After leaving Mount Stromlo on Tuesday, 30th October 2025, Marija and I drove out towards the Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve. This was a beautiful drive, with our first stop being Casuarina Sands & Casuarina Pool on the banks of the Murrumbidgee River.

This area has sandy riverside beaches, a playground, electric BBQs, picnic tables & shelters and toilets. It is a nice spot for a swim or to cast out a line. The area takes its name from the Casuarina trees (she-oaks) which grow along the sandy banks of the Murrumbidgee. (Environment 2021)

It was a beautiful day, so Marija and I took some time to enjoy the beautiful views of the Murrumbidgee River.

A little further along the river is another car park where you park your vehicle and take a walk along the banks of the Murrumbidgee River.

There is an information sign here detailing the Upper Murrumbidgee Demonstration Reach, which is a regional partnership of stakeholders who are working together to protect and improve the health of the Upper Murrumbidgee River. (We 2019)

Whilst there, we were blessed to see several Australian King Parrots. The adult male of this bird has brilliant red plumage on his head, breast and lower undersides.

Marija and I then drove south along Paddys River Road and then turned onto Discovery Drive towards the Canberra Deep Space Communication Complex. We stopped for the obligatory photo of the sign for the complex.

The Canberra Deep Space Communication Complex is part of the Deep Space Network of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

During the early 1960s, enquiries commenced for a replacement site in Australia for a Deep Space complex. It was decided that the existing Island Lagoon Tracking Station near Woomera in South Australia was not suitable. The Tidbinbilla Valley in the Australian Capital Territory was chosen. Construction at Tidbinbilla commenced in June 1963. (Wikipedia 2025) (www.cdscc.nasa.gov, n.d.)

Above: article from RAAF News, Wed 1 May 1963. Image c/o Trove

Operations at Tidbinbilla commenced in December 1964 to align with providing support for the Mariner 4 Mars spacecraft. The complex featured a 26-metre antenna (Deep Space Station 42). (www.cdscc.nasa.gov, n.d.)

Above: article from The Canberra Times, Wed 23 Dec 1964. Image c/o Trove

The Tidbinbilla complex was officially opened on the 19th day of March 1965 by the Prime Minister of Australia, Sir Robert Menzies. (Wikipedia 2021)

Above: article from The Canberra Times, Sat 20 March 1965. Image c/o Trove

In 1969, construction commenced on a new antenna, the 64-metre (Deep Space Station 43 ‘Ballima’) antenna. Ballima is an Aboriginal word meaning ‘very far away’. It was officially opened in April 1973 by Prime Minister Gough Whitlam. The antenna is 73 metres in height and weighs more than 7 million kgs. It was more than 6 times as sensitive as the 26-metre antenna, allowing communication with spacecraft at greater distances from Earth. (www.cdscc.nasa.gov, n.d.)

In 1980, the 26-metre antenna was upgraded to a 34-metre antenna. (www.cdscc.nasa.gov, n.d.)

In 1986, a 34-metre antenna (Deep Space Station 45) was constructed. It provided better reception at higher frequencies and coincided with the Voyager-2 contact with the planet Uranus. Deep Space Station 45 was decommissioned in 2016. (www.cdscc.nasa.gov, n.d.)

Above: article from The Canberra Times, Fri 10 Jan 1986. Image c/o Trove

In 1987, the 64-metre antenna was upgraded to 70 metres in diameter to assist with Voyager 2’s encounter with Neptune. It is the largest steerable parabolic antenna in the Southern Hemisphere. (www.cdscc.nasa.gov, n.d.)

In 1996, an 11-metre antenna (Deep Space Station 33) commenced operation. It was decommissioned in 2002. In 2008 the antenna was dismantled, and the parts were sent to a Norwegian island where it was rebuilt to assist in conducting atmospheric research (www.cdscc.nasa.gov, n.d.)

In 1997, a 34-metre Beam Wave Guide antenna (Deep Space Station 34) commenced operation. It took 3 years to complete the construction of this 35 metre high antenna. (www.cdscc.nasa.gov, n.d.)

In 1998, Deep Space Station 42 was decommissioned after 35 years in use. It had been used to support the flyover of the planet Mars by NASA’s Mariner IV spacecraft. It returned close-up images of the surface of Mars (www.cdscc.nasa.gov, n.d.)

In 2014 and 2016, Deep Space Station 35 and 36, two 34-metre Beam Wave Guide antennas, became operational at Tidbinbilla.(www.cdscc.nasa.gov, n.d.)

Over the years, the Tidbimbilla complex has been used to track the Apollo Lunar Module, the US Voyager 1 spacecraft, and the Mariner IV spacecraft. It is now used to communicate with and track other NASA spacecraft. (Wikipedia 2021)

Although a few years old, the video below gives a good description of the Deep Space Communication Complex.

As we drove along Discovery Drive, the complex soon came into view in the distance.

And as we got even closer, the antenna dishes became very evident.

Unfortunately, the Visitor Centre was closed.

But we were able to get up close and personal with the amazing antennas.

Marija and I left the Deep Space complex and continued south on Paddy’s River Road towards the Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve.

We soon reached the park sign and stopped for a photo opportunity.

As we entered the car park of the Visitor Centre, we encountered mother, father and family below.

Marija and I spent a bit of time inside the Visitor Centre chatting to the Rangers. We explained the reason for our visit, and they were very interested in amateur radio, WWFF, and my blog. We paid the small fee for park entry.

Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve is 5,400 hectares in size and was established in 1971. It is located on the fringe of the Namadgi National Park. Tidbinbilla includes a large valley floor, Tidbinbilla Mountain and the Gibraltar Range. (Wikipedia 2021)

Above: aerial view of Tidbinbilla. Image c/o Google Maps

Tidbinbilla is believed to be derived from an Aboriginal word Jedbinbilla, meaning a place where boys become men. Tidbinbilla Mountain is believed to have been used for Aboriginal initiation ceremonies. A number of significant Aboriginal sites have been located in the reserve. This includes Birragi Rock Shelter, which is the oldest known Aboriginal site in the Australian Capital Territory. Aboriginal rock paintings can be found in a cave at Gibraltar Peak. At nearby Birrigai, evidence of the use of fire has been discovered, dating back 20,000 years. The last known corroboree at Tidbibilla was held in 1904. (Wikipedia 2021)

In 1936, about 810 hectares at Tidbinbilla were set aside as a public reserve. Three years later in 1939, a koala enclosure was built by the Institute of Anatomy. In 1962, at the suggestion of the Royal Society of Canberra, the ACT Government acquired further land, and the Tidbinbilla Fauna Reserve was opened. (Wikipedia 2021)

Above: part of an article from The Canberra Times, Sat 22 Oct 1966. Image c/o Trove

In 1966, a park ranger, David Bruce Kerr, was appointed. He was instrumental in the creation of bush walking tracks, roads, picnic areas, enclosures and waterfowl areas in the reserve. A Cape Barren goose and conservation scheme was developed under his management. The first wildlife displays were established in 1969. Kerr also saw the introduction of Victorian koalas to the reserve and the creation of kangaroo enclosures. In 2023, he was awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) by the King for service to conservation and the environment. (ancestry 2016)

Above David Kerr with kangaroos at Tidbimbilla, 1973. Image c/o Trove – The Canberra Times, Thu 1 Oct 1973.

The Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve was officially gazetted in 1971. In November 2008, the reserve was added to the Australian National Heritage List. (Wikipedia 2021)

The reserve has a breeding program for the critically endangered Northern Corroboree frog, the Southern brush-tailed rock-wallaby, and the Eastern Bettong. Other native animals include kangaroos, wallabies, platypus, koalas, lyrebirds and emus. (Wikipedia 2021)

Sadly, 90% of the reserve was destroyed in the January 2003 Bendora bushfire. Of Tidbinbilla’s captive native animals, only one koala, six rock wallabies, five potoroos, four freckled ducks, and nine black swans survived the bushfire. (Wikipedia 2021)

And then in January 2021, the Orroral Valley bushfire destroyed 22% of the Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve, equating to about 1,444 hectares. About 80% of Namadgi National Park, equating to 82,700 hectares, was destroyed. (ACT Govt n.d.)

We headed down Sheedy’s Picnic Road and set up in the picnic area. This was a beautiful spot, with a wooden table and benches.

Marija and I ran the Yaesu FT857, 40 watts, and the 20/40/80m linked dipole supported on a 7 metre heavy duty telescopic squid pole.

We had a few interested onlookers during our activation.

Marija and I found the band conditions to be pretty tough. We made all our contacts on 40m SSB and 40m AM. We did try 20m but had no takers. This wasn’t helped by the fact that we had no internet coverage, so we could not self-spot on parksnpeaks.

Marija worked the following stations on 40m SSB:-

1. VK3AUN/p (SOTA VK3/ VC-002 & VKFF-0556)
2. VK3BEL
3. VK3BEB
4. VK1AD
5. VK1NAM
6. VK2MOE/P (VKFF-0544)
7. VK1MO/P (VKFF-0544)
8. VK2IO/P (VKFF-0853)
9. VK2GEZ/P (VKFF-0853)
10. VK2HLM
11. VK3PF (VKFF-0974)
12. VK3KAI (VKFF-0974)
13. VK2USH/P (VKFF-1990)

Marija worked the following station on 40m AM:-

1. VK2USH/P (VKFF-1990)

I worked the following stations on 40m SSB:-

1. VK3AUN/p (SOTA VK3/ VC-002 & VKFF-0556)
2. VK3BEL
3. VK3BEB
4. VK1AD
5. VK1NAM
6. VK2MOE/P (VKFF-0544)
7. VK1MO/P (VKFF-0544)
8. VK2IO/P (VKFF-0853)
9. VK2GEZ/P (VKFF-0853)
10. VK2HLM
11. VK5HS
12. VK3YE/P
13. VK2NP
14. VK3PF (VKFF-0974)
15. VK3KAI (VKFF-0974)
16. VK3APJ
17. VK3SX
18. VK2VW
19. VK2HFI
20. VK2AKA
21. VK2BUG
22. VK3TDK
23. VK3NYC
24. VK1CHW
25. VK2CHW
26. VK3EJ
27. VK3CLD
28. VK5QA
29. VK2DBF
30. VK2AHP
31. VK2YAK
32. VK4YAK
33. VK7IAN
34. VK2LDJ
35. VK2USH/P (VKFF-1990)

I worked the following stations on 40m AM:-

1. VK3BEL
2. VK3BEB
3. VK2VW
4. VK2HFI
5. VK2AKA
6. VK2BUG
7. VK2YAK
8. VK4YAK
9. VK2USH/P (VKFF-1990)

Following the activation, Marija and I drove down to Black Flats Dam, to hopefully get some good bird photographs.

Below are some of the photographs I took during a 30 minute stroll around the Dam.

We also took a walk through one of the enclosures, which is surrounded by a predator-proof fence. Marija called me over, telling me she had seen a ‘black rat’. It turned out to be a Long-Nosed Potoroo, a small marsupial that is listed as threatened.

We then stopped off at the site of the old Tidbinbilla Eucalyptus Oil Distillery, which was established in the early 1940s by a small group of men from the former Czechoslovakia. Steam was piped from a wood-fired boiler into a tank full of leaves. The heated leaves gave off oil into the steam, which was condensed in pipes cooled by river or creek water, and the il cooled.

Our next stop was the historic Rock Valley Homestead, which was occupied by the Green family in the late 1800s.

George Green was born in November 1855 in Lincolnshire, England. He emigrated to Australia in 1884 aboard the Earl Derby. In October 1886, he married Mary Ann McCaffery Fowler. Mary Ann was born in 1865 in Lincolnshire, England. It is reported that Mary Ann had an unusual wedding breakfast consisting of a lyrebird cooked in a billycan. They lived in an isolated slab hut in the Tidbinbilla Valley. George and Mary Ann had 7 children. (ancestry 2016)

Above: George and Mary Ann Green. Images c/o ancestry.com.au

In 1895, a house was built at Rock Valley. Mary Ann died in July 1911 from rheumatic fever. She was just 46 years old. Following their mother’s death, the older girls assisted in raising their younger siblings. George died in December 1930, aged 75. Three generations of the Green family lived in the homestead at Rock Valley from 1895 to 1967. (ancestry 2016)

The homestead survived bushfires in 1920, 1938-39, and 1951-52. However, it was severely damaged in the 2003 Canberra bushfires. The homestead was partially reconstructed following community action by the Tidbinbilla Pioneers Association and the National Trust. They opposed the recommendations to demolish the older parts of the homestead. In 2008, the homestead was opened to visitors.

Marija and I soon came to the conclusion that this is one place that we need to return to. We only captured a small glimpse of Tidbinbilla. There is so much that we did not get to see.

It had been a very enjoyable 7 nights in Canberra, but it was time to leave the region and head to Gundagai where we planned to stay for 3 nights.

Along the way, we stopped off to look at the Sergeant Edmund Parry memorial at Jugiong.

On Wednesday, 16th November 1864, Sergeant Edmund Parry was escorting the Gundagai to Yass mail coach at Black Prings near Jugiong, when he was shot dead by bushranger John Gilbert.

Marija and I visited Gilbert’s grave earlier in our trip. You can read about that at the following posts….

Cootamundra South silo VK-CTH2

I also wrote a bit of information about Gilbert in the following post…..

