After leaving the Nyah Bushland Reserve on Friday, the 7th day of November 2025, Marija and I drove into Nyah and had lunch at the BP Truckstop. We then drove towards our next park activation, Nyah Vinifera Park VKFF-3566.
Above: Map showing the location of Nyah Vinifera Park. Map c/o Google Maps
Prior to activating the park, we visited the site of the PS Kookaburra, which lies beneath the Murray River. The vessel was built in 1911 in Goolwa, South Australia and was originally known as the Flo D barge. It was renamed the PS Kookaburra in 1918 when the engines were fitted. The Kookaburra was a popular hawking boat, a travelling store and offered settlers along the river a variety of goods.
In 1966, Lyell Bennett from Nyah purchased the Kookaburra and made the journey along the Murray River from Swan Reach to Nyah. Soon after arriving at her mooring at the old Nyah punt cutting, the Kookaburra sank.
We took a drive along the river and stopped to view some of the timber sculptures.
The mighty Murray River forms the State border for Victoria and New South Wales.
On River Street, we stopped to have a look at the wooden carvings of Arnold Lewis and William Lewis.
Arnold William Henry Lewis was born on the 12th day of February 1889 at Berwick, Victoria. He moved to Nyah in 1894 with his family when he was a young boy. When he left school, Arnold commenced working with his father William and brother in the blacksmith industry, carpentry, undertaking, wheelwrighting, timber milling, farming and clearing of mallee. Upon the pump station being built at Nyah, Arnold was one of the first landholders to purchase a small fruit block. He grew pie melons, sultana grape vines, oranges, apricots and cherry plums. In 1915, he married Susan Emma Willoughby. In 1923, he was appointed the Manager of Tandaco Packing Shed. Arnold was elected the President of the Nyah Scouts when they were formed in 1932. Arnold was a keen sportsman, gardener, and fisherman. Arnold died on the 10th day of March 1967 at Lake Boga, aged 78 years. (ancestry 2016)
Above: Arnold Lewis. Image c/o ancestry.com.au
William Henry Lewis was born on the 7th day of August 1859 in Somerset, England. He emigrated to Australia in 1865 and initially lived at Yankalilla, South Australia. He then moved to Gawler. In 1885, he married Lydia Alvina Eliza Caroline Chigwidden. Whilst living at Euroa, it is reputed that William was forced by Ned Kelly to construct the infamous suit of armour. William moved to Nyah in about 1889. He became a life Governor of the Swan Hill District Hospital and was active in the Church of England. William died on the 17th day of April 1926 at Nyah. He was 66 years old. (ancestry 2016)
Above: William Lewis and his wife, Lydia. Image c/o ancestry.com.au
Nyah Vinfera Park extends from the northern side of the town of Nyah to Wood Wood, and follows the Murray River.
Above: the boundaries of Nyah Vinifera Park. Image c/o Google Earth
Nyah Vinifera Park is about 1,372 hectares in size and was established on the 27th day of June 2010. The park features pristine red gum forest, billabongs and lagoons alongside the Murray River. The park contains Aboriginal canoe trees and middens. (Dcceew.gov.au 2025)
We accessed the park via a track off the Murray Valley Highway. We drove down to the edge of the river and set up. We ran the Yaesu FT857, 40 watts, and the 20/40/80m linked dipole.
Marija worked the following stations on 40m SSB:-
- VK2YK
- VK5GA
- VK2EXA
- VK3ZSC
- VK2VH
- VK4AAC
- VK3PF
- VK3KAI
- VK1AD
- VK1NAM
- VK2MAB
- VK3WSG
I worked the following stations on 40m SSB:-
- VK2YK
- VK5GA
- VK2EXA
- VK3ZSC
- VK2VH
- VK4AAC
- VK3PF
- VK3KAI
- VK1AD
- VK1NAM
- VK2MAB
- VK3WSG
- VK3MTT
- VK3VRL
- VK2HAK
- VK3DAC
- VK5WU
- VK3MGM
- VK3FFA
- VK5HS
- VK2IO
- VK2GEZ
- VK3EJ
- VK5DOC
- VK3IK/M
- VK4NH
- VK4DXA
- VK3CJN
- VK3QHU
- VK3MIJ
- VK1FM
- VK5CZ
- VK5XE
- VK2NP
- VK3PJT
- VK7EE
- VK5FB
- VK3UH
- VK2VMC
- VK5IS
- VK2XI/P
- VK4FAAP
I worked the following stations on 20m SSB:-
- VK4NH
- VK4DXA
- VK2VW
- VK2HFI
- VK2AKA
- VK2BUG
- VK6XL
References.
- Dcceew.gov.au. (2025). Collaborative Australian Protected Areas Database 2024 – DCCEEW. [online] Available at: https://www.dcceew.gov.au/environment/land/nrs/science/capad/2024. [Accessed 18 Apr. 2026]
VK5PAS 