The Fire Danger Season has finished in the Flinders (north of Wirrabara and the trail is open. Elsewhere the trail remains closed. Read more
The fire danger season for the Mount Lofty Ranges Fire Ban District (between Kings Beach (WSCW) and Tanunda in the Barossa Valley) has been extended by two weeks to 14 May. Read more
Please don’t interfere with livestock.
We all know how cute young animals are, especially new born lambs frolicking after their mums.
It can be distressing for walkers on the Heysen Trail to see what look like abandoned lambs, wandering along the trail.
It is tempting to “rescue” them! Please don’t!
Rarely do the mothers abandon their young, however if you pick them up, they almost certainly will.
Please leave all livestock alone when hiking the Heysen Trail.
Trail Development – the Hallett Railway Station Hut makeover – April 2019
While the fire danger season limits the Friends’ of the Heysen Trail walking activities, over summer Trail Development volunteers have been putting your walk fees to work.
The Trail Development Committee has been planning and undertaking a range of projects along the trail to improve facilities and add to your walking experiences. This necessary work was undertaken by volunteers using funds raised from the Friends’ membership subscriptions and walk fees.
Peter Simons (Trail Infastructure Co-ordinator) and a dedicated team of volunteers have recently completed a major project at Hallett.
A year or so ago the ceiling of the hut was collapsing and the hut was in need of lot of work. As you can see from the photo above, the ceiling has been replaced, a new combustion heater has been fitted, a stainless steel sink has been installed and the hut has been repainted.
The new toilet at Bundaleer Weir campsite.
In March another group under the direction of Colin Edwards (Trail Development Co-ordinator) and Peter Simons installed a new toilet at the Bundaleer Weir campsite.
We were very fortunate to have had assistance from Mr Rob Hammat the landowner on the adjoining property. Without the use of his digger, the working party may still be there digging holes – the earth was rock hard!.
It is great to get assistance such as that from Mr Hammat (as we also do from many other enthusiastic landholders).
This is the first of three toilets constructed at the Cobbler Creek shed. We expect Bundaleer Weir will be a popular stopover for independent walkers and also our End to End groups. Plans are underway to install the other two toilets. More news on that later
Wandallah shelter and new camping bench – Feb 2019
In February the first two of ten camping benches that have been constructed at Cobbler Creek were also installed.
The benches are for sitting, sorting and cheffing!
For day walkers a nice place to sit for morning tea or lunch.
For through walkers a place off the ground to spread and sort their gear and cook.
The benches make for a bit of comfort along the trail – as you can see, there wasn’t a lot else nearby to choose from.
They are not meant as a sleeping platform.
If you want to assist with any Trail Development activities including the Friends’ Shed Days or upcoming ‘End to End’ Trail Maintenance trips, you can check the events listed on the Friends Walk Calendar
During this Sunday’s Hiking Expo in Belair National Park we’ll be officially launching our Heysen Highlights: A companion guide to the Heysen Trail book.
The book will be launched by John Schutz, Chief Executive of Department for Environment and Water, as part of the Hiking Expo ceremonies at 12noon.
Author Simon Cameron will be on hand to sign any copies purchased on the day. Simon joined the Friends of the Heysen Trail in 2001, the same year that he started walking the Trail. He has never stopped walking it. As anyone who has had the joy of walking with Simon will known, there is so much to see and so much to discover along the Trail that there never will be a reason to stop.
In this companion guide the Heysen Trail is broken into 58 sections, for each day there is an overview of what to expect and what to look out for when hiking. By explaining the historical context, of the Aboriginal people, European explorers and settlers and the development of the trail, walkers can enrich their experience of the trail and its landscape.
We were privileged at the December meeting of Council to have the opportunity to hear a presentation about Reconciliation between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people from one of our members. Mark Waters completed the trail with E2E8 in August and worked within Reconciliation SA for eight years. The presentation initially arose from members of E2E8 asking questions about what Aboriginal country we cross as we walk along the trail. This led the group to decide to commence its walks with an Acknowledgement of Country. It seems awareness was growing among Friends as similar discussions had occurred during a couple of other E2E walks I joined last year. Mark took the initiative to write to the Friends about generating a broader discussion.
