Month: May 2011

The Heysen Trail on Posctards (TV)

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The Heysen Trail and the Friends of the Heysen Trail were featured on last night’s episode of the Postcards, on Channel 9.

  • Bob Gentle you are a star – well done Bob.
  • Great promo for the Heysen Trail and the Friends.

However, there were a couple of omissions –

  • We do have many other groups and individuals who assist with maintenance. And thank you to them.
  • The Department of Environment and Natural Resources missed out on getting recognition for their management and work on the Heysen Trail, even though we did ask Postcards for them to be included. We don’t have editorial control!

View story on the Postcards website: www.postcards-sa.com.au

View video here:

Run the 105km Heysen Trail Race

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An event organised by our friends over at SARRC (SA Road Runners Club), the Heysen 105km Trail Race will start from the old quarry entrance at Newland Head and finish at Rocky Creek Hut, Kuitpo Forest.

Start time and date: 6am Saturday October 15 2011.
Cut-off time: 6am Sunday October 16 2011.

Visit www.sarrc.asn.au for details.

This isn’t the only long-distance event on the Heysen Trail, don’t forget the annual Trailblazer Challenge with 18km, 34km, 50km and 100km walk/run options from Adelaide, along the Torrens to Black Hill Conservation Park, along the Yurrebilla Trail then the Heysen Trail to Mount Lofty and Kuitpo Forest. 7am Saturday 8 October 2011 to 7am Sunday 9 October 2011. Visit www.trailblazer.org.au for details.

Two new walking trails proposed for Kangaroo Island

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Two new walking trails have been proposed as part of a five-year plan to increase Kangaroo Island tourism, in a report released yesterday by the Economic Development Board.

The Lighthouse Trail – a walking track from Cape Borda to Cape du Couedic along the coast through Flinders Chase. The existing Flinders Chase Coastal Trek used to extend from Ravine de Casoars to Cape du Couedic, however the northern section from Ravine de Casoars to West Bay remains closed following the 2007 bushfires. The existing trek does not follow a trail, the new Lighthouse Trail would restore and extend the Flinders Chase Coastal Trek, as well as it being establishing as a marked trail.

The D’Esteree’s Bay to Vivonne Bay Wilderness Adventure is the second proposed hiking trail. The existing Cape Gantheaume Coastal Trek is another unmarked trek, from D’Esteree’s Bay to Bales Bay. The new trail would extend that trip and establish a marked trail.

A cycling path from Cape Borda to Kingscote along the north coast is also proposed, the North Coast Bike Track.

A winter’s tale – End 2 End 4

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Winter is back – this means the walk season is in full swing. The End 2 End 4 walkers today battled a very windy and wet day. All 80 walkers copped a drenching with the driving rain increasing to gale force on the bare hills north of Cuddlee Creek. Lunch was in the lee of the lower slopes of Mt Gill. Wet, but out of the wind. Soggy socks in squelching boots, and we hadn’t walked thru a creek crossing. In the end we all survived, with smiles on the faces (or was that grimaces’?) as we collected our choccy frog at the final bend. No delays as all jumped into the cars to get home for hot shower/bath and a hot drink. ‘Cept for Nick and Heather who waited for the last walkers to get in safely. Fortunately it’s not often we experience really chilly days with strong wind and driving rain, and I’m not in a hurry for them to return.

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Beyond the Heysen Trail

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Following the Flinders Ranges north to Mt Hopeless

The first vision for the Heysen Trail was a trail that followed the spine of the Flinders Ranges from the mid-north town of Crystal Brook in the south to Mt Babbage in the north. The trail was constructed from southern Cape Jervis, following the Flinders Ranges spine north from Crystal Brook, to Parachilna Gorge in the central Flinders Ranges.

Extending the Heysen Trail to Mt Babbage is no longer on the agenda but it is a good destination for wilderness walkers. A page on this website has been made available that collates some of the experiences of those walkers, in order to share this with other walkers seeking to follow the way north.

Visit