Heysen Trail

The Friend’s Trail Maintenance Shed Open Day – Saturday November 25, 2017.

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Inside our Maintenance Shed at Cobbler Creek

Did you know the Friends of the Heysen Trail operates a Maintenance Shed at the Cobbler Creek Recreation Park?

Wondering what goes on behind the scenes of the Trail Development and Maintenance program?

Did you know we have a working partnership with the Work for the Dole scheme to produce toilets and platforms?

Come along to the Friend’s Shed Open Day

  • Find out more about the infrastructure and maintenance program.
  • Socialise with like-minded members, free BBQ and drinks on offer.

Details and how to register…

When       Saturday November 25 2017, 11.00am to 2.00pm.

Where    ‘The Shed’, Cobbler Creek Conservation Park, east of the intersection of Smith and Bridge Rds, Salisbury East.

All you need to bring is a chair and hat.  BBQ and drinks will be supplied

Register for the free event

We have work ready to do now:

By Christmas we will have 3 new toilets and 15 camping platforms ready to install at a range of locations along the trail.

  • Are you interested in helping with the installation project? You don’t need to be highly skilled, although some lifting work may be involved.
  • Would you like to be notified of future maintenance events ( i.e. weekday or weekend trail trips, our End to End Maintenance weekends and shed work days)? We have a range of work to be done including ‘lighter’ jobs such as pruning along the trail and painting huts.

Do you have home handy person/building skills?

Our Hut Maintenance Co-ordinator needs more assistance.

If you are a skilled home handyperson or tradesperson and are willing to participate in one or two maintenance trips per year with a small group, please put your name on the list below. Typical work includes carpentry, painting, roofing, plumbing, glazing and plastering.

If you can help in any of these areas, please let us know.

You can leave your name to enter your availability preferences and interests/skills and we will add you to our Maintenance Volunteers mailing list.

Join Mailing List

This is your chance to ‘give a bit back to the trail’.

Continuation of feral animal control affects tracks in the Ikara-Flinders Ranges National Park

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

A number of tracks within the Ikara-Flinders Ranges National Park, will remain closed each night over the next 12 months. The current feral animal control program has been extended, so walkers are advised to exercise caution in the area.

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.

The evening closures will continue through to Sunday, 30 September 2018.

Closure times

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

  • Saturday, 30 September to Thursday, 30 November 2017                   8.30pm to 5.00am
  • Thursday, 30 November 2017 to Wednesday 31 January 2018            9.00pm to 5.00am
  • Wednesday 31 January 2018   to Wednesday, 28 February 2018         8.30pm to 5.00am
  • Wednesday, 28 February 2018  to Monday, 30 April 2018                    8.00pm to 5.00am
  • Monday, 30 April 2018 to Tuesday, 31 July 2018                                     6.00pm to 5.00am
  • Tuesday, 31 July 2018 to Sunday, 30 September 2018                           6.30pm to 5.00am

Tracks and walking trails will remain open outside of these times.

The Heysen Trail will remain open at all times, 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.

The tracks that will be closed at night include –

  • 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

You can get further information on the feral animal control program and the nightly trail closures from the Natural Resources, SA Arid Lands website or by phoning the office on (08) 8648 5344 or 0428 116 035.

Buckaringa Sanctuary closure due to feral animal control, Friday 29th September to Monday 2nd October 2017

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Buckaringa Sanctuary, managed by the Australian Wildlife Conservancy

The Heysen Trail passes through Buckaringa Sanctuary

The Buckaringa Sanctuary will be temporarily closed at the end of this month. As the Heysen Trail passes through the sanctuary, walkers need to consider the closure if planning to walk in the area.

The next planned closure is:

  • Friday 29 September  to Monday 2 October 2017.

The closure is because the Australian Wildlife Conservancy (AWC) will be undertaking feral animal control in the sanctuary. The sanctuary is home to many Yellow-footed Rock-wallabies.

The sanctuary 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.

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

Heysen Trail reroute around Sampson Flat fireground removed.

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Heysen Trail near the Sampson Flat fireground

Heysen Trail route restored near Chain of Ponds and Kersbrook

The temporary reroute of the Heysen Trail due to the Sampson Flat fireground has finally been removed. The last section of the trail through the Mt Crawford Forest near Chain of Ponds and Kersbrook has now been restored.

