My final activation on Monday 9th June 2014 was the Padthaway Conservation Park, which is located about 254 km south east of Adelaide.  I did plan to activate Desert Camp Conservation Park, making that my 6th park for the day, but I had run out of time.  Oh well, there is always another day.  And there are plenty of other parks remaining in the South East that I am yet to activate.

Padthaway is a small town on the Riddoch Highway in the Limestone Coast region of the South East of South Australia.  The name is derived from Potawurutj, the Aboriginal word for Good Water.

Padthaway was the name of the original pastoral station which was established near the town in 1847 by a successful Scottish businessman, Robert Lawson.  In 1882 the Padthaway Estate Homestead was built by Eliza and Robert Lawson.  In 1952 Padthaway became the centre of a soldier settlement scheme.   The first vineyards were planted in the region in 1968 and today Padthaway is a top wine-producing region.

The Padthaway Conservation Park conserves a remnant block of native vegetation, and is an area of about 984 hectares.  The parol wasgazetted in 1971 and is dominated by South Australian blue gum, manna gum and stringy barks.

A number of native animals can be found in the park including kangaroos and koalas.  It is also a haven for a multitude of birdlife.

I accessed the park via Vogelsang Road which runs off the eastern side of the Riddoch Highway as you are leaving the town of Padthaway.

I entered the park via an unlocked gate at the start of a sandy track on the western side of the park.  The track was sandy and was littered with quite a bit of tree debris, but it was passable in my Ford Falcon.  If you do negotiate this track, just remember that you need to turn around.

The scrub within the park is very thick, and I had to choose a cleared area to allow me to erect the dipole on top of the 7 metre squid pole.  I used an old tree stump to secure the squid pole with an octopus strap.

I was set up by 3.30 p.m. South Australian local time.  My first contact was with Chris VK4FR/5, followed by Tom VK5FTRG in Millicent running QRP 1 watt, and then Charles VK5FBAC in Strathalbyn also running just 1 watt.  It is about 250 km from Padthaway to Strathalbyn, and Charles was a good 5/8 signal.  The noise floor in the park was non existent and I could literally hear a pin drop.

I made contact with a number of mobile stations whilst in the park.  They included Rod VK5KFB who was mobile art Meningie on his way home after the SERG convention.  Regular park hunter Greg VK5ZGY also called in from his mobile with a strong 5/9 signal.  I also spoke with Peter VK5KX who was mobile at Mount Mary in the Riverland region of South Australia.

I had a multitude of QRP contacts from Padthaway.  They included Tom VK5FTRG on 1 watt (5/9); Charles VK5FBAC on 1 watt (5/8); Rod VK5KFB/m and QRP; Roy VK5NRG running 7 watts from his FT7 (5/9); Ian VK5IS running 5 watts (5/9); Brian VK5FMID running 5 watts (5/8); Stan VK3BNJ running 5 watts from his Yaesu FT-817nd (5/8); Greg VK5GJ running 5 watts from his home brew QRP rig (5/9); Andrew VK3ARR (5/9); Peter VK5PET running 5 watts (5/9); David VK5NQP running 5 watts from his little Wouxon (5/9); Amanda VK3FQSO running 5 watts (5/9); Kim VK5FJ (5/7); Barry VK5BW running 5 watts (5/9); and Nev VK5WG running his little X1M at 5 watts (5/9).

Again I gave a specific call for any QRP stations and this is why I received so many QRP callers.  It is always a good practice to specifically ask for QRP, mobile, portable, and even DX, before the madding crowd calls in.

It was very pleasing to get lots of calls from amateurs who were unfamiliar in my log and also from some recent park devotees such as Tony VK5FTVR who attended the recent SOTA and Parks introduction day.  And again I managed to get Mike VK6MB in the log on 40m (5/7 send and 5/4 received).  This was a good weekend for working Mike.

It was starting to get dark, with the local time being 3.45 p.m. and I still had a three hour drive to get home.  So it was time to pack up and get on the road.  I had a total of 36 QSOs in the log after activating for about 40 minutes.

As I was pulling out of the park, I noticed the Ned Kelly figure below in the front yard of the property opposite the park entrance.

The following stations were worked on 40m SSB:

Chris VK4FR/5; Tom VK5FTRG; Charles VK5FBAC; Rod VK5KFB/m; Roy VK5NRG; Ian VK5IS; Brian VK5FMID; VK3BNJ; Greg VK5GJ; Andrew VK3ARR; Peter VK5PET; David VK5NQP; Amanda VK3FQSO; Kim VK5FJ; Barry VK5BW; Greg VK5ZGY/m; Tony VK5FTVR; Nev VK5WG; VK7YUM; Arno VK5ZAR; Rick VK5FIVE; Peter VK5KX/m; Robin VK5TN; John VK5MG; Tony VK5TT/p; Steve VK5AIM/p; Ken VK3FKNZ; John VK5BJE; Tom VK5FTRG/p; Keith VK2PKT; Craig VK5LI; Nev VK5WG; Mike VK6MB; Dallas VK5WA; Peter VK5APR; and Peter VK2PJF.

