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Spring 2012
Issue 125
September 2012
Highlights include:
- Patawarta - Thrills, chills & spills
- Di's Mera Peak Challenge
- Snowies in Summer
- Climbing Kinabalu
First Friends group heads south (downhill) as another member completes her End to End 3 trek
A social and happy group of members have completed the first 6 days southbound on the Heysen Trail. Starting at Parachilna Gorge, and a 31km final day rocky walk to Mt Little camp near Mayo Gorge. A week of wonderful walking through the Flinders Ranges, enhanced by the diligent planning, organisational and leadership skills of our leader, Dean Mortimer. Thanks to Dean, who dressed in “reverse” to lead us, for such a successful and highly enjoyable week.
Meanwhile, also up north – Sandy Wood completed her End to End 3 walk at the Parachilna Trailhead yesterday. Delayed from last August due to a non walking injury along the trail, 3 days from finishing with her group, it was pleasing to see her wide smile beaming ever wider as she approached the final stile. Well done Sandy.
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Walk for Nature by the Nature Foundation SA
Nature Foundation SA is holding its annual Walk for Nature on Sunday 21st October 2012 with a 3, 6 or 12km return walk along the Heysen Trail from Bridgewater Oval to Woodhouse Activity Centre. Join in to help them raise funds to conserve, restore and sustainably manage South Australia’s wildlife and environment.
More information can be found at www.naturefoundation.org.au
Re-route of the Heysen Trail affecting Maps 5.8 and 5.9, July 2012
View pdf map showing re-route
The 2km re-route is shorter than the former trail section that followed dirt roads. The re-route is on private land and follows a rough but clearly defined vehicular track high on the western slope of the Tothill Ranges. It provides magnificent views over Apoinga Lagoon, the Tothill Ranges and the Waterloo Wind Farm. Travelling north, it begins at the intersection of the Tothill Belt Road and Black Springs Road and rejoins the Heysen Trail where the former trail turned north at the junction with a minor north-south stream. The re-route is marked.
View all re-routes for the 2010 Southern Guidebook, 3rd Edition
Re-route of the Heysen Trail affecting Maps 5.8 and 5.9, July 2012
View pdf map showing re-route
The 2km re-route is shorter than the former trail section that followed dirt roads. The re-route is on private land and follows a rough but clearly defined vehicular track high on the western slope of the Tothill Ranges. It provides magnificent views over Apoinga Lagoon, the Tothill Ranges and the Waterloo Wind Farm. Travelling north, it begins at the intersection of the Tothill Belt Road and Black Springs Road and rejoins the Heysen Trail where the former trail turned north at the junction with a minor north-south stream. The re-route is marked.
View all re-routes for the 2007 Southern Guidebook, 2nd Edition
Re-route of the Heysen Trail affecting Maps 5.8 and 5.9, July 2012
View pdf map showing re-route
The 2km re-route is shorter than the former trail section that followed dirt roads. The re-route is on private land and follows a rough but clearly defined vehicular track high on the western slope of the Tothill Ranges. It provides magnificent views over Apoinga Lagoon, the Tothill Ranges and the Waterloo Wind Farm. Travelling north, it begins at the intersection of the Tothill Belt Road and Black Springs Road and rejoins the Heysen Trail where the former trail turned north at the junction with a minor north-south stream. The re-route is marked.
View all re-routes for the 2004 Southern Guidebook, 1st Edition
Graham Loveday’s walk for Rett Syndrome
One of our members, and End-to-End 7ers, Graham Loveday, will be travelling to the UK next month to undertake a walk to raise awareness and funds in support of Rett Syndrome Research Trust UK. He will be walking the Coast to Coast Path across northern England.
His granddaughter Abby, who is three years old, has been diagnosed with Rett Syndrome.
More information about his walk and Rett Syndrome can found in this document, and on the fundraising page.
Larapinta Trail blog
Missing out on the adventure of the 19 Friends of the Heysen Trail members on the Larapinta Trail?
