Wild South Coast Way, Fleurieu Peninsula

Client: Department of Environment and Water SA

Brief: A variety of shots to showcase the Wild South Coast Way. Inclusive access, also.

One-day photo shoot at various locations on the trail through Deep Creek National Park. Street casting through heidi who photos street casting Facebook group

Usage on website and marketing material

Wild South Coast Way

“The creation of the Wild South Coast Way on the Heysen Trail will connect the parks that run along our breathtaking southern coastline and become a beacon for locals and tourists alike, driving sustainable economic growth in the region and promoting accessibility for all.

Upgrade sections of the iconic Heysen Trail from Cape Jervis to Victor Harbor to create a five day, four-night hike and other high-quality trail-based experiences.

The visitor experience at Deep Creek Conservation Park will be enhanced and expanded with a new day visitor facility, a universally accessible walking trail, and upgrades to existing campgrounds and amenities. The project will also support new, and enhance existing, nature-based experiences in the tourism sector.”

CLIENT: National Parks and Wildlife Service South Australia, Department of Environment and Water

SHOOT: One day on sections of Wild South Coast Way. heidi who photos organised talent (to be photographed with staff) and photographed.

Rejuvenation after the fires: Kangaroo Island Wilderness Trail

SHOOT: Kangaroo Island Wilderness Trail, Kangaroo Island

CLIENT: National Parks and Wildlife, Department for Environment and Water

BRIEF: Post-fire experience. Capture the different vegetation, views and feels of the trail: the experience, the landscape, the feeling. Day hikers experience only.

Two day shoot with two talent in December 2020. Images to show different seasons.

Talent organised through 'heidi who street casting' Facebook page.

Images used by the client, and a variety of media, to promote the trail. Images used in editorials of different publications, magazines and web.

Thoughts and conversations while hiking Kangaroo Island Wilderness Trail...

What goes through my head while I'm hiking alone for five days? 

Well, after talking to animals and plants, meditating on the beach, begging whales to come closer and walking in a trance, I have plenty of time to have conversations with myself. 

These may or may not have all been said aloud, multiple times - to myself, the birds and the bees, the plants... 

#1
OMG, what am I doing? I'm so cold. What if it rains the whole time? I hate winter, the cold and being in the rain. I can't escape the rain. What am I doing? What if it rains the whole time? How many more days do I have? (All said within the first 24 hours.)

#2
Wow. Look at the water droplets on the leaves. They are so beautiful. Wow, look at the leaves. Look at the shapes. There are some beautifully shaped leaves. How wonderful is Mother Nature? And look, wow, a redback spider I nearly stepped on. Lucky I missed it. I should get a photo...

#3
Thank you. I am so grateful. I am so lucky to be out here. How special is this? Thank you Weather Gods, you have listened. Look at the sky this side, look at the sky that side - I'll take this side thanks. Please. Wow, winter and summer in one sky. Eek. I hope that's not the 20mm of rain coming.

#4
Damn. I love beaches. I can't get this stupid smile off my face. I want to stay here. Wow. It's a shipwreck beach. Look at all the rubbish? Look there's a shoe - it's a nice shoe. Wonder what happened? Ahh, I don't want to leave. 

#5
Yuck. Sweaty Betty. I'm going to stink from day one. I really should stop and take some layers off, but the rain is too hard. I'll just keep walking. Yuck. Sweating. Argh, my feet feel so wet too. And I've missed stepping in all the puddles. Why? Damn, look, I have a hole in my shoe. Should have looked at them before packing them. Damn it. Hope it doesn't rain every day. My feet are going to be horrible. Wet feet for five days - yuck.

#6
The birds are singing songs. Sounds so pretty. It's natural music. How many different bird sounds can I hear?

#7
The wind is singing songs. I can see the colours and tones of the wind blowing through like waves over the treetops. It's a bit spooky. Is this a place of cultural significance? I feel different here. Something in my soul. 

#8
Am I going to get bored? I'm going to get so bored. What am I going to do? I forgot my book and only have one magazine with me. Shit. Oh well, guess I should practice meditating. Be good for me. How many pages a day can I read?

#9
So thankful it has stopped raining. I am grateful. I am blessed. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

#10
Live a life that makes me happy. Life is a process, a journey of coming out of my shell. 

#11
I need more holidays alone.

#12
Nature is true, amazing beauty. Nature makes me calm. This is amazing. I'm so happy and lucky to be here. 