References.

National Parks South Australia, http://www.environment.sa.gov.au/parks/Find_a_park/Browse_by_region/Limestone_Coast/Padthaway

Limestone Coast

Wikipedia, Padthaway

My fourth activation for Monday 9th June 2014, was the Grass Tree Conservation Park, which is located about 17 km north of Naracoorte off the Naracoorte-Keith Road, and has an area of 15.88 hectares.  It was gazetted in 1972 to protect the grass tree Xanthorrhoea australis.

Xanthorrhoea australis, the Grass-tree or Black Boy is an Australian plant, and is the most commonly seen species of the genus Xanthorrhoea.  Grass trees are well adapted to withstand the effects of fire and their flowering is stimulated but fire.  Its fire-blackened trunk can grow up to several metres tall and is often branched.  In certain Aboriginal languages, it is called ‘Bukkup’ or ‘Kawee’.  The park was certainly full of them.

This park appeared to be quite neglected and it appeared that not many people visited the park.  The access gate in the north eastern corner was completely overgrown and did not look as though it had been opened in a very long time.

I have noted that the publication entitled ‘Small Parks of the Upper South East Management Plans’ dated 1992, states the following:

‘The Park receives very little visitor use and no facilities are provided.  Five metre wide boundary access tracks are maintained on the perimeter of the Park, except along the northern boundary where a Council road serves as an access track’.

I certainly did not see any boundary access tracks.

Access to the park is via Boddingtons Road which runs off the eastern side of the Riddoch Highway.  I set up just inside the park fence off Boddingtons Road.  The scrub is incredibly thick and there were no obvious tracks in the park, so set up options were limited.  I used a star dropper on the fence to secure the 7 metre squid pole to with an octopus strap.  I then set up my little fold up table and deck chair just inside the boundary on the other side of the fence.

Other than grass trees, the park was full of banksias in flower.  And as a result, there was a large number of wattlebirds in action.

My first contact was with Larry VK5LY who was mobile on the Morgan-Renmark Road in the Riverland, with a beautiful 5/9 signal.  This was followed by regular park hunter and activator John VK5BJE, and then Chris VK4FR/5, and then Amanda VK3FQSO.

I used the Yaesu FT-450 again for this activation and ran 40 watts.  So although I was not QRP (well not for Aussies anyway), I was called by a number of QRP operators including: Charles VK5FBAC using just 1 watt (5/7); Tom VK5FTRG also using just 1 watt (5/7); Brian VK5FMID running 5 watts (5/9); Ian VK5IS running 5 watts (5/9); John VK5FTCT running 1 watt (5/9); Bernard VK3AMB using 5 watts (5/8); Greg VK5GJ using his home brew 5 watt transceiver (5/8); Peter VK5PET (5/9), David VK5NQP running 5 watts from his X1M; and Steve VK3JY running 5 watts from his KX3.  Whenever possible, I always try to listen for the QRP operators, and portable & mobile stations before the general pile up with normally ensues.

Just one park contact during this activation, and that was with Steve VK3JY who operating portable and QRP from the Lake Eildon National Park.  I was called by Terry VK3UP who was on the top of Mount Buninyong in Victoria.  This mountain qualifies for the SOTA program.  But sadly, Terry was mobile, so this counted out any possible SOTA contact.

I did manage one Summits on the Air (SOTA) contact and that was my last contact in the park.  It was with Ian VK1DI/2 who portable on SOTA peak, Wereboldera, VK2/ SW- 043.  Ian had a nice 5/6 signal coming in and I received a 5/8 signal report from Ian.  This contact with Ian got me ever closer to the 5,000 chaser points for SOTA.  Here is a link to Ian’s blog re this activation…..

http://vk1di.blogspot.com.au/2014/06/sota-activation-wereboldera.html

Whilst I was operating I noticed that my fluorescent orange wire winders were attracting the attention of the Superb Blue Wrens.  The male of these birds, in breeding plumage has a very striking bright blue forehead, ears, mantle and tail, with a black mask and black or dark blue throat.  Non breeding males, females, and juveniles are predominantly grey-brown in colour.

I was way behind my operating schedule, so after 45 minutes of operating in the park it was time to head off.  My voice had not got any better, so I apologise to all the park hunters for having to put up with me.  I had a total of 37 QSOs in the log from VK1, VK3, VK5, and VK7.

