Winter walking season steps off with visitors from Queensland
A group has set off along the Lavender Federation Trail, one of many local walks able to be enjoyed in the cooler months.
Visitors from Mackay in Queensland to the Murraylands over the Easter weekend didn’t come for a leisurely relaxing break or sightseeing at the usual tourist attractions, as most visitors did.
They came for a walk.
Not a casual stroll with long coffee breaks along the riverfront but with backpacks carrying all their gear necessary for several weeks.
Their travel to Clare will be a lot more leisurely than Kai Martin’s three-day traverse last year.
Sue and Greg McGann, with friends Kris Clancy and Mary Orchard, arrived at Murray Bridge on Easter Saturday with the intention of walking from Murray Bridge to Clare using the 325-kilometre Lavender Federation Trail.
Their sightseeing will be from a different perspective only experienced by walking.
Local attractions like Monarto Safari Park will be seen by the group, as the trail traverses its southern boundary.
Another highlight only possible if walking is the 360-degree views from Mount Beevor, in the northwest of the Murray Bridge council area.
The Southern Ocean, lakes and Coorong, Mount Barker and Mount Lofty as well as the River Murray and the Barossa Range are all visible from one spot.
Ms McGann commented that they walked as a group most weekends between 10-15km and did one longer walk each year of between 100 to 300km over several weeks somewhere in Australia.
This year it was SA’s turn.
Spokesman for the trail’s builder, South Australian Recreation Trails Inc, Graham Hallandal said the four had booked to stay in local accommodation on their walk, most from accommodation providers near the trail listed on the Lavender Federation Trail website.
Four nights will be spent at one B&B.
“Most people would be amazed at the number of walkers, runners and bike riders attracted to the district to use the extensive trail network available,” he said.
“There are great opportunities for accommodation providers to tap into this resource.
“We monitor trail use with electronic counters along the Lavender walking and cycling trails.
“A counter at Monarto, in the Kinchina Conservation Park, records between 1000 and 1500 trail users per month during the cooler weather.”
- More information: lavenderfederationtrail.au.
- More walks: Walks of the month
