When it Ends

End-to-End 3 crossed the final stile at Parachilna on Saturday the 13th, for the largest finishing celebration in the Friend’s history. Eighty three walkers climbed the wooden steps. Fifty four were completing the trail and of that group forty three had started the journey together at Cape Jervis, six years earlier.

What a wonderful journey it has been, traversing the Mt Lofty and Flinders Ranges travelling through the historic hinterland of South Australia. Sharing each others company, trading adventures and celebrating in every town we stopped.

What a wonderful journey it has been, traversing the Mt Lofty and Flinders Ranges travelling through the historic hinterland of South Australia. Sharing each others company, trading adventures and celebrating in every town we stopped. Saturday nights were the scene of home cooked feasts hosted by community and service clubs. Christmas in July at Burra brought new life to the 12 days of Christmas and the “Royal Variety” performance at Wirrabara showed just how talented walkers are.

In the last week of walking the excitement builds, the mountain vistas lift the gaze and the scenery catches your breath. The walking is easy and the nights are a party. The last day is a wild melange of fun, frolic and trail memories with just a tincture of sadness that it has ended.

Having witnessed two previous finishes I can attest that the End of the trail is the beginning of new adventures, and the continuation of friendships. After six years you have accumulated walking partners for life, and if you have finished the trail you have succumbed to its charms and wiles. A love affair with a living trail that will endure to the last horizon.

Using a GPS on a Hike

GPS units have become quite affordable over the past few years. They can be a useful tool for hiking, but they can also be a little overwhelming. What are they useful for? Can they be useful along the Heysen Trail?

This article also appears on Jeremy’s Notes from a Trailhead blog.

Let’s Distinguish GPS Units

There are hundreds of GPS units on the market, and not all will be useful to hikers. We need to make a distinction between the handheld portable receivers for hikers, and the myriad of GPS units for other uses such as car navigation. A GPS unit filled with road maps and driving directions isn’t going to be very useful when you are out hiking in the bush. GPS units suitable for hiking tend to be small, fit in the hand, contain a map screen, and be waterproof and durable.

What is the GPS System?

How does Trilateration work?

Imagine you are somewhere in Australia and you are TOTALLY lost – for whatever reason, you have absolutely no clue where you are. You find a friendly local and ask, “Where am I?” He says, “You are 1290 km from Adelaide.”

This is a nice, hard fact, but it is not particularly useful by itself. You could be anywhere on a circle around Adelaide that has a radius of 1290 km, you could be in Newcastle, Towoomba, Alice Springs or on the Nullabor.

You ask somebody else where you are, and she says, “You are 1451 km from Cairns.” Now you’re getting somewhere. If you combine this information with the Adelaide information, you have two circles that intersect. You now know that you must be at one of these two intersection points.

If a third person tells you that you are 1368 km from Broome, you can eliminate one of the possibilities, because the third circle will only intersect with one of these points. You now know exactly where you are – Alice Springs.

The example uses only three locations – not four – because it is only working in two dimensions. GPS uses a fourth location to determine the elevation, and to improve accuracy.

Source: How Stuff Works

GPS stands for Global Position System. It is a system of orbiting satellites that a GPS unit, or more accurately, a GPS receiver, will use to find its position anywhere on the surface of the planet. GPS is a US military application developed in the 1970s. A network of 24 core satellites with six additional satellites orbit the planet, each completing two orbits of the planet a day. A GPS receiver needs to have an unobstructed line of sight with four satellites in order to find its position. Each satellite has an atomic clock installed – a very accurate clock. The GPS receiver compares the time a signal left the satellite to when it arrived at the receiver in the hand, the time difference is used to calculate the distance. Receiving signals from four or more satellites, the GPS receiver can determine its x, y and z coordinate (longitude, latitude, elevation.) This is called 3D Trilateration – don’t worry, you never need to remember that term or understand how it works in order to use GPS. The panel on the right explains trilateration in more detail.

Other Satellite Systems

You’d be right wonder about long term access to a US military application. During times of war or conflict the US could disable or suppress the GPS system for non-US military use. Indeed, prior to 2000 the signal was encoded so only the US military could accurately use it. US military GPS receivers are far more accurate, and less prone to interference than the civilian GPS receivers available to the public.

Other countries have sought to secure their own satellite navigation network, the Russians have built the GLObal NAvigation Satellite System (GLONASS), which was opened to the public in 2007. The European Union is developing the Galileo positioning system, due to commence in 2014, and the Chinese the Compass navigation system, which will consist of 75 satellites.

Three Basic Ways for a Hiker
to use a GPS Receiver

There are three basic ways to use a GPS receiver when hiking, you could use one, two or all three:

Use the Trip Computer to display how far you have walked, and for how long.
Use the coordinates to find your location on a paper topographic map.
Load a GPS file onto the GPS receiver and use it to navigate along a trail, or to a known place.

The first is easy, the second a little more complex, the third even more so. Let’s look at each one in detail, and how you could use them on the Heysen Trail.

1. Use the Trip Computer to display how far you have walked, and for how long

This is similar to how a dashboard in a car will display the speedo and odometer. You can see how long you have been moving for, and how long you have been resting. If you know how long the hike is you can work out how much is left and estimate how long it will take.

You will need to reset the Trip Computer at the start of each hike. On most receivers you can customise which fields are displayed, and sometimes how large or how many fields appear.

2. Use the coordinates to find your location on a topographic map

By default GPS receivers report their location in longitude and latitude. Whilst some topographic maps include some references to longitude and latitude, generally it would be very difficult to find your precise location on the map using these figures. Much easier is to use grid references. Grids overlay topographic maps, including the maps in the Heysen Trail guidebooks. On paper we often refer to grid references in six digits, ie

This system is called UTM for short. UTM covers the planet with a grid, each grid line at a 1000m (1km) spacing.

However GPS receivers will display each of these UTM fields as a seven digit field (as in the photo above right), not the two sets of three digits as seen on the GR note above. The seven digits are a measurement in metres, and is too accurate for our needs. 2cm on our topographic maps represents 1000m, or 1km – this is true of all 1:50 000 topographic maps, including the Heysen Trail guidebook maps. A single metre will appear as only 0.02mm, 10 metres will appear as 0.2mm. 100 metres will appear as 2mm. So of the seven digits, the last two digits are of little use, we can discard them. We really only need the middle three digits of each set of six digits. The first two of these three digits are the numbers seen on topographic maps. The third digit you will need to measure off on the map yourself.

The two 7-digit numbers in the Location field represent a measurement on that map. The Grid Reference here is 810 220 (ie xx810xx and xx220xx)

You will need to set the GPS receiver to display UTM coordinates. Usually found in the settings menu, you’ll see formats like hddd°mm’ss.s” and New Zealand TM – choose UTM UPS – this is what we use on Australian topographic maps.

3. Load a GPS file onto the GPS receiver and use it to navigate along a trail, or to a known place

This is the most complex of the three basic ways to use a GPS receiver. There are files on the Heysen Trail website you can download onto your GPS receiver and use to navigate along the trail, or to find campsites. Depending on the brand or model of GPS receiver, it could be an easy or complex task to load the file onto the GPS receiver from your computer.

To download the file, visit www.heysentrail.asn.au/heysen-trail/maps/.