Junee silo VK-JNE2

Edmund Parry was born c. 1832. He joined the New South Wales Police Force in May 1862. This was just 2 months after its official creation. In 1863, he was promoted to the rank of Detective Third Class. In 1864, he was promoted to the rank of Sergeant. (ancestry 2016)

Above: Item from the NSW Govt Gazette re Parry’s promotion to Detective. Image co Trove

John Gilbert was born in c. 1842 in Hamilton, Canada West. He arrived in Australia in 1852. He joined the Ben Hall Gang. (Wikipedia 2025)

Above: John Gilbert. Image c/o Wikipedia

On Wednesday, 16th November 1864, the Yass mail coach was enroute to Gundagai. Constable Roche of Yass was in the box seat next to the driver. In the coach was Police Magistrate Rose of Gundagai. Sergeant Parry was riding with Sub-Inspector O’Neill at the rear of the coach. Bushrangers John Gilbert, Benjamin Hall, and John Dunn lay in wait. (Anu.edu.au 2025)

Prior to the coach reaching the bushranger’s location, Constable McLaughlin of Gundagai police station rode up leading a pack horse. Gilbert rode up to McLaughlin and ordered him to surrender. McLaughlin did not comply and fired a shot at Gilbert, who returned fire. Hall then fired upon Constable McLaughlin, who returned fire. McLaughlin was then fired upon by Dunn, with McLaughlin eventually surrendering and taken captive. (Anu.edu.au 2025)

The mail coach then appeared, and a gunfight between the bushrangers and police ensued. Sergeant Parry refused to surrender and discharged all the bullets from his revolver before being shot dead. Upon Parry being shot, Sub-Inspector O’Neill surrendered. He was disarmed and had his ring and watchchain stolen. His horse was also taken. The bushrangers then ordered Magistrate Rose to throw out the bags, which they cut open. (Anu.edu.au 2025)

Above: part of an article from the Empire, Sydney, Mon 28 Nov 1864. Image c/o Trove

Following the shooting, Sergeant Scully from Yass, dispatched five mounted men to the area. Despite an 8-day search, the bushrangers were not located. Parry was the 14th serving New South Wales police officer to be killed in the line of duty. (Anu.edu.au 2025)

Following the shooting, a reward of £1,000 was issued for the apprehension of Gilbert and Hall. A £250 reward was offered for the arrest of Dunn.

Above: Reward posted in the NSW Govt Gazette, November 1864. Image c/o Trove

Six months later, Gilbert was shot dead by police at Binalong, New South Wales, in May 1865, aged just 23 years. Ben Hall was also shot dead by police in May 1865 at Goobang Creek, New South Wales. He was 27 years old. John Dunn was hanged in Darlinghurst Gaol in March 1866 for the murder of another police officer, Constable Nelson. Dunn was 19 years old.

We were pressed a bit for time, so we only had a brief look around Jugiong. The Sir George Hotel at Jugiong was built in the 1850s and is a very impressive building. We only wished we had more time to stop off for a meal and a few drinks.

We continued along the Hume Highway, passing spectacular countryside.

After arriving in Gundagai, we booked into our accommodation at The Garden Motor Inn.

We then headed out to Shell Roadhouse, which we had passed on our way into Gundagai. Marija and I wanted to get some photos of the big rigs for our grandson, Flynn.

Marija and I then headed out for dinner to one of the local hotels.

References.

1. ancestry (2016). Ancestry® | Genealogy, Family Trees & Family History Records. [online] Ancestry.com.au. Available at: https://www.ancestry.com.au/. [Accessed 26 Feb 2026]
2. Environment, P. and S.D.D. (2021). Home. [online] http://www.parks.act.gov.au. Available at: https://www.parks.act.gov.au. [Accessed 25 Feb. 2026]
3. (No date) Orroral Valley Fire Rapid Risk Assessment Namadgi national park. Available at: https://www.act.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0009/2618928/orroral-valley-fire-rapid-risk-assessment-namadgi-national-park.pdf (Accessed: 26 February 2026).
4. ‌PositionTitle=Manager; SectionName=Communications and Government Services; CorporateName=Environment, P. and S.D.D. (n.d.). The Eucalypt Forest. [online] http://www.tidbinbilla.act.gov.au. Available at: https://www.tidbinbilla.act.gov.au/do/the-eucalypt-forest. [Accessed 26 Feb. 2026]
5. ‌We, W. (2019). Upper Murrumbidgee Demonstration Reach. [online] Upper Murrumbidgee Demonstration Reach. Available at: https://www.upperbidgeereach.org.au/who-we-are [Accessed 25 Feb. 2026].
6. ‌Wikipedia. (2021). Canberra Deep Space Communication Complex. [online] Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canberra_Deep_Space_Communication_Complex. [Accessed 25 Feb. 2026]‌
7. Wikipedia Contributors (2025). Island Lagoon Tracking Station. Wikipedia.
8. ‌www.cdscc.nasa.gov. (n.d.). History – Canberra Deep Space Communication Complex. [online] Available at: https://www.cdscc.nasa.gov/Pages/cdscc_history.html.‌ [Accessed 26 Feb . 2026]
9. Wikipedia. (2021). Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve. [online] Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tidbinbilla_Nature_Reserve.‌ [Accessed 26 Feb. 2026]
10. Wikipedia Contributors (2025). John Gilbert (bushranger). Wikipedia.‌
    

Here are my latest FT8 certificates for VK5IPA.

I recently applied for some FT8 award certificates for VK5COP.

Thank you to all of the FT8 operators, and thank you to the various Award Managers.

On Tuesday, 30th October 2025, Marija and I headed out to breakfast at a cafe in Griffith. After breakfast, we visited Parliament House.

It was incredibly busy, with several busloads of tourists, including a school group, so we decided not to conduct the tour of the building (which we had done previously).

The construction of Parliament House commenced in January 1981. The building opened in May 1988 after 7 years of construction at $1.1 billion. Parliament House contains more than 4,500 rooms. (Wikipedia 2019)

There are some nice views across the lawns back to the old Parliament House and across the Molonglo River to the Australian War Memorial.

Mount Stromlo was part of Yarraluma Station, owned by Frederick Campbell, in the 1880s. It is believed that he named Mount Stromlo from the Poems of Ossian, an 18th-century literary work. (Wikipedia 2024)

Above: Osian Singing. Image c/o Wikipedia

Mount Stromlo is 770 metres above sea level. There are some very nice views to be enjoyed. (Wikipedia 2024)

Walter Geoffrey Duffield was born in 1879 in Gawler, South Australia. He graduated from the University of Adelaide in 1900. During 1905 in Oxford, England, and 1907 in Paris, France, Duffield attended meetings of the International Union for Solar Research. He became aware of the lack of solar observatories in eastern Australia and commenced promoting the idea of such an observatory. (Allen 1981)

Duffield’s enthusiasm attracted the attention and support of leading scientists and others interested in the physics of the sun. In October 1909, Duffield advised the Government that the Australian Association for the Advancement of Science at the Brisbane congress had unanimously passed a resolution approving of the proposed solar observatory as ‘a matter of national and international importance.’ (Nla.gov.au 2026)

Above: part of an article from The Argus, Melbourne, Sat 9 Oct 1909. Image c/o Trove

In 1909, Ballarat businessman James Oddie offered to the Commonwealth Government one 9-inch reflector telescope, one micrometer, one clock, and timber for an 18-foot dome to house the package. The Australian Prime Minister Alfred Deakin accepted what he described as a ‘splendid gift’.