#13
The bonus of hiking through winter. I don't need to keep an eye out for snakes. I can look around a bit more while walking. There are so many twigs laying around, if it were summer, I'd be jumping every minute or two. (On day 3 I realise that snakes don't hibernate on Kangaroo Island. The guys hiking the trail at the same time spotted 2.)

#14
Shit. Up to 50km winds and up to 20mm of rain. Oh no. What if I get totally wet and can't dry out. I'll be freezing. I don't like it. Perhaps I can just keep walking today and do it all? Argh. Rain. Lots of it. Oh no. 

#15
F**K, so fricken cold. I'm freezing. Oh my god. What can I do? How long til morning (of course I don't know because I forgot to bring anything, except my flat phone, that tells the time). Really? I have three more nights of this? Oh shit. I'm not going to cope. I'm going to go crazy, not sleeping. This is horrible. 
*Thankfully I find a way of keeping warm the following nights.

#16                                                                                                                                                (When my knee starts 'talking' to me, I speak straight back to it - out loud.) Be quiet and stay quiet. I don't want to hear from you on this hike. 

#17
Um, why on earth did I choose to be here and not lazing on a warm beach somewhere? I guess the only answer is 'I love adventure'. Although, I remember now that I said one to two-night hikes are best for me. Oops. 

#18
I feel you girl; I know you are there, now steady. (Yep, I actually start talking to the wind as it tries to blow me sideways while hiking the clifftop. It is that intense I can feel all the muscles in my legs and core battling to keep me upright.)

#19
Thoughts are like the surrounds on the trail... always changing and never permanent or solely one thing. 

#20
Not a spoken word but written in my diary...
Cold afternoon, cold night, cold sleep, cold morning... only when I'm moving, am I not cold. Thankfully, I have the sun til 4-4.30pm to keep me warmish. But when that sun starts to drop, brr. It's cold. Which is about now and I start to think... 
"Sitting by myself at camp as it gets colder and the dark creeps in. I wish the night to go quick. I want the hours to zoom by so I can crawl into my sleeping bag and be warm. Now that I know I can be warm."

I also sang songs. In English and Portuguese. I made songs up of strength and courage, of living a life you love but perhaps the most intense thought, however, was a realisation that brought tears to my eyes. 

Most of my thinking time is while walking through the bush as I'm not as 'wowed' by the vistas, but this aha comes on a clifftop. 

"I feel like I've been living in a box. I am finally pushing the top off and living the life I am meant to. A life of adventure, fun, love and discovery. I can have this life. And by doing that, I can show my kids how to live a life that makes them happy. Not a prescribed life that they think they have to live." 

I wipe my eyes so I can see and walk on.

Hiking Kangaroo Island Wilderness Trail for five days... and the things I forget to pack.

Carrying everything (except for the stuff I forgot) I need on my back for five days. Couldn't do it without the hiking poles - or my knees couldn't.

The track on day one. Nice. 

Presuming most people would check their equipment before going on a five-day hike? Yep, not me. I end up packing the morning I leave for Kangaroo Island. I'm pulling things from that room, a bit from over here, and remember as I'm packing something else that I haven't packed my hiking boots yet. Tell you now... probably not the best idea I've ever had. Not that it was an idea, it's just the way it has turned out.

So, did I forget anything? You bet. 
1. One of my boots has a hole in the side. I discover this after feeling my foot feeling quite wet after hiking in the rain for over an hour. 

2. No clock/watch. Not a biggie, but it's nice to know when I'm tossing and turning, waiting for it to be morning so I can get up.

Of course, everyone packs a tripod and DSLR for a hike, right?

3. No pegs for my tent. Oops. When the wind picks up, it's nice to know my tent isn't going to fly away. Especially since I don't have much weighty stuff to keep it on the ground. Only once did it have a little bit of lift off. Rocks and hiking poles came to good use in keeping the door fly off the inside of the tent. 

4. No pocket knife. Admittedly, this trip, I only needed one a few times. I managed to make do with the flint for my Trangia. 

5. No dishwashing liquid. Oh well. Not dead yet. 

6. No book to read. When I wake up before dawn and only hike until early afternoon... it leaves a lot of time to sit and reflect. A book for some of these hours, or a deck of cards, would be very handy. This is the one item I missed the most. 

Pegs could have been helpful when not on the tent platforms. Oops. 

7. Hat and sunscreen. Oops. Don't tell my Dad.

8. Thongs. It's really nice to get out of wet boots at the end of the day. But when I have nothing else... 

9. Mini Towel. What can I do? Shake 'em dry. 

10. Dehydrated wine. This should exist by now!

Ok, so that is a long list. Oops. Would I have remembered all of this had I packed earlier? Probably not. I always forget something. But next time I will try to pack earlier, and not forget so much. At least I kept the weight down that I had to carry!
 

