Public Consultation of 104km Adelaide Hills trail

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The Adelaide Hills Council is seeking public feedback concerning their Draft 20 Year Trail Strategy. The vision is of a 104km core trail, with additional loops, linking Hills townships and existing trails within the council area.

The strategy builds on popular trails such as the Amy Gillett, Mawson and Heysen Trails to create greater connectivity between townships and to link popular attractions, cellar doors and market villages.

More information is available here:

The consultation process ends on 15 February, 2013.

A hasty hiking escape from a bushfire. Where have you been hiking this summer?

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It gets pretty hot over the summer months in South Australia. Often our members head elsewhere to cooler climates to continue hiking.

But even when it’s cooler, bushfires can still be a risk. One of our members, Jeremy, found himself hiking towards a large fire front on the Tasman Peninsula in Tasmania. Here’s a photo he has shared with us when he first noticed the fire as he came out of dense forest.

You can read more about his escape on his Notes from a Trailhead blog.

Don’t forget our Twilight walking program is underway, a two hour walk each Wednesday evening. www.heysentrail.asn.au/walks

Where have you been hiking over recent weeks? Perhaps leave a comment on our Facebook page, where this same post has been made.

Stay safe everyone!

Summer 2013

Issue 126

December 2012

Summer 2013 Trailwalker MagazineHighlights include:

  • Larapinta - Training and Execution
  • Coast to Coast for Rett Syndrome
  • Mt Rainier’s Wonderland Trail
  • Simpson Desert
  • Camino Inca
  • Tanks a lot

Working Bee at the Southern Trailhead

There is a working bee near the southern trailhead of the Heysen Trail at Cape Jervis. Run by the Cape Jervis Coastal Community Group, volunteers are needed to assist on the weekend of the 1st and 2nd December.

Saturday 1st December

10am – 12.30pm: removing tree guards near Lands End (tree guards to be re-used by the Friends of the Heysen Trail)

12.30pm – 2pm: BBQ lunch provided

2pm – 4pm: woody weed lopping and seed collecting

Sunday 2nd December

10am – 12noon: seed sowing

Please contact Carolyn or Liz for more information and directions.

Walking SA survey

As you may be aware, Walking SA is undergoing a review of governance and operations.

Please assist them with the process by taking the time to fill in this 10 min survey. https://www.research.net/s/FK2LWLV

PKF Organisation Development has been engaged to undertake this process. Your responses will be sent directly to PKF in order to ensure that all answers remain confidential. Only key themes will be reported, therefore please ensure that you are as honest in your responses as possible. The information collected will be an integral part of the consulting process and they encourage you to be open in your comments and suggestions.

You may forward this email to friends.

The survey will close at 5pm Wednesday 28th of November.

If you have any questions in relation to the survey please contact Hayley Lokan or Scott Way from PKF Organisation Development on orgdev@pkf.com.au or 08 7421 1400. If you would like to make a more detailed submission regarding the questions in this survey, once again please contact PKF on the details provided above.

New Southern Guidebook, older guidebooks no longer supported

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The re-print of the Southern Guidebook has been released. Stocks of the 2010 edition ran out mid this year.

The new guidebook has the same cover as the 2010 edition, but includes re-routes from the previous two years like the new spur trail into Victor Harbor. A few recent re-routes have not been included, these re-routes can be viewed on our website.

With the release of this edition, support for three older guidebooks has been suspended. Re-route notifications for the original 2004 Southern Guidebook, 2005 Northern Guidebook and 2007 Southern Guidebook will no longer be posted on the website.

Re-route of the Heysen Trail affecting Map 6.9, September 2012

View pdf map showing re-route

A new camp site has been constructed at a trig between Hallett and Spalding. We anticipate water will be available for the 2013 hiking season.

This campsite replaces the former water source at Willalo Hall. It is 22.5km from Hallett and 26km from Spalding.

The camp site features a shelter with water tank and bench. It is in a windy and exposed location, so may not be suitable for all tents.

