Trail Status (Open/Close)

2023-24 Fire Danger Season closes the Heysen Trail early.

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The Country Fire Service has announced the early commencement of 2023-24 Fire Danger Season across all sections of the Heysen Trail.

The SA Country Fire Service (CFS) has declared the Fire Danger Season ha started early in the Flinders, Mid North district and in the Mount Lofty district.

The Heysen Trail are closed during the Fire Danger Season: as the trail passes through several fire ban districts, please adhere to dates for the following districts:

Flinders district Fire Danger Season  is 16 October 2023 to 15 April 2024.

The Flinders District covers the Trail north of Wirrabara (near Laura) to Parachilna Gorge.

Mid North Fire Danger Season is 1 November 2023 to 30 April 2024.

The Mid North District includes the Trail between north of Tanunda  and south of Wirrabara.

Mount Lofty Fire Ban Season is 15 November 2023 to 30 April 2024.

This region covers the southern section of the trail from Cape Jervis through to Tanunda.

Heysen Trail Closures do not apply to the following:

The Wild South Coast Way on the Heysen Trail (between Cape Jervis and Victor Harbor) is open all year round, except on days of catastrophic fire danger. Walking Trails in National/Conservation Parks, Forestry SA forests and SA Water Reservoirs are also open all year round.

Walkers are responsible for checking walking trail advice as these areas may be closed locally on days of Catastrophic or Total Fire Bans, for prescribed burns or forest.

Details of the Fire Ban Districts can be found  Interactive Map on the Friends website.

Final announcement of the 2023-24 Fire Danger Season dates affecting the Heysen Trail.

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The Country Fire Service has announced the early commencement of 2023-24 Fire Danger Season across all sections of the Heysen Trail.

The SA Country Fire Service (CFS) has declared the Fire Danger Season has started early in the Flinders  and Mid North district and will start early in the Mount Lofty district.

Many sections of the Heysen Trail are closed during the Fire Danger Season. As the trail passes through several fire ban districts, please note the dates for the following districts:

Flinders district Fire Danger Season commenced on October 16, 2023

The Flinders District covers the Heysen Trail north of Wirrabara (near Laura).  Many sections of the trail in this region will be closed until April 15, 2024.

Mid North Fire Danger Season commenced on November 1, 2023.

The Mid North District includes the trail between north of Tanunda  and south of Wirrabara. Affected sections of the Heysen Trail between these locations are now closed until

Mount Lofty Fire Ban Season to start on November 15, 2023.

This region covers the southern section of the trail from Cape Jervis through to Tanunda. The closure of affect sections of the trail in that district will commence on November 15 through to April 30, 2024.

Some other sections of the trail remain open over the Fire Danger Season

During the declared fire danger season some sections of the Heysen Trail remain open to walkers. They are principally the sections of the trail that are not on private land. These include public roads, Conservation Parks and Reserves, Forests and vacant land.

Please note that Conservation Parks and Reserves and Forests are closed on days of Total Fire Ban. The CFS publishes these bans, as does the Bureau of Meteorology. In addition, the media also broadcast weather reports including fire ban information.

Although located in the Mt Lofty district, the Wild South Coast Way on the Heysen Trail between Cape Jervis and Victor Harbor will remain open during the Fire Danger Season. However it will be closed on days of Catastrophic fire danger.

If you want to walk on the trail, check which Fire District you will be in. The Fire Districts and closure dates are listed on the Fire Danger Season page of the Friends website.

We strongly advise you to respect the rights of landholders. Please restrict any activity which may increase the risk of fire in this period.

Details of the Fire Ban Districts can be found  Interactive Map on the Friends website.

Closure of Southern Flinders Ranges Parks – November 4th to 10th 2023

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Walkers are advised that the following parks in the Southern Flinders Ranges will be temporarily closed while pest control programs are undertaken:

  • Mt Brown Conservation Park and
  • Dutchmans Stern Conservation Park

The closures will operate from 6.00am Saturday, 4th November 2023 until 2.00pm Friday, 10th November 2023.

