SUNDAY 3 April 2011 10am â 3pm
Tea Tree Gully Oval, Memorial Drive, Tea Tree Gully.
Opening day organised by the The Friends of the Heysen Trail in conjunction with Walking SA.
The Friends of the Heysen Trail are celebrating their 25th Anniversary.
Official Opening by the Mayor of Tea Tree Gully at 1pm
Displays and Stalls, BBQ, TTG Concert Band, Tea & Coffee.
Diarise the date on the calendar now.

The annual Australia Day BBQ for the Friendsâ
Wednesday 26th January 2011
Thorndon Park Reserve, Paradise â
Address: Just off Gorge Road on Hamilton Tce, Paradise, Gregory’s Map: 167 Ref: C3
9.45am â walk. 12 midday â BBQ see the walk programme for details

We had some fun, and most learnt new things, from climbing huge boulders, to shipwreck history, and John finally realising his huge fluro boy was better being released back to the wilds. Wonderful to see the profusion of wildflowers, incl orchids, and we did finally get to see a live koala. One kangaroo got a little too close, and went off with a bruised rump, the goannas stood their ground for the cameras, tho the echidna just wanted to run. From bleak windswept western cliffs, to a cosy waterfall amongst yakka valleys, to sandy Sahara, we walk and talked (well 2 never stopped), and lunched on the rocks at Australia’s most beautiful beach (Vivonne Bay). Robert failed in his attempt to better John’s swan dive into the water at Stokes Bay. Blue wrens thru the kitchen window, parrots, cockatoos and many others brought out Wendy’s birding binoculars. For the sweet of tooth, we finished off with a couple of honey ice-creams at the honey farm. A wonderful weekend we all had. How quickly they go. Thanks to; Hugh of Burra for leading us, on the bus and on the walks; to Kitchen Commander Mary, who ensured we never went hungry; and thanks to all the walkers who all pitched in to help out, from stacking the trailer, fire monitor Jenny baking us each evening, to helping fix Jack’s chocolate craving on Sat afternoon. It made it easy for everyone to relax and enjoy themselves, well most of us for most of the time. Congratulations to Judith who won the quiz – kms of bus travel on the weekend – 767km.

We ended the season with a beauty. With spring warmth the hills provided such variety. Great views of the Montacute valleys, we found (and felt) a couple too! Flora and fauna was also enjoying the spring warmth. Lyn was pleased the brown snake had warmed enough to clear the track, and her foot, in a millisecond. Cake and cordial – 3 young entrepreneurs set up a stall at Montacute, then at Cudlee Creek – no coffee yet the cakes so fresh and yummy, umm! Thanks go to Nick, Heather and Julian for sorting us out this season.

End 2 End 3 completed one of the hardest and most remote sections of the Heysen Trail, on the October long weekend. Aided by good weather and generally early starts, most managed to get through all the walks.

Saturday saw us at Dutchman’s Stern for the trek to Eyre Depot. Good creek walking, with some adventurous rock hopping, then out onto the flats leading north to Eyre Depot. One wrong rock hop too many and a badly twisted ankle brought the rescue vehicle into play.

Sunday and an even earlier start, began the Eyre Depot to Buckaringa Gorge walk, 26 kms of creek, hearty climb to Mt Arden then the ridge line to Buckaringa. Great creek line, Depot Creek, with a slippery climb around the waterfall, then the twists and turns that creeks in the area are prone to. The long hard climb to the top of Mt Arden to be rewarded by an ice block. Then followed the long and tiring ridge walk, however the views were to kill for, and a cool breeze at our backs. Finally all back to the buses at 6.30PM with a very late, but sumptuous meal in Port Augusta. No late night carousing for many.

Monday saw the catchup walk from Broadview to Woolshed Flat, previously washed out by flooding in Waukerie Creek. Another hard day with an arduous climb to MT Brown summit, rewarded with a great vista from the tower. Waukerie Creek seemed longer than usual, however the reward, a cold beer, soft drink or champers.

The bus people, I suspect, slept most of the way back to Adelaide.
Thanks to Barry and Jan Matthews who followed us diligently all weekend and Gavin and Bill the bus drivers who kept us safe on the roads.

End to End 4 enjoyed a wonderful sunny spring day â with orchids now emerging, along with many wildflowers. A long walk of 26km , (thru Cleland, Horsnells Gully, Norton Summit and Morialta Park – with a few fallen trees and significant undulations) caused some sore feet and tired legs. All walkers admired the views through the bush, over the city and the hills farms, with many being introduced to these areas for the first time.

South Australia, driest state, in the driest continent. Oh yeah!! E2E3 put paid to that old chestnut, On a weekend when 4 walkers had to be rescued from the Heysen Trail near Blinman, E2E3 endured what can only be describes as appalling conditions.

A revised programme, due to an impassable Waukerie Creek, meant the group walked from Dutchman’s Stern to Woolshed Flat on Saturday.

Rainjackets were the order of the day, and stayed on ALL day. If you didn’t have wet feet, you didn’t do the walk. Some woozes in the fast group had to have plunger coffee at the Old Willows Brewery Restaurant, for lunch, however were quickly chased back on track by their leaders.

On Sunday, an impassable road and Waukerie Creek running too high meant cancellation of the Broadview to Wooshed Flat walk. This allowed walkers who had missed part of Saturdays walk, due to the inclement weather and fading light, the opportunity to do a catch up. Others did the Dutchman’s Stern circuit, whilst some just slept in.