The Reconciliation SA website outlines the following information:
‘Reconciliation’ is about Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal Australians talking, walking and working together to overcome the reasons that there is division and inequality between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal Australians. Reconciliation has both symbolic and practical elements. A spirit of goodwill, mutual respect and recognition of the effects of colonisation on Australia’s first people are the symbolic cornerstones of reconciliation effort.
In South Australia, an Acknowledgement of Country is a way of showing respect and awareness of Aboriginal owners of the land on which a meeting or event is being held, and of recognising the continuing connection of Aboriginal peoples to their Country. It is a demonstration of respect dedicated to the traditional custodians of the land or sea where the gathering of participants is being conducted. Government agencies and community organisations are adopting the practice of acknowledging the traditional custodians of Country at events, ceremonies, meetings and functions.
Awareness about Aboriginal history in SA and connection to country has grown since the Heysen Trail was developed 30 years ago. Council members were very interested and receptive to the discussion and felt that it was a good opportunity for the Friends to consider how we can understand more about the deep history of the areas we traverse. This is likely to be an ongoing conversation within the Friends and will also be raised at our next meeting with senior officers from the Department for Environment and Water, as owners of the trail.
Our new book Heysen Highlights includes a map identifying Aboriginal language groups along the Heysen Trail. Members are strongly encouraged to find out more and to consider showing respect through an Acknowledgement of Country at relevant times during the walk season. Council will provide further information about the Aboriginal lands that the trail traverses and a guide for appropriate words that may be used by walking groups.
Melanie Sjoberg
President, Friends of the Heysen trail
For well over 10 years the Friends has maintained a standard walk fee for its End to End, Trail Walker and Trail Starter walks.
Despite extensive commitment by so many of our volunteers, the broader cost of living is having an impact and costs of running the organisation are growing: office rent, administration & insurance.
On that basis, the Friends Council has determined an increase to walk fees will apply for the 2019 walk season as follows:
The changes have been made administratively on the website. Members won’t need to do anything different when registering for a walk.
Twilight walk fees will not change.
Members with a current Golden Boots card will be able to continue to use that until it reaches the expiry date. In other words, any Golden Boots card purchased on or before 29 April 2019 will apply until the relevant expiry date during 2019 – 20.
Friends’ Volunteers will continue to be issued with a Golden Boots card to use during the walk season in recognition of the time and commitment given to the Friends and the Heysen Trail.
Financial members of the Friends of the Heysen Trail support the ongoing maintenance and greening of South Australia’s premier walking trail; participate in an extensive 2019 walks programme and receive the quarterly full-colour 32-page Trailwalker magazine.
If you join the Friends of the Heysen Trail between 1st March and 31st May 2019 your name goes into the draw to win a 2-day guided walk on the Heysen Trail and overnight accommodation at Heysen’s Rest B&B, Myponga*. The accommodation includes complimentary beer and wine, and provisions for a cooked breakfast; drop off at the end of your guided walk and pick up next morning from your accommodation.
One year’s membership costs only $25 single, $40 family and $10 student. The easiest way is to join on-line. Simply go to the membership page of the Friends of the Heysen Trail website for more information and to join.
Our website also has more information about the Heysen Trail, Friends activities and our walking program.
*The prize must be redeemed in the 12-month period following the closing date of the competition. Accommodation is limited to two adults, although the winners can bring family and guests on the guided walk. Competition closes Friday 31st May 2019. The winner will be notified after the draw in the Friends of the Heysen Trail office at Suite 203 Epworth Building, 33 Pirie Street, Adelaide 5000.
Feral animal control continues in the Ikara-Flinders Ranges National Park.
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:
During the closure, there some areas of the park will remain open. Refer to the Parks Alert page for further information about this closure.
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
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.
As daylight hours vary over the period of the night time control program, there are a range of closure times. They are:
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:
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.
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