And then you have to remember to pick things up after you put them down. Left my glasses here after they fell off trying to get the boat untangled from the tree. Enlisted my Jane of the Jungle skills to get that sucker unstuck. 

Challenges and toenails on the Heysen Trail.

Ok, so technically, it didn't go wrong while on holiday - so it doesn't get in my 'things go wrong on holiday' list - but damn, it's a negative.

Fresh start on day one. Full of smiles. 

Dad wanted a challenge. He wanted to hike the Heysen Trail from Cape Jervis to Victor Harbor, normally a four-day hike, in two days. Just over 70km. 

I've never done more than 22km a day - and even that was a chore. Tired legs, same scenery and other hikers not enjoying themselves became a real mental struggle. I think I fell asleep while doing a beach meditation that day. While sitting up. That was on the Great Ocean Walk when we combined 100km into five days. 

Now I'm challenged to walking 35km a day, two days in a row. Over rough cliff coastline and hills that look like a Giants green bum sticking up in the air. A whole family of giants. I say yes, but never get too excited about it. In fact, I never even looked at a map of where we would be hiking until the day prior. That is VERY MUCH not like me to not plan and organise details. 

A good bit of the track, seems like a stroll, with views to KI and the southern ocean.

We set off early on Saturday morning and starting walking just before sunrise from the Sealink terminal at Cape Jervis. I'm jovial, nearly skipping along, commenting on how wonderful it is to be out in nature. But in the back of my mind, I worried about what I'd be saying 12 hours from now. 

One of the many stiles we crossed. By end of day two, it was a mission to step up and pull the leg over.

The hike started nice and easy, until Cobbler Hill in Deep Creek Conservation Park. I think we both let a few expletives go, but that was nothing compared to what lay ahead of us in the next 36 hours. 

It wasn't until Tunkalilla Beach that I found the terrain easier to handle. Two bung knees that shot daggers out whenever there was a slight decent, one ankle that was screaming at me to stop squashing it walking on the side of the hill and two big toes that I kept knocking on rocks while looking at what I could take photos of. (Note to self: stop and look, don't continue to walk while looking around.)

Finally! Some track not on a hillside. Instant relief for my ankle. Downhill - instant scream from my knees. 

The first day saw me nearly crying while letting out yelps of pain while descending valleys. I cautiously stepped one foot in front of another on  a cliff while seeing the sharp rocks and swell of ocean on the peripheral straight below the trail. Dad and I exchanged utter disappointment and exhausted awe when we rounded the corner and found he had told our support people to park in a carpark that was the steepest incline we'd had yet. And this was at 6 pm. We trudged up, I fell into the car, ate some chicken, the granny-hopped down the hill again to set up our tent and sleeping bags by the beach. 

I was set for a night of sleep that consisted of passing out from tiredness. But, setting up in the dark, meant we didn't realise we were on a slope. We both kept bracing ourself, so we didn't roll downhill. And, I had packed the wrong pillow - a u-pillow that was seriously more uncomfortable than clothes rolled up in a pillow case (which I normally do). But because I had accidentally left my thermals in the car heading back to Victor Harbor, I had to sleep in my clothes and had no left overs for a pillow. Yes, gross, I know. The first thing I did when we got back to Victor Harbor was shower - and then I felt half human again. 

See the road behind the house on the hilltops? That's where our dinner and tent were waiting. Not the most fun to realise after hiking 11 hours. 

Start of day two... just some ultra soft sand for a few kilometres. 

Day two, my body surprised myself by not being too sore. I could actually stand. We started with a few kilometres of soft beach sand, then climbed, with the assistance of the fence, a nearly vertical hill. We had the warning from a seasoned hiker this was worse than Cobblers Hill, Tunkalilla Beach. And yep, let your backpack pull you back, and you would tumble down to serious injury. The trail then eased, and we powered through most of the day. Lunch at Waitpinga beach was quick; any stop made my legs stiffen up like wood. Then we powered on. By mid-afternoon, I mention I should tighten my ankles of the boots up - my ankle felt strained and weak. In hindsight, it probably would have helped to do them up tighter from the start. Maybe my feet wouldn't have slipped forward as much, denting my toes. As the afternoon sun lowered, I felt myself tripping over more and more rocks. Screaming at one stage, I thought I'd broke it open. I didn't bother looking, though - what could I have done?

