Join the Friends on their extended walk in 2018 -the iconic 250 km Great North Walk from Sydney to Newcastle. The Great North Walk is a wonderful trail through a magnificent array of natural and urban environments. The Friends will be exploring this long-distance Trail over 17 days in May 2018. Bookings open on February 1st 2018.
Come along to the Open Day at the Maintenance Shed at the Cobbler Creek Recreation Park. Want to help us install new toilets and camping platforms?
A number of tracks within the Ikara-Flinders Ranges National Park, will be closed at night over the next 12 months. The Heysen Trail will remain open.
The Heysen Trail through Buckaringa Sanctuary will be closed to walkers, Friday 29 September to Monday 2 October 2017 due to feral animal control.
The reroute of the Heysen Trail between Chain of Ponds and Kersbrook due to the Sampson Flat fire has finally been removed.
A proposal is under consideration to upgrade the Heysen Trail on the southern Fluerieu Peninsula (67km / 5 days), which will encourage walkers to visit the area, in particular tourists from outside the region. Feedback is being sought from the public, walkers and potential tourism and adventure operators. Walk options will allow for day walkers, 1-2 day walkers, 5-day walkers and a 1-day Accessible trail, with walkers camping on the trail or staying in accommodation nearby. Tourism operators will be able to offer transport services, either daily or the start and end of multi-day walks. Sections of trail and exclusive walkers-campsites will be constructed or upgraded.
We have recently made changes to our walk booking arrangements. The major change made was to discontinue the sale of Multiwalk passes. When registering for walk, walkers now have the choice of using the casual walk fee option of $8 per walk or a Golden Boots pass (unlimited walks over 12 months at a cost of $60). Golden Boots will now be accepted for our Wednesday Twilight walks.
The State Government is proposing to use the Recreational Greenways Act 2000 to protect the Heysen and Mawson Trail networks for recreational access in perpetuity for use by walkers and/or cyclists. This will create a greenway over sections of the Heysen and Mawson Trails within Wirrabara and Bundaleer Forests that are proposed to be sold to private parties. Our main concerns relate to the proposed change to the route in Bundaleer that removes the section walked from Curnow’s Hut to New Campbell Hill and consequently removes the extensive views across the Spencer Gulf as well as extending the distance.
A team of volunteers has made a successful start to our new End to End Maintenance program, working on the Heysen Trail between Cape Jervis and Tapanappa.
Thank you to the many volunteers who have helped plant trees on the Heysen Trail. At Duttons Trough the trees can now be seen above other vegetation.
Registrations have opened for the first Heysen Trail End to End Maintenance week-end at Cape Jervis on 13th & 14th May. You are welcome to attend.
At the Friends Annual General meeting last Friday, Melanie Sjoberg was elected as our new President. Melanie becomes our first female President. Melanie is a dedicated walker having completed the Heysen Trail with E2E 4 in August 2014. Congratulations to Melanie and thank you to Robert Alcock, our retiring President.
