyamathanha representatives, about a suitable concept – a concept that The Friends Council has now endorsed.

After preliminary discussion with the Department for Environment & Water (DEW), The Friends are optimistic that the go ahead for the concept will be forthcoming.

The southbound view

The design concept, shown to the right, looks inspiring and will incorporate planting / landscaping.

A more detailed design package is available by clicking on this link: Heysen Trail Northern Trailhead.

We hope you’ll agree that it’s a worthwhile and very exciting project!

FOHT Website Review – Update

Members would be aware that The Friends Promotion: Membership & Marketing Standing Committee (PMM) has been canvassing views about the need to improve and modernize our website.  Consultation across the Friends Committees and a member survey have informed the assessment that it is time to generate a visually appealing website with simpler navigation.

PMM has now completed a tender process by engaging an experienced design and software team to provide The Friends with future design options.  PMM is aiming for completion in 2024.

Heysen Trail GPX files update for GPS: latest edition includes 9 reroutes

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This is a summary of the latest permanent reroutes of the Heysen Trail that have been undertaken by the Trail Development Committee in consultation with the Department of Environment & Water (DEW).

The reroutes have been added to the downloadable GPX file (version 4.4 released 7/8/2023) and the Interactive Map as displayed on Friends of the Heysen Trail website.

You can find instructions for downloading the updated file onto your GPS unit on the Maps & GPS page.

The following re-routes and updates have been added:

  1. Mapsheet 1A – Reroute around Tapanappa Campsite for the Wild South Coast Way
  2. Mapsheet 1A-1B – The Wild South Coast Way spur trail from Kings Beach to Victor Harbor
  3. Mapsheet 1C – Reroute at Robinson Hill/Jaggers Block, September 2022
  4. Mapsheet 1D – Reroute at Kyeema – exit off Woodgate Hill Rd, December 2022
  5. Mapsheet 1D and 2A – Reroute at Chookarloo Campground, Kuitpo Forest, January 2023
  6. Mapsheet 1D and 2A – Alternate Route at Knott Hill Plantation (Kuitpo Forest), April 2023
  7. Mapsheet 2D – Reroute at Old School House, Mt Crawford Forest, July 2023
  8. Mapsheet 4B – Realignment of the trail east of Mt Bryan, September 2022
  9. Mapsheet 8C – Yuluna realignment, Ikara Flinders Ranges National Park, April 2023

Please note the the revised gpx file does not include temporary reroutes such as :

  • Those frequently established around Forestry SA logging operations in the Kuitpo and Mt Crawford Forest reserves (Mapsheets 1D, 2A & 2D)
  • The Maryvale reroute, south of Hamilton (Mapsheet 3B)
  • The Goyder Windfarm reroute, east of Huppatz Hut (Mapsheet 3D

Walkers are advised to check the Heysen Trail Reroutes page before setting out on any walk to make sure you are aware of any recent trail changes.

The reroutes have also had a very minor impact on the Heysen Trail Distances.

Feral animal control program affects Heysen Trail at Jupiter Creek – June 19th to 23rd.

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Temporary exclusion area at Jupiter Creek

Landscape SA (previously NRM) and SA Water  has issued a temporary trail re-route notification for a section of the Heysen Trail at Jupiter Creek.

The trail re-route will occur for the week of Monday, June 19th to Friday, June 23rd.

The re-route is in place to allow an aerial operation to control deer and goats in the Mount Bold Reservoir Reserve

During the operation publicly accessible areas of the Mount Bold Reservoir Reserve will be closed to the public. The adjoining ForestrySA Jupiter Creek and McIntyres forest reserves will also be closed to the public.

Temporary trail re-route

A temporary re-route will be in place during the operation, so walkers are not greatly inconvenienced. Signs will be in place to direct walkers onto nearby public roads.

The map of the temporary re-route is shown here

The affected section of the Heysen Trail is between the following points:

  • from the southern access to McIntyres forest reserve (Gate MI2, Razorback Rd) – Grid Reference 936 088,
  • to the northern access to Jupiter Creek forest reserve (accessed via Long Gully Rd) – Grid Reference 945 123.