Above: Alfred Deakin. Image c/o Wikipedia

The estate of Lord Farnham also made a promise of a valuable telescope. (Nla.gov.au 2026)

It was estimated that the minimum cost of the observatory would be £10,000, and its maintenance would mean an expenditure of £1,500 per year. (Nla.gov.au 2026)

In March 1910, the Government Astronomer of Victoria, Pietro Baracchi and the Commonwealth Principal Surveyor, Charles Scriverner were tasked with determining the best location for Oddie’s telescope in the Canberra and Yass region. Mount Stromlo was chosen as the site. I will talk more about James Oddie and the Oddie telescope shortly.

Above: Pietro Baracchi (left) & Charles Scrivener (right). Image c/o Wikipedia

Below is a short YouTube video on Mount Stromlo produced by the Australian National University.

Below is an interesting video made by the Commonwealth Film Unit in 1958 entitled ‘Reaching for the Stars.’

The Ngunawal Aboriginal people are reported to have used the southern night sky and the position of the stars as a calendar, indicating the seasons and availability of particular food sources.

The Oddie telescope was installed at Mount Stromlo in 1911, with the Oddie Dome becoming the first building on Mount Stromlo and the very first Commonwealth building in Canberra. The building had four wings and accommodated a caretaker and astronomers. It included a small kitchen and a photographic room. The building can be found at the northern end of Oddie Way. (Anu.edu.au 2025) (Trove 2026)

Above: An aerial view of Mount Stromlo showing the location of the Oddie Telescope. Image c/o Google Maps

James Oddie was born in March 1824 in Lancashire, England. He died on the 5th day of March 1911 in Ballarat, Victoria. (ancestry 2016)

Above: James Oddie. Image c/o ancestry.com.au

The Oddie telescope was initially used to test the suitability of Mount Stromlo as a site as an observatory. The Oddie dome was restored in the 1990s, but sadly, it was destroyed in the 2003 Canberra bushfire. (Anu.edu.au 2025)

Below is an excellent video from the ABC on the life of James Oddie and the Oddie telescope at Mount Stromlo.

Adjacent to the Oddie telescope is the Mount Stromlo Satellite Laser Ranging (SLR) Facility. The SLR is used to accurately determine the orbits of satellites. It is one of forty SLR stations around the world. Six of those are located in the Southern Hemisphere. A short laser pulse is transmitted through the ranging telescope to passing satellites which are specifically equipped with retro-reflectors. The time of flight of the pulse to the satellite and back to a detector, gives a measure through a processor of the distance to the satellite with a precision of one centimetre.

The Yale Columbia 26-inch telescope was first used as Yale University’s Southern Station in Johannesburg, South Africa. In 1952, the telescope was moved to Mount Stromlo and commenced operation in 1956. (Anu.edu.au 2025) (Nla.gov.au 2026)

Above: Article from The Sydney Herald, Sun 27 Aug 1950. Image c/o Trove

The refractor assisted in the preparation of NASA’s Voyager missions to the outer planets by taking photographs of Jupiter and Saturn’s moons. (Anu.edu.au 2025) (Nla.gov.au 2026)

Above: The Yale-Columbia telescope. Image c/o National Library of Australia.

Sadly, it was destroyed in the Canberra 2003 bushfire. All that is left is the scarred shell of the dome.

The Great Melbourne 50-inch telescope was built in 1868 by Grubb Parsons in Dublin, Ireland, a historic manufacturer of telescopes. The company was founded in 1833 by Thomas Grubb. The telescope was specifically manufactured for the Melbourne Observatory in 1868. The telescope had a mirror made of speculu, which is a heavy alloy of copper and tin. This made the telescope cumbersome to balance. Another interesting feature was that the telescope was used without a dome, which made it vulnerable to vibrations from the wind. In 1944, the telescope was purchased by Mount Stromlo following the closure of the Melbourne Observatory. The telescope had been offered for sale as scrap. (Anu.edu.au 2025) (Nla.gov.au 2026)(Wikipedia 2025)

Above: Installation of the Great Melbourne Telescope, 1869. Image c/o Wikipedia

Several significant modifications were undertaken on the telescope at Mount Stromlo in the workshops. A special mirror was ordered from Great Britain. The telescope was put into use at Mount Stromlo in the 1950s. It joined the MACHO project during the 1990s to investigate ‘dark matter.’ This telescope was also destroyed during the 2003 Canberra bushfire. Just prior to its destruction, the telescope had been automated and was used in the ‘Skymapper’ project to create a digital map of the southern sky. (Anu.edu.au 2025) (Nla.gov.au 2026)

Unfortunately, the Visitor Centre was not open at the time of our visit. There is a mural of a Star Wars stormtrooper on the building.

The Mount Stromlo Visitor Centre was officially opened in 1995.

Above: article from The Canberra Times, Tue 13 Jun 1995. Image c/o Trove

The 74-inch reflector was Mount Stromlo’s primary telescope following its completion in 1955. It was Mount Stromlo’s largest and most advanced telescope, and was capable of deep-space viewing. (Anu.edu.au 2025)

The 74-inch telescope was built by Grubb Parsons in Dublin, Ireland. In 1947, the telescope was ordered by Mount Stromlo’s Director, Richard van der Riet Woolley. At the time, it was the largest telescope in the southern hemisphere and one of the largest in the world. The telescope weighed 70 tons and cost £100,00. (Exhibitions 2024) (Nla.gov.au 2026)

Just prior to the telescope being shipped to Australia, Woolley stated:

“The new telescope, combined with other equipment we are setting up, will mean that instead of being able to study, say, only the 20 brightest stars in the southern skies, we will be able to see and, more important still, photograph the next brightest hundred stars.” (Nla.gov.au 2026)

Above: article from The Sun, Thu 25 Oct 1951. Image c/o Trove

Prior to being sent to Australia, the telescope was on display in 1951 at the Festival of Britain in London’s South Bank, in the ‘Dome of Discovery.’ (Exhibitions 2024)

Above: The interior of the Dome of Discovery, showing the 74-inch telescope. Image c/o Wikipedia

The telescope was destroyed in the 2003 bushfire. Only the dome and the adjoining burnt-out building remain.

The Heliostat is a Sun telescope. It was completed in 1931 and used two flat mirrors that tracked the sun and passed the sun’s light down the tower through a 12-inch lens. This was then reflected into a camera or a 3-prism spectrograph. Amongst other uses, the Mount Stromlo Heliostat was used to monitor solar flares and sunspots. With an emphasis on stellar astronomy at Mount Stromlo after World War II, the Heliostat began to fall into disuse. The last observations were taken in 1957. (Anu.edu.au 2025)

Renowned astronomer Clabon ‘Cla’ Allen visited Mount Stromlo and used the Heliostat to measure and photograph the spectrum of the sun.

