Month: October 2020

Heysen Trail closure dates over the 2020-2021 Fire Danger Season

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The Country Fire Service  (CFS) has announced the dates for the 2020/21 Fire Danger Season.

The Heysen Trail is closed during the Fire Danger Season. As the trail passes through several fire ban districts, the trail closures commence progressively from Sunday November 1st 2020.

Flinders District Fire Danger Season to commence on 1st November 2020.

The Flinders District covers the Heysen Trail north of Wirrabara.  The trail in this section includes Melrose, Wilmington, Quorn, Hawker, Wilpena Pound, the Ikara-Flinders Ranges National Park through to the northern end of the trail at Parachilna Gorge.

This section of the trail will now be closed between November 1st 2020 and April 15th 2021.

Mid North District Fire Ban Season to start on 15th November 2020.

The Mid North District includes the trail between north of Tanunda  and south of Wirrabara. The Heysen Trail between these locations will close on November 15th 2020 and reopen on April 30 2021.

Mount Lofty Ranges Fire Ban Season to commence on 1st December 2020

The CFS has also announced the fire danger season for the Mt Lofty District will commence on 1st December and continue through until midnight on 30th April 2021.

As indicated above the Heysen Trail will reopen during April/May 2021. The re-opening dates vary across the three Fire Ban Districts the Trail passes through.

Some sections of the trail remain open over the Fire Danger Season

During the declared fire danger season some sections of the Heysen Trail remain open to walkers. They are principally the sections of the trail that are not on private land. These include public roads, Conservation Parks and Reserves, Forests and vacant land.

Please note that Conservation Parks and Reserves and Forests are closed on days of Total Fire Ban. The CFS publishes these bans, as does the Bureau of Meteorology. In addition, the media also broadcast weather reports including fire ban information.

If you want to walk on the trail, check which Fire District you will be in. The Fire Districts are listed on the Fire Danger Season page and shown on the Interactive Map on the Friends website.

Friends of the Heysen Trail 2021 calendar available for order now. Only $12!

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The Friends of the Heysen Trail 2021 calendar will be available soon.

Make sure you order your copies of the calendar early to get in on the low promotional price of $12.00.

Get one for your wall at home or work or buy some as Christmas gifts for family and friends.

We expect to have copies available at the Office in late November.

Order from our On-line shop for delivery by post.

By ordering the calendar from our On-line shop you can request postage to an address in Australia or overseas. We will be posting out the first orders by the end of November.

Postage charges to any address within Australia (for a single copy) will be an additional $4.80.

Pre-order online now

Save postage  – pick your copy from our Office.

You can also order the calendar for pick up from the Office.  If you can get into the office you can take delivery yourself.

Contact us either by phone or email.

Unfortunately, as we are unable to hold the End of Year Bash this year, we can’t offer that as a pick up location.

Walkers warned of night closure of trails in the Ikara-Flinders Ranges National Park for the next 12 months through to October 31st 2021.

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Feral animal control continues in the Ikara-Flinders Ranges National Park.

The Department for Environment & Water has advised that the existing feral animal control program being undertaken in the Ikara-Flinders Ranges National Park will continue over the next year.

Multiple walking trails within Ikara-Flinders Ranges National Park will be closed every night until Sunday 31 October 2021. Walkers are advised to exercise caution in the area as the trails will be closed for the purpose of a pest control program. The program is being conducted after dark in the vicinity of the following tracks.

  • Trezona Track
  • Mount Sunderland Track
  • Rifle Range Track
  • Old Blinman Track
  • Jones Camp Track
  • Telegraph Track
  • *St Mary Peak (outside trail)
  • *Cooinda Track
  • Pound Gap Track

Evening/night time closures will occur through to Sunday 31st October 2021.

As daylight hours vary over the period of the night time control program, there are a range of closure times. They are:

  • Saturday 1 November 2020 and Sunday 31 January 2021
    9pm to 5am
  • Sunday 31 January 2021 and Sunday 28 February 2021
    8:30pm to 5am
  • Sunday 28 February 2021 and Friday 30 April 2021
    8pm to 5am
  • Friday 30 April 2021 and Saturday 31 July 2021
    6pm to 5am
  • Saturday 31 July 2021 and Thursday 30 September 2021
    6:30pm to 5am
  • Thursday 30 September 2021 and Sunday 31 October 2021
    8:30pm to 5am

The tracks and walking trails will remain open outside of these times.