The files are in GPX format, a universal file format which can be used on most GPS receivers. Once you have connected the GPS receiver to the computer, you can save the GPX file onto the GPS receiver via Windows Explorer (for PCs). In the case of Garmin receivers, you would save it onto the drive of the GPS receiver, not the drive of the SD card (the SD card is only for background topographic maps.) Place the file in the GPX folder.

Older GPS receivers, like some of the Garmin eTrex series, will not accept this format. They require files to be loaded in their native file format, in the case of the Garmin eTrex this is usually Garmin Mapsource program – GDB files, or Garmin Trip and Waypoint Manager program. You will need to use a program to convert the GPX file to the GDB format. GPSBabel is a free/donation piece of software for converting files from GPX files to GDB files (it can convert to and from almost any GPS file type.) You can then open the converted file in the Garmin Mapsource program/Trip and Waypoint Manager program and send it to the GPS receiver.

The GPX file on the Heysen website contains the entire Heysen Trail as a Track. Track is a GPS receiver term, and differs from route and waypoint. Track, route and waypoint are the only possible things a GPX file can contain. You will often see these terms used on GPS receivers. Each Heysen Trail guidebook chapter is a different track – so six chapters in each of the two guidebooks equals 12 tracks.

The GPX file on the Heysen Trail website also contains waypoints of campsites, shelters and huts along or near the Heysen Trail.

3.1 Navigating Using a Track

Once loaded onto the GPS receiver, you will see the 12 tracks under the Track Manager menu. For Garmin receivers, if you select the relevant track and select ‘Show on Map’ you will see the track on the map screen. When you are out hiking, you can use the TrackBack feature on Garmin receivers to navigate – access this feature via the Where To menu or Track Manager menu. The GPS receiver will already know where you are, you might be at the start of the chapter track, somewhere along it, or at the end. Each Heysen Trail chapter track heads in a south to north direction. Activating the TrackBack feature, some GPS receivers will ask if you which direction you wish to head, ie from start to end, or end to start, others will work it out for you. If you are heading northwards along the trail, it will be start to end. If you start somewhere along the chapter track – not at the chapter end, this is not a problem, select the TrackBack direction and navigation will begin from where you are. If you move over to the compass screen, the arrow will now point you in the right direction to walk, and may show you a few extra fields like distance to destination (which is the end of that chapter track – it might be many days walk away), and may as you walk attempt to provide an estimated arrival time.

This can be very useful as it can save you from getting lost when you can’t see any Heysen Trail markers (the white posts with red markers, this isn’t another GPS term.) I’ve used this feature before on many trails, including the Heysen Trail, and I’ve met plenty of independent hikers using it. Generally you follow the Heysen Trail markers, also reading the map from the guidebook. If you come to a Y-junction on the trail, and can find no marker, or stumble off the trail, or just haven’t seen a marker in a while, this is where the TrackBack feature and the compass screen will be so useful. Head just four or five metres down the wrong trail from a Y-junction and the compass arrow will move from pointing straight ahead to pointing to the other trail, the arrow being left or right rather than upwards. Continue merrily in the wrong direction, the compass will eventually point downwards, instructing you to turn around go back. Continue a long way off the trail it will start to recalculate the shortest distance to get back onto the trail, which it might not necessarily be backtracking but be a straight line which might not passable.

3.2 Navigating to a Waypoint

Once the GPX file is loaded onto the GPS receiver, you can also see all the waypoints, one for each campsite, shelter and hut along or near the Heysen Trail. With Garmin receivers, these will all appear on the map screen by default – unlike the chapter tracks in which you need to select ‘Show on Map’. In the Waypoint Manager the waypoints will appear in a list, sorted by how close they are to your current location.

Using the Where To or Go To function, select to navigate to a specific waypoint. The arrow on the compass screen will point you in the correct direction, and inform you how far away that waypoint is. The map screen will also show you a straight line between your current point and your waypoint.

It may not be as useful as it first seems, as the distance to the waypoint will be in a straight line, rarely are trails straight paths. However this can be very useful for finding the camp site when you are close by, but can’t see the camp site.

You could create a waypoint at the start of the walk. If you have already been to the end of the walk, say when you left a car there, you could have created one there too. This can help you to return to the same place later, and know how far the end of the walk is (as the crow flies.)

3.3 Navigating using a Route

Route is the third item that can appear in a GPX file. Creating and using a route is much more complex than navigating along a track or to a waypoint. A route is a series of waypoints you create on a computer, placing them at significant junctions along a map. You then navigate along the route, from one waypoint to another. You don’t need to do this on the Heysen Trail as you can navigate along the track provided in the Heysen Trail GPX file.

Walking with a GPS Receiver

GPS Receiver Advanced Use

Further to the three basic ways to use a GPS receiver, there are more advanced uses. You could find and download GPX files containing tracks or campsite waypoints of other walking trails. Firstly, try visiting the official website of the trail as the files may be available there. Sometimes published as KML or KMZ files – these are the native file types of Google Earth – you can use GPSBabel to convert these KML/KMZ files to GPX files.

If you can’t find an official file, try doing an internet search for other people who have walked the trail and published files. Be wary of following their track too closely, you could end up wandering off the trail where they did.

In turn you could share your GPX files with others. Many people publish their GPX files on www.everytrail.com.

Software programs are available which automatically assign the longitude and latitude to each photo. Comparing the photos you have taken on your hike with the GPX file, the program can add the position data to the metadata of the photo file. This means when you upload the photo to say, Picasa Web Albums, you can view on a Interactive Map where the photo was taken. Using such a program though relies upon you synchronising your camera date and time with your GPS receiver.

You could also self-publish files on your own website via the Interactive Maps Javascript API interface. This involves code programming so isn’t for the shy.

The GPS receiver should always be left on while you are walking, including breaks. When the GPS receiver is on it saves your path to a track, sometimes referred to as a breadcrumb. In the Track Manager it is often referred to as the Current track. If you get lost, you can use this track to navigate back along your path to a previous known place (refer to the instructions on the previous page – 3.1 Navigating Using a Track.)

The signal from satellites can still be received through your backpack material, so you can place it in a pocket close to the edge of the pack. The signal can travel through fabric, canvas, plastic, glass, clouds – but not metal, brick, rock, wood or heavy foliage. However, poor placement of the GPS receiver in or on your pack can affect its ability to receive satellite signals. This is particularly true of older GPS receivers. If the GPS chip faces upwards when you are looking at the screen (parallel plane to the screen) – as with many older GPS receivers – but you stow the receiver vertically, it can only ever see up to 50% of the sky and available satellites. You should stow such a GPS receiver near the top of your pack, preferably laying flat in a top pocket – not side pocket – or attached to a shoulder strap. Newer GPS receivers are often designed to hang vertically, and with significantly improved reception are less prone to make errors like in the above diagram.

An example of a track from poor placement of a GPS receiver. The two tracks overlaying each other are from the same GPS receiver, but on different days. The bolder track is when the GPS receiver has been poorly placed, in this case a Garmin eTrex receiver in a side pocket of a backpack. The track points fluctuate, successive points taken just a few seconds apart are some distance apart. The light track in the background is from the same receiver, but when it has been placed lying flat in the top pocket of the backpack. It shows a consistent smooth path, the points appearing at regular distances and times apart – providing a much more accurate track and overall hike distance.