The Heliostat was destroyed in 2003 during the Canberra bushfire. The Visitor Centre now has a similar Heliostat. (Anu.edu.au 2025)

The Commonwealth Solar Observatory building was built between 1924 and 1926 and was designed by John Smith Murdoch, the government architect who also designed Old Parliament House in Canberra. (Anu.edu.au 2025)

The 6-inch Farnham telescope was built in 1886 by Grubb Parsons in Ireland and was donated by the estate of Lord Farnham in 1907 to the Commonwealth. The Rt Hon. Somerset Henry Maxwell, 10th Baron Farnham ‘Lord Farnham’ was a keen astronomer. The telescope was installed in 1928. In 1965, the Farnham telescope was used to track and photograph the Ikeya-Seki comet. (Anu.edu.au 2025) (Nla.gov.au 2026)

Above: article from The Canberra Times, Tue 30 Aug 1927. Image c/o Trove

The Administration Building was severely damaged in the 2003 Canberra bushfire. The Farnham telescope was the only telescope to survive the 2003 Canberra bushfire.

Above: the Farnham telescope and the Commonwealth Solar Observatory building, c. 1951. Image c/o National Library of Australia

The Director’s residence was originally known as ‘Observatory House.’ It was built in 1928 to accommodate the Mount Stromlo Director and his family. The building was described as one of Canberra’s grandest homes. It was occupied by the founding Director of Mount Stromlo, Walter Geoffrey Duffield. The Director’s residence was destroyed in the 2003 Canberra bushfire and reopened in 2015. (Wikipedia 2025).

As mentioned previously in this post, Canberra was devastated by a fire on the 18th January 2003. Four people were killed, and over 500 homes were destroyed. Mount Stromlo was severely impacted by the fire. But this was not the first time that Mount Stromlo had faced the challenge of fire.

Above: part of an article from the Central Western Daily, Wed 6 Feb 1952. Image c/o Trove

The 2003 fire, which impacted Mount Stromlo, destroyed five telescopes, the administration building, various workshops, and seven homes. The surviving telescope was the 1886 Farnham telescope. If you visit the National Museum of Australia, you can view remnants of the fire at Mount Stromlo, including a melted telescope mirror and a piece of melted optical glass that has pieces of charcoal and wire fused into it from the heat of the fire. (Wikipedia 2025)

Below is a video produced by ANU TV on the impact of the Canberra bushfire on Mount Stromlo.

Below is a view up to the telecommunications equipment and the trig point.

Below is a photograph of me at the trig point at Mount Stromlo.

Mount Stromlo is worth 1 point in the Summits On The Air (SOTA) program. It has been activated a total of 422 times. The first activation was back in February 2013 by Matt VK1MA. (Sotadata.org.uk 2026)

We set up in a clearing. Unfortunately, we had a strength 7 noise on the 40m band, and this made it extremely difficult to copy the weaker stations that were calling us. Marija and I apologise to those who were calling who we were unable to log. Yes, we should have listened to Andrew VK1DA’s advice about the noise and where to set up. However, there was zero noise floor on the 20m band.

Above: an aerial view of Mount Stromlo showing our operating spot. Image c/o Google Maps

As this was a drive-up summit, we had the luxury of a fold-up table and deck chair. We ran the Yaesu FT857, 40 watts, and the 20/40/80m linked dipole. It was a beautiful morning, and the view was quite amazing.

Marija worked the following stations on 40m SSB:-

1. VK

I worked the following stations on 40m SSB:-

1. VK1AD
2. VK1NAM
3. VK3IH
4. VK3YE/P
5. VK1DI
6. VK2IO/P (VKFF-0833)
7. VK1RX/3
8. VK2ETI
9. VK1AO
10. VK2MET
11. VK2UGB
12. VK1AAF

I worked the following stations on 20m SSB:-

1. VK3PF/P (VKFF-2400 & SOTA VK3/ VE-138)
2. VK1AD
3. VK1NAM
4. VK2IO/P (VKFF-0833)

References.

1. Allen, C.W. (1981). Duffield, Walter Geoffrey (1879–1929). [online] Anu.edu.au. Available at: https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/duffield-walter-geoffrey-6027 [Accessed 21 Feb. 2026].
2. ‌ancestry (2016). Ancestry® | Genealogy, Family Trees & Family History Records. [online] Ancestry.com.au. Available at: https://www.ancestry.com.au/. [Accessed 21 Feb. 2026]
3. ‌Anu.edu.au. (2025). iboss Network Security. [online] Available at: https://rsaa.anu.edu.au/. [Accessed 21 Feb. 2026]
4. ‌Exhibitions. (2024). Stromlo’s Telescopes. [online] Available at: https://exhibitions.cmag.com.au/outer-space-stromlo-to-the-stars/stromlo-s-telescopes [Accessed 22 Feb. 2026].
5. ‌Nla.gov.au. (2026). Making sure you’re not a bot! [online] Available at: https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/10739518/357240 [Accessed 21 Feb. 2026].
6. ‌Nla.gov.au. (2026). Making sure you’re not a bot! [online] Available at: https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/page/24673851?searchTerm=74%20inch%20%2B%20dome%20of%20discovery [Accessed 22 Feb. 2026].
7. ‌Nla.gov.au. (2026). Making sure you’re not a bot! [online] Available at: https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/page/14185902?searchTerm=heliostat%20%2B%20stromlo [Accessed 23 Feb. 2026].
8. ‌Nla.gov.au. (2026). Making sure you’re not a bot! [online] Available at: https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/105870308?searchTerm=farnham%20telescope%20%2B%20stromlo [Accessed 23 Feb. 2026].
9. ‌Sotadata.org.uk. (2026). Sotadata3. [online] Available at: https://www.sotadata.org.uk/en/summit/VK1/AC-043 [Accessed 23 Feb. 2026].
10. ‌Trove. (2026). Vol. 29 No. 11 (1 November 1963). [online] Available at: https://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-749261874/view?sectionId=nla.obj-754307518&searchTerm=james+oddie+%2B+astronomy&partId=nla.obj-749268296#page/n16/mode/1up/search/james+oddie+%2B+astronomy [Accessed 21 Feb. 2026].
11. ‌Wikipedia Contributors (2024). Mount Stromlo. [online] Wikipedia. Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Stromlo. [Accessed 21 Feb. 2026]‌
12. Wikipedia. (2019). Parliament House. [online] Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parliament_House. [Accessed 22 Feb. 2026]‌
13. Wikipedia Contributors (2025). Mount Stromlo Observatory. Wikipedia.‌
14. Wikipedia Contributors (2025). Grubb Parsons. Wikipedia.‌

Last week, I received the QSL card below from KTWR Guam for my reception of their station on 15400 kHz on 20th August 2025.

Included was the following letter….

and sticker…..

and the October 2025 broadcast schedule…..

Here is my latest VKFF Activator Honour Roll certificate for the World Wide Flora Fauna (WWFF) program. It is issued for having activated 700 VKFF reference areas.

