Month: May 2017

“I Share My Trail” launch at Shepherds Hill Recreation Park

Posted on by Walking SA

Representatives from each trail user group: walking, trail running, horse riding, cycling and mountain biking with Hon Ian Hunter MLC, Minister for Sustainability, Environment and Conservation and Annabel Digance, Member for Elder

Representatives from each trail user group: walking, trail running, horse riding, cycling and mountain biking with Hon Ian Hunter MLC, Minister for Sustainability, Environment and Conservation and Annabel Digance, Member for Elder

Walking SA joined with representatives of other trail user groups today at Shepherds Hill Recreation Park to commend the adoption of the “I Share My Trail” message.

We encourage all trail users to consider the safety of other users to create enjoyable trail experiences for all.

The campaign was launched by Hon Ian Hunter MLC, Minister for Sustainability, Environment and Conservation and Annabel Digance, Member for Elder, in conjunction with Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources (DEWNR), Natural Resources Adelaide and Mount Lofty Ranges, Walking SA, Trail Runners SA, Bike SA, Horse SA and Gravity Enduro Mountain Bikes.

"I Share My Trail" - we encourage all trail users to consider the safety of other users to create enjoyable trail experiences for all

“I Share My Trail” – we encourage all trail users to consider the safety of other users to create enjoyable trail experiences for all

We encourage all trail users to consider the safety of other users to create enjoyable trail experiences for all. Sharing of trails depends on mutual understanding and respect from all users. The aim is to ensure everyone, including walkers, trail runners, cyclists, mountain bikers and horse riders have a safe and enjoyable experience using shared trails.

Shared trails work well for low-volume, low-speed trails and those with good sight distances. They can also bridge hard or expensive-to-fix gaps in trail networks. Bike trails can often be shared with walkers where bike speeds are kept low. Providing for more trail users broadens the funding and support opportunities, allowing for a greater investment in the development of new trails and maintenance of existing trails.

Representatives from trail user groups at the I Share My Trail launch: walking, trail running, horse riding, cycling and mountain biking with Hon Ian Hunter MLC, Minister for Sustainability, Environment and Conservation and Annabel Digance, Member for Elder

Representatives from trail user groups at the I Share My Trail launch: walking, trail running, horse riding, cycling and mountain biking with Hon Ian Hunter MLC, Minister for Sustainability, Environment and Conservation and Annabel Digance, Member for Elder

Not all trails are suitable for sharing, and care must be taken to separate fast and low-speed traffic.  Walkers don’t feel safe on trails used for downhill mountain bike riding or the kind of fast flowing trail that some mountain bike riders prefer. Walkers are generally not attracted to commuter paths with fast moving or high volumes of bicycle traffic. High numbers of walkers on these trails can also impede and annoy bike riders.

There are important roles and benefits of shared trails, but there are also places where some form of separation can be cheaper as well as better for everyone’s experience of the trail. Low-speed, walking-only trails in the right place, have little impact on the environment, cost almost nothing to construct and require little maintenance.

Welcome to a New Organisation Member – Scout Outdoor Centre

Posted on by Walking SA

Welcome to our new Organisation Member - Scout Outdoor CentreFollowing from the Hiking Expo Walking SA has gathered a number of new organisation members and over this and future newsletters we will feature them.

The first one is the Scout Outdoor Centre who were a strong supporter of the recent Hiking Expo and provided a backpack prize on the day. I am sure we are all familiar with this outlet on Rundle Street which provides a expert advice and a wide range of hiking, camping and outdoor clothing, equipment and other accessories.

View all our members and supporters.

Advocacy for Walking, May 2017 Update

  • Advocating for walking
Posted on by Walking SA

Walking SA has been active in the following areas on behalf of the walking community:

Celebrate May’s History Festival with a Historical Walk

Posted on by Walking SA

The History Festival is being celebrated throughout May. It promotes South Australia’s wonderful places, stories and collections through a range of hundreds of history-related activities.

Walking on a self-guided or guided tour of one of our historic towns or neighbourhoods is a great way to experience these places and stories. We’ve compiled a list of the best historical walks, just grab a brochure, map, or app to get started on your walk.

We’ve listed some of the best historical walks below, or view 130 historical walks in our Find a Place to Walk directory (tick the ‘Historical Walks’ checkbox.)

A Shortlist of Historical Walks

Living In Port walking tour app1.

Living In Port walking tour app

A self-guided historical walk which is app-based, prepared by South Australian Maritime Museum.

The app cover 24 sites in central Port Adelaide, and is available for Apple iPhones and iPads.

The promised Android app doesn’t appear to have ever been produced, but for non-Apple users an alternative walk is the Walk the Port brochure, which covers 42 points of interest including many of the same sites.