The parks are shown on Heysen Trail Map sheets 6C and 6D.

For more information about these pest control programs or park closures, contact the National Parks and Wildlife Service on (08) 8841 3400. You can also view a full list of park closures and alerts on the Parks SA Alerts page.

Note: Many sections of the Heysen Trail are closed over the Fire Danger Season. The Country Fire Service has already announced the early commencement of the Fire Danger Season for the Flinders and Mid North regions.

However, walkers can still use some sections of the trail – the sections that are not on private land.
Those sections include National Parks, Conservation Parks and Reserves, forests and public roads, provided access to these areas isn’t closed and it is not a Declared Total Fire Ban day.

Some sections of the Heysen Trail to close early due to changes to the Fire Danger Season.

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Earlier start to the 2023-2024 Fire Danger Season restricts access to the Heysen Trail between Tanunda and Parachilna.

The SA Country Fire Service (CFS) has declared the Fire Danger Season will start early in the Flinders and Mid North districts.

Many sections of the Heysen Trail are closed during the Fire Danger Season. As the trail passes through several fire ban districts, the trail closures will now commence progressively from Monday October 16, 2023.

A drier winter and increased temperatures for spring have brought the fire season forward in these areas.

This means that access to many sections of the Heysen Trail north of Tanunda will be closed to walkers earlier than expected.

At this stage there has been no announcement for the Mt Lofty District so the trail south of Tanunda remains open for the present. However you should check the CFS website for any further announcements.

Flinders District Fire Danger Season commenced on October 16, 2023.

The Flinders District covers the Heysen Trail north of Wirrabara (near Laura).  The trail in this section includes Melrose, Wilmington, Quorn, Hawker, Wilpena Pound, the Ikara-Flinders Ranges National Park through to the northern end of the trail at Parachilna Gorge.

Many sections of the trail in this region will now be closed between October 16, 2023 and April 15, 2024.

Mid North District Fire Ban Season to start on November 1, 2023.

The Mid North District includes the trail between north of Tanunda  and south of Wirrabara. Affected sections of the Heysen Trail between these locations will close on November 1, 2023 and reopen on April 30, 2024.

Some sections of the trail remain open over the Fire Danger Season

During the declared fire danger season some sections of the Heysen Trail remain open to walkers. They are principally the sections of the trail that are not on private land. These include public roads, Conservation Parks and Reserves, Forests and vacant land.

The Wild South Coast Way on the Heysen Trail between Cape Jervis and Victor Harbor will remain open during the Fire Danger Season for the Mt Lofty Ranges region, but will be closed on days of Catastrophic fire danger.

Please note that Conservation Parks and Reserves and Forests are closed on days of Total Fire Ban. The CFS publishes these bans, as does the Bureau of Meteorology. In addition, the media also broadcast weather reports including fire ban information.

If you want to walk on the trail, check which Fire District you will be in. The Fire Districts and closure dates are listed on the Fire Danger Season page of the Friends website.

We strongly advise you to respect the rights of landholders. Please restrict any activity which may increase the risk of fire in this period.

Details of the Fire Ban Districts can be found  Interactive Map on the Friends website.

Heysen Trail through the Buckaringa Sanctuary Closed Wed 4th to Tues 10th October

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The Buckaringa Sanctuary will be temporarily closed for a few days in October 2023. 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 Wednesday 4th October and continue until the morning of  Tuesday 10th October 2023.

 

 

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.

Feral animal control program affects Heysen Trail at Jupiter Creek – June 19th to 23rd.

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Temporary exclusion area at Jupiter Creek

Landscape SA (previously NRM) and SA Water  has issued a temporary trail re-route notification for a section of the Heysen Trail at Jupiter Creek.

The trail re-route will occur for the week of Monday, June 19th to Friday, June 23rd.