Why Different Results?

Why do people report different walk lengths when they have undertaken the same day walk? No two GPS receivers will report exactly the same figure, the same GPS receiver will often not record the same figure if the trail is followed again. I have tested out someone else’s GPS receiver alongside my own – almost identical models. I placed them hanging vertically side-by-side in my pack, yet they slightly yielded different results. Why?

GPS receivers are complex devices performing many calculations on signals from many satellites (up to 12 at a time.)
Poor stowing of the GPS receiver in or on your pack will affect its ability to receive satellite signals.
Newer GPS receivers generally provide far more accurate results than older receivers.
Old GPS receiver software may contain bugs which cause over or under reporting of walk lengths. For instance, Garmin Oregon receivers (the x50t models) with early software under report the walk length on-screen by around 20%.
Different GPS receivers update their position more often than others – between one and perhaps 15 times a minute. The more often, the more accurate the overall walk length.
The more satellites visible to the GPS receiver the more accurate the tracking – the signal from the satellites is weak, dense foliage, tree trunks or narrow gorges will block signals.
Although the GPS receiver attempts to compensate, the signal from a satellite slows the further it travels through the atmosphere – particularly affecting signals from satellites close to the horizon.
The signal from a satellite can be reflected off objects such as large rock surfaces and buildings.
Each GPS receiver is using its own internal clock to measure the length of time since a signal has left a satellite. When four or more satellites are locked in, it can start checking the accuracy of its clock, but regardless its clock is not anywhere near as accurate as the atomic clocks on board the satellites.

What to Look for When Purchasing a GPS Receiver

Determining which of the three basic uses of a GPS receiver you will use can help determine which features to look for in a GPS receiver. GPS receivers can cost as little as $100 for an entry level unit, receivers with more features up to a $1000.

Most newer GPS receivers are easy to use with large colour screens. Some have touchscreens, memory cards, compasses (that function even when stationary), altimeters (using barometric pressure to improve elevation accuracy and monitor weather changes) and cameras.

Know what you are purchasing, check the manufacturer’s website for the model details, you might find the model you thought was quite new is a discontinued model.

On-Screen Maps

Most GPS receivers come with a map screen, but some do not. Navigating along a track or to a waypoint will be much more difficult without an on-screen map, and easier with a larger rather than smaller screen, and easier on a colour screen than a black and white screen. Some GPS receivers have a map screen but come with no maps, or come with very basic maps. A very basic map can be of little use to hikers. Often called a Base World Map, it includes broad detail of country boundaries and major highways – but none of this will be very accurate as a minimum number of points make up each object.

Most GPS receivers allow this map to be upgraded. There are a number of options, ranging from free open source software, to expensive highly detailed topographic maps.

Both Garmin and Magellan sell GPS receivers with preloaded 1:250 000 topographic maps – if purchasing one of these receivers ensure you buy from an Australian retailer and double check that you are receiving Australian topographic maps. Highly detailed topographic maps of the US or Europe may not be of much use to you in Australia. This can often be a very cost effective way of getting on-screen topographic maps.

You can also purchase topographic maps from a third party and load them onto your GPS receiver. These start from several hundred dollars. They come supplied on a DVD and you will need to use a program to upload the maps onto your GPS receiver. Some retailers offer preloaded SD cards as an alternative, this is a no-fuss solution, you simply insert the SD card into your GPS receiver and it is ready to use. OzTopo sell Australian topographic maps for Garmin receivers – visit www.oztopo.com.au. These maps are based on 1:250 000 topographic maps.

A free option for Garmin receivers is ShonkyMaps – visit www.shonkylogic.net/shonkymaps/. Allegedly based upon GeoScience Australia’s 1:250 000 topographic maps, there are reports that the level of detail is not the same as that offered by Garmin or OzTopo.

Another free option is to use the Open Source Map of each Australian state – anyone can update these maps online. These maps are not topographic, but show highways, roads, dirt roads and some tracks. Visit www.osmaustralia.org/garmin.php, you may need to use something like Img2gps to upload the map onto your GPS receiver.

Whether topographic maps are preloaded or not can significantly affect the price – if you intend to purchase topographic maps factor this in.

A GPS Receiver or a Paper Topographic Map?

Debate raged for several years as to whether a GPS receiver, loaded with topographic maps, could negate the need to carry paper topographic maps. People discussed the pros and cons of relying on an electronic receiver that could break, fail or run flat, or relying upon paper maps that could be lost or water damaged. However the debate has long been settled – neither is the clear winner. If you carry a GPS receiver you’ll still need your paper topographic map. For one, most on-screen topographic maps available for Australia are based upon 1:250 000 scale topographic maps – the Heysen Trail guidebook uses the more detailed ;1:50 000 topographic maps (around 5 times more detail.) Secondly, even the larger GPS receiver screens still can’t parallel unfolding a large topographic map to get a sense of where you are walking over several days.

Battery Life

Some feature rich receivers can use a lot of battery power. 20 to 30 hours of battery life is good. Battery life could be more important if you undertake multi-day hikes where you won’t have the opportunity to recharge or replace batteries. Lithium batteries tend to last the longest amount of time, followed by alkaline, and rechargeable batteries the shortest. Lithium batteries are much more expensive, but can last up to a week – however some GPS receivers will not permit lithium batteries as they may interfere with the screen display.

Track & Waypoint Memory

Some older GPS receivers can only store a small number of tracks and waypoints. The Heysen Trail GPX file contains 31 tracks (12 chapter tracks and 19 spur and alternate trail tracks) and 135 waypoints. Some devices can store as little as 20 tracks.

Smart Phones

A smart phone (an iPhone or Android phone) may offer a viable GPS receiver alternative. There are apps available that function as trip computers, showing your track on the map and allowing you to add waypoints. Weatherproofness and battery life could be issues. A fully charged smartphone may last as little as three hours whilst running a hiking GPS app. Also, the basemap is likely to be Interactive Maps – principally a road navigation map – and only visible where there is mobile phone coverage, however there are some topographic maps coming onto the market which complement Interactive Maps.

Further reading for smart phone users can be found by purchasing (from $4.99) a copy of this BackPackingLight article.

A Note on a Popular, but Old, Model

Garmin’s basic eTrex, the yellow one, although once trusted amongst walkers, is fairly old technology now – first produced in 1998. Unless your computer is a decade old you will need to buy a serial to USB connector for your computer. Saving waypoint names is limited to 8 character names. No maps are displayed and its accuracy level is not as good as others, despite the “Now with high signal capability” stickers on the box. It doesn’t record as many points in its breadcrumb track as other GPS receivers, and there isn’t a setting to adjust this. The eTrex receivers also use a joystick control, phased out in laptops and other devices as they were notoriously unreliable.

In mid-2011 Garmin upgraded their eTrex range of receivers, releasing a new, updated version of the yellow eTrex.

Where to Purchase

Purchasing online could save you money, but be wary of preloaded maps that might be for the US or Europe. It could be reasonable for a shop to assist you in setting some of the basic receiver settings for Australia so it is ready for you to use.

