The Fearless Five
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.
Trailwalker feature articles
Browse a selection of featured Trailwalker articles to discover the history and people behind the Trail, along with hiking tips and how-to’s.
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C Warren Bonython AO – The Heysen Trail Visionary
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.
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Simon Cameron – Honorary Member 2014
In many ways exceeding the challenging requirements and expectations for the award, Simon’s accomplishments make him highly deserving of Honorary Membership.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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The Heysen Trail – The First Steps
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”.
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Changes on the Heysen Trail
Walkers on the Heysen Trail are not aware of the changes and improvements that take place over time. Richard Savage has travelled from his Tennessee home in USA to walk the Heysen three times. Here he describes some changes noticed on his recent end to end, completed on 23 September 2013.
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History of the Heysen Trail
It is now 18 years since the Heysen Trail was conceived; the first 9, under the State Planning Authority, were a period of enthusiastic planning changing to frustration; the second 9, under the Department of Recreation & Sport, have been a period of steady building of the trail and further promotion of the idea behind it.
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The Canberra Bushwalking Club walks the Heysen Trail
Only 68 persons are recorded as ‘doing’ the whole thing; some have done it in less time, and others have…
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Completed Labours are Pleasant
A few weeks ago I made the mistake of informing Arthur Smith that on the 4th August last my wife and I completed our walk of the entire mapped section of the Heysen Trail from Cape Jervis to Parachilna Gorge. As a form of penance for this indiscretion of disclosure I agreed to write a short note on the subject for inclusion in The Trailwalker. When will I ever learn to keep my trap shut?
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Walking the Heysen Trail with ARPA
No, I would never walk the whole Heysen Trail! Think of all those long boring road sections! Yes, I had said that several times. So how is it that I have just completed the very last step of the 1200km Trail?
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Suite 203, Epworth Building
33 Pirie Street, Adelaide SA 5000
Opening hours
We’re open Mon-Fri, 10.30am–2.30pm. As we’re staffed by volunteers, the office may occasionally be closed, so it’s best to call before you visit.
The Heysen Trail is developed and maintained as a partnership between the Government of South Australia – Department for Environment & Water (DEW) and the Friends of the Heysen Trail.
The Friends of Heysen Trail acknowledge and respect the Traditional Custodians of the ancestral lands we traverse along the Heysen Trail, embracing the Ngarrindjeri, Kaurna, Peramangk, Ngadjuri, Nukunu and Adnyamathanha peoples.
© Friends of the Heysen Trail and Other Walking Trails Inc.
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