During this Sunday's Hiking Expo we'll be officially launching our Heysen Highlights book. 12noon at Main Oval, Belair National Park, launch by guest John Schutz, Chief Executive of Department for Environment and Water.
We were privileged at the December meeting of Council to have the opportunity to hear a presentation about Reconciliation between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people from one of our members. Mark Waters completed the trail with E2E8 in August and worked within Reconciliation SA for eight years. The presentation initially arose from members of E2E8 asking questions about what Aboriginal country we cross as we walk along the trail. This led the group to decide to commence its walks with an Acknowledgement of Country. It seems awareness was growing among Friends as similar discussions had occurred during a couple of other E2E walks I joined last year. Mark took the initiative to write to the Friends about generating a broader discussion.
For well over 10 years the Friends has maintained a standard walk fee for its End to End, Trail Walker and Trail Starter walks. However increased costs of running the organisation are having an impact. Council has approved the following fees for 2019: Casual walk fee – new rate of $10 will apply to walks scheduled on or after 1 May 2019. Golden Boots Card – new fee of $75 will apply to any purchase on or after 1 May 2019.
If you join the Friends of the Heysen Trail between 1st March and 31st May 2019 your name goes into the draw to win a 2-day guided walk on the Heysen Trail and overnight accommodation at Heysen’s Rest B&B, Myponga*.
The Ikara-Flinders Ranges National Park, will be closed for several periods in February and March 2019. This will affect access to the Heysen Trail. Night time closures will also continue until the end of September 2019.