The devastating fire in the January 2015 resulted in a substantial reroute of the trail. Following work by Forestry SA to clear areas of the forest, the trail has been progressively returned to the original route.

However, until this week the reroute included an extended road walk along South Para Rd near Chain of Ponds and Kersbrook.

The restoration of the trail also includes a small realignment at Chain of Ponds. The trail has been improved and re-routed where it crosses North East Road.

The minor reroute can be viewed:

 

Proposed Upgrade of South Coast Heysen Trail – Feedback Sought

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Feedback sought on Heysen Trail South Coast Proposed UpgradeA proposal is under consideration to upgrade the Heysen Trail on the southern Fluerieu Peninsula (67km / 5 days), which will encourage walkers to visit the area, in particular tourists from outside the region.

Feedback is being sought from the public, walkers and potential tourism and adventure operators. The survey will take approx 10 minuntes to complete, or 22 minutes if reading the additional supporting proposal.

About the Upgrade Proposal

Various combinations of walk options will allow for day walkers, 1-2 day walkers, 5-day walkers and a 1-day Accessible trail, with walkers camping on the trail or staying in accommodation nearby. Tourism operators will be able to offer transport services, either daily or the start and end of multi-day walks.

At the core of the product will be a through walk commencing from Cape Jervis and providing access to four exclusive camping sites at Eagle Waterhole, Tapanappa, Balquhidder and Newland Head. These sites will include camping platforms, shelter, toilets and water tanks. Through walkers can tailor their walk, exiting the trail after any of the day walk stages. Tourism operators will add value through the provision of transport, accommodation and other services to day and multi-day walkers.

To provide a ‘softer’ recreational experience for day visitors to the region, or those passing through on their way to Kangaroo Island, and perhaps to encourage new walkers to the region and park, it is proposed that an extensive re-development of the Heysen Trail between Cape Jervis and Fishery Beach (4km one-way, 8km return) will be undertaken to provide a Class 1 trail with boardwalk, viewing platforms and interpretation that will provide an Accessible trail for prams and those with mobility aids including wheelchairs. A boardwalk will be constructed with viewing platforms at points of significant interest in association with appropriate interpretation.

An extension of this upgraded trail onwards to Blowhole Beach (11km walk from Cape Jervis) as a Class 2 trail which will cater for all-terrain wheelchairs, which will be available for hire from the Sealink terminal for visitors with significant physical disabilities. This section will again be suitable for recreational walkers as a two-way linear walk from Cape Jervis or a one way walk with a pick up at the Cobbler Hill camp ground, which will be upgraded to allow cars and buses to park safety.

The proposal is an initiative of the Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources (DEWNR) and the District Council of Yankalilla, and supports tourism and nature based recreation in regional South Australia.

Provide feedback about this proposal at deepcreek.questionpro.com.

Response from the Friends of the Heysen Trail about the Proposed Bundaleer and Wirrabara Greenways

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Southern Flinders Ranges from New Campbell HillThe ownership and management of the Bundaleer and Wirrabara Forests may soon change, following the Mid North Forests Future Strategy which commenced after the devastating bushfires of 2013 and 2014.

The State Government is proposing to use the Recreational Greenways Act 2000 to protect the Heysen and Mawson Trail networks for recreational access in perpetuity for use by walkers and/or cyclists. This will create a greenway over sections of the Heysen and Mawson Trails within Wirrabara and Bundaleer Forests that are proposed to be sold to private parties.

We have some concerns with regard to the proposed changes, which we have outlined in our submission below. Our main concerns relate to the proposed change to the route in Bundaleer that removes the section walked from Curnow’s Hut to New Campbell Hill and consequently removes the extensive views across the Spencer Gulf as well as extending the distance.

Submit your feedback via yoursay.sa.gov.au/greenways by COB Monday 12 June 2017.

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Our first End to End Maintenance program weekend

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The Friends new End to End Maintenance program commenced on the Mother’s Day weekend with a two day camp based at Cape Jervis.  Twelve volunteers plus the section leader Albert Schmidke and his colleague, Richard Triggs worked on the Trail between Cape Jervis and Tapanappa in Deep Creek Conservation Park.