Thank you to all of the WWFF Hunters, and thank you to Adam VK2YK, the VK5 VKFF State Rep, for the certificate.

Yesterday I found out that I came in first place in the 2026 Australia Day Contest.

I entered the Single Operator Phone category. My score was 273,393 points, with Paul VK2H in 2nd position with 16,245 points, and then Garrick VK3GJG with 72,041 points.

Thank you to everyone who called me, and thank you to Diane VK4DI, the Contest Manager.

This morning, I received the certificate below for the World Wide Flora Fauna (WWFF) program. It is the Park to Park Award, issued for having made a total of 2,244 Park to Park contacts.

Thank you to all of the WWFF activators, and thank you to Swa ON5SWA, the Awards Manager.

After leaving the Old Naas Travelling Stock Route on Wednesday, 29th October 2025, Marija and I headed to the former Orroral tracking station. Andrew VK1AD had recommended that we visit the site, and we are very pleased that he did, as we found it extremely interesting.

To get there from Old Naas, we headed south on Boboyan Road and then took Orroral Road. We first crossed the Gudgenby River and then into the Namadgi National Park past the Orroral campground. A little further along, we came into the Orroral Valley, with a cleared area and Orroral River on one side of the road, and thick scrub of Namadgi on the other.

The Orroral Valley is believed to take its name from the Aboriginal word Urongal, meaning tomorrow. Urongal was depicted on the 1834 map by the explorer Sir Thomas Livingstone Mitchell. In 1839, Land Commissioner Bingham referred to the area as Orrooral. In 1847, the area was referred to as Ararel in the NSW Government Gazette. In 1856, it was referred to as Orrorall in the NSW Government Gazette. In 1865, it was referred to as Orrorall in Fussell’s Squatting Directory. In 1867, it was referred to as Oralla in Bailliere’s Post Office Directory. (ACT Heritage Council 2016) (NPA 1992)

The first European in the area is believed to be William Herbert. I spoke a bit about Herbert in my Old Naas post. Herbert was transported to Australia for life in 1816. He was initially a squatter and was then granted land on a leasehold basis. Several other people owned the run up until 1864. (NPA 1992)

Above: Item from the NSW Govt Gazette, Wed 24 Dec 1856. Image c/o Trove

In 1864, the property was transferred to Charles McKeahnie. He was born in October 1809 in Argyll, Scotland. He was a bounty emigrant who arrived in Port Jackson in 1838 with his wife Elizabeth and their baby daughter Ann, aboard the ship St George. McKeahnie died in April 1903 at Queanbeyan, NSW. (ancestry 2016) (NPA 1992)

Above: Charles McKeahnie. Image c/o ancestry.com.au

In 1911, the Orroral property was sold to Albert Bootes from Gundagai. Albert George William Bootes was born in 1888 in Burwood, NSW. He ran the property whilst residing at Gundagai and in 1923 came to the district to reside permanently following his purchase of the Bywong property. In 1927, he purchased property at Gudgenby. Bootes died in June 1963 in Queanbeyan, NSW. (ancestry 2016) (NLA.gov.au 2026) (NPA 1992)

Above: Albert Bootes. Image c/o ancestry.com.au

In 1926, the property was sold to Andrew Twynam Cunningham. He was born in September 1891 in Tuggeranong, ACT. (ancestry 2016) (NPA 1992)

Above: Andrew Twynam Cunningham. Image c/o ancestry.com.au

Cunningham fought at Gallipoli with the 1st Light Horse Regiment. where he was wounded in 1915. He then became a Lieutenant with the 2nd Light Horse Brigade and, in 1917, was promoted to Captain and led the 2nd Machine Gun Squadron. He was awarded the Military Cross in June 1917 and was mentioned in Despatches in July 1917. Cunningham became known as a daring pilot with his De Havilland Moth biplane that was known as the Orroal Dingo. His landing strip was located between the homestead and the Orroral River. (ACT Memorial 2024) (ancestry 2016)‌

Above: Cunningham’s aircraft VH-UOF. Image c/o Referee, Sydney, Wed 6 Aug 1930. Image c/o Trove

In 1930, the Referee Sydney stated the following about Cunningham: ‘there are none to combine dare-deviltry, physical toughness, adaptability, and a general don’t care-a-dam-ishness’.

Above: part of an article from the Referee, Sydney, Wed 6 Aug 1930. Image c/o Trove

Cunningham built the Orroral woolshed in 1930. Cunningham died in August 1959 at Randwick, NSW. (ACT Memorial 2024) (ancestry 2016)‌ (NPA 1992)

Marija and I were keen to visit the Orroral homestead and woolshed, but it appeared that access was not allowed, so sadly, we kept heading on our way. It was slow going along the road due to the wildlife.

Not far past the homestead, we reached the former Orroral Tracking Station, which was one of three tracking stations established in the sheltered valleys of the Australian Capital Territory as part of NASA’s worldwide tracking and data network.

In 1964, the Australian Government purchased 2,000 acres of freehold land at Orroral for the establishment of the station.

Above: article from The Canberra Times, Mon 13 Apr 1964. Image c/o Trove

From 1965 to 1984, the Orroral Tracking Station operated 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, mainly tracking satellites in near-Earth orbit. The station closed when the control and monitoring of satellites was taken over by other satellites. In 1990, the buildings were removed from the site due to deterioration. All that remains now are some exotic trees and the footings of the buildings. You can undertake a self-guided walk around the site, which is what Marija and I did. There are several interpretive signs detailing the history of the site.

The Operations building was the ‘nerve centre’ of Orroral. The activities of the station, including administration and control of the antennas, occurred in the Operations building.

There was no commercial power supply to the Orroral Valley, so the tracking station had its own powerhouse.

The dish was built by NASA and installed in 1965. The antenna was erected by Collins Radio under contract to NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Centre. The diameter of the dish was 26 metres (85 feet), and it stood at 36.5 metres (120 feet). It weighed 400 tonnes.

There were two Yagi antennas at Orroral. One was for satellite tracking, and the other was for receiving radio timing signals. The WWV antenna was a timing signal receiving antenna used to ensure that equipment was synchronised with one another.

The 6 metre antenna stood not far from the 9 metre antenna. It was installed in 1981 and was used for the Space Shuttle missions.

This really is a fascinating place to wander around and imagine what it looked like when it was operational.

There is some Aboriginal art at the Orroral Tracking Station which shows the connection between the Ngunnawai Aboriginal people and the sky.

The Orroral Tracking Station had lush green lawns, exotic trees and shrubs. A gardening business owned by Fritz Rehwinkel and based in Queanbeyan was contracted to landscape the tracking station site.

There was a large mob of kangaroos on the site during our visit.

Marija and I then left the Orroro Valley and travelled south along Boboyan Road, admiring the spectacular Namadgi National Park.

Our next stop was the Hospital Hill lookout on Boboyan Road. There is a small parking area here off the road and a viewing platform with an interpretive sign giving details of the various summits that you can see from this point. The view across Gudgenby Valley towards the ACT/New South Wales border is magnificent. Apparently, Hospital Hill takes its name from the practice of accommodating calving, lambing or sick animals at this location. (Johnevans.id.au 2017)

Marija and I continued south along Boboyan Road through the Namadgi National Park.