After the Tunkalilla beach soft sand, just a little hill to climb. I had to use the fence to stop me falling over backwards. 

By the time we hit the bluff, I was out of mental puff. I wanted to be the leisurely walkers out strolling with their dogs. I wanted to sit down - but didn't dare. I wanted a shower. I wanted my boots off. I wanted to be there. Dad wanted to walk down to my mum's house in Encounter Bay, but one step, another shriek, and we hobbled back up to a carpark to wait. My knees couldn't take it, and the pain daggers came fiercely. 

The shower made me feel half human while the nanny walk kept me appreciative of what I'd put my body through in the last two days. I warned my dad not to ring in the morning, because if I couldn't walk, I'd swear. The Funny thing was, he didn't call. He rang hubby and my mum to check in on me. I did end up calling him, though - I could walk. And he didn't cop an ear bashing.

But, that wasn't the end of it. Thinking I'd bruised my toes and toenails, I thought the pain would subside over the next few days. No. The nails turned lots of different shades of blue and purple, to the current state of purple-blue with smudges of black. Surfing a few days ago didn't help either - bashing my toes on rocks just made the colour come out thick and fast. 

Would I do it again? No. Never. Dad said he wouldn't either. Hats off to his workmates that did it in 23 hours. Fark.
Am I glad I did it? Yes. It is a challenge I can say I achieved. I am fit enough. I am strong enough. Mentally and physically. And I love the time with my Dad. Sometimes chatting, sometimes walking in silence. 

How 'out bush' do you go?

And another beach. Waitpinga. I love beach walking - especially when it's harder sand. 

Me, five kids and my dad - over 500km away. A trip to the Grampians.

Venus Baths

In my research with Google Maps, I work out it’s going to be just over five hours drive. 469.5km. Add the breaks in, and we have a whole day. I’m still not sure whether I’m crazy or not. For one, I don’t particularly like driving long distances. Second, I’m taking three kids with me - alone. Hmm. 

Where am I going? Wartook, at the Grampians. It's about 40 minutes the other side of Horsham (coming from Adelaide). My dad has property over there, and he is always asking us to go. Hubby can't come due to work, so I hold my tongue the right way and hope for the best. Three kids in my car and me. It will be interesting.

View from cabins at Happy Wanderer Holiday Resort

The Happy Wanderer Holiday Resort could have had potential some years ago. Now it is run down. The views from the log cabins are beautiful. One afternoon I wander over and am stopped in my tracks by the view in front of me. Grassy plains lead my eye to the soaring mountain range hiding the horizon. I can imagine sitting on the deck, watching kangaroos graze, as the sun goes down. But alas, not tonight. I hear ‘mum, excavate with me. Nobody wants to play with me.’

Happy Wanderer Holiday Resort

Halls Gap is just 30km away. The slow drive through the tree-canopied mountains is easy. The inconvenience of having to keep an eye (or two) on the road (as I am the driver) instead of the forest of trees that keep enticing me with their beauty is slightly annoying. I also smile at the quirky tree growth (after the monster bush fires about a year ago) that covers the trunk of each tree like a hairy bear. Little sprouts of leaves cover each trunk from close to the ground up to the highest limbs.

Halls Gap

The town of Halls Gap itself is like a setting out of a movie. On one side of the main road is the caravan parks and playground, hemmed in by the towering rock face behind. The other has, among other small buildings and stores, a cute collection of shops bordering a shaded lawn area. Umbrellas and picnic tables are full with latte-sipping hikers. We walk the porch that runs the length of the shops, browsing the souvenirs, crystals and fortunately, missing the lolly shop then head over to the playground. I resist the urge to get coffee - just.

After a recommendation by the Visitor Centre as to where we could go with five kids aged 4-13-years-old, we walk to Venus Baths. An easy 2km return walks to half a dozen rock pools of varying sizes and depths where the children jump and slide and get wet. Me too. It was worth listening to the whine from some of the kids on the walk up - the kids didn't want to leave. It also means I don't lie, saying 'it will be worth it' to keep the kids going on the way up - seeing as I'd never visited before. 

Venus Baths

I carefully mention to my dad that next time we come over to the Grampians I'd like to stay in Halls Gap - even though it's not near his property. The caravan parks look nice, there is a big playground at the public park in front for the kids, and multiple hikes begin at the foot of the mountain rock face. I can hike without having to drive anywhere. And now the kids know about these very fun rock pools to slip, splish and splash about in.