Product Reviews

Excellent non-biased, thorough product reviews can be found in BackPackingLight articles. Single articles can be purchased for $4.99, or by annual article subscription. Conduct an Advanced Search for articles with your GPS brand and model.

Run the Latest Software

GPS receivers operate on software, much like your PC needs Windows to run. You should periodically check you have the latest software version, manufacturers may release software updates to fix bugs – visit the support section of your manufacturer’s website.

I love the Heysen Trail so much… I got the tattoo!

By the time you read this article, the End-to-End 3 group will have completed our six year trek of the Heysen Trail. At last count, I believe 51 people will have completed the trail on August 13. Quite an achievement, thanks to all who put in the hard work to make it possible for us. And after all the hoo-ha my tattoo has created on the trail in 2011, I thought it would be a good idea to write an article for the Trailwalker about the reasons behind it.

My Heysen Trail tattoo

I had my first tattoo done in April 2010 on my upper right arm (the monogram on the front of the South Adelaide Football Club Guernsey), and wanted another. But it had to be something meaningful to me. I thought it would be great to get a tattoo of something to do with the Heysen Trail, but wasn’t sure what. It was on one of our End to End walks in 2010 that we were all given a sticker or two of the new logo to stick over the old markers on the trail that we came across that day. The sticker was a perfect size for my leg, so I slipped a sticker into my pocket for the tattooist, and my first sitting was in November 2010, and the final touch up was done about six months later.

Why did I join the Friends and start my End to End Journey?

The Friends even had an “End to End” Group starting at Cape Jervis in April 2006. I just laughed at the suggestion I could ever attempt such a thing! Little did I know what an obsession completing the Trail would become!

It all started back in 2005 when my psychotherapist suggested I get some exercise to help overcome depression, which I thought was a good idea. What sort of exercise I thought? I wasn’t a fan of jogging and I am a poor swimmer. Gyms didn’t appeal to me either at the time. Walking could be an option I thought, but walking around the bitumen streets of Adelaide wasn’t that appealing. I had been past this little office downstairs in Pitt Street a number of times on the way to the Central Market which I thought had something to do with walking, so decided to drop in to see what they were all about.

I can’t recall who I saw in the office that day, but they suggested I try a Trailstarter to see how I went. Maybe then I could advance to a Trailwalker. The Friends even had an “End to End” Group starting at Cape Jervis in April 2006. I just laughed at the suggestion I could ever attempt such a thing! Little did I know what an obsession completing the Trail would become!

Yourambulla Range

My first Trailstarter back in October 2005 was around Kuitpo Forest with Ray Blight leading. It was cool day and wet under foot and seeing what conditions were like when I got there made me ask “why am I doing this”? But funnily enough I did enjoy tramping in the muddy conditions. So I did commence on that first day (April 30, 2006) at Cape Jervis with End to End 3.

I realised on the second day of our first weekend away in Kapunda when I really struggled to complete the day that I had to get myself fitter if I was ever going to finish the Heysen Trail. So I started going to the gym, got myself a personal trainer to get started, and lost 10% of my body weight. So from starting with the “Smell the Roses” group
I’m now with the Fast Group, although I do still struggle up hills a bit!

Some of the great (or not so great) memories of the last 6 years include:

The “spaceship” on day one;
Marshmallows on Tungkillo Beach and the steepest hill on the trail 25 June 2006;
The Waitpinga Cliffs, August 2006 which remain a favourite section of the trail.
Finishing in near darkness after 29 km from Cleland to Montacute Heights in September 2007.
The bus getting bogged on Nugget Road in May 2008.
Red wine for lunch during the hailstorms in July 2008.
Gladstone Gaol stay and Simon’s early morning wake up call.
The terrible weather on 4 September 2010 from Dutchman’s Stern to Woolshed Flat and the softness of the latte sipping crowd.
My first foray into the Flinders Ranges. Despite living in Adelaide all my life, I’d never been to the Flinders Ranges before.
Themes for the day/weekends and all the trouble people went to to get in the spirit of the occasion.
Dinners catered by the local communities; Beers and “champers” after the walks.
The Guards of Honour formed for those completing the trail along the way.

It will be an exciting and emotional experience to finally finish the trail and get the certificate; but it will be a bit sad in a way not to catch up once a month during the walking season with my End to End 3 friends. Still, I’m sure I’ll still see you all on the trail at some stage!

The Fearless Five

As the bright rays of the sun lowered over the range, our weary group emerged from the rocky trail and and headed for the comfort of the cars, most of us no doubt secretly glad that we were not the designated driver!

Lyn, Sue, Cilla and Julie

Today we had walked 20 km of the famous Heysen Trail in our quest to complete it end to end. The initial spark of enthusiasm to do this walk came from a small group of friends who were walkers and were looking for a challenge. The idea was mooted, maps purchased and trips to the Friends of the Heysen Office organised. Initially a small group of novice women began the walk at Cape Jervis, with little concept of required time or distance to be covered per day. The undulating hills of the Fleurieu, the whales frolicking at sea and the wide range of wildlife on this section of the track, inspired us and a positive ripple engulfed us — we can do this!

As a result basic requirements were upgraded – good walking shoes, suitable clothing to reduce the sun’s rays , wet weather pants and jackets, beanies and hats, gloves, good quality socks and a GPS Navigation phone. From a basic core of friends a few more girls were invited along the way and the group expanded. We now had a map reader and guide, designated 4 wheel drive vehicles for access, girls responsible for accommodation, food, our own photographer and up front pacer to keep in view!

So far we have covered over 500 km taking advantage of weekend trips, day trips and five day trips to areas further afield. Along the way we have solved the problems of the world, shared personal milestones within the group such as family weddings, engagements, impending births and day to day highs and lows! We are fitter, stronger and supremely confident we will complete the journey. We have been lost on a number of occasions, walked extra kilometres, backtracked and found the signs. Frustrated, cranky with each other at times, leg weary, hot from the relentless sun and then drenched from the skies opening up on us. We have walked tracks not normally ventured on, across private property and passed people living a quiet enviable lifestyle.

In the northern Flinders Ranges we were given a satellite phone as our only means of communication in case of an accident. We have dodged the huge orb spider webs strung across paths, waiting to trap a weary victim, encountered the odd snake, and admired large herds of kangaroos and cows grazing on green pastures. The wildflowers and natural vegetation are a delight, and to be out of the office having lunch alongside a running creek is inspirational!
Walking through paddocks marked “Beware of Bull Camel” and “Enter at your own risk “ has increased our pace!

We are definitely not bush campers but prefer accommodation that has a shower and good bed every night.
Accommodation ranges from stations and private cabins and a chance to feel part of the local community for a few days. Even raising the eyebrows of the locals as they see a group of women emerging from the bush and heading to the “local” for a good meal!

With many kilometres still to cover we are now regretfully looking to the end point and rather reluctantly heading in that direction. What will we do when we finish this? How will we recreate this wonderful experience? But have no fear, we are already mooting various other scenarios. Will it be the Great Ocean Walk, Mount Blanc Walk or The Amalfi Coast?

C Warren Bonython AO – The Heysen Trail Visionary

Warren Bonython

The recent passing of our patron, C Warren Bonython AO, brings cause to reflect on his remarkable spirit of adventure and dedication to bushwalking, conservation and science. Amongst the extraordinary legacy he leaves for future generations of South Australians is the Heysen Trail.

