Year: 2022

The Heysen Trail is currently closed due to the Fire Danger Season

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Most of the Heysen Trail is currently closed due to the Fire Danger Season, however sections through parks, reserves and road reserves remain open. The Wild South Coast Way on the Heysen Trail between Cape Jervis and Victor Harbor remains open, but is closed on days of Catastrophic fire danger. The rest of the Heysen Trail will reopen at the end of the Fire Danger Season, between 15 and 30 April 2023.

The Fire Ban Season dates for 2022/2023 are:

  • between Cape Jervis and Tanunda in the Barossa Valley: The Fire Danger Season in the Mt Lofty Ranges will commence on 1 December 2022 and end on 30 April 2023. The Wild South Coast Way on the Heysen Trail between Cape Jervis and Victor Harbor remains open, but is closed on days of Catastrophic fire danger.
  • between Tanunda in the Barossa Valley and Wirrabara Forest: The Fire Danger Season in the Mid North will commence on 15 November 2022 and end on April 30th 2023.
  • between Wirrabara Forest and Parachilna in the Flinders Ranges: The Fire Danger Season in the Flinders ends on April 15th 2023.

Fire Danger Season closes some sections of the Heysen Trail north of Tanunda

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Fire Danger Season has closed sections of the trail in the Mid North fire danger district

In the 2022/23 Fire Danger Season news item issued earlier, we advised walkers that restrictions would commence in the Flinders fire danger district on Nov 1 and in the Mid North district on Nov 15.
This means that some sections of the Heysen Trail north of Tanunda are now closed.

Over the fire danger season, the Heysen Trail is closed in the sections that traverse private property. However, apart from broadcast fire ban days, you can still access some sections of the trail. Those sections include national parks, conservation parks, forest reserves and public roads.

We recommend that you check more detailed information about those sections on our Fire Danger Season page.

 

 

 

Fire Danger Season closes some Flinders sections of the Heysen Trail

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Fire Danger Season has closed sections of the trail in the Flinders fire danger district

In the 2022/23 Fire Danger Season news item issued earlier this week, we advised walkers that fire restrictions have commenced in the Flinders fire danger district.
This includes sections of the Heysen Trail north of Wirrabara.

Over the fire danger season, the Heysen Trail is closed in the sections that traverse private property. However, apart from broadcast fire ban days, you can still access some sections of the trail. Those sections include national parks, conservation parks, forest reserves and public roads.

We recommend that you check more detailed information about those sections on our Fire Danger Season page.

Animal control programs are also planned soon for reserves in the Flinders district

In addition to these closures, we have been advised of a number of feral animal control programs commencing this weekend that may also affect walkers in this district.

The Mount Brown & Dutchman Stern Conservation Parks

During the Fire Danger Season, walkers are still able to walk the Heysen Trail through conservation parks, provided  it is not a broadcast fire ban day.
However, both the Dutchman Stern & Mount Brown Conservation Parks will be closed for pub­lic safe­ty while a pest con­trol pro­gram is car­ried out from 6am on Saturday November 5th to 2pm on Friday November 11th 2022.

Mount Brown Conservation Park is just south of Quorn. You can find it on Heysen Trail Mapsheets 6C and Northern Guidebook Maps 3.7 & 3.8. There is further information about this park closure on the Parks Closure & Alerts page.

Dutchman Stern Conservation Park is just north of Quorn. You can find it on Heysen Trail Mapsheets 6D & 7A and Northern Guidebook Maps 4.1 & 4.2. There is further information about this park closure on the Parks Closure & Alerts page

 

 

Buckaringa Sanctuary

Buckaringa Sanctuary will be closed from the evening of Friday November 4th to the morning of Wednesday November 9th 2022.
Australian Wildlife Conservancy, the managers of Buckaringa, will also be conducting feral animal control works.

Buckaringa Sanctuary can be located on Heysen Trail Mapsheets 6D & 7A and Northern Guidebook Maps 4.6 & 4.7.

As Buckaringa is on private property, the Heysen Trail through the sanctuary is closed at this time of the year as a matter of course.  We are providing this notice as an additional warning to walkers.

