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.

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.

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

Map highlighting the ‘no shooting/buffer’ zone

Warning to walkers on the Wild South Coast Way on the Heysen Trail.

There will be an extensive animal control cull of feral deer on the Fleurieu Peninsula by PIRSA and other organisations, between 1 and 14 May 2023.

Walkers may be affected if in the region of  Boat Harbour Beach, Tunkalilla Beach and the trail to Ballaparudda Creek campground.

The cull will use helicopters carrying thermal technology to detect deer, allowing them to be culled even in dense scrub. Flights will be on week days and weekends, mainly around dawn and dusk, when thermal cameras can detect targets most easily.

The Wild South Coast Way will remain open to walkers during the operation

No shoot and low flying buffers will be put in place around the Wild South Coast Way (Heysen Trail) and Bullaparudda campground, as well as public roads and infrastructure.
The buffer zone relating to the Wild South Coast Way is displayed in orange on the map above.

There is no risk to people or livestock, but if you are in affected areas you may hear low flying helicopters and the sound of gun shots in the distance.

You can find out more information about the operation on the Parks Closure and Alerts page.