C Warren Bonython AO
11/9/1916 – 2/4/2012
The Heysen Trail Visionary

Here, we publish tributes from some people and organisations that have been inspired or impacted by Warren’s life.

By Robert Alcock
President, Friends of the Heysen Trail

Warren’s book Walking the Flinders Ranges opened the eyes of many people, inspiring countless others to get out and experience what he saw.

Sadly the Friends have lost not only our Patron, but also one of our strongest supporters. Warren had the vision and passion, driving discussions for many years, until finally, in 1978, the Heysen Trail construction was under way. With the formation of the Friends of the Heysen Trail group in 1986, he became our Patron and every year he would attend our AGMs, celebrations and events. This included our 25th anniversary events last year.

It was in typical Warren style that he arrived to our 25th anniversary picnic in Belair Park last October. The Friends had organised a car to collect Warren and Bunty and bring them to the picnic. However Bunty was not well, so the car was waved away as Warren took Bunty to hospital. Once she was settled, he drove himself to the picnic, arriving in perfect time to cut the cake. Our 95 year-old Patron was resplendent in his bright orange floral shirt and yellow shorts.

Before joining the Friends, I knew of Warren from his legendary walking expeditions, and also through my father. For many years dad and Warren participated in the Conservation Society of SA annual park surveys, each year camping in another park, recording the flora and fauna. I have since learned that this was just one of the many nature, heritage and conservation groups he actively supported. I did not know Warren well, however I was fortunate enough to meet and have a brief chat to him several times over recent years. His eyes would sparkle as he took a lively interest in what was happening about him.

Walking was Warren’s way of connecting to the earth’s many environments. He believed that if others were to see and value the country, then they too would want to care for it.

Warren’s book Walking the Flinders Ranges opened the eyes of many people. In it he described what he saw and experienced, and this has inspired countless others to get out and experience it for themselves. Walking was Warren’s way of connecting to the earth’s many environments. He believed that if others were to see and value the country, then they too would want to care for it. From that vision the Heysen Trail was created and becomes his lasting legacy, more tangible than his huge contribution to conservation and heritage groups in SA. Warren had good foresight, energy and determination, and he applied this to the benefit of our society here in South Australia.

A truly unique character, our friend and Patron. Vale C Warren Bonython AO, we miss you.

Lincoln Gore, Berri

Sad news indeed – I met Warren several times when I was living ‘up the bush’ – spent a fantastic evening (well into the early morning) with him and other Royal South Australian Geographical members in about 1991 just off the Birdsville track. He also circumnavigated Lake Eyre on foot with my ‘old’ geography teacher, Terry Krieg – this exploit being well chronicled in Terry Krieg’s book, Walking on Eyre.

By Thelma Anderson
Walking SA

The late C Warren Bonython AO, who, sadly, passed away on 2 April, 2012 at the age of 95, has left a priceless legacy for all recreational, as well as scientific activists throughout South Australia and beyond its boundaries, by his example and contribution to the walking community throughout his lifetime. Warren passed away, not as the result of accident or illness, but at the end of his long and fulfilled life spent walking and working in the Northern Flinders Ranges. Above all else Warren was a conservationist of the natural environment, particularly of the unique northern South Australian environment.

Many of his experiences are recorded in the publication Walking the Flinders Ranges, a unique document that many walkers, particularly of the northern regions, are proud to possess. Just glancing through the pages of this book is an experience in itself. The increasing number of walkers within the ARPA (Australian Retired Persons Association) membership who have walked the entire length of the Heysen Trail will also be able to attest to the experiences the Trail offers. Some of these identities have also followed in their footsteps to Innamincka and the South Australian-Northern Territory border – experiencing the unique, rugged environment of South Australia’s northern regions – Mount Babbage for example, the originally intended northern extension of the Heysen Trail. Continuing northwards Mount Hopeless stands amongst the bleached rocks and assorted native plants – a truly inspirational experience of isolation to be there!

Warren was also a source of great support and wisdom to the late Terry Lavender in delineating the route of the Heysen Trail as well as securing walking access in certain areas of more southern locations of the Trail. I clearly recall our journey to Burra to meet with Mrs Tennant for permission to locate the Heysen Trail along sheep tracks through Princess Royal Station in order to connect existing northern sections of the Trail with those south of Burra and to avoid the use of developed roads. Terry had done his homework, part of which was to request Warren to accompany him, and myself, to the Princess Royal Homestead, on foot, across the sheep tracks for a scheduled meeting with the late Mrs Tennant (and her accountant) to discuss Terry’s request. An early start had been necessary for this appointment and we set out on foot with due anticipation of successful negotiation with the prominent landowner. Terry and I puffed breathlessly along one of the steep tracks in search of Warren who had forged ahead, when at 12.00 pm we finally found him with lunch box open containing a sandwich and a measured allocation of red wine! (It was lunch-time!)

We paused to confirm our plans for the meeting with the landowner and continued towards the homestead. On arrival a lengthy, but amiable discussion ensued and the sought-after permission was granted following discussion with the accountant and assurances given by Terry relating to walkers’ respect for private property. The lavish accoutrements of the homestead could only be compared to a visit to Buckingham Palace in the Bush. The successful negotiations for safe walking access through Princess Royal Station were concluded and celebrated in the usual manner of an alcoholic toast from the bar. From that moment on all walkers passing through Princess Royal Station were assured of safe, and legal access as they journey onwards to the northern extremity of the Heysen Trail at Parachilna – at least throughout the ownership of Princess Royal by Mrs Tennant and, of course, through the Friends’ valued association with our Patron, C Warren Bonython. It was a memorable day and an important and unforgettable milestone in building the Heysen Trail.

We mourn the loss of our distinguished Patron and extend heartfelt sympathy to Bunty Bonython who has also become well-known to many Heysen Trail walking enthusiasts.

David Rattray

It must have been 40 years ago when I first heard Warren speak and I am certain it was about his book Walking the Flinders Ranges. Warren described how he walked the Flinders Ranges from Crystal Brook to Mount Hopeless over an 18 month period. I was about 25 years old and Warren was 55 years. I had been bush walking for about 10 years and had been walking in the Flinders Ranges, (Wilpena Pound) once.

What was this man doing; using a light plane for transport, carrying not one but two heavy bottles of expensive wine 120 odd kilometres in up to 38 degree temperatures.

I marvelled at what this ‘old’ man achieved compared to what I thought I could do as a much younger man. What was this man doing; using a light plane for transport, carrying not one but two heavy bottles of expensive wine 120 odd kilometres in up to 38 degree temperatures. Warren’s H-frame rucksack weighed 89 lbs (40 kg), while I struggled to carry half that. I was envious.

The thing I remember most clearly from Warren’s talk is him toasting Her Majesty The Queen with Penfolds Grange Hermitage on the summit of Mt Hopeless. Now that is something I would like to do!

Claire Cowell

Warren was a beautiful man and did some amazing things. My parents often talked about his exploits as they were of the same generation. His work in relation to the initial idea of the walking trail which is now the Heysen Trail has proved to benefit so many people and he will be long remembered.