 

 

 

New Heysen Trail Map 1, including the Wild South Coast Way.

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Release of the new Heysen Trail Map 1, incorporating the Wild South Coast Way

The Friends have taken delivery of the revised version of the Heysen Trail map sheet 1.  The newly released Edition 2 map covers the Cape Jervis to Kuitpo section of the trail. It incorporates the Wild South Coast Way on the Heysen Trail – the 74 km long series of spectacular walks between Cape Jervis & Victor Harbor.

You can purchase the new map sheet now via our online store, for $15 with postage from $3.70.

The map shows several spur and loop trails associated with the Wild South Coast Way, the new ‘walk-in’ campsites and other facilities erected on the trail. It also has information about when you can walk the Wild South Coast Way – it is open year round except on days of Cat­a­stroph­ic fire danger.

Remember, you can sign up to receive re-route notifications for your map sheet editions. All map sheets published since 2014 are available for notification.

The Friends map and book clearance sale continues

Meanwhile the Friends map and book clearance sale continues. We are running low on stock of most of our ‘to be discontinued lines’.

We’ve sold our last copy of Warren Bonython’s classic, ‘Walking the Flinders Ranges’. However, we have been advised that the Royal Geographical Society have a few remaining copies. If you missed out on reading the story that led to the creation of the Heysen Trail, you can purchase the book from the RGSSA .

Animal control program on the Fleurieu Peninsula, 19-30 September 2022

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Map of the Wild South Coast Way, the Heysen Trail along the southern coastline of the Fleurieu Peninsula

Warning to walkers on the Wild South Coast Way on the Heysen Trail.

There will be an extensive aerial cull of feral deer on the Fleurieu Peninsula by PIRSA and other organisations, with the support of local landholders, between 19 and 30 of September 2022.

Walkers may be affected if in the region of  Boat Harbour Beach, Tunkalilla Beach and the trail to Ballaparudda Creek campground.

The cull will use helicopters carrying thermal technology to detect deer, allowing them to be culled even in dense scrub. Flights will be on week days and weekends, mainly around dawn and dusk, when thermal cameras can detect targets most easily.

The Wild South Coast Way will remain open to walkers during the operation

No shoot and low flying buffers will be put in place around the Wild South Coast Way (Heysen Trail) and Bullaparudda campground, as well as public roads and infrastructure.

There is no risk to people or livestock, but if you are in affected areas you may hear low flying helicopters and the sound of gun shots in the distance.

You can find out more information about the operation on the Parks Closure and Alerts page.

Bio Security alert – Be aware of the potential dangers of Foot & Mouth Disease

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With the increasing risk of Foot and Mouth Disease (F&MD) being introduced to Australia, it is essential that walkers take precautions to combat the potential spread of FM&D and other soil borne diseases.

As the Heysen Trail (and many other walking trails) traverse private properties, it is important that we respect and protect the agricultural activities that are conducted by landholders.

What we can do to stop the spread

Therefore walkers are asked to clean your footwear, clothing and equipment, including walking poles, so they are free from mud, animal manure and mucus.

  1. Use a stiff brush to clean boots & poles to remove dirt and seeds,
  2. Wash the equipment in water to remove any remaining contaminants,
  3. If possible, immerse your boots in a foot bath
  4. If a foot bath is not available, use a spray bottle with any of the following cleaning agents:
    • soap,
    • detergent,
    • bleach,
    • vinegar,
    • citric acid,
    • percarbonate.

Find out more about Foot and Mouth Disease (F&MD).

Heysen Trail closure through the Buckaringa Sanctuary, Friday 26th to Monday 29th August 2022.

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The Buckaringa Sanctuary will be temporarily closed for 3 days in late August 2022. As the Heysen Trail passes through the sanctuary, we advise walkers to consider the closure if planning to walk in the area.

The closure will commence on the evening of Friday 26th August and continue until the morning of  Monday 29th August 2022.

