Feral animal control continues in the Ikara-Flinders Ranges National Park.
The Department for Environment & Water has advised that there will be a series of closures affecting the Ikara-Flinders Ranges National Park over the coming months.
The Park closures are for the purpose of undertaking and monitoring a pest control program. The first closure will occur next week and will affect Heysen Trail walkers.
As we are now in the fire danger season, walkers should be aware that most sections of the Heysen Trail are closed. However, as the Trail passes through the Ikara-Flinders Ranges National Park, walkers would normally still have access, unless a total fire ban has been announced for the day.
The list of closures that will affect Heysen Trail walkers are as follows:
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6.00am Monday February 18 to 9.00pm Saturday February 23rd 2019
During the closure, there some areas of the park will remain open. Refer to the Parks Alert page for further information about this closure.
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6.00am Tuesday March 19 to 9.00pm Thursday March 21st 2019
Again there will be some areas of the park that will remain open. Refer to this Parks Alert page for further information about the March closure
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Evening/night time closures will continue through to Monday, 30 September 2019.
A number of tracks within the Ikara-Flinders Ranges National Park, will remain closed each night until the end of September 2019. The current feral animal control program has been extended, so walkers are advised to exercise caution in the area.
The purpose of the extended closures is to ensure the safety of the public during a feral cat control program to be conducted after dark. The aim is to protect the populations of recently reintroduced Western Quolls and Brushtail Possums.
Closure times
As daylight hours vary over the period of the night time control program, there are a range of closure times. They are:
- Thursday 31 January 2018 to Thursday, 28 February 2018 8.30pm to 5.00am
- Thursday, 28 February 2018 to Tuesday, 30 April 2018 8.00pm to 5.00am
- Tuesday, 30 April 2018 to Wednesday, 31 July 2018 6.00pm to 5.00am
- Wednesday, 31 July 2018 to Monday, 30 September 2018 6.30pm to 5.00am
The list of trails and tracks that will be closed can be found here. The tracks and walking trails will remain open outside of these times.
During the period of the evening/night closures, the Heysen Trail will remain open. However walkers must:
- remain in designated campgrounds and huts, or
- camp within 20 metres of the Heysen Trail within the park after dark.
If you are camping in the park, you may see spotlights and occasionally hear firearms in the distance at night. The Rangers have advised that the control program will not take place in the vicinity of campgrounds or huts.
Further information
You can get further information on the feral animal control program and these trail closures from the Natural Resource Centre – Port Augusta.
Phone: (+61 8) 8648 5300