Memories of C Warren Bonython AO
By Simon Blight

Simon Blight with Warren Bonython, 2010

Some years ago, in the mid-1990s, my childhood interest in bushwalking and camping was reignited as an adult by reading a copy of Walking in the Flinders Ranges by C Warren Bonython. The book meant a lot to me as I read and personally walked a few of the trails in the Flinders and was able to relate to much of the text and photographs that Mr Bonython had included in his now reprinted book, which was out of print for some years.

Never being backward in coming forward, I plucked up the courage to telephone Mr Bonython asking him if we could meet, chat a little more about the Flinders, thank him for all the enjoyment his book had bought me and hopefully have him personally sign my book.

I am delighted to say that Mr Bonython was only too happy to both accept my telephone call and make a time to meet late morning one Sunday after he had been to church with his wife, Bunty.

Our morning tea in the magnificent lounge room of Mr and Mrs Bonython’s timeless residence Romalo at Magill was an hour I will never forget. Warren (as he insisted I call him) took great delight in personally engaging with me, reminiscing about his time in the Flinders Ranges and, after disappearing for a few minutes, presented me with a pristine copy of another of his books Walking the Simpson Desert, which he signed along with my old copy of Walking the Flinders Ranges.

Mr Bonython also revealed when I asked about his beautiful home, that he and his beloved wife Bunty had lived there since they were married, having bought the home from her parents. He proudly told me of his devotion to his wife and family and laughed about the fact that his wife – as a child, teenager, young adult, wife, mother and grandmother – had only ever lived in one home!

The Friends of the Heysen credit the combined efforts of Warren Bonython & Terry Lavender with the concept and creation of the Heysen Trail – an achievement that many generations of South Australians will be forever grateful.

Conversation led to Mr Bonython’s understated (by him) role in the creation of the Heysen Trail together with the late Terry Lavender, and his ongoing involvement with the Friends of the Heysen Trail as their Patron. The Friends of the Heysen credit the combined efforts of Warren Bonython & Terry Lavender with the concept and creation of the Heysen Trail – an achievement that many generations of South Australians will be forever grateful.

I am happy to say that I have had the pleasure of meeting up with Mr Bonython and his wife Bunty again at two recent Annual General Meetings of the Friends of the Heysen Trail where Warren proudly served as the Patron.

As I reminded him of our meeting some 15 or so years earlier, he was genuinely pleased that our meeting and conversation had led to my joining the Friends of the Heysen Trail, and to the enjoyment that membership of such an organisation can bring.

Vale C Warren Bonython AO (1916 to 2012), a great South Australian and co-creator of the Heysen Trail. I extend my most sincere condolences to Mrs Bunty Bonython and the Bonython family.

Simon Cameron – Honorary Member 2014

Simon Cameron (left) and Julian Monfries

In many ways exceeding the challenging requirements and expectations for the award, Simon’s accomplishments make him highly deserving of Honorary Membership.

Simon is an exceptional mentor and an outstanding leader and role model.

Where’s Wally? Simon is well known for his bagpipes

He has a remarkable ability to build networks and a willingness to take on projects and see them to successful completion.

The Friends’ membership, and the wider community have benefitted from his vision for the Trail and he has earned enormous respect for his dedication through volunteer involvement.

He has contributed substantial and sustained service since joining The Friends of the Heysen Trail Inc in 2001, having served as the Walking Committee Chair, Vice President from 2005-2007, President from 2007-2011 and Council Member from 2011-2014.

He has led by example, co-ordinating the End-to-End 3 group, and has guided groups on Extended Walks in the Grampians, Kokoda Track, Great Ocean Walk, Larapinta Trail and Flinders Ranges.

His initiatives also included Walk Leadership Training and Twilight Walks.

More recently, his achievements have included membership of the Tank Site planning subcommittee and Chair of the Warren Bonython Memorial Walk.

End-to-End – a potted history

The End to End walks, such an integral part of the Friends walking programme, have in reality a short history.

End-to-End hand painting to commemorate the group’s completion of the Heysen Trail

The Friends started in 1986 primarily as a builder and maintainer of the Heysen Trail. Walking was not part of the core functions and there was some quite vehement opposition when the Friends started its walking programme. The walks were primarily day walks around Adelaide, on a Sunday, with some weekends away, taking walkers further afield.

Whilst many walks incorporated walking the Heysen Trail, the Friends had no formal programme to encourage our members to walk the full Trail.

It was pointed out to the Walk Committee, in 1999, that ARPA organised walking groups along the Trail and at that time were up to “Heysen 5” and that we, as The Friends of the Heysen Trail and Other Walking Trails, should facilitate walking the entire Heysen Trail for our members.

His name was David Beaton and it to him should go the credit for the idea. At the time I was Chair of the walk Committee and thought I should get involved and from that point we became a team.

David and I walked much of the Trail prior to the actual walk, determining starting and stopping point, road access, bus access and escape routes. We drove many kilometres around the Flinders checking and the plan that evolved remains by and large the plan that continues to this day.

Initially, they were called the Millennium Walks, as the first started in 2000, and we were highly excited at 44 walkers booked on that first walk. The largest group I recall walking at one time with the Friends.

We recruited a whole tribe of leaders, and started the using buses to get us to the start of a walk, so we walked to our cars. Many of the bus companies we started with in 2000 still provide our transport today.

As with current End-to-End groups, the walks were Sundays until the Barossa, when weekends away started.

I thought that at this point, the whole thing would fizzle out … Were we in for a surprise!

To be honest both David and I thought that at this point, the whole thing would fizzle out, as some of our regular walkers indicated they couldn’t manage weekends, for various reasons eg work, family commitments etc. Were we in for a surprise!

The start of the year of weekends away saw about 40 walkers book on, with quite a number of new walkers replacing those that dropped out and it was pretty much that group that jelled and formed End-to-End 1.

We changed the name from Millennium Walks to End-to-End when it was felt that the Millennium had clearly disappeared from our consciousness.

End-to-End 2 started out as “The Millennium Catch-up Walks” for those had started with End-to-End 1 and needed to fill in parts of the Trail. At some point it became End-to-End 2 lead by Jerry Foster and others.

By this time, for some reason, the End-to-End programme had captured the imagination of walkers and End-to-End 3 had 144 walkers book to start at Cape Jervis. Luckily for the leaders only 121 turned up!

This group, lead by Simon Cameron and Arrienne Wynen, set a pattern for End-to-End groups that persists to this day.

Splitting the group into faster and less fast walkers, so everyone could walk at their own pace.

Themes, where a dressing up and wearing attire appropriate to that idea took place. It also heralded using of local community organisations to provide Saturday meals for the group, when weekends away started.

End-to-End 3 numbers settled out at about 70 per walk towards the end, however not all were finishers and, as I recall only 3 who started actually walked every day without fail.

If we were surprised at the enrolment for End-to-End 3 then End-to-End 4 took us completely by surprise at 204 walkers booked for Day 1! Again, luckily for the leaders only 144 turned up and that group, who should finish the Trail this year, are running at about 50 walkers.

This was too much, so it was decided to run the End to End programme every year with a one bus load limit on numbers.

There was much grumbling, as unless you were quick the walks booked out early each year, so much so that End-to-End 8 booked out in 20 minutes, with an opening time of mid-night!