 

 

The Buckaringa Wildlife 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 Heysen Trail enters the southern boundary of the sanctuary at grid reference 195 440. The northern section on the trail exits the sanctuary at 257 490.

The closure affects the trail in the following walk sections:

51 Warren Gorge to Buckaringa Gorge

52 Buckaringa Gorge to Callabrinda 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.

Heysen Trail closure through the Buckaringa Sanctuary, Friday 1st July to Wednesday 6th July 2022.

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The Buckaringa Sanctuary will be temporarily closed for 5 days in early July 2022. As the Heysen Trail passes through the sanctuary, we advise walkers to consider the closure if planning to walk in the area.

The closure was originally planned for early June. Due to a number of factors the new dates for the closure are :

  • Commencing at 5pm on the evening of  Friday 1st July through to 8am on Wednesday 6th July 2022.

 

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 affects the trail in the following walk sections:

51 Warren Gorge to Buckaringa Gorge

52 Buckaringa Gorge to Callabrinda 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.

Heysen Trail GPX files update for GPS: 13 re-routes and corrections

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A collection of re-routes and corrections of the trail path in the downloadable GPX file and Interactive Map.

These re-routes have also had a minor +3km impact on the Heysen Trail Distances.

The following re-routes, updates and corrections have been added::

  1. Mapsheet 2B – minor correction of display of trail route around Morialta Barns
  2. Mapsheet 2D – reroute of trail along Tower Rd/Ross Fire Track to take the trail off Wirra Wirra Rd
  3. Mapsheet 3A – minor correction of display of trail route to show it following Roennfeldt Rd near Sturt Highway
  4. Mapsheet 3B – minor, display Marrabel ‘Walk-in’ site on download files
  5. Mapsheet 4A – show reroute of trail through the southern part of Caroona Creek Conservation Park, and more accurate alignment in the northern part of the Conservation Park
  6. Mapsheet 5A – minor, display Bundaleer Sports ground campsite on download files
  7. Mapsheet 5B – show reroute of trail through main street of Crystal Brook
  8. Mapsheet 5B – show reroute of trail north of Bowman Park
  9. Mapsheet 6A – show reroute of trail in Wirrabara forest approaching Block 9 Road
  10. Mapsheet 6A – minor, display White Park Tank on download files. This tank will be installed in June 2022.
  11. Mapsheet 6B – minor realignment of route along the Pine Track
  12. Mapsheet 6C – minor correction of display of trail route approaching Horrocks Pass, and more accurate alignment along the pass.
  13. Mapsheet 6D – include alternate Heysen Trail route of the The Dutchmans Stern Hike.

The Friends Office to reopen on Tuesday 1st February, 2022 – but operations limited due to COVID.

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Office Volunteers Information Day cancelled due to concerns over COVID

After a break over Christmas, our Office Volunteers were to attend our annual Volunteer’s Information Day on Monday.

However due to the current COVID outbreak we have cancelled the meeting.

The Office will re-open for restricted operations – but will remain closed to visitors

As of Tuesday we will have a limited number of volunteers in attendance at the Office.
As a further precaution against the spread of COVID, the Office will not be open to visitors or customers.

Our volunteers will be available from 10.30am to 2.30pm to undertake the following administrative tasks:

  • Attend to emails and phone calls,
  • Process On-line shop orders, Membership enquiries and renewals,
  • Answer questions about walking the Heysen Trail,
  • Walk registrations can be made using our online walk calendar but you can also contact the Office if you need assistance.

Full contact details can be found on our website at heysentrail.asn.au/contact

As there will be a limited number of volunteers in attendance and we already have to deal with correspondence received over the break, please be patient if there is a delay in responding to your enquiry.

Access to the Trail over the Fire Danger period

We remind walkers that many sections of the Heysen Trail remain closed over summer and through April. You can find more information about the closures on our Fire Danger Season page.

We will be monitoring advice from SA Health as the situation develops

We trust you will understand the precautions we are taking in the interest of safeguarding the health of our volunteers and their families.

We intend to reopen the Office for ‘drop-in customer’ service as soon as it is considered safe to do so.