Year: 2024

HEYSEN TRAIL – NORTHERN TRAILHEAD REJUVENATION

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CELEBRATE HEYSEN TRAIL – NORTHERN TRAILHEAD REJUVENATION

Monday 2 September, 2pm; Parachilna Gorge Road, near Blinman

Friends of Heysen Trail members & supporters are invited to help celebrate completion of the Northern Trailhead Rejuvenation Project.

It’s very exciting to see The Friends’ bold vision become reality, especially as it is the biggest project our volunteers have ever initiated and funded.

The tired old stile and fencing are gone; deteriorating platforms are replaced by stone yarning circles and a vibrant archway with stone steps herald the start or finish point.  Landscaping and clear parking bays transform the surrounds.

The celebration will officially open the Trailhead and unveil new signage and a plaque acknowledging the incredible support and donations that helped make this a reality.

Members please register your attendance via The Friends of Heysen Trail website walks & event program to help with catering. (Click here)

Heysen Trail closure – Northern Adelaide Hills – June 17th-30th 2024.

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An aerial pest animal control program will mean the closure of sections of the Heysen Trail in the Mount Lofty Ranges from Monday 17th June to Sunday 30th June, 2024. The program will include forestry reserves, reservoir reserves, conservation parks and private properties, over native scrub, plantations, and farmland in the areas around Millbrook Reservoir, Para Wirra, Mount Crawford Forest and Kaiserstuhl.

The Heysen Trail and Heysen huts will be closed from Pewsey Vale/Kaiserstuhl in the north (GR 170 727 on Mapsheet 2D, Southern Guide Map 4.3) , south to Scotts and as far south as Millbrook (GR 014 442 on Mapsheet 2C, Southern Guide Map 3.7).

This represents the southern part of section 18, the whole of sections 17 through 16 and the northern portion of section 15.

For further information contact Theo Goldsworthy of PIRSA at Theo.Goldsworthy-Hess@sa.gov.au or phone 0461 284 454.

You can find further information on the Forestry SA page.

Heysen Trail closure – Mid North – May 28th-June 2nd 2024.

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Caroona Creek Conservation Park :   www.visitburra.com

An aerial pest control program will mean the Caroona Creek Conservation Park (Including Caroona Creek Campground), Mimbara Conservation Park and Hopkins Creek Conservation Park will be closed from 6.00 pm Tuesday 28th May to 6.00 pm on Sunday 2nd June, 2024. The closure will also extend to surrounding private land.

The Heysen Trail from Gerkie Gap (GR 113 250 on Mapsheet 3C, Southern Guide Map 5.5) all the way to Dares Hill Summit Road (GR 188 017 on Mapsheet 4B, Southern Guide Map 6.6.) will therefore be closed
This represents the whole of sections 23 through 28 of the trail.

If you have any enquiries about the Park Closure  please contact the National Parks & Wildlife Service, Yorke & Mid North on (08) 8841 3400.

You can find further information on the Parks SA Alerts page.

Heysen Trail governance review consultation

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A  new governance model for the Heysen Trail

The Heysen Trail is managed by a partnership comprising the Department of Environment and Water, the Friends of the Heysen Trail, ForestrySA, and SAWater.

As foreshadowed by the Heysen Trail 5 Year Plan, work has started to develop a best-practice governance model to give the Heysen Trail a continuing and successful future.

If you are a landowner or other stakeholder along the Trail please read this flier about consultation that will take place in the near future. We would love to have your input.

Neil Hendry,
President,
Friends of the Heysen Trail

BIG BOLD NORTHERN TRAILHEAD

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The current trailhead

The proposed trailhead

Change is coming to the Heysen Northern Trailhead!

Work will commence in early May.

The Friends of Heysen Trail initiated a rejuvenation of the now tired Trailhead that’s helped hikers cross the line for more than 30 years.

The new design will enhance the sense of starting or completing the 1200km adventure.
Read the full article in the latest Trailwalker. (Click here.)

This benefits everyone, whether you are new to the Trail or a long-term hiker & supporter.
Anyone who has or will enjoy the Trail is encouraged to donate to this exciting project. (Click here.)

Heysen Trail re-opens with end of Fire Danger Season

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The entire length of the Heysen Trail has now re-opened following the conclusion of the Fire Danger Season in the Mount Lofty Ranges and Mid North Fire Ban Districts.

The northern half of the trail, from Wirrabara, reopened on April 15 following the conclusion of the Fire Ban Season in the Flinders Ranges Fire Ban District.

The entire length will remain open until November 2024 when the Fire Danger Season is expected to begin.

View more information about how the Fire Danger Season affects the Heysen Trail.

View the CFS media release confirming the conclusion of the Fire Danger Season.

Heysen Trail GPX files update for GPS: version 4.7 issued 6/2/2024

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Latest update to the Heysen Trail gpx and Interactive Map

With the opening of the walk season approaching, we have updated the Heysen Trail gpx file to include all re-routes since the last version of the consolidated gpx file was released in August 2023.

The reroutes have been added to the downloadable GPX file (version 4.7 released 6/2/2024) and the Interactive Map as displayed on Friends of the Heysen Trail website.

You can find instructions for downloading the updated file onto your GPS unit on the Maps & GPS page.

The reroutes have had a very minor impact on the Heysen Trail Distances.

Please note the the revised gpx file does not include temporary reroutes such as :

  • Those frequently established around Forestry SA logging operations in the Kuitpo and Mt Crawford Forest reserves (Mapsheets 1D, 2A & 2D)
  • The Maryvale reroute, south of Hamilton (Mapsheet 3B)
  • The Goyder Windfarm reroute, east of Huppatz Hut (Mapsheet 3D

Cessation of our re-route and trail closure email subscription service

Due to a major cost increase imposed on us by a third party supplier, we have been forced to review the manner in which we advise members and walkers of changes to the trail closure periods and updates to the website gpx files.

We have now suspended the issue of notifications to subscribers by email. We are examining alternative arrangements as part of our website review project. As an interim measure we will advise you of trail changes using our  website banner alert/messaging system.

If you are not already aware, the banners appear at the top of every page of our website. As an example there is currently a banner in place to advise walkers of the closure of the trail over the Fire Danger Season. The headline notice includes a link to a website news item which provides further information.

Improvements to the Walk Selector pages

Walkers are advised to that following recent improvements to our website,  the Heysen Trail Walk Selector pages now include:

  • Re-routes – all current re-routes (permanent and temporary) are listed for each of the 61 ‘day walk’ sections from Cape Jervis to Parachilna.
    Before before setting out on any walk, you should check the relevant Walk Selector page to make sure you are aware of any recent trail changes.
  • Vehicle access to End to End points – there are a limited number of ‘End to End’ start and finishing points that do not have close access to a public road.
    In those cases, the Walk Selector pages now include an advisory note to independent/through walkers wishing to get vehicle access to End to End points.

Bookings for the next ‘End to End’ walk from Cape Jervis open at 7.00am on Monday 25th March 2024

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Feedback sought on Heysen Trail South Coast Proposed Upgrade

The next series of the Friends ‘End to End’ walks along the Heysen Trail is scheduled to commence from Cape Jervis on Sunday May 26th  2024.

Registrations can be made from 7.00am sharp on Monday March 25th 2024.

You can find out more information about the walk by reading the description in our walk calendar.

The End to End walk program section of our website provides further information about the ‘E2E’ program.

Registration is open to members of the Friends, so to save time, make sure you have created a membership account before registrations open. You will need to log into your account to register. You can then navigate to the walk page via the walks calendar.