Current Bushfire Info on the Trail from CFS Smartphone App

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Whilst we wouldn’t normally email you with technology news about smartphones, this news might be of particular interest to late season bushwalkers who have a smartphone and are walking the Heysen Trail or other trails.

Yesterday the CFS released a smartphone app which may be a better offering than third party bushfire information apps. It provides users with the location and status of current bushfires, current wind direction and prescribed burn details, which can be viewed on an interactive map with your current location. This is particularly useful for bushfires that have started during the day within the landscape you are walking.

You will need mobile phone reception from your carrier to access data with this app.

Late season walkers should be highly aware of bushfire conditions. Several bushfires have already occurred throughout the state and in areas where the Heysen Trail passes through.

View further more information about this smartphone app on the CFS website, or search for CFS FireApp.

Nature Foundation SA’s Walk for Nature

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On Sunday our president, Robert Alcock, donned a bandanna and joined over 300 walkers on the Heysen Trail from Bridgewater to Woodhouse. The walk raised money and awareness for the work of the Nature Foundation of SA, a group dedicated to saving native wildlife and protecting our natural environment.

For more info on the Nature Foundation visit www.naturefoundation.org.au

Read more about the walk at www.adelaidenow.com.au

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Saturday’s 25th birthday party a big success

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80 or so guests and members celebrated 25 years of volunteer service on the Heysen Trail with bushwalks, Irish jigs, koalas, all with the sun shining on our picnic.

Irish band ‘Inesheer’ provided the music, while red and white balloons on Karka Pavilion were the colourful backdrop to speeches (short ones!) by our President, Robert Alcock, Chief Executive of the Dept of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Alan Holmes, and guest speaker John Kenneally of radio 5AA.

A new Memorandum of Understanding between DENR and the Friends of the Heysen Trail was signed, then our Patron, Warren C Bonython AO, resplendent in his bright orange shirt and yellow short shorts, cut the birthday cake.

Many thanks go to the organisers, Jeanette Clarke and Chris Porter, for the well organised celebrationary day.

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Beautiful walk, awesome weather and a great group

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On Sunday, End-to-End 5 crossed Mount Lofty during a great day’s walking through some of the best of the Adelaide Hills.

Although overcast weather threatened the start of the walk, the group was sun drenched at Mount Lofty summit for the all-important group photograph. With the theme of this walk being ‘orange’, much of the group donned something of that colour. Our orange presence was evident to all spectators and other walkers we met along the trail with some interesting facial expressions displayed by those who are endowed with reliable colour perception skills.

Over almost two years the walkers have consolidated into a close-knit, supportive and capable walking team. Well done End-to-End 5ers! Visitors are always welcome to join us – you may even want to stay!

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Traditional owners to manage Flinders Ranges National Park

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An agreement has been reached to give Flinders Ranges traditional owners, the Adnyamathanha people, a greater role in running the national park.

Adnyamathanha Traditional Lands Association chairman Vince Coulthard says the agreement will let them use more traditional techniques to manage the national park.

56 kilometres of the Heysen Trail passes through the national park, from the southern edge of Wilpena Pound through to Aroona Campsite.

Read the full story on the ABC news website.