Year: 2021

Vale David Beaton 1942-2021

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David joined the Friends in 1996 about the time he retired from teaching. Within two years he had become entrenched in the office and become co-Membership Secretary in 1998, a post he held until 2009. At the same time, he joined the Walk Committee and started leading walks for the Friends.

The genesis of the End to End walk program

In 1999, at Walk Committee meeting, David suggested that, as we maintained the Trail, maybe we should also be facilitating our walking members to undertake the Trail, End to End.

As the first walk started in 2000, it was known as the Millenium Walk, however over time this has morphed into End-to-End One and then the End-to-End programme.

Consequently, he co-lead the first End to End, starting in 2000 and finishing in 2006 and then 2002, not happy with heading north, he started a southern trek from Parachilna south which he completed the next year.

The End to End walks have become extraordinarily popular as a result consequence of a simple suggestion, he made in 1999. The result so far is 15 groups and over 1,100 people introduced to hiking and the Heysen Trail.

David, the Administrator

Trail Maintenance

Trail Maintenance at Bridle Gap

David joined the Friend’s Council in 2003 and became Secretary in 2006, a position he held until 2008.

He was also a keen participant in maintenance, as Section Leader, strong, resilient, and resourceful and like many big men, quiet and thoughtful. His counsel was always considerate and considered.

In 2007, David was elected as an Honorary Member for his considerable contribution to the Friends.
In 2017, Walking SA bestowed on David a Special Recognition Award for his contribution to walking and the Friends.

Our 2021-22 Summer walks commence this week.

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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 Summer Walks. These are generally 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 five walks:

Friday 29th October, 6pm: Semaphore/West Lakes/Tennyson

This is a summer/sunset 10klm loop walk, taking in the views from the lake and hopefully the sunset from the Tennyson trail and viewing platform. Their will be an optional dinner at the Big Shed brewery after the walk.

View Walk

Wednesday 3rd November 6pm: Springfield-Waite

A suburban hike through leafy (but rather hilly) Springfield, skirting Carrick Hill and Waite Conservation Park with a smidge of the Yurrebilla Trail.

View Walk

Wednesday 10th November 6pm: Wirraparinga Loop

A walk along the 5km Wirraparinga Loop Trail in Brownhill Recreation Park, with a detour along the Springbank Trail. Optional dinner or a refreshment at nearby Edinburgh Hotel.

View Walk

Thursday 18th November 8am: Old Noarlunga Loop

A brisk morning wake up walk taking in the lower reaches of the Onkaparinga River and with a serious climb to deliver views across to the coast.

View Walk

Wednesday 24th November 6.00pm: Torrens Linear Park – Lockleys

This walk winds along the River Torrens linear path. An easy 6 km walk, with no hills. Enjoy the wildlife, reed beds and gum trees abundant with birdlife. There will be a post walk dinner at the nearby Lockleys Hotel.

View Walk

Walk fees

Pay with either option:

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

Register on-line 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. A Golden Boots pass costs $75 and can be used on Summer, End to End and Trail Starter/Trailwalker walks for 12 months from the day of purchase.

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

Heysen Trail closure near the Buckaringa Sanctuary, 26th to 30th August and 7th to 11th October 2021

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The Buckaringa Sanctuary will be temporarily closed over 2 weekends in late August and mid-October 2021. As the Heysen Trail passes close to the sanctuary, we advise walkers to consider the closure if planning to walk in the area.

  • The planned closures are : 
  • Evening of Thursday 26 August to Morning of Monday 30 August
  • Evening of Thursday 7 October to Morning of Monday 11 October

 

The sanctuary is home to many Yellow-footed Rock-wallabies and is located between Quorn and Hawker. You can find it on map 6, chapter 4, of the Heysen Trail Northern Guidebook and on Sheet Map 7b – Dutchmans Stern Conservation Park to Mernmerna Creek.

The closure is because the Australian Wildlife Conservancy (AWC) will be undertaking feral animal control in the sanctuary.

AWC will place closure signs at all entry points to the sanctuary to warn walkers of the danger.

Walk the Heysen Trail with the Friends – from the Fleurieu Peninsula to Mt Lofty

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From the Fleurieu Peninsula to Mt Lofty

In early spring, the Friends of the Heysen Trail will be offering the opportunity to complete 6 consecutive sections along the Heysen Trail, starting from the little hamlet of Inman Valley through to Mt Lofty in the Cleland Conservation Park.

The walks commence on Monday August 30th and continue through to Sunday September 5th 2021.

Led by experienced walk leaders, these 6 walks will pass through the rolling environs of the Fleurieu Peninsula, a number of delightful conservation parks and picturesque forestry reserves into the southern reaches of the Adelaide Hills.

The walks culminate with a climb up to the summit of Mt Lofty and then down to the Cleland Wildlife Park.

What a great opportunity to complete six sections of the Heysen Trail in one hit!

You can find out more about the walks and register using this link to our website walk calendar Fleurieu to Mt Lofty walks.

Reminder of a change to the Heysen Trail in the former Bundaleer Forest.

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We remind walkers that, as previously announced, there have been a series of changes to the Heysen Trail in the vicinity of Curnows Hut and the former Bundaleer Forest.

In the ‘Heysen Trail reopens on Saturday May 1st 2021‘ news item, we referred to a number of  re-routes along the trail.

One of those, Item 3 Bundaleer, advised a change of the route in April 2021 to follow the Bundaleer Greenway. That re-route considerably lengthened the trail.

On 30 June 2021 we updated the news item to say that the Department of Environment and Water had reversed that re-route.

As a result the original trail between Curnows Hut and New Campbell Hill has been reinstated.