Follow the action at http://larapintawithfoht.blogspot.com.au
We’re looking out for the daily Spinifex Award winner – day 1 on the trail, Russell O’Brien won for his hand knitted beanie, courtesy of YouTube. And here we were thinking YouTube was all about cats.
Competition: Your photo on our Facebook page
We’re running a weekly competition to include photos of the Heysen Trail on our Facebook timeline page. Simply enter your photo, taken along or of the Heysen Trail, to us for consideration as our Cover Photo.
The rules are simple:
a) open to anyone
b) photo to be taken along or of the Heysen Trail, or an adjoining trail
c) photo will be displayed for 1 or 2 weeks
d) in addition, with your permission, we’d like to use your photo on our website at some point in the future.
To enter post your photo to us on our Facebook page facebook.com/HeysenTrail, or email us at website@heysentrail.asn.au
This week’s winner for our Facebook Cover Photo competition is Andrew Shipway for this great photo of Parsons Beach on the South Coast. www.flickr.com/photos/57372488@N07/
Great Greening Opportunity
In conjunction with Forestry SA, we have been asked to plant over 600 trees, shrubs and grasses at the Centennial Drive campground at Mount Crawford. (Southern Guidebook, Map 3.9, Grid ref 135583)
We are looking for enthusiastic vounteers to be involved in this project and depending on numbers, the planting will be over one or two days.
Initial planting Wednesday 1st August.
If required follow-up Saturday 11th August.
Any enquiries Neil Nosworthy, Greening Committee Convenor, via the Friends’ Office 82126299
What a difference a day makes
The Friends End to End 4 group of 55 walkers, spent two tough days walking the bald and stony hills of Burra, and east into the mallee country. The Xmas in July dinner Saturday night was a blast. Glorious sunshine on Saturday after a very frosty morning. Sunday was overcast, a good dry walking day. On Monday Mt Bryan East received 23mm of rain. Dust Hole Creek Road would not have been accessible by the cars. Our timing was perfect.
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Heysen Trail sign for Burra
Those who walk the Heysen Trail’s 1,200km length walk through Burra, along the Burra Creek as they trek from Cape Jervis in the south, to Parachilna Gorge in the Flinders Ranges. A new sign now provides details of the Heysen Trail to locals and visitors. Situated in the Burra Creek Recreation Park, it was here on Friday 6th July when the Friends of the Heysen Trail and Other Walking Trails formally handed over of the new Heysen Trail sign to the community of the Regional Council of Goyder. The new sign has been a cooperative effort, funded by the Friends of the Heysen Trail, produced by Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources (DEWNR) and installed by the Regional Council of Goyder. It includes a map of the walking trail, with photos and a description of the various sections.
Officials present were:
- Jessica Humphrys, Tourist Officer, Regional Council of Goyder
- Paula Jones, Manager of Burra Visitor Information Centre
- Rodney Rees, President of the Friends Heysen Trail Burra Branch and DEWNR representative
- Hugh Greenhill, Friends Heysen Trail Burra Branch
- Robert Alcock, President of the Friends of the Heysen Trail
Re-route of the Heysen Trail affecting Maps 4.2, 4.1 and 3.9, July 2012
View pdf map showing re-route
Over time there have been various re-routes affecting maps 3.9, 4.1 and 4.2, there is a fourth re-route in the area. Please use this updated map.
1) The alternative route via Wirra Wirra Road, Blockers Road and Towers Road is no longer available. Please use the main trail route over Wirra Wirra Peaks.
2) The alternative route does NOT extend north along Blockers Road to the Ross Fire Track. The alternative route rejoins the main trail as shown at the intersection of Tower Road and the spot marked ‘F’.
3) A temporary closure of the trail along Centennial Drive and over Mt Crawford. The closure is due to logging operations and includes the Centennial Drive campground.
