The Fire Danger Season has finished in the Flinders (north of Wirrabara and the trail is open. Elsewhere the trail remains closed. Read more
The fire danger season for the Mount Lofty Ranges Fire Ban District (between Kings Beach (WSCW) and Tanunda in the Barossa Valley) has been extended by two weeks to 14 May. Read more
Head to South Australia’s most scenic bushland reserve for a free family open day at Deep Creek Conservation Park.
Drop in and say hi at our stall!
The Lavender Federation Trail has been successful in gaining grant funding to extend the trail from its current trailhead at Eudunda onwards to Clare.
The 106km extension will be constructed over the next 18 months and will bring the trail to a total 320km length. The extension also includes an 8km Point Pass Loop Trail and a 7km Robertstown Spur Trail.
The trail extension will intersect the Heysen Trail at Webb Gab. A special event is in the planning for April 2016 to celebrate the crossing of the two long-distance trails. The event will be run between us, the Friends of the Heysen Trail, and SARTI (South Australian Recreation Trails Incorporated, the makers of the Lavender Federation Trail). The Lavender Federation Trail will also intersect with the Riesling Trail and Rattler Trails.
The Bushwalk Australia eMagazine October’s edition will focus on South Australia. They are seeking input on the best walks in South Australia.
Submit your favourite Heysen Trail walks! Browse through our Walk Selector for some inspiration.
Submit the survey below and enter your 6 favourite walks:
For each walk:
If you are a day-walker only, or overnight-walker only, you could skip entering info on the other category.
Professor Taylor Stein
University of Florida
Free seminar
Friday 21st August 2015
2:30pm – 3:30pm
At University of South Australia, Mawson Lakes Campus, P2-06
Find out about the United State’s National Scenic Trail System and the challenges of managing these trails for tourists while providing opportunities for locals. Taylor will talk specifically about the Florida National Scenic Trail, which is a similar concept to our Heysen Trail. The talk will focus on market segmentation – who’s hiking and what they want.
Professor Taylor Stein is visiting UniSA as part of his sabbatical from the University of Florida. His trip has been funded in part by UniSA’s Visiting Distinguished Researcher Grant.
5 Ordinary People finish of their extraordinary 1,200km through hike of The Heysen Trail at Cape Jervis this at 2pm Saturday 20th June 2015. They will be welcomed by a large band of supporters at the Heysen Trail Trailhead in Cape Jervis. Heysen Trail End-to-End certificates and badges will be presented by the President of the Heysen Trail, Robert Alcock.
A family of five, including Eli, 12, Emily, 10, and Noah, 9, skipped term 2 of school in favour of hiking the Heysen Trail.
There’s so much more to life than just maths and English that kids miss out on, if parents don’t invest time in them.
Along with their parents Luke and Erina, they will be a world away from the classroom routine when they undertake a mission to cover 1,151km on foot over 56 days. Their trek began at the northern trailhead at Parachilna Gorge, trekking south through the Flinders Ranges and Adelaide Hills to Cape Jervis.
It’s all part of Erina’s plan to give her children an educational experience of a different kind.
“We want to teach our children the life lessons that, when you’re caught up in the nine to five regime, you just don’t have the time to do,” she says. “There’s so much more to life than just maths and English that kids miss out on, if parents don’t invest time in them.”
Warren Bonython has been recognised with a new Walking Trail named after him.
Robert Alcock and Andrew Robertson represented the Friends of the Heysen Trail at the opening ceremonies last Thursday and Friday at Hiltaba Nature Reserve, Gawler Ranges, 650km from Adelaide.
10km loop walk, 5 hours
Leaving from Hiltaba Homestead and traversing over Mt Hiltaba.
2km loop walk, 1 hour
Leaving from Pretty Point
Thursday 19th March 2015, 5.30pm
Goodman Lecture Theatre, Hackney Road
Presented by the Royal Geographical Society of SA
Mr Allan Holmes will present a discussion on the issue of fire vs natural amenity of the Mt Lofty Ranges. Allan will draw on his experience as Director of SA National Parks and Chief Executive of the Department of Environment. Allan will provide an insight into the role that government can play in dealing. He is also keen to views from the floor.
The Mount Lofty Ranges form a picturesque backdrop to the city of Adelaide and a valuable environmental buffer. The rugged landscape has ensured that significant areas have remained as verdant forest and bushland.
That this region lies so close to urban centres poses major challenges in land use management. Along with the usual competition for open space, there is also ongoing debate regarding the retention and management of bush land to provide amenity, while also providing a safe environment for residents and visitors.
The use of fire as a management tool is often cited as a necessary part of this program. Regular controlled fires are seen to be a naturally occurring management tool, designed to reduce the accumulation of large amounts of combustible material.
The Friends of Black Hill and Morialta Inc with support from Natural Resources Adelaide and Mount Lofty Ranges are to deliver a number of public events in 2015 to celebrate the centenary of Morialta Conservation Park.
The Friends of the Heysen Trail have sponsored two images. All images are available through an online silent auction, open until November, and any proceeds we receive will go towards our work on the Heysen Trail.
| Coventry Library, Stirling | 3 – 13 March 2015 |
| Cleland Wildlife Park | 15 – 31 March 2015 |
| The Summit Community Centre, Norton Summit | 2 – 30 April 2015 |
| Campbelltown Library | 2 – 29 May 2015 |
| Burnside Civic Centre Atrium | 3 – 26 June 2015 |
| Gumeracha Library | 30 June – 30 July 2015 |
| Tea Tree Gully Library | 2 – 28 August 2015 |
| The Long Gallery, St Peters Town Hall Complex | 1 – 16 September 2015 |
| The Long Gallery, St Peters Town Hall Complex | 22 – 30 September 2015 |
| Cleland Wildlife Park | 2 – 31 October 2015 |
A family of five, including Eli, 12, Emily, 10, and Noah, 9, will skip Term 2 of school in favour of hiking the Heysen Trail.
There’s so much more to life than just maths and English that kids miss out on, if parents don’t invest time in them.
Along with their parents Luke and Erina, they will be a world away from the classroom routine when they undertake a mission to cover 1,151km on foot over 56 days.
Their trek begins at the northern trailhead at Parachilna Gorge, trekking south through the Flinders Ranges and Adelaide Hills to Cape Jervis.
It’s all part of Erina’s plan to give her children an educational experience of a different kind.
“We want to teach our children the life lessons that, when you’re caught up in the nine to five regime, you just don’t have the time to do,” she says. “There’s so much more to life than just maths and English that kids miss out on, if parents don’t invest time in them.”
Follow @5OrdinaryPeople on Facebook.
One of our chief maintenance and construction volunteers is featured on the front page of today’s Advertiser. As well as volunteering on the Heysen Trail, John Potter is a volunteer with his local Cudlee Creek CFS, and is among an army of volunteers doing 12-hour shifts to protect life and property in the Adelaide Hills bushfire.