Heysen Trail Governance Review
Current
The Heysen Trail is highly valued by South Australians and the wider hiking community across Australia and internationally. The community benefits of the trail are easily identified; it contributes to individual health, community health, environmental conservation, and regional prosperity through tourism.
In recognition of the importance of this long distance trail to South Australia, an SA Government Minister has historically taken responsibility for the trail. This has taken the form of funding (e.g., for trail infrastructure, improvements, and promotion through the relevant Department) and through a series of licence agreements with private landowners relating to usage of the trail for the purposes of recreational walking, and to indemnify the landowners against liability claims. Initially, this ministerial responsibility was taken on by the Minister for Recreation, Sport & Racing, and it now sits with the Minister for Climate, Environment and Water, with operational management resourced through a partnership group sitting within the Department for Environment and Water, comprising:
- NPWS
- Friends of the Heysen Trail
- ForestrySA, and
- SA Water
This partnership group has identified gaps in the existing management/governance/partnership model and recognise there may be benefits in adopting a different structure.
The intent of this project is to:
- Explore options for the future governance of the Heysen Trail
- Recommend a ‘best practice’ model for future governance of the Heysen Trail, with consideration of the unique factors impacting on this trail.
Shared Vision for the Heysen Trail:
‘The Heysen Trail is internationally recognised as a premier long distance walking trail, offering a diverse range of walking opportunities, experiences and welcoming pathways through Aboriginal traditional lands where Traditional Owners share their living stories’.