And so we now have End-to-End 4, End-to-End 5, End-to-End 6, End-to-End 7 and End-to-End 8 all at various points along the Trail, with some due to finish this year (as mentioned earlier), some starting their weekends away and one group yet to start, End-to-End 9.

We even have a group fast-tracking from north to south, the End-to-End -1 group, all backwards to a walker.

From the End-to-End groups we have gleaned walk leaders, council members, office volunteers, a new Greening Group, maintainers and lots and lots of fun.

Not for one moment back in 1999 did David or I realise what we had created.

The Morialta Barns

The Heysen Trail is a trail of discovery, yielding many secrets as you traverse its course. I remember walking past the Morialta Barns in 2007 for the very first time. I was intrigued to learn more about their origins after reading the interpretive signs at the site.

The Morialta stone buildings are excellent examples of the early colonial agricultural and viticultural structures of South Australia.

They were built by John Baker, an early colonist who arrived in South Australia in 1838. John Baker was born on 28 December 1813 at Ilminster, Somerset, England, the eldest son of Richard Chaffey Baker (1784-1821) and his wife Mary, née Anstice. Well educated in England, he migrated to Tasmania when he was 25, but was tempted to move to the newly proclaimed South Australia after marrying Isabella Allen.

Guests to Morialta House [the estate Morialta Barns was part of] included the Duke of Edinburgh and the future King George V.

He was renowned for his many and varied pursuits, but was best known as a pastoralist and parliamentarian. He acquired significant tracts of land and took up pastoral leases in northern South Australia including Angepena and Blanchewater stations which he stocked with sheep and cattle, striking good seasons and financial success.

In 1850 he became a justice of the peace and special magistrate, a director of the Savings Bank and a founder and first chairman of the Chamber of Commerce.

Baker assisted in selecting the site of the Botanic Gardens in Adelaide and served as a trustee. He was active in the Agricultural and Horticultural Society serving as president three times. He was also a fellow of the Royal Geographical Society, London.

At the outbreak of the Crimean War in 1854 he was instrumental in the organisation of the Mounted Rifles. In 1854 he helped to form a company of mounted rifles and later became lieutenant-colonel in the volunteer force, serving until it disbanded in 1868.

In 1851-56 Baker represented Mount Barker in the first South Australian Legislative Council. In the 1857 elections for the new Legislative Council he won the second largest vote. He was South Australia’s second Premier; however his ministry lasted only twelve days.

He built the mansion, Morialta, at Magill in 1847. The Barns were part of the Morialta House Estate where he established a farm and orchard.

He built the mansion, Morialta, at Magill in 1847. The Barns were part of the Morialta House Estate where he established a farm and orchard. The complex of stone buildings included two barns (one 3 storey and the other 2 storey), a well house, a bake house, a dairy, stables, a stoned walled enclosure around the barns, and the original stables and coach house. The Barns also accommodated a poultry shed, an old piggery, and a few other small farm buildings. Guests to Morialta House included the Duke of Edinburgh and the future King George V.

By the 1860s, Baker had established vineyards and was exporting his wine to London. He was well known in the district for his generous support of the Church of England, school and mechanics’ institute. His interests were not just horticultural. He built a hilltop horse racing track, on which he trained the winner of the 1873 Melbourne Cup, Don Juan, and for several years was on the committee of the SAJC.

He remained active in politics and the management of his properties until his last illness. He died at Morialta on 19 May 1872, survived by his wife and seven of their twelve children.

The Barns stand as a testament to this fascinating man and are definitely one of my Heysen Trail Highlights.

References: http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/bakerjohn-2920

Chicks on the Beach

The Hooded Plover is a small bird found on Australia’s southern ocean beaches, including the Fleurieu Peninsula. Walking along the beautiful beaches of the Heysen Trail: Waitpinga, Parsons, Sheepies (Shannon’s Gully), Coolawang, Tunkalilla and Lands End, you have probably walked right past these well-camouflaged birds.

Yes, that’s right, the beach, between the high-tide mark and the base of the foredune. And it’s for this reason that Hooded Plovers have one of the lowest rates of chick survival in the world.

They spend their entire life on the beach, and they also lay their nests on the beach. Yes, that’s right, the beach, between the high-tide mark and the base of the foredune.

Sometimes they will nest on the dune itself, but usually on the beach above the high-tide mark.

The nest is a very simple scrape in the sand, with one to three very-camouflaged eggs.

They lay their eggs from August through to March – spring and summer – the busiest time on our beaches, so you can imagine the range of threats they face during the breeding season.

And it’s for this reason that Hooded Plovers have one of the lowest rates of chick survival in the world.

Hooded Plovers and the Heysen Trail – how you can help

es2a - if you see one of these etc by Emma Stephens

If you see one of these signs on your walk, please walk at the water’s edge (if it is low tide) or above the beach and dunes on higher ground at high tide. Photo by Emma Stephens

Let’s share the beach! During the breeding season, when walking along these beaches, please stick close to the water’s edge or walk behind the beach and dunes on higher ground at high tide.

If you unknowingly sit near a nest or chicks, you will inadvertently cause the Hooded Plover to come off its nest, or send its chick into hiding. This means the eggs and chicks will be left vulnerable to the elements and predators, and chicks will go hungry.

A fantastic group of volunteers “The Friends of the Hooded Plover – Fleurieu Peninsula” monitor the breeding success of these birds.

When a nest is found temporary fencing and/or signage will be installed on either side of the nest.

Natural Resources Adelaide and Mt Lofty Ranges staff and volunteers are in the process of installing permanent signage at beaches where Hooded Plovers breed.

Please look out for this signage and fencing and avoid these areas by walking at the water’s edge or above the beach and dunes on higher ground at high tide.

Hooded Plover fast facts

Hooded Plover or “Hoodie” (Thinornis rubricollis)
Vulnerable in SA where there are around 600 birds
Fewer than 70 Hooded Plovers are found on the Fleurieu Peninsula
There are approximately 25 breeding pairs on the Fleurieu Peninsula.
Length: 19-23cm
Height: 10cm (smaller than a seagull)
Wingspan: 36-44cm
Weight: 90-100g
Hoodies lay 1-3 camouflaged eggs on the beach and incubate for about 28 days.
Once hatched, chicks have to feed themselves from day 1.
They have to grow from the size of a 20c coin to the size of an adult in 5 weeks!
They cannot fly until 5 weeks of age.

There are a few types of plovers. Hooded Plovers live and nest on the beach and won’t swoop you. A larger type of plover, the Masked Lapwing (Vanellus miles) or Spurwing Plover is often seen nesting on ovals, roundabouts, driveways and other sites and may swoop if you come near its nest or chicks. Masked Lapwings do not nest on the beach.

Local snapshot

It has been exciting to see the number of pairs on Tunkalilla Beach go from three to five.

Hoodies generally prefer at least 1km stretch of beach per breeding pair. Usually you will only find one pair per
beach.

However, Tunkalilla is nearly 5km long (yep, I bet your thighs and calves felt every inch of it!) hence there are more pairs.

Volunteers dedicated many hours of monitoring to this site over the 2012-13 breeding season.

Eight chicks fledged from this beach – an amazing result and in fact this beach proved to be the strong hold for the
Fleurieu during this season.