Venus Baths

So, you ask, how did the trip go? Really well. The kids entertained each other, we didn't lose anyone, and I kept my sanity with the drive there and back. Even though we had a 1.5-hour wait in Bordertown for my dad who was running late (a normal occurrence).

Did I enjoy it? Hmm. I loved the exploring but was happy to escape kids (yes, even mine) when I got home. 

Would I do it again? Yes. But not to Wartook. Halls Gap is my Grampians spot. 

Walking on Grandpa's property

Secret weapon? iPads for the car. Cousins for play. Lots of food. No food with artificial colours or too much sugar - especially in the car. 

The art of being in nature - on a multi day hike.

I'm  prepping to go on a hike with my Dad, nephew and niece in December. The Great Ocean Walk. It's exciting. I've only done one multi-day hike before, the Overland Track in Tasmania. I hiked that with my Dad also.

I've never tasted water so good (from the running streams).

There were times when I wondered what I was doing. But then the track would turn a corner, or reach the top of an ascent, and I would stand in awe. My jaw would drop, quite literally. And I'd hear myself say out loud, 'Wow, this is amazing. I love this.'

Hiking luxury, the boardwalks.

Best bits
Walking over the mountain tops on the boarded track, I had to resist singing 'the hills are alive'. I imagined the bush-covered mountain tops to look like giant hairy bums if there were such a thing. 

At the end of the day, I loved sitting down and chatting with people. I'm a people person. I appreciated the quiet and small chatter with Dad during the day but loved gathering for stories at night.

Exploring the diversity of one place over time kept my curious nature at bay. My surrounds were constantly changing from wet forest to hardy bushland, to mountain tops - all in one day.

The treat meal at the end of the trip. Everyone needs to splash out, they deserve it. 

The start of the tree roots - they only got bigger.

Sucky bits
Day one saw us 'stuck' with a large group of two families with loud kids. The kids did nothing wrong, but we didn't want to be hiking and sleeping with them for the rest of the track. So next day we hiked two days in one. By the end of the day, when we had to pick our feet up over a forest of tree roots, we wondered whether we had done the right thing. But we made it. 

Ever tried to haul yourself up a near vertical wall with a 20kg bag on your back (and camera bag clipped to the front of me)? That happened on day one. We did have a chain to hold onto, and some step holds, but it was steep. I'd hate to think what would happen if I lost my grip. 

Having to carry all rubbish off the track. All rubbish - including the toilet paper. 

I was ultra eager to have a long hot shower, after having no shower for five days. Smelly belly and more. I did have wipe downs but couldn't bring myself to splash about in the near freezing water.

I came out of forest and saw this amazing view. Speechless. And not because I'd just pushed myself up a hill. 

Verdict
Many people say that nature is grounding, and it's the best place to let yourself just be. To find yourself. To nurture yourself. To love yourself. Well, I guess in a semi-torturous way, multi-day hikes do just that. 

And there is the bonus of getting fit while getting great photos.

Bring it on! I want to do more. 

Optional hikes up mountains are worth it. 

Multi-day hikes I've done...
Inca Trail, Peru
Mount Kinabalu, Sabah
Overland Track, Australia

Where to next? Would love your thoughts. 

Treat meal after the hike. Yum. 

Holiday at home in Adelaide CBD

I wanted to stay away a night, for our date night. I wanted to stay at Clarion Soho or Crowne Plaza so I could photograph their rooms. But a Hilton deal popped up on my screen which included breakky, valet parking, late checkout, and a bottle of sparkling. Too good to resist. Deep down I knew I'd be disappointed though. No fantastic photos to be taken.

We had a great weekend though. Hiked at Mount Lofty, coffee in Stirling, yum cha on Gouger Street, a spot of shopping, room service and buffet breakfast. And the best bit of all, not woken by kids through the night, or at 6am on Sunday.

The Hilton is no glamour queen, and I'd recommend other hotels before this hotel, but it does do food well. Room service chick pea curry and grilled vegetables with hummus was very yummy. And the buffet breakfast was decent too. Most hotels in Australia can't do buffets like our international counterparts, but Hilton really tried. Hubby was impressed.

What is your favourite hotel in Adelaide? Have you ever stayed overnight in your home city?

Overland Track hardships...

I've just finished walking the Overland Track with my Dad. A beautiful walk, with a good share of mud and tree roots. But that's not the hard part. The hardest part of the Overland Track for me. Getting used to sleeping on one bunk with four other people. Only having a self inflating mat and sleeping bag for comfort. Thanks though to Scout Outdoor Centre in Rundle Street for the cosy One Planet bag I got!