The re-route is in place to allow an aerial operation to control deer and goats in the Mount Bold Reservoir Reserve

During the operation publicly accessible areas of the Mount Bold Reservoir Reserve will be closed to the public. The adjoining ForestrySA Jupiter Creek and McIntyres forest reserves will also be closed to the public.

Temporary trail re-route

A temporary re-route will be in place during the operation, so walkers are not greatly inconvenienced. Signs will be in place to direct walkers onto nearby public roads.

The map of the temporary re-route is shown here

The affected section of the Heysen Trail is between the following points:

  • from the southern access to McIntyres forest reserve (Gate MI2, Razorback Rd) – Grid Reference 936 088,
  • to the northern access to Jupiter Creek forest reserve (accessed via Long Gully Rd) – Grid Reference 945 123.

You can find the Jupiter Creek section of the Heysen Trail on Heysen Trail Sheetmap 2A and Southern Guidebook Maps 2.10 & 3.1.

Signage will be in place to assist walkers

To prevent access by members of the public, signage providing information about the area closures will be erected at all main access points, including the Heysen Trail access points to the ForestrySA forest reserves.

A sign will be placed at the northern access point to Jupiter Creek forest reserve, directing walkers along the northern boundary of the forest reserve to Pocock Rd, where they will continue south to re-join the trail on Razorback Rd.

A similar sign will be placed at the southern access point.

A helicopter will fly over but not shoot in the forest reserves. Mobile patrols will be present to prevent access to closed areas.

Heysen Trail closure north of Cudlee Creek, 19th-21st May 2023

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Forestry SA has announced that there will be a closure of  the Heysen Trail in the Bennett’s Planation, north of Cudlee Creek, from Friday May 19th (all day) till Sunday May 21st (all day).

This is to enable Re-Enact SA to conduct simulated battles in Forestry SA’s Bennett Plantation.

The closure will extend from GR 018 445  to GR 041 460, shown on map sheet 2C; Southern Guide Book map 3.7. (part of section 15 of the Heysen Trail).

The closed area extends northward from where the Heysen Trail intersects the North East Road (north of Cudlee Creek) to a point just south of Checker Hill Road (south of Kersbrook)

For further information or in an Emergency call the Safety Officer on 0428 159 669
or the Forestry SA Ranger on 8391 8800 (option 2).

Heysen Trail closure through the Buckaringa Sanctuary, Friday 7th to Monday 10th July 2023

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The closure planned for June 7-9th was cancelled due to inclement weather.
It has now been rescheduled as shown below…

The Buckaringa Sanctuary will be temporarily closed for 3 days in July 2023. 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 7th July and continue until the morning of  Monday 10th July 2023.

 

 

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.

Caroona Creek Closure – May 24th to May 26th 2023

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Parks SA have advised the temporary closure of Caroona Creek Conservation Park and Hopkins Creek Conservation Park for feral animal control.

These parks have access to the Heysen Trail and the closure dates are 6.00pm May 24 until 6.00pm May 26, 2023.

Park rangers will place notices at Black Jack Hut and the Mount Bryan East School to advise walkers of the closure at Caroona Creek CP.

The closure of the Caroona Creek park will affect a section of the Heysen Trail north of Burra – (Map sheet 4A)

The Closure at Hopkins Creek CP should not impact walkers as it involves the western boundary only, but walkers may stray into the Park.

To refer to the original notice press here

Wild South Coast Way & associated Park closures, 7th-12th May 2023

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There will be a cull for purposes of feral animal control organised by PIRSA/DEW on the South Coast of the Fleurieu Peninsula from 4pm Sunday May 7th  until Midday Friday May 12th.

This involves Deep Creek National Park, Talisker CP, Eric Bonython CP and Waitpinga CP.

These parks , the Wild South Coast Way and the Heysen Trail within Deep Creek National Park will be closed for the entire time of the above date span for public safety.

Walkers will not be able to access the  Trail during this time.

Camping will not be allowed in the named parks during this time.

For further information visit

https://www.parks.sa.gov.au/know-before-you-go/closures-and-alerts