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Hans Heysen,
son of a German produce merchant
came to Australia in eighteen eighty three.
He grew to be an artist,
a naturally gifted painter of natural scenes.
He gloried in the South Australian countryside.
He walked wherever he could,
discovering new colours, new light.
Australian colours and Australian light, the bush in all its variety.
So when the South Australian department of recreation and sport created a major
walking trail
it was natural to call it the Heysen Trail.
It's one of the world's classic walking trails
and a stroll one kilometer or to trek it's entire length
is an unforgettable experience.
The trail starts on the southern coast
and moves inland.
Beside this windswept coast
the Heysen trail is ideal for two or three day walks
and ideal for schools to introduce city children to the great outdoors.
Hi Girls
How'd you sleep? Did you get wet at all? No.
Clang, clang
Oh what time is it?
Breakfast time
How'd you guys go last night? Awful!
At first most city kids don't adapt very well
but in a little while they start sensing the magic of the natural bushland and
start enjoying themselves.
Do you see that island over there? Do you know what that is?
Kangaroo Island. Can you pick out any of the lighthouses?
They start becoming more aware of nature
seeing things that a matter of hours before would've passed by unnoticed.
Mr Lowrie look what I found
Real nasty little animal. Real bitey. He's a predator.
Have you counted the legs?
About 40.
Yeah something like that.Two for each segment.
They start coming to terms with a more elemental part of themselves.
A time like this, at their age,
may well leave an impression to last a lifetime.
The Heysen trail goes north
not far from the city of Adelaide
so this part of the trail is perfect for day and half day walks.
These simple red triangles and special Heysen trail maps will guide your walks
along the trail.
Near Echunga, you'll pass the Jupiter Creek goldfields.
Miners took thirteen tons of gold from here, and they left for the more adventurous
an exciting underground walk through an old mine shaft.
Bridgewater
and the old watermill
once turned slowly by the sparkling waters of ***'s creek.
Natural bridges like this fallen tree
are an adventure for all ages.
Last century bushranges waylaid traveller's on the nearby roads
and then hid out here in these high tiers of rocks,
so they were known as wild Irish tiersmen.
Today though the area is known as Arbury Park,
now almost in the Adelaide outer suburbs,
and instead of bushrangers you'll find social clubs and special interest groups
like the Field Naturalist Society.
Australia has more than half of all the world's species of birds and many of
them can be found by the trail.
Further north
the trail passes through the Cleland Conservation Park
where you can see our native animals at really close range.
Further along, though still in the Adelaide hills,
the trail winds through Morialta and Montacute national parks and then into
the Mount Crawford state forest.
This part of the trail is perfect for longer distance bush walking.
These university students are on a three day hike
walking through still dark pine forests.
High on rocky hilltops through native bushland,
building up a healthy appetite,
good food and good company.
uh, where'd you get the boiled eggs from?
He carried them in.
But his other famous meal is some sort of Italian meal.
and he brought up all this vermicelli.
And it wouldn't fit in the billy.
This area is more rugged,
more challenging,
though every now and again there'll be idyllic farmland.
At the end of the day
a youth hostel,
one of many hostels handy to the Heysen trail,
inexpensive and very welcome.
After the Adelaide hills
the Heysen trail moves into the drier country at the lower end of the Flinders
Ranges.
The air is clearer here,
the colours brighter,
one reason why Hans Heysen spent so much time here,
and the same reason why other naturalists, photographers and painters
come to walk on this part of the Heysen trail.
This group joins together to share accommodation, transport and fellowship.
How many days are you booking in for?
I think two nights.
The signs to the Heysen trail are clear
and sturdy vehicles can travel quite near to the walking trails,
in this case into the Mount Remarkable national park.
Wonder who's driving the cars today?
Righto draw straws.
Each day two people ferry the cars to where the hikers will find their days end.
Beauty I got a short straw.
We're going right away. ok, this way.
This country is wild,
primitive and full of surprises.
Hey look down here.
It's a wallaby hole.
It's the yellow-footed rock wallaby.
Watch out up there, it's a mud wasp nest.
This unique wilderness of the Mount Remarkable national
park has never been cleared,
it's still *** bushland.
So now as a national park it will retain its natural beauty,
hopefully forever.
The most northern section of the Heysen trail begins at Hawker,
passes into the amazing Wilpena Pound and north through Parachilna
Gorge.
It was Hans Heysen who first brought the colours and the timelessness
of these ranges to the world.
With his vision
he was moved to write,
"the barren
hillsides
incised and torn by by nature's forces,
hold a peculiar fascination.
Great masses of stone
are piled layer upon layer
as if built up by some very ancient people."
To walk in the Flinders Ranges
you must first plan with care.
Few people live here,
water is scarce,
and you must be prepared for your hike to take several days.
Your hike leader will need to have walked this part of the Heysen trail
before, to know what is in store.
And what is in store is magnificent,
awe inspiring,
but sometimes
hard, hard work.
The Heysen trail,
a pathway spanning more than fifteen hundred kilometers of natural beauty
and the natural wonders of South Australia.
As Hans Heysen put it,
the extraordinary contrasts,
the strength and delicacy of this land
stir the emotions and quicken the pulse
with the beauty of it all.
It's vastness and silence penetrates.
It makes a call, a call very difficult to resist.