Camping permits required for Aroona campsite, Trezona Campsite.
Car entry permits to Ikara-Flinders Ranges .
Private campground at Wilpena.

Heysen trail section 8: Mernmerna Creek to Parachilna Gorge

Depart Adelaide Saturday morning 7am, arrive at Wilpena by 2pm.
leave cars parked at Wilpena Pound - long term carpark.
on Saturday at 2.30pm, a Private bus transfer was arranged through Angorichina Tourist Village to take us from Wilpena to the Parachilna trailhead (1.5hr drive). Total cost $250 was split between all walkers.
Drove home the following Saturday.

speaking with park rangers 4 weeks prior and 1 week prior, they confirmed all water tanks along the HEYSEN trail with car access would be topped up (it had been a dry winter). this was confirmed on both occasions for Aroona, Trezona and Yanyanna hut. water was NOT confirmed for Parachilna hikers campsite so we carried water in for 500m.

pest control being undertaken at time of our walk (ie, shooting) - national parks website advised all hikers to camp within 20m of the heysen trail or at designated campsites.

Day 1 (Saturday 9^th Sept 2017): leave Adelaide by 7am.  Drive to Wilpena Pound (5.5 hours from Adelaide). Cars can be left at Wilpena Pound carpark.  Meet private transfer pickup at 2.30pm taking us from Wilpena carpark to Parachilna Gorge Heysen trailhead – near Angorichina Tourist Village (80km drive, 1.5hr).  Walked  500m with packs and water to Parachilna Gorge hikers campsite (a Heysen shelter about 500m into the trail).

Day 2 (Sunday): walk Parachilna to Aroona. 17km (had a look up Crisp gorge to Dead Goat Soak – extra 4km without packs) 
Day 3 (Mon): (HOT DAY) left early, walked Aroona to Trezona campground 14km (back up plan was to continue another 2km to Middlesight hut if we required shelter)  

Day 4 (Tues): (HOT DAY) left early, walked Trezona to Yanyanna Hut 10.5km (a short easy day with an afternoon rest) Optional walk up to Bunyeroo lookout in the afternoon 2km return. this was ‘off track’ – gps and compass used to follow creek and return.

Day 5 (Wed): Walk Yanyanna Hut to Wilpena main campground 22km (we had access to cars for the last 3 nights). NOTE: NO reliable water available between Yanyanna and Wilpena.

Day 6 (Thurs): day walk up St Marys Peak –  loop route 22km.

Day 7 (Fri):  Day walk: drove 15mins to Rawnsley park carpark. Walked Rawnsley bluff hike (amazing view over the pound from the Southeast end) 12km return, (if bad weather we would have done: Mt Ohlssen Bagge Hike (6.5km) 

Day 8 (Sat): pack up and drive home (5.5 hours to Adelaide)

Day 1: Parachilna Gorge hikers campsite (a Heysen shelter about 500m into the trail) $Free. plenty of room for 7 walkers, could have easily done 10-12. Enough wood around for a small fire.

Day 2 (Sunday):  Aroona campground. booked 2 sites ($15 each).  Fires permitted but collection of firewood prohibited.
Day 3 (Mon):  Trezona campground . Booked 1 large site ($15 each). Fires permitted but collection of firewood prohibited.  We could have continued to Middlesight Heysen Hut ($free) but its less scenic and would have made the following day too short.

Day 4 (Tues): camped at Yanyanna Hut on the Heysen trail.

Day 5 , 6 and 7 : Wilpena main campground (access to cars for the last 3 nights). We paid $13 per person.  Showers, toilets, laundry, camp kitchen, etc.

 

didn’t see one snake.

we had 2 HOT days (29 degrees) which luckily fell on our short walking days. we started early and got into camp VERY early however the group were happy to lay in the sunshine and relax.

Heysen trail extremely easy to follow and well marked.