The Heysen Trail is now closed. Fire Danger season for Mt Lofty district commenced 15 November 2023. Read more
The Friends Office has closed for the summer break. Best wishes for the festive season. Read more
Our 2013 Heysen Trail Calendar is now available in our shop for $20 a copy. If you ordered a copy earlier, your order is waiting at the office for pick-up. Postal orders should be in the mail tomorrow.
Fancy a little preview of the calendar? The A4 calendar features 25 photos, two for each month.
Order now online at www.heysentrail.asn.au/calendar, or contact the shop/office directly to purchase your copy.
There is a working bee near the southern trailhead of the Heysen Trail at Cape Jervis. Run by the Cape Jervis Coastal Community Group, volunteers are needed to assist on the weekend of the 1st and 2nd December.
Saturday 1st December
10am – 12.30pm: removing tree guards near Lands End (tree guards to be re-used by the Friends of the Heysen Trail)
12.30pm – 2pm: BBQ lunch provided
2pm – 4pm: woody weed lopping and seed collecting
Sunday 2nd December
10am – 12noon: seed sowing
Please contact Carolyn or Liz for more information and directions.
As you may be aware, Walking SA is undergoing a review of governance and operations.
Please assist them with the process by taking the time to fill in this 10 min survey. https://www.research.net/s/FK2LWLV
PKF Organisation Development has been engaged to undertake this process. Your responses will be sent directly to PKF in order to ensure that all answers remain confidential. Only key themes will be reported, therefore please ensure that you are as honest in your responses as possible. The information collected will be an integral part of the consulting process and they encourage you to be open in your comments and suggestions.
You may forward this email to friends.
The survey will close at 5pm Wednesday 28th of November.
If you have any questions in relation to the survey please contact Hayley Lokan or Scott Way from PKF Organisation Development on orgdev@pkf.com.au or 08 7421 1400. If you would like to make a more detailed submission regarding the questions in this survey, once again please contact PKF on the details provided above.
The re-print of the Southern Guidebook has been released. Stocks of the 2010 edition ran out mid this year.
The new guidebook has the same cover as the 2010 edition, but includes re-routes from the previous two years like the new spur trail into Victor Harbor. A few recent re-routes have not been included, these re-routes can be viewed on our website.
With the release of this edition, support for three older guidebooks has been suspended. Re-route notifications for the original 2004 Southern Guidebook, 2005 Northern Guidebook and 2007 Southern Guidebook will no longer be posted on the website.
The End-to-End 4 group’s final weekend away for the season was in the ‘land of the long dry grass’. Starting in the cool pines of Bundaleer Forest, they were hiking the grassy hills above Georgetown when Trish Bowie slipped and hit the ground. A dislocated and fractured shoulder immobilised her. With access to the rocky ridge very limited, it took two and a half hours and a convoy of emergency and other attending vehicles before Trish was in the ambulance and off to Port Pirie Hospital.
She is back at home recovering, and wishes to thank all those involved, especially Julie, Di, Noeleen and Cathy. A serious incident was well managed by our team of leaders and walkers. We thank those involved, and all the walkers for being patient.
The extra kilometres in to Georgetown were completed on Saturday, allowing for a shorter walk on the warmer Sunday. After an early start, the Sunday walk was interrupted at Hiskeys Hut, when the existing tree guards were swapped for taller ones to better protect the recently planted trees. The reward was an early day, with the walk completed before midday. It was 30 degrees with a strong breeze. At 11am an ancient pepper tree provided shade for the Remembrance Day silence.
Next year the group tackles the Flinders Ranges.
The End-to-End 5 group finished its walking season on a high note, being the first Friends group to hike past the new tank and campsite at Smith Hill, elevation 616m, on the Tothill Ranges.
The tank was recently installed by the Friends and the Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources (DEWNR), however it is yet to receive its first rain.
The group had two days of fine weather, with increasing temperatures, culminating in 37 degree heat on Sunday.
A full report on their adventures can be found at their blog http://fohte2e5.blogspot.com.au/