Registrations to walk the Clare Valley Wine and Wilderness Trail in September are now open. Read more
Recent high tides and stormy weather has taken a toll on the Trail as it skirts Kings Beach.
FOHT volunteers are working on organising a re-route but in the meantime do take care as you cross that section of the trail.
Storm damage at Kings Beach
Storm damage at Kings Beach.
The Friends AGM on 16 April 2025 at Torrens Rowing Club was well attended with an upbeat vibe and lots of chatting among members. Thank you all for your membership, engagement and volunteering to keep the Friends and Heysen Trail alive.
Please welcome the incoming Council Members listed below who will continue that commitment.
2025 FOHT Office Bearers & Council Positions
Reminder that the revised FOHT Constitution adopted in 2022 included provision to assist renewal that all member are elected for 2 year terms, a limit of 3 x 2 years continuous in an Office Bearer position and maximum 12 years continuous for any Council member.
Council Members
FOHT achievements and financial statements were presented and approved at the AGM. The FOHT Annual Report for 2024 outlining those presentations is available view the link below.
With the opening of the walk season upon us, we have updated the Heysen Trail gpx file to include all re-routes since the last version of the consolidated gpx file was released in February 2024.
The trail changes include five re-routes and a new spur trail:
The reroutes have been added to the downloadable GPX file (version 4.9 released 15/5/2025) 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 reroutes have had a very minor impact on the Heysen Trail Distances.
Please note the the revised gpx file does not include temporary reroutes such as :
Walkers are reminded that following recent improvements to our website, the Heysen Trail Walk Selector pages now include:
The Friends is pleased that we have received early notice of closures for the 2025 season following consultation with Parks, Landscape Boards and Feral Animal Control Project staff about communication challenges in 2024. The closures aim to protect public safety during aerial shooting operations.
The following parks/trails will be closed:
Click here for further information.
Shooting over Pewsey Vale zone and Mt Gawler/Old Kersbrook/Para Wirra/South Para. Rossiter’s Hut Heysen Trail (Pewsey) will need to be closed for public access. Trail at Pewsey Vale / Kaiserstuhl will have closure signage.
Shooting over eastern side of Mt Crawford – campsites to consider: Chalks, Rocky Paddock, Cromer Shed, Fromm’s Farm, Old Schoolhouse, Ponderosa, Old Schoolhouse, Centennial Drive and Scott’s Heysen Trail hut. Closure signage will be erected at all public land gates in this area, including at points along the Heysen Trail.
Campsite & event bookings will be blocked for the dates above. Any bookings already in place will be managed through communication with option to change dates or cancel and get refund. (at time of preparing details are not yet listed on ForestrySA website).
The feral animal control program is scheduled in April during the Fire Danger Season Closure period. The Friends welcome this decision that will have no impact on hiking for 2025.
The end date remains subject to confirmation by the Country Fire Service assessment of risk in each region. Click here for further information.
It’ s good practice to review the “Know Before You Go” sites before starting any hike.
Friends of Heysen Trail members & supporters are invited to help celebrate completion of the Northern Trailhead Rejuvenation Project.
It’s very exciting to see The Friends’ bold vision become reality, especially as it is the biggest project our volunteers have ever initiated and funded.
The tired old stile and fencing are gone; deteriorating platforms are replaced by stone yarning circles and a vibrant archway with stone steps herald the start or finish point. Landscaping and clear parking bays transform the surrounds.
The celebration will officially open the Trailhead and unveil new signage and a plaque acknowledging the incredible support and donations that helped make this a reality.
Members please register your attendance via The Friends of Heysen Trail website walks & event program to help with catering. (Click here)
The Buckaringa Sanctuary will be temporarily closed for a few days in August and again in October.
As the Heysen Trail passes through the sanctuary, we advise walkers to consider the closure if planning to walk in the area.
A closure will commence on Friday 2nd August through to Tuesday 6th August 2024 inclusive .
Another closure will commence on Thursday 10th October and continue until Sunday 13th October 2024 inclusive.
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.
The Heysen Trail through the Deep Creek Conservation Park will be closed from midday Sunday 30 June until 12pm midday Friday 5 July 2024.
The purpose of the closure of the entire conservation park is to protect public safety during a feral animal control program.
Campsites and other walking trails in The Deep Creek Conservation Park will also be closed during this time.
The trail will be closed between Blowhole Creek (GR 425 507 on mapsheet 1A) and the eastern boundary of the Deep Creek Conservation Park at Tunkalilla (end of McGregor Rd track – GR 543 527 on mapsheet 1A).
(This covers from the eastern end of section 1 up to the western end of section 3 of the trail)
Warning signs and trail closure signs will be placed at several locations along the trail and at the western and eastern approaches to the park.
If you have any enquiries, please call National Parks & Wildlife Service SA — Deep Creek National Park Office.
Ph: 8598 0263
Further information can be found on the Parks SA Alerts page.
An aerial pest animal control program will mean the closure of sections of the Heysen Trail in the Mount Lofty Ranges from Monday 17th June to Sunday 30th June, 2024. The program will include forestry reserves, reservoir reserves, conservation parks and private properties, over native scrub, plantations, and farmland in the areas around Millbrook Reservoir, Para Wirra, Mount Crawford Forest and Kaiserstuhl.
The Heysen Trail and Heysen huts will be closed from Pewsey Vale/Kaiserstuhl in the north (GR 170 727 on Mapsheet 2D, Southern Guide Map 4.3) , south to Scotts and as far south as Millbrook (GR 014 442 on Mapsheet 2C, Southern Guide Map 3.7).
This represents the southern part of section 18, the whole of sections 17 through 16 and the northern portion of section 15.
For further information contact Theo Goldsworthy of PIRSA at Theo.Goldsworthy-Hess@sa.gov.au or phone 0461 284 454.
You can find further information on the Forestry SA page.
Caroona Creek Conservation Park : www.visitburra.com
An aerial pest control program will mean the Caroona Creek Conservation Park (Including Caroona Creek Campground), Mimbara Conservation Park and Hopkins Creek Conservation Park will be closed from 6.00 pm Tuesday 28th May to 6.00 pm on Sunday 2nd June, 2024. The closure will also extend to surrounding private land.
The Heysen Trail from Gerkie Gap (GR 113 250 on Mapsheet 3C, Southern Guide Map 5.5) all the way to Dares Hill Summit Road (GR 188 017 on Mapsheet 4B, Southern Guide Map 6.6.) will therefore be closed
This represents the whole of sections 23 through 28 of the trail.
If you have any enquiries about the Park Closure please contact the National Parks & Wildlife Service, Yorke & Mid North on (08) 8841 3400.
You can find further information on the Parks SA Alerts page.
The Heysen Trail is managed by a partnership comprising the Department of Environment and Water, the Friends of the Heysen Trail, ForestrySA, and SAWater.
As foreshadowed by the Heysen Trail 5 Year Plan, work has started to develop a best-practice governance model to give the Heysen Trail a continuing and successful future.
If you are a landowner or other stakeholder along the Trail please read this flier about consultation that will take place in the near future. We would love to have your input.
Neil Hendry,
President,
Friends of the Heysen Trail