This is a significant change to the trail between Curnows Hut and Raeville. That walk, shown as Section 35 of the Heysen Trail Walk Selector, returns to 20 kms.

Any reference to the change of the trail to follow the Bundaleer Greenway was removed from our website Re-route page in June.

August edition of the Trailwalker

The upcoming August edition of the Trailwalker magazine, contains an article ‘Heysen Trail Route News’.

The article on page 7 includes an item headed ‘Bundaleer Forest’. The item describes the April 2021 change to follow the Greenway.

That article was written prior to the 30 June reinstatement of the original route.

In order to eliminate any confusion, we confirm that the Heysen Trail again follows the route as shown on the Heysen Trail Mapsheet 5A & the Northern Guidebook Map 1.4.

That is also the route shown on the Heysen Trail GPX file 16/2/2021 v4.0 and the corresponding version of the Heysen Trail Interactive Map.

Vale Cliff Walsh

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Cliff – Change Agent

Cliff will not be well known to most Friends Members, however he played a pivotal role in the organisation’s resurgence in the early 2000s.

He realised the financial survival of the Friends depended on left over grant money that accrued interest, in the days when investments did that. And that was not very much. At that time, the Friends’ council dealt with the entire management process and Cliff thought that streamlining the various processes, using the committee structure, would benefit the organisation. Consequently, subcommittees of the Friends, i.e., Walking, Membership and Marketing, Financial and Trail Maintenance could focus on their tasks, improving efficiency. This, plus a dynamic council, could concentrate on increasing membership, revitalising the walking programme and generating yearly surpluses that could be churned back into the Trail though the Maintenance Committee. As a result, this lead to a massive increase in membership, doubling in 2 years, and to some extent, the End 2 End programme.

Apart from his association with the Friends, he was the economics professor at the University of South Australia, economics advisor to Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser, introducing him to Grange, amongst his various achievements. Our condolences to his family and friends.

Tributes

“Sharp, focused, and unstoppable. Great Council member, and always there when needed. Didn’t stop even when very ill. Formidable. Vale Cliff. Well remembered.”
Simon Cameron

“Great intellect – set the Friends on a path to create the large, successful organisation we have today. Vale Cliff.”
Robert Alcock

Constitution Review – Member Information Sessions

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Friends of Heysen – Constitution Review – Member Information Session

FOHT Council has decided to review our 35 year old Constitution to modernise and refresh it to meet our current needs. Council is undertaking consultation with committees and members to help build a framework for the next 35 years.

Why?

The Constitution outlines the rules for how the Friends manages the finances, policies and priorities for our activities: walks program, trail development, office and promotion.  Council members think it is a good opportunity to revitalise how we manage the Friends and encourage newer members to become more involved.

Interested members are invited to an information session that will outline key proposals, answer questions and obtain feedback from members.

Members will need to register via the Friends Walk/Event on-line system as numbers will be capped and usual COVID requirements apply.  A draft document will be available.

Council will consider any feedback and issues raised before seeking legal advice on the provisions and any formal process.

The current Constitution requires that proposed changes be presented at a special Meeting of Members or Annual General Meeting.

Keep fruit fly free on your walks !!

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Attention Heysen Trail Walkers.

Walkers need to be aware that due to the fruit fly problem in metropolitan Adelaide, there are severe penalties for moving potentially affected fruit from one region to another unaffected region.

Please check which region (green, orange or red) you live in, and act accordingly, after viewing the regulations on the SA Govt. fruit fly web site

Only take raw fruit in your lunch boxes if you bought it in a green zone.

For your information the advice from the Department is that:

  • We should check the prescribed list of excluded fruit and veges (includes such items as bananas, citrus, blue berries and apples) and not bring them if we are taking them from a red or orange zone. There are processes that can be instigated to render the banned fruits safe, including preparing them cooked, dried, grated, pureed and packaged/processed. Cut, sliced  or mashed F&V are still at risk for fruit fly and should be excluded from transporting with you.
  • We can purchase our requirements in the green zones.
  • To be doubly safe retain your itemised receipt from the point of purchase so that there is no doubt about the source of your food.

Heysen Trail closure near the Buckaringa Sanctuary, Thursday 3rd June to Tuesday 8th June 2021.

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The Buckaringa Sanctuary will be temporarily closed early in June. As the Heysen Trail passes close to the sanctuary, we advise walkers to consider the closure if planning to walk in the area.

The planned closure is:

  • Thursday evening 3rd June to Tuesday morning 8th June 2021.

 

The sanctuary is home to many Yellow-footed Rock-wallabies and is located between Quorn and Hawker. You can find it on map 6, chapter 4, of the Heysen Trail Northern Guidebook and on Sheet Map 7b – Dutchmans Stern Conservation Park to Mernmerna Creek.

The closure is because the Australian Wildlife Conservancy (AWC) will be undertaking feral animal control in the sanctuary.

AWC will place closure signs at all entry points to the sanctuary to warn walkers of the danger.

The Friends need help with Bookkeeping

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The Friends need help with Bookkeeping
The Friends are seeking a volunteer to join the bookkeeping team.

Job Description
– Manage the finances of the Association
– Maintain financial records – invoices, receipts, sales
sheets, and petty cash
– Pay accounts and manage the weekly banking
– Perform the weekly balance
– Liaise with Treasurer and Office staff

Skills Required:
– Have an understanding of general office procedures –
Use of various computer systems, including MYOB Account Right, Microsoft Excel and Word.
— Financial record keeping

Location and Times:
– The Friends office, Suite 203, Epworth Building,
33 Pirie Street, Adelaide
– Fridays – 10am to 2.30pm

For further information, contact the Office.

John and Margaret will happily answer your questions.