*Additional summer closures apply to some trails within Wilpena Pound from 6pm Monday 30 November 2020 until 6am Monday 1 March 2021.

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.

During the period of the evening/night closures, the Heysen Trail will remain open. 

During the Fire Danger Season, walkers should be aware that most sections of the Heysen Trail are closed.

However, walkers still have access to the section of the trail passes through the Ikara-Flinders Ranges National Park (and other public areas), unless a total fire ban has been announced for the day.

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.

Access to the Heysen Trail during the Fire Danger Season

For more information on walker access to the Heysen Trail over the fire danger season, including sections that remain open, check this page.

Further information

You can get further information on the feral animal control program and these trail closures on the Parks Alerts page or from

The National Parks & Wildlife Service – Port Augusta.

Phone: (+61 8) 8648 5300

Email:  DEW.SAALParksAccommodation@sa.gov.au

Our 2020-21 Twilight/Summer walks commence in November.

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As the walking season has come to a close, the arrival of warmer evenings and daylight saving has heralded the beginning of our Twilight/Summer Walks. There is a 1.5-2 hour evening walk most weeks until March. Some longer walks may be held during the day.

The full programme will soon be listed on our walk calendar but here are the details for the first four walks:

Wed 4th November 6.15pm: Wirraparinga Trail Loop Plus A Bit

A gentle walk along the 5km Wirraparinga Trail in Brownhill Recreation Park, plus a bit of an add on. Optional dinner or a refreshment at nearby Edinburgh Hotel.

View Walk

Wednesday 11th November 6pm: Randell Park, Mitcham

A somewhat uphill walk through Randell Park with views over the city as the reward.

View Walk

Thursday 19th November 6pm: Torrens Linear Park (Lockleys)

This walk winds along the River Torrens linear path. An easy 6 km walk, with no hills. Dinner afterwards at the Lockleys Hotel.

View Walk

Friday 27th November 6pm: Stirling Dinner walk

A 9-10 km loop starts with an uphill section into Stirling. Then downhill to enjoy our dinner and fellowship at the Stirling Golf Club.

View Walk

Walk fees

Pay with either option:

  • a Golden Boots pass, which are accepted for Twilight walks
  • Twilight walk casual fees are $5.00 ($1.00 for walkers under 18 years of age)

Register online or via the office

If you don’t have a Golden Boots pass, you can purchase one when you register for the walk. Just click on the Golden Boots pass payment option.

Further details of our walks and walker registration can be found on our website at heysentrail.asn.au/walks

Prescribed burn Greenhill – Upper Slape Gully – Tuesday Oct 20th, 2020.

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Temporary closure of the Coach Road, Ashton section of the Heysen & Yurrebilla Trails.

Natural Resources SA have announced that the Heysen and the Yurrebilla Trails will be affected by a planned prescribed burn tomorrow, Tuesday October 20th 2020.

The prescribed burn is planned for a section of private property near Coach Road, Ashton. The burn off area is adjacent to the Horsnell Gully Conservation Park.

The Coach Road/Horsnell Gully area is shown on Heysen Trail Mapsheet 2B and Map 3.4 of the Heysen Trail Southern Guidebook.

The  embedded map shows the burn area,  which is adjacent to both trails.

The Coach Road section of the trails will be closed during the burn operation on Tuesday October 20th  (approx 12:00 pm until 7:00 pm). The trails may be closed on the following days depending on potential hazards such as falling trees.

Natural Resources apologise for the late notice of this trail closure. However decisions to proceed with prescribed burns are dependent on weather forecasts.

Parks staff will be erecting trail closed signs in the vicinity of the burn site.

If you have any questions, please contact Libby Mapletoft, Natural Resources Adelaide and Mt Lofty Ranges, on ph. 0427 494 518.