4) UPDATE: There is a minor re-route in place near the Old School House. Heading south to north on the trail, the trail exits from the bitumen Springton Road a 300m prior to the original route, before heading to the Old School House.
View all re-routes for the 2010 Southern Guidebook, 3rd Edition
Re-route of the Heysen Trail affecting Maps 4.1 and 3.9, July 2012
View pdf map showing re-route
Over time there have been various re-routes affecting maps 3.9 and 4.1, there is now a fourth re-route in the area. Please use this updated map.
1) The alternative route via Wirra Wirra Road, Blockers Road and Towers Road is no longer available. Please use the main trail route over Wirra Wirra Peaks.
2) Re-route near landing ground.
3) A temporary closure of the trail along Centennial Drive and over Mt Crawford. The closure is due to logging operations and includes the Centennial Drive campground.
4) UPDATE: There is a minor re-route in place near the Old School House. Heading south to north on the trail, the trail exits from the bitumen Springton Road a 300m prior to the original route, before heading to the Old School House.
View all re-routes for the 2007 Southern Guidebook, 2nd Edition
Re-route of the Heysen Trail affecting Maps 4.1 and 3.9, July 2012
View pdf map showing re-route
Over time there have been various re-routes affecting maps 3.9 and 4.1, there is now a fifth re-route in the area. Please use this updated map.
1) The alternative route via Wirra Wirra Road, Blockers Road and Towers Road is no longer available. This re-route is no longer marked on the attached map. Please use the main trail route over Wirra Wirra Peaks.
2) Re-route near landing ground.
3) The western option has been closed, this is marked with no entry signs on the attached map.
4) A temporary closure of the trail along Centennial Drive and over Mt Crawford. The closure is due to logging operations and includes the Centennial Drive campground.
5) UPDATE: There is a minor re-route in place near the Old School House. Heading south to north on the trail, the trail exits from the bitumen Springton Road a 300m prior to the original route, before heading to the Old School House.
View all re-routes for the 2004 Southern Guidebook, 1st Edition
Re-route of the Heysen Trail affecting Map 2.6, July 2012
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 all re-routes for the 2010 Northern Guidebook, 2nd Edition
Re-route of the Heysen Trail affecting Map 2.6, July 2012
View pdf map showing re-route
Following the bushfire in Wirrabara Forest in early May, 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 Heysen Trail.
View all re-routes for the 2005 Northern Guidebook, 1st Edition
The Greening goes from strength to strength
Another sterling effort by the Greening group who planted another two hundred, yes that’s right, two hundred trees around Hiskey’s Hit, near Georgetown.
This is additional to the planting of one hundred trees a few weeks ago.
If we get 50% survival, walkers will need machetes and secateurs to access the hut!!
Simply wonderful. Well done.
Re-route of the Heysen Trail affecting Map 2.9, June 2012
This is a temporary re-route
View pdf map showing re-route
This is an amendment to the temporary re-route which was installed in early May 2012, through in Kuitpo Forest, near Christmas Hill, south of the Kuitpo Forest Information Centre. Due to intensive harvesting operations, the trail has been re-routed via Brookman Road (the main bitumen road). Signs are in place at either end of the re-route. You should obey re-route signs on the trail. We will remove this re-route note from our website when we are advised by Forestry SA that the original trail is safe to continue on through the forest.
View all re-routes for the 2010 Southern Guidebook, 3rd Edition
Re-route of the Heysen Trail affecting Map 2.9, June 2012
This is a temporary re-route
View pdf map showing re-route
This is an amendment to the temporary re-route which was installed in early May 2012, through in Kuitpo Forest, near Christmas Hill, south of the Kuitpo Forest Information Centre. Due to intensive harvesting operations, the trail has been re-routed via Brookman Road (the main bitumen road). Signs are in place at either end of the re-route. You should obey re-route signs on the trail. We will remove this re-route note from our website when we are advised by Forestry SA that the original trail is safe to continue on through the forest.
View all re-routes for the 2007 Southern Guidebook, 2nd Edition