Our next stop was the historic Brayshaws Hut, which is also referred to as Brayshaws Homestead. The hut was built in 1903 by Edward Brayshaw for his brother David.

David Brayshaw was born on the 29th day of July 1852 at Bobeyan, New South Wales. He was one of 14 children to William Brayshaw (b. 1810. d. 1988) and Flora Crawford (b. 1821. d. 1891). In 1903, David moved into the hut after it was constructed by his brother. He lived there until his death on the 31st day of August 1931. His body was discovered by his brother Richard, not far from the hut. The District Coroner attended the scene the following day and held an inquest at the hut. A verdict of death from shock and exposure following a fall from his horse was returned. David is buried at the Adaminaby Cemetery. (Nla.gov.au 2026)

Above: Obituary of David Brayshaw, Queanbeyan Age, Tue 8 Sept 1931. Image c/o Trove

You can enter the hut, which has been restored.

Marija and I continued south along Bobeyan Road and stopped to have a look at the Adaminaby Racecourse. This little racecourse is really in the middle of nowhere, about 3.5 km east of the town of Adaminaby.

The present racecourse is not the original Adaminaby racecourse. This is due to the town moving for the Snowy Hydro Scheme and the creation of Lake Eucumbene. The old racecourse is now underwater. The present course is about 50 years old. More than 2,000 people gather for the annual Adaminaby Races, which date back to the 1860s. (Adaminabyraces.com.au 2025)

Above: article from the Manaro Mercury, Friday 10 April 1863. Image c/o Trove

We then drove the short distance to the town of Adaminaby.

The Adumindumee run was established in the 1840s. Adumindumee is believed to be a corruption of an Aboriginal word meaning either ‘camping or resting place’ or ‘place of springs.’ (Marshall 2022)

The town of Seymour was surveyed in 1861. On the 9th day of October 1886, it was renamed Adaminaby. This was due to avoiding confusion with the town of Seymour in Victoria. (Marshall 2022)

Above: reference to the name change in the NSW Govt Gazette, Sat 9 Oct 1886. Image c/o Trove

The town of Adaminaby was moved due to the construction of the Snowy Mountains Hydro-Electricity Scheme, which commenced in Adaminaby in 1949. (Wikipedia 2016)

Charlie McKeahnie from Adaminaby is believed to be the inspiration for the poem ‘The Man from Snowy River’ by Banjo Patterson. He is the grandson of Charles Duncan McKeahnie who I spoke about earlier in this post. (Wikipedia 2026)

The poet Barcroft Boake also wrote about McKeahnie’s ride in ‘On the Range.’ McKeahnie chases down a well-bred horse that had escaped with a mob of wild brumby horses. (Wikipedia 2026)

Charlie Lachlan McKeahnie was born in April 1868 at Queanbeyan, NSW. He married Sarah Anne Read in 1890. They had 2 children. McKeahnie died in a riding accident in 1895. (ancestry 2016)

We briefly had a look at the outside exhibits of the Snowy Scheme Museum at Adminaby. Unfortunately, the museum was closed as it was late in the afternoon. Marija and I agreed that we would have to come back to have a good look around Adaminaby and the district.

The Adaminaby district is well known for trout fishing. The town features a 10 metre tall Big Trout. It was built by a local artist, Andy Lomnici and was completed in 1973. It underwent a restoration in 2024 by Ryan Loughnane, a Sydney-based mural painter. (Visitnsw.com 2016)

St John’s Church of England in Adaminaby was the second Anglican church built in the original town. The last service was held in the church in April 1956. Following this, a team of volunteers commenced dismantling the church stone by stone. The church was relocated to its new site and rebuilt. On the 12th day of March 1957, the first service was held in the newly built church.

Marija and I then drove southeast on Snowy Mountains Highway towards the town of Cooma. About 6 km west of Cooma is the Snowy Mountains Travellers Rest. The Inn was constructed in 1861 by Hugh Stewart. It housed bullock teams as they travelled from the Kiandra goldfields to Cooma to obtain supplies. (Visitnsw.com 2016)

We then drove a short distance out of town to the Kuma Nature Reserve VKFF-1954.

The reserve is about 184 hectares in size and was established in March 2003. It is an example of the natural temperate grassland of the Southern Tablelands and is recognised as a threatened ecological community under the Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999. It was created to protect endangered and vulnerable reptile species and a remnant area of their natural habitat. Most of the surrounding countryside is used for cattle and sheep grazing. (NSW NPWS 2007) (NSW National Parks 2026)

The name Kuma is derived from an early spelling of Cooma, which was the Aboriginal name for the area. The reserve was purchased in 1997 following the drought that year. It was privately owned and had been used for grazing. (NSW NPWS 2007)

The Kuma Nature Reserve is home to three species of threatened grassland reptiles. The Grassland Earless Dragon is listed by the NSW and Commonwealth Governments as endangered. The Striped Legless Lizard and the Little Whip Snake are listed as vulnerable. (NSW NPWS 2007)

There was a ladder over the fence allowing access to the reserve. We set up just alongside the fenceline as we were cognisant of the endangered reptiles that lived in the reserve. We ran the Yaesu FT857, 40 watts, and the 20/40/80m linked dipole.

Marija worked the following stations on 40m SSB:-

1. VK1AO
2. VK2MET
3. VK5NJ
4. VK5LA
5. VK5KAW
6. KG5CIK
7. VK3APJ
8. ZL2BH
9. VK2LTP
10. VK2EIT
11. VK2AIT
12. VK2AIQ
13. VK2AIX
14. VK2AIZ
15. VK2YAK
16. VK4YAK
17. VK5HS

I worked the following stations on 40m SSB-

1. VK1AO
2. VK2MET
3. VK5NJ
4. VK5LA
5. VK5KAW
6. KG5CIK
7. VK3APJ
8. ZL2BH
9. VK2LTP
10. VK2EIT
11. VK2AIT
12. VK2AIQ
13. VK2AIX
14. VK2AIZ
15. VK2YAK
16. VK4YAK
17. VK5HS
18. VK3AMO
19. VK3MCA
20. VK4SMA
21. VK2HOO
22. VK2MG

References.

