The Heysen Trail is now closed for the Fire Danger Season! Read more
The next series of the Friends 'End to End' walks along the Heysen Trail is scheduled to commence on Sunday May 18th 2025. Bookings are now open. Read more
 | 2010 Northern Guidebook, 2nd EditionOccassionally, due to weather or maintenance issues, it is necessary to realign sections of the Heysen Trail. Minor reroutes, necessitated by such things as sand blowouts in coastal areas, protection of native vegetation, erosion control, or requests from landholders, are also frequently carried out. Logging operations in forests can sometimes necessitate the rerouting of the Trail. These reroutes often have to be done at short notice, and it is important to follow these reroutes, as it is dangerous to walk in areas where logging operations are in progress. |
The Department for Environment and Water (DEW), publisher of the Heysen Trail guidebooks, have issued printing corrections to this edition.
Download 
PDF of the corrections.
The legend on the inside front cover flap contains an incorrect scale. Download the corrected legend
The trail markers have now been placed, the trail now follows the route as published in the guidebook.
Due to SA Water OHS demands there is a minor alteration around Freshwater Creek Weir – the trail no longer passes over the weir wall. The channel has recently been reinstated after many years out of service.
From May 2010 until April 2011. With the publication of this edition the trail is shown as being re-routed through the town of Spalding. This re-route has not yet been marked, it is expected to be done prior to the commencement of the 2011 walking season in April, 2011. Until such time, the trail is marked from near the rubbish dump, south of Borve Road, as continuing along the drainage channel to Freshwater Weir.
View pdf map showing re-route
A minor re-route north of the Bundaleer Tank Camp Site, the trail no longer crosses the weir, and remains on the eastern side of Never Never Creek.
View pdf map showing re-route
A new camp site has been constructed beside Bundaleer Creek. We anticipate water will be available for the 2013 hiking season.
The camp site features a shelter with water tank and bench, and a square bench/table.
This campsite is midway between the town of Spalding and the Curnows Hut & Campsite – 18.8km from Spalding and 13.5km from Curnows Hut.
More info in the accommodation forum at http://www.heysentrail.asn.au/forums/viewtopic.php?t=698&accom_id=698&name=Bundaleer%20Tank%20Campsite
This is a temporary re-route
View pdf map showing re-route
1. Following January 2013 Bundaleer Forest bushfire, Forestry SA advises that the Heysen Trail through the Forest remains closed until further notice due to danger of tree falls, logging and heavy vehicle traffic. Logging is expected to continue for several months. In the meantime, walkers may bypass the danger area by using Browns Track, from Gate BG1 on Neindorf Road (GR 710 159) to the Heysen western exit from the forest (GR 703 138). No other forest access is permitted. This re-route has now been marked with trail arrows (20 June 2013).
2. Walkers are also advised that when walking westward from Bundaleer Forest a new fence has been installed at GR 691 124, SE of the spring. Until a stile is erected, walkers should use the gate about 200m SE of the trail at approx GR 693 123 (towards the forest).
This is a temporary re-route
View pdf map showing re-route
A major re-route of the Heysen Trail is in place around Wirrabara Forest, the site of the January/February 2014 Bangor Bushfire.
The temporary 44km re-route replaces a 41km section of the Heysen Trail and affects the Northern Guidebook from Map 2.3 through to Map 2.8.
The re-route trail is marked, and takes the trail along roads through Laura. The re-route continues along the shared-use railtrail, and along backroads to rejoin the original trail alignment south of Murraytown.
Wirrabara Forest remains closed indefinitely to the public due to the risk of falling trees and to allow salvage harvest operations. Forest access is limited to eastern areas.
Beetaloo Tank Camp Site is still accessible. It has suffered some damage but is functional.
Download gpx file for loading onto your GPS unit.
View pdf map showing re-route
A new campsite has been constructed at Beetaloo Tank Camp Site, on the dirt track named Mills Road, adjacent to Beetaloo Creek. The campsite includes a small shelter with bench, primarily designed to collect rainwater. The campsite is midway between the Bowmans Hut and the Go-Cart Track campsite – 19.9km from Bowmans Hut and 20.2km from the Go-Cart Track campsite.
View pdf map showing re-route
Following the bushfire in Wirrabara Forest in early May 2012, the following info is an update on the Heysen Trail conditions through the area.
1) The main north-south Heysen Trail along the ridge and the Go-Cart Track is open.
2) The spur trail, along the Apricot Track, is temporarily closed due to fire damage. This spur track heads east down from the main Trail on the ridge. The trail is extensively damaged and will be re-marked by ARPA. Forestry SA will conduct a logging operation to remove burnt pine trees.
3) The spur trail beyond the Old Nursery to Ippinitchie Campground is no longer marked. The Old Nursery is now the trailhead for this spur. Both the YHA and Ippinitchie Campground facilities can be used by hikers, but are no longer on the marked trail.
Conditions have changed following January 2014 bushfire, please refer to the reroute notice: Trail Closure through Wirrabara Forest due to Bushfire Damage, February 2014
View pdf map showing re-route
This re-route takes the Heysen Trail off of the bitumen roadside and takes in along the vegetation corridor above the bitumen road.
The re-route begins where the dirt road Hancocks Lookout Road meets the bitumen Main North Road (which goes through Horrocks Pass), and ends at the Horrocks Memorial.
Download gpx file for loading onto your GPS unit.
An alternative route, originally established in 2005, has been improved to provide walkers who wish to avoid the steep rope climb at the waterfall between Eyre Depot and Mt Arden. Map to follow.
View pdf map showing re-route
The trail has been re-routed at the Willochra Creek crossing, avoiding the steep stairs.
View pdf map showing re-route
The trail has been re-routed at the northern end of the Yourambulla Range to avoid an area of aboriginal significance.
View pdf map showing re-route
The trail has been re-routed near Mernmerna Gap at Red Range.
Red Range campsite has been moved to a nearby location on the trail. Map and details to follow soon.
View pdf map showing re-route
Parachilna Gorge Hikers campsite
Established in July of 2013 by the Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources. This new water tank will avoid the problem of walkers having to rely on the water tank at the nearby Parachilna Gorge Trailhead (the tank there is readily accessible by vehicle so water supply is sometimes over-used.)
Approx 500 metres south of the Parachilna Gorge Trailhead. Grid reference 646 523.