Contact

For more information, to report a sighting, or become a volunteer please contact Emma Stephens, Coast, Estuary
and Marine Officer for the Natural Resources, Adelaide and Mt Lofty Ranges region: 8229 9826 or estephens@holdfast.sa.gov.au.

Or visit the website for more information:
http://www.amlrnrm.sa.gov.au/

For more information check out the link for BirdLife Australia:
http://birdlife.org.au/projects/beach-nesting-birds

The Heysen Trail – The First Steps

Several years ago I was privileged to make contact with Stuart B. Hart, a former SA Director of Planning and Chairman of the State Planning Authority. In July, 2002 Stuart wrote an excellent and detailed account of the origins of the Heysen Trail and has granted me the privilege of re-counting events below, as they occurred at the time. Stuart’s detailed account is entitled “The Heysen Trail – The First Steps”.

This detailed account of the history of the origins of the Heysen Trail was written by Stuart Hart, South Australian Planner of the Day, who has generously granted permission for its publication in the interests of all members of the walking community throughout the world.

Establishing the trail over a period of 24 years epitomized the truth of the adage that any major project is 5% inspiration and 95% perspiration.

“The first steps of a young child are difficult; the first year or two of the Heysen Trail were perhaps the easiest of its formative years. There were many difficult steps on the long and arduous path that lay ahead. Establishing the trail over a period of 24 years epitomized the truth of the adage that any major project is 5% inspiration and 95% perspiration.

In 1969 Warren Bonython, then President of the Nature Conservation Society of South Australia, presented a paper to a seminar on the Adelaide Hills. He said that there was scope for the creation of long walking trails in the Adelaide Hills and suggested that routes should be determined and any existing rights- of -way kept open. The Minister for Local Government, the Hon. C. Murray Hill, was impressed with the idea.

At that time I was the SA Director of Planning and Chairman of the State Planning Authority. Our offices were in the recently demolished Police Headquarters building in Victoria Square. Warren came to see me on 28 October 1969. It was a bright and sunny day and from my 7th floor office window we could see the hills to the east, extending round to the coast at Marino. As we talked the concept evolved of one long trunk route from Cape Jervis to Mount Hopeless in the Northern Flinders. The National Fitness Council of South Australia with Albert Simpson as its Director was already starting a network of routes in the hills near Adelaide suitable for one-day walks.

The terms of reference referred to a walking and riding trail … even at that first meeting the minutes record that walking and horse riding ‘are not completely compatible’ and the idea of combining the two was eventually dropped.

The State Planning Authority, aware of the Minister’s interest, established a Long Distance Trail Committee to report on the concept. The Committee had its first meeting on 14 May, 1970. The Surveyor General George Kennedy was Chairman with Warren Bonython, Albert Simpson and myself as members. Warren Bonython became Chairman from 1971. The terms of reference referred to a walking and riding trail as it was thought that the horse riding fraternity would give support. However, even at that first meeting the minutes record that walking and horse riding “are not completely compatible” and the idea of combining the two was eventually dropped. One item stresses the need for the whole trail to be a first class project.

The Minister’s initial press statement (Advertiser 4 December 1969) suggested “Flinders Way” as a suitable name. The word “way” was used in Britain as in “Pennine Way”. Warren Bonython and Albert Simpson thought “track” was more Australian.

There was Milford Track in New Zealand but here in South Australia “tracks” were used by vehicular traffic, e.g. Birdsville Track. “Trail” was used in the USA e.g.Appalachian Trail. Commemorating Sir Hans Heysen was thought to be a brilliant idea as his interests spanned both the Adelaide Hills and the Flinders Ranges. The committee at its fourth meeting on 20 August, 1970 adopted the name “The Heysen Trail”.

Enthusiasm was high. Warren Bonython was out and about checking alternative routes. Maps were prepared, design standards compiled, operating procedures discussed and legal complexities investigated. Some of the planning staff voluntarily spent a gusty weekend in the Deep Creek-Newland Head area. The Army assisted during exercises in the Flinders Ranges.

Some councils were favourable but some, echoing the concerns of landowners, were hostile.

Despite the extremely heavy planning workload and acute staff shortages, matters relating to the trail were included in the duties of a staff member. Those involved over those first years included Andrew Lothian, Alan Withy, Greg Perkin, Bob Teague, Hague Showell, David Brodeur and Basil Thompson. Ian Robertson designed the attractive winding and undulating trail marker. Attention was given initially to the Cape Jervis-Mylor section. A brochure was prepared and discussions began with district councils and the emergency fire services. Some councils were favourable but some, echoing the concerns of landowners, were hostile. The trail would be a fire hazard, stock would be disturbed, gates left open and litter proliferate. One suggestion was made that all walkers should be registered. Problems relating to insurance and landowners’ liability for injuries sustained on their properties would arise. Removal of uncertainty regarding insurance problems still needs attention today.

The acquisition of the route and its subsequent management were of great concern.

Negotiations with individual landowners could not be undertaken with certainty until these matters were resolved. It was thought initially that the State Planning Authority had the powers and resources to establish the trail providing the trail was delineated in the appropriate development plans then being prepared. Eventually it became clear that proceeding under the Planning and Development Act was going to be cumbersome and fraught with difficulties. Separate legislation was required. Considerable work was done on a “Recreation Trails Bill” with the expectation that it would be introduced in 1976, but it did not appear then, or subsequently. Undoubtedly the strong land owning interests in the Legislative Council would not have allowed it to go through, particularly if it contained compulsory land acquisition powers.

There had been public interest in the project from the outset but there was nothing on the ground. Something had to be done, so work began in 1975 on a section of the trail near Adelaide, all on publicly owned land. The Governor Sir Mark Oliphant opened the nine-kilometre section at Cleland Conservation Park on 1 May 1976. Mr. David Heysen was present. This high profile section did help to maintain public interest and reinforce the Government’s commitment.

The Committee conducted user surveys and attempted to establish further sections despite lack of staff and continued legal doubts over the use of the use of the State Planning Authority’s powers. The Government transferred responsibility for the trail to the Department of Tourism and Sport in 1978., the Department already having taken over the National Fitness Council’s network of trails near Adelaide. It was agreed that the Heysen Trail would retain its distinct identity, but the Authority’s Long Distance Trail was no longer required.

The Committee met 39 times over eight years, Warren Bonython remaining Chairman for almost seven years. The original concept coming from a person so highly regarded and experienced made the project seem feasible and worthy of support. It was endorsed initially by Liberal and then by Labour governments. The Committee had several changes of membership, Terry Lavender becoming a member in November, 1976. He had been involved in establishing the National Fitness Council’s trails in the Adelaide Hills and was transferred to the Department of Tourism Recreation and Sport in 1978 with the responsibility for developing trails.

Terry Lavender was the right man, in the right place, at the right time. In his book “The Last Post, or how to build the Heysen Trail in 400 years or less” he vividly describes the meeting with Minister Tom Casey where the future of the Heysen Trail hung precariously in the balance. Terry writes with wry humour of the many years of negotiating with landowners, public meetings and public service bureaucracy. The Premier, Mr. Lyn Arnold, officially opened the whole trail on 4 April, 1993 and Terry Lavender was honoured for his work with the award of the Medal of the Order of Australia in January, 1994.”