1. ACT Heritage Council, 2016, Background Information Orroral Valley Tracking Station
2. ACT Memorial. (2024). Search. [online] Available at: http://www.memorial.act.gov.au/search/person/cunningham-andrew-twynam. [Accessed 15 Feb 2026]
3. ‌Adaminabyraces.com.au. (2025). Adaminaby Races – Saturday 22nd November 2025. [online] Available at: https://adaminabyraces.com.au/ [Accessed 16 Feb. 2026].
4. ‌ancestry (2016). Ancestry® | Genealogy, Family Trees & Family History Records. [online] Ancestry.com.au. Available at: https://www.ancestry.com.au/. [Accessed 15 Feb 2026]
5. ‌Johnevans.id.au. (2017). Local Names – Johnny Boy’s Walkabout Blog. [online] Available at: https://johnevans.id.au/other-resources/local-names/ [Accessed 16 Feb. 2026].
6. ‌Marshall, C. (2022). A complete guide to Adaminaby, NSW. [online] Australian Geographic. Available at: https://www.australiangeographic.com.au/news/2022/12/a-complete-guide-to-adaminaby-nsw/ [Accessed 16 Feb. 2026].
7. ‌Nla.gov.au. (2026). Making sure you’re not a bot! [online] Available at: https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/265200424?searchTerm=david%20brayshaw%20%2B%20fall%20from%20horse [Accessed 15 Feb. 2026].‌
8. Nla.gov.au. (2026). Making sure you’re not a bot! [online] Available at: https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/271512542?searchTerm=orroral%20%2B%20bootes [Accessed 16 Feb. 2026].
9. ‌NSW National Parks. (2026). Kuma Nature Reserve. [online] Available at: https://www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au/visit-a-park/parks/kuma-nature-reserve [Accessed 16 Feb. 2026].‌
10. Visitnsw.com. (2016). The Snowy Mountains Travellers Rest. [online] Available at: https://www.visitnsw.com/destinations/snowy-mountains/cooma-area/cooma/food-and-drink/the-snowy-mountains-travellers-rest [Accessed 16 Feb. 2026].‌
11. Visitnsw.com. (2016). Big Trout. [online] Available at: https://www.visitnsw.com/destinations/snowy-mountains/cooma-area/adaminaby/attractions/big-trout [Accessed 17 Feb. 2026].‌
12. Wikipedia Contributors (2026). Adaminaby. Wikipedia.‌

After leaving the Namadgi National Park on Wednesday, 29th October 2025, Marija and I headed to the Old Naas Travelling Stock Route (TSR) VKFF-0992.

Above: Map showing the location of the Old Naas Travelling Stock Route. Map c/o Google Maps

The TSR is located in the Naas Valley south of Canberra. It is located near the intersection of Naas Road, Boboyan Road and Top Naas Road.

Above: the boundaries of the Old Naas Travelling Stock Route. Image c/o Protected Planet

The Old Naas Travelling Stock Route is about 18 hectares in size and was established on the 18th day of March 2013. (CAPAD 2025)

The Gugenby River flows through the TSR. The Gugenby is formed by the confluence of Bogong Creek and Middle Creek and rises within the Namadgi National Park. The river flows for a distance of about 35 km and is joined by nine tributaries, including the Naas River and Orroral River, before reaching its confluence with the Murrumbidgee River near Tharwa. (Wikipedia 2025)

Above: An aerial view of the Old Naas TSR. Image c/o Google Maps

The first European settler in the Naas Valley was William Herbert. Herbert was initially a squatter in the district, but by 1848, he had been granted 2,428 hectares of land on a leasehold basis. He was born in 1778 in Wiltshire, England. In July 1816, he was convicted of breaking open and robbing the Wiltshire and Berkshire Canal Lockhouse and was sentenced to transportation for Life. He was transported to New South Wales aboard the Shipley, arriving in Sydney on the 24th day of April 1817. In 1818, he married Ann Sharkey. He was issued with a Ticket of Leave in September 1826. Herbert died on the 25th day of October 1857 in the Naas Valley. (Convictrecords.com.au 2026) (Wikipedia 2025)

Above: the Register of Tickets of Leave for William Herbert. Image c/o ancestry.com.au

A travelling stock route (TSR) is an authorised thoroughfare for the walking of domestic livestock, e.g. cattle or sheep. They are colloquially known as The Long Paddock. Many of these TSRs were located along corridors that followed river systems. Today, their original transport purpose has mostly been superseded. (Wikipedia 2024)

We pulled in alongside the river and operated using the Yaesu FT857, 40 watts, and the 20/40/80m linked dipole.

Marija worked the following stations on 40m SSB:-

1. VK7HAM/p (VKFF-0028)
2. VK7AN/P (VKFF-0028)
3. VK7ZPE/P (VKFF-0028)
4. VK2IO/P (VKFF-0864)
5. VK2GEZ/P (VKFF-0864)
6. VK1AD
7. VK1NAM
8. VK1AO
9. VK2MET
10. VK1CHW
11. VK2CHW
12. VK2VW
13. VK2HFI
14. VK2AKA
15. VK2BUG
16. VK3CLD
17. VK5QA
18. VK2DBF
19. VK2ETI
20. VK2AIT
21. VK2AIQ
22. VK2AIX
23. VK2AIZ
24. VK2VAR
25. VK2GOM
26. VK2DA
27. VK1DA
28. VK3PF/P (VKFF-2532)
29. VK7IAN
30. VK5HS
31. VK3SG
32. VK3PAH
33. VK3MGM
34. VK2HBR
35. VK3APJ
36. VK3ZAQ
37. VK2MOE
38. VK1MO
39. VK3AUN
40. VK3FS
41. VK3ATT
42. VK3KRL
43. VK3SQ
44. VK3JT
45. VK2BD
46. VK2VKF

I worked the following stations on 40m SSB:-

1. VK7HAM/p (VKFF-0028)
2. VK7AN/P (VKFF-0028)
3. VK7ZPE/P (VKFF-0028)
4. VK2IO/P (VKFF-0864)
5. VK2GEZ/P (VKFF-0864)
6. VK1AD
7. VK1NAM
8. VK1AO
9. VK2MET
10. VK1CHW
11. VK2CHW
12. VK2VW
13. VK2HFI
14. VK2AKA
15. VK2BUG
16. VK3CLD
17. VK5QA
18. VK2DBF
19. VK2ETI
20. VK2AIT
21. VK2AIQ
22. VK2AIX
23. VK2AIZ
24. VK2VAR
25. VK2GOM
26. VK2DA
27. VK1DA
28. VK3PF/P (VKFF-2532)
29. VK7IAN
30. VK5HS
31. VK3SG
32. VK3PAH
33. VK3MGM
34. VK2HBR
35. VK3APJ
36. VK3ZAQ
37. VK2MOE
38. VK1MO
39. VK3AUN
40. VK3FS
41. VK3ATT
42. VK3KRL
43. VK3SQ
44. VK3JT
45. VK2BD
46. VK2VKF
47. VK3AKO
48. VK2MOR
49. VK7PJM
50. VK3UP/M

References.

1. Convictrecords.com.au. (2026). Available at: https://convictrecords.com.au/convicts/herbert/william/45254 [Accessed 14 Feb. 2026].
2. ‌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 14 Feb 2026]
3. ‌Wikipedia Contributors (2025). Naas (valley). Wikipedia.‌
4. Wikipedia Contributors (2025). Gudgenby River. Wikipedia.‌
5. Wikipedia. (2024). Stock route. [online] Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stock_route.‌ [Accessed 14 Feb. 2026]