More info in the accommodation forum at http://www.heysentrail.asn.au/forums/viewtopic.php?t=697&accom_id=697&name=Whistling%20Trig%20Tank

Re-route of the Heysen Trail affecting Map 5.11, September 2012

View pdf map showing re-route

A new camp site is being constructed just north of Worlds End/Burra Gorge. The new hike-in camp site will be completed in October 2012, and 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.

More info, including photos, will be posted on this page later: http://www.heysentrail.asn.au/forums/viewtopic.php?t=685&accom_id=685&name=Worlds End Hike-in Camp Site

Distances:
Huppatz Hut to Worlds End Hike-in Camp Site – 21.3km
Worlds End Hike-in Camp Site to Burra – 23.0km

Re-route of the Heysen Trail affecting Map 5.7, September 2012

View pdf map showing re-route

A new camp site is being constructed at Webb Gap. The new camp site will be completed in October 2012, and 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.

More info, including photos, will be posted on this page later: http://www.heysentrail.asn.au/forums/viewtopic.php?t=684&accom_id=684&name=Webb Gap Camp Site

Distances:
Smith Hill Camp Site to Webb Gap Camp Site – 13.3km
Webb Gap Camp Site to Huppatz Hut – 16.2km

Re-route of the Heysen Trail affecting Map 5.6, September 2012

View pdf map showing re-route

A new camp site is being constructed on Smith Hill. The new camp site will be completed in October 2012, and 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.

More info, including photos, will be posted on this page later: http://www.heysentrail.asn.au/forums/viewtopic.php?t=683&accom_id=683&name=Smith Hill Camp Site

Distances:
Maschalls Hut to Marabel – 8.6km
Marabel to Smith Hill Camp Site – 17.3km

End-to-End 5 finishing its walk season on a high note

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The End-to-End 5 group finished its walking season on a high note, being the first Friends group to hike past the new tank and campsite at Smith Hill, elevation 616m, on the Tothill Ranges.

The tank was recently installed by the Friends and the Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources (DEWNR), however it is yet to receive its first rain.

The group had two days of fine weather, with increasing temperatures, culminating in 37 degree heat on Sunday.

A full report on their adventures can be found at their blog http://fohte2e5.blogspot.com.au/

Last Sunday’s Walk for Nature

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Last Sunday’s Walk for Nature with Nature Foundation SA went well – a sunny day with $32,000 raised towards conservation projects.

The Friends of the Heysen Trail led two groups, Mary Cartland lead the 12km walk, and president Robert Alcock led a smaller group, including a number of families with pushers, on the 3km walk.

The Friends were proud to be involved in supporting the Nature Foundation who have been involved in many conservation projects in South Australia, some of which the Heysen Trail traverses.

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A further two new water tanks and camp sites completed

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A further two new shelters with water tanks and camp sites on the Heysen Trail have been completed, and are waiting for rain to fill the tanks. The two new camp sites are in the Mid-North near Spalding.

Details of the three new camp sites are as follows:

1. Whistling Trig Tank (view info page)

A windy campsite located on a trig point between Hallett and Spalding, Southern Guidebook chapter 6, map 9, view map.

2. Bundaleer Tank Campsite (view info page)

A campsite located beside Bundaleer Creek, between Spalding and Curnows Hut, Northern Guidebook, chapter 1, map 2, view map.

These two campsites will assist through-hikers on the Heysen Trail by closing some of the trail’s water gaps. The distances between campsites and water sources is now:

  • Hallett to Whistling Trig – 22.5km
  • Whistling Trig to Spalding – 26km
  • Spalding to Bundaleer Tank Campsite – 18.8km
  • Bundaleer Tank Campsite to Curnows Hut & Campground – 13.5km

Check out the timelapse video of the construction work on the Bundaleer Tank on our Facebook page.

Thanks to Bronte Leak from the Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources (DEWNR), Colin Edwards, John Potter, Albert Schmidke, Bob Randell and Julian Monfries for their work in the construction effort.

These water tanks are part of an programme of 11 new shelters and water tanks being constructed along the Heysen Trail. The last three shelters and water tanks were constructed in September, following on from the first four shelters and water tanks late last year. The remaining two shelters and water tanks have been fabricated and will be erected soon.

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