You can find the Jupiter Creek section of the Heysen Trail on Heysen Trail Sheetmap 2A and Southern Guidebook Maps 2.10 & 3.1.

Signage will be in place to assist walkers

To prevent access by members of the public, signage providing information about the area closures will be erected at all main access points, including the Heysen Trail access points to the ForestrySA forest reserves.

A sign will be placed at the northern access point to Jupiter Creek forest reserve, directing walkers along the northern boundary of the forest reserve to Pocock Rd, where they will continue south to re-join the trail on Razorback Rd.

A similar sign will be placed at the southern access point.

A helicopter will fly over but not shoot in the forest reserves. Mobile patrols will be present to prevent access to closed areas.

Heysen Trail closure north of Cudlee Creek, 19th-21st May 2023

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Forestry SA has announced that there will be a closure of  the Heysen Trail in the Bennett’s Planation, north of Cudlee Creek, from Friday May 19th (all day) till Sunday May 21st (all day).

This is to enable Re-Enact SA to conduct simulated battles in Forestry SA’s Bennett Plantation.

The closure will extend from GR 018 445  to GR 041 460, shown on map sheet 2C; Southern Guide Book map 3.7. (part of section 15 of the Heysen Trail).

The closed area extends northward from where the Heysen Trail intersects the North East Road (north of Cudlee Creek) to a point just south of Checker Hill Road (south of Kersbrook)

For further information or in an Emergency call the Safety Officer on 0428 159 669
or the Forestry SA Ranger on 8391 8800 (option 2).

Heysen Trail closure through the Buckaringa Sanctuary, Friday 7th to Monday 10th July 2023

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The closure planned for June 7-9th was cancelled due to inclement weather.
It has now been rescheduled as shown below…

The Buckaringa Sanctuary will be temporarily closed for 3 days in July 2023. As the Heysen Trail passes through the sanctuary, we advise walkers to consider the closure if planning to walk in the area.

The closure will commence on the evening of Friday 7th July and continue until the morning of  Monday 10th July 2023.

 

 

The Buckaringa Wildlife Sanctuary is home to many Yellow-footed Rock-wallabies and is located between Quorn and Hawker. You can find it on map 6, chapter 4, of the Heysen Trail Northern Guidebook and on Sheet Map 7b – Dutchmans Stern Conservation Park to Mernmerna Creek.

The Heysen Trail enters the southern boundary of the sanctuary at grid reference 195 440. The northern section on the trail exits the sanctuary at 257 490.

The closure affects the trail in the following walk sections:

51 Warren Gorge to Buckaringa Gorge

52 Buckaringa Gorge to Callabrinda Creek

The closure is because the Australian Wildlife Conservancy (AWC) will be undertaking feral animal control in the sanctuary.

AWC will place closure signs at all entry points to the sanctuary to warn walkers of the danger.

Caroona Creek Closure – May 24th to May 26th 2023

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Parks SA have advised the temporary closure of Caroona Creek Conservation Park and Hopkins Creek Conservation Park for feral animal control.

These parks have access to the Heysen Trail and the closure dates are 6.00pm May 24 until 6.00pm May 26, 2023.

Park rangers will place notices at Black Jack Hut and the Mount Bryan East School to advise walkers of the closure at Caroona Creek CP.

The closure of the Caroona Creek park will affect a section of the Heysen Trail north of Burra – (Map sheet 4A)

The Closure at Hopkins Creek CP should not impact walkers as it involves the western boundary only, but walkers may stray into the Park.

To refer to the original notice press here

Wild South Coast Way & associated Park closures, 7th-12th May 2023

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There will be a cull for purposes of feral animal control organised by PIRSA/DEW on the South Coast of the Fleurieu Peninsula from 4pm Sunday May 7th  until Midday Friday May 12th.

This involves Deep Creek National Park, Talisker CP, Eric Bonython CP and Waitpinga CP.

These parks , the Wild South Coast Way and the Heysen Trail within Deep Creek National Park will be closed for the entire time of the above date span for public safety.

Walkers will not be able to access the  Trail during this time.

Camping will not be allowed in the named parks during this time.

For further information visit

https://www.parks.sa.gov.au/know-before-you-go/closures-and-alerts