Download App

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Public Feedback Sought on Establishing Corridors to Protect Forest Trails

Posted on by Walking SA

Public Feedback Sought on Establishing Corridors to Protect Forest TrailsThe ownership and management of the Bundaleer and Wirrabara Forests may soon change, following the Mid North Forests Future Strategy which commenced after the devastating bushfires of 2013 and 2014.

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.

One of our member clubs, the Friends of the Heysen Trail, has some concerns with regard to the proposed changes. However, as they were only recently made aware of the proposals they are currently preparing a response. Whilst they support in-principle the use of the Greenways Act to protect the Heysen Trail and other walking trails, they are concerned that it proposes to re-route part of the Heysen Trail. Watch their website for details.

Submit your feedback via yoursay.sa.gov.au/greenways by COB Monday 12 June 2017.

Public Consultation on Adventure Activity Standards (AAS) Sought

Posted on by Walking SA

The Australian Adventure Activity Standards (AAS) are a voluntary best-practice framework for safe and responsible planning and delivery of outdoor adventure activities with dependent participants.

These new national standards are intended to replace existing Adventure Activity Standards (AAS) that are different in each state. Like the existing state-based standards, the new National Australian AAS are voluntary and are being designed primarily for groups with dependent participants such as school groups, scout, church and youth groups as well as commercial guides and tour operators. They are not intended to cover individual bushwalkers. Bushwalking clubs generally have a different duty of care and use different procedures to ensure the safety of walkers. Nevertheless, clubs may find the new standards useful when updating their own rules and safety procedures.

While both the existing and new standards are voluntary, there is some concern amongst the bushwalking community that government land managers or private landholders could in future seek to impose AAS on all bushwalkers as a condition of entry. Bushwalking Australia which is represented on the National Australian AAS Working Group, is working hard to make sure this does not happen. AAS applied in that way on clubs could become a bureaucratic nightmare for clubs with little benefit for walker safety.

Comments on the new draft standards are welcome and need to be submitted by May 29.

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Park of the Month, Shepherds Hill Recreation Park, May 2017

Posted on by Walking SA

Shepherds Hill Recreation Park is the National Parks and Wildlife Service SA Park of the Month for May 2017.

There are three great hikes in the park, and another good one that extends outside of the park into the adjacent Watiparinga Reserve walking to the old railway tunnel and viaduct.

Hikes in Shepherds Hill Recreation Park

River Red Gum Loop, Shepherds Hill Recreation Park1.

River Red Gum Loop

2.3km, 1 hour

Explore the river red gums and wildlife along Viaduct Creek on this loop walk. A wide well-made trail which is great for families with small children, as the trail is suitable for prams and beginner-level cyclists.

View Walk

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We congratulate the Heart Foundation initiative as part of the $10m Federal Budget

Posted on by Walking SA

10m dollars allocated in Federal Budget to get more Australians active by investing in a walking revolution$10m has been allocated in this week’s Federal Budget to get more Australians active by investing in a walking revolution.

We congratulate the Heart Foundation in leading this initiative of the Prime Minister’s Walk for Life Challenge, which will support up to 300,000 Australians to adopt the easy way to better health – regular walking – by 2019.

“Disturbingly, about half of Australian adults are not physically active enough to gain the health benefits of exercise. This includes just under half of young people aged 25 to 34 years old. This puts them at higher risk of heart disease, stroke, some cancers and dementia in later life.”

“But even moderate exercise is like a wonder drug. Being active for as little as 30 minutes a day, five days a week, can reduce risk of death from heart attack by a third, as well as help you sleep better, feel better, improve your strength and balance, and maintain your bone density. It also manages your weight, blood pressure and blood cholesterol. So we are delighted by the news of the Prime Minister’s $10 million walking challenge.”

Heart Foundation Walking is Australia’s only national network of free walking groups. It has helped more than 80,000 Australians walk their way to better health since the program began in 1995, and currently has nearly 30,000 active participants. “We need to inspire Australians to be more active, and walking groups are a cheap, fun and easy way for them to get moving,” says Heart Foundation National CEO, Adjunct Professor John Kelly.

Read more via heartfoundation.org.au/news.

Find a walking group near you

Adelaide100 Update, May 2017

Posted on by Walking SA

We've launched a project website for the Adelaide100 trail at adelaide100.com.au

Proposed Adelaide100 Trail RouteWalking SA has recently met with key staff in the Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources (DEWNR) regarding taking the Adelaide100 walking trail concept to a reality.

The staff were most supportive of this initiative and provided specific advice in translating the vision into a reality. This will involve some formal submissions and engagement with the Department and other state agencies as well as local government. Their support will most useful in us taking this to the next level.