Month: March 2023

Hiking Expo – Sunday 2 April 2023

Posted on by Walking SA

Opening of the Bushwalking Season
9am to 1:00pm, Sunday 2nd April 2023
Belair National Park

An expo to celebrate the start of the South Australian bushwalking season. With the arrival of cooler autumn weather, hiking is an ideal outdoor activity. South Australia’s bushwalking clubs and Walking SA are coming together to celebrate the occasion with a unique day in Belair National Park.

  • Expo of walking tours, walking destinations, outdoor retailers, walking clubs, free entry. 9am to 1pm. View the list of exhibitors
  • Guided hikes ranging from 45mins to 3 hours, including child friendly, dog friendly and Accessible options. Walks depart every 10 minutes from 9:00am to 12:20pm. Secure a place on a specific guided walk by registering online from March 2023, or just arrive on the day and choose a guided walk to join.
  • Bushwalking equipment and experience demonstration stage
  • Promote sustainability by selling or donating outdoor gear to the Recycle Your Quality Outdoor Gear Stall. It could be shoes or a backpack that you bought but didn’t turn out to be for you, but is still quite new, or it could be a used piece of gear that still has some life.

New Executive Director for Walking SA

Posted on by Walking SA

Walking SA is delighted to announce that Sharon Kelsey has been appointed as our new Executive Director.

With over 15 years as an Executive leading local government and public sector organisations, she has formal qualifications in law, management and adult education. With lived experience in the Australian outback, Asia, Europe, the US and interstate, she brings business acumen with her lust for walking.

Her wanderlust developed from her early years spent accompanying her amateur botanist grandfather as he trekked across the Fleurieu Peninsula. It was here she became adept at not only spotting orchids but knowing where the best spots were to take in the expansive views and find sufficient shade for a well-earned rest. As an active walker she has completed much of the Great South West Walk, the Heysen Trail and walked from Port Augusta to Quorn via the Pichi Richi Pass.

With a good knowledge across all our focus areas of bushwalking, walking for transport and walking for health, she will be working to seek the best outcomes for all trail users.

With an extensive career in leadership in large urban and smaller rural community-based organisations both here in South Australia and interstate she will be a valuable asset in liaising with a range of diverse stakeholders.

As a strong advocate for the benefits of walking including the health, social and mental wellbeing that flow from active participation, she will help Walking SA to achieve its vision of seeing more people walking more often.

Improve your Hiking Skills session, Belair National Park

Posted on by Walking SA

Saturday 29 April 2023
Belair National Park
Choose from two sessions:
8:30am to 11:30am, or
1pm to 4pm

The date has been changed from 15 April to 29 April.

Join an experienced leader from Walking SA for a guided bushwalk & skills session in Belair National Park on Kaurna country.

This 3-hour session will include a 2 hour hike in the park plus some time to relax in the bush and have a chat about:

  • How to plan and be well prepared for a hike
  • How to stay comfortable while walking
  • Equipment should you take with you
  • Navigation and map resources
  • What to do in an emergency
  • Rules and guidelines about walking in parks
  • The principles of Leave No Trace
  • Walking SA
  • Bushwalking Leadership South Australia
Buy Ticket

This event is proudly supported by National Parks and Wildlife Service South Australia as part of the April’s – Park of the Month – Belair National Park.

Recycle your Quality Outdoor Gear at the Hiking Expo

Posted on by Walking SA

Recycle your Quality Outdoor Gear flyer detailsPromote sustainability by selling or donating outdoor gear to the Recycle Your Quality Outdoor Gear Stall at the April 2 Hiking Expo. It could be shoes or a backpack that you bought but didn’t turn out to be for you, but is still quite new, or it could be a used piece of gear that still has some life.

View the stall brochure.

Drop off items:

View the information form to include with items.