The weather was perfect for maintenance work although the chill breeze later in the afternoon was piercing.  As a result we had two full days of hard work maintaining the trail.  There was plenty of pruning, plating and posting – large amounts of undergrowth needed to be cut back, many old plates had faded and needed to be replaced and several new marker posts were erected to help walkers on their way.

As a result, the first two sections on the trail are in good order and ready for the onslaught from End to End 12 this coming weekend.

Working through two End to End sections in the one weekend proved to be a considerable challenge.  While the team coped very well and the majority of the planned maintenance work was completed, some sections were a little light on as far as pruning is concerned.

The team celebrated on the Saturday night with a very pleasant dinner in the Cape Jervis Tavern.  Seven local guests attended the dinner in an effort to build relationships with local communities.  Their responses were very positive which suggests that this initiative may assist us to enhance the reputation of the Trail and generate positive local interest.

Overall the feedback from all of the volunteers and our dinner guests has been very positive. We have received several constructive suggestions about how we can improve arrangements for our maintenance next camp to be held on June 17 and 18..

For that trip we will be moving along the trail from Tapanappa to Waitpinga. If you are interested in joining the maintenance group for that weekend, you can check the details and register via the Walk Calendar on our website.

For more information on the End to End Maintenance can be found in this bulletin

More trees on the Heysen Trail – thank you to our volunteers.

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Thank you to the many volunteers who have helped plant trees on the Heysen Trail. The efforts of the Greening Committee and volunteers since 2013 are visible in a number of locations along the trail.

As an example of their work, the trees planted at Worlds End a few years ago can now actually be seen along the road at Duttons Trough (south of Burra).

Most of the trees are still only about knee high but they are starting to stand out from the other roadside vegetation.  The best of the trees is scarcely large enough to hide behind (although the photo shows Neil is having a good try!). It has almost doubled in size over the last twelve months.

Our tallest tree, the Worlds End Wonder, is 1.75m and has shot up recently.

The good rains we’ve had over the last 12 months have helped, but the trees have also benefited from special care and supplemental watering provided by the Greening Committee.

In addition to Duttons Trough, the Greening Committee has also managed plantings at Centennial Drive in the Mount Crawford Forest, Hiskeys Hut and along the Bundaleer Channel reserve south of  Spalding.

This year we are planting at Lights Pass on the Lavender Federation Trail.

Thanks again to the Greening volunteers and End to End walkers who have helped. Your efforts will be appreciated by walkers in the years ahead.

 

Registrations have opened for the first End to End Maintenance Weekend

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Registrations have opened for the first Heysen Trail End to End Maintenance (E2EM) week-end to be held at Cape Jervis on 13th & 14th May.

If you are interested in helping out on the trail, you can register on the Friends website in the same way as you would for a walk.

We appreciate the contribution you will be making to maintaining the trail, so registration is free.

You may have already seen the earlier news item on End to End Maintenance weekends. If not, check it out now to find out more about the program.

There will be more End to End Maintenance week-ends throughout the walking season. These are now listed on the walks program on the website.

If you want any more information on the weekends, please contact the Office.

End-to-End Maintenance Weekends

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Commencing in 2017 we will be rolling out a new maintenance program for the Heysen Trail aimed at:

  • Maintaining the Heysen Trail at a consistent, high standard;
  • Assisting section leaders with their maintenance responsibilities;
  • Developing our relationships with landholders and others along the trail;
  • Providing FOHT walkers with a different rural weekend experience.

The Concept

  • A specific schedule of weekend trips each month of the walking season;
  • Involving small groups of up to 10 volunteers per weekend.
  • Provides a maintenance program for the whole trail over a five year cycle;
  • Focus on trail basics – signage, stiles, obstacles (eg rocks, fallen trees);

Individual Requirements

  • Basic handyperson skills are desirable, not essential (training can be provided);
  • A good level of physical fitness and willingness to participate.

Participation

  • Aim to share the load between a larger group of volunteers so that individuals (particularly leaders) would attend just one or two weekends per year;
  • Section leader involvement is keenly sought;
  • Accommodation allowance and Saturday night meal will be provided by FOHT

What next

Early in the New Year, you will be able to view maintenance walks program in our Walks Calendar under the new walk grade End-to-End Maintenance.

If you would like to be involved, or have an interest, please contact the Heysen Trail office.