The following stations were worked on 40m SSB:

Larry VK5LY/m; John VK5BJE; Chris VK4FR/5; Amanda VK3FQSO; Charles VK5FBAC; Nigel VK5NIG; Tony VK5FTVR; Rick VK5FIVE; Peter VK3PF; Tony VK5TT/p; Phil VK3BHR; Greg VK5ZGY; Tom VK5FTRG; Brian VK5FMID; Ian VK5IS; Brendan VK3OY; John VK5FTCT; Bernard VK3AMB; Len VK3FB/p; Arno VK5ZAR; David VK7YUM; Tim VK5AV; Gary VK5ZK/m; Derek VK3DD; Bob VK3BWZ/p; Patrick VK5MPJ; Ivan VK5HS/m; Colin VK3ZZS/p; Eric VK5ZAG; Greg VK5GJ; Terry VK3UP/m; Matt VK1MA; Ron VK3FRHB; Erwin VK3ERW; Peter VK5PET; John VK5DJ; and John VK5MG.

References

Department of Environment and Natural resources, ‘Small Parks of the Upper South East Management Plans’, 1994.

Wikipedia, ‘Xanthorrhoea australis

My second activation on Monday was the Glen Roy Conservation Park, which is located about half way between Penola and Naracoorte in the South East of South Australia, off the Riddoch Highway.

My drive from Telford Scrub took me north along the Riddoch Highway and through the Penola Forest before reaching the town of Penola.  Continuing north I travelled through some of the famous South East wine growing region and through the town of Coonawarra.  I am quite a wine buff and have consumed many a bottle of wine from this region.

I haven’t been able to find out a lot of information on the Glen Roy Conservation Park.  However it appears that the McDonald family from Scotland in the 1800s and established the nearby Glen Roy Station where sheep were farmed.

Col VK5HCF activated this park during the 1 year anniversary of the VK5 Parks award.  A write up and a video of his activation can be found at…..

http://vk5hcf.wordpress.com/2014/04/18/glen-roy-conservation-park-6-04-2014/

I accessed the park via Rabbits Road which runs off the eastern side of the Riddoch Highway.  It is just a short drive along this dirt road (about 600 metres), before you reach the park on your right, on the southern side of the road.  There is a large pine plantation on the northern side of the road.

There was a track heading south on the western boundary of the park, but it looked a little boggy for my Falcon, so I parked right on the north western corner of the park, and utilised the track to my advantage by stringing out the legs of the dipole.  I set up my deck chair and fold up table and again used the Yaesu FT-450 and 40 watts for this activation, along with the 40m/20m linked dipole.

My first contact was with John VK5BJE with a strong 5/9 signal, and this was followed by Mike VK3XL who was on SOTA summit Mount Beenak VK3/ VC-016.  Mike also had a good strong 5/9 signal.  I have mentioned it before, but it is really pleasing to see that a lof of the SOTA activators are now also hunting the park activators.  Brian VK5FMID then called in, using just 1 watt.  Although not that far away, with just 1 watt, Brian had a terrific 5/8 signal.

Whilst in the park I had another very nice QSO with Peter VK3YE who was pedestrian mobile on the beach, about 29 km south of Melbourne, running QRP and a vertical antenna.  For anyone who has not seen some of Peter’s videos, I would highly recommend that you google VK3YE and watch a few.  What Peter does with low power and home brew gear is truly amazing.

Here is a link to Peter’s website….

http://home.alphalink.com.au/~parkerp/vk3ye.htm

Another memorable contact whilst in Glen Roy was with Amanda VK3FQSO who called in with just 1/2 watt and was a very nice 5/6 signal.  It is quite incredible what you can do with QRP and especially when you are operating in a noise free environment like a Conservation Park.

I also had a few more QRP contacts whilst in Glen Roy including: Tom VK5FTRG (5/8) on 1 watt from the South East; Ian VK5IS (5/9) on 5 watts from the mid north of South Australia; and Erik VK3FMSC (5/9) on 1 watt.

I was also called by the following mobile stations: Greg VK5ZGY (5/9); Gary VK5ZK/m (5/9); and Len VK3FB/m (5/8).

I even managed a VK4 contact from Glen Roy and this was with Brendon VK4MAC in Maleny near the Sunshine Coast (5/5 sent and 5/3 received).  I don’t work too many VK4s on 40m whilst I am out and about in the parks or on summits.

My final contact of the day was another SOTA contact.  This time with Ian VK1DI/2 who was on SOTA summit Mount Burngoogee, VK2/ RI-016.  Ian had a solid 5/8 signal.  Here is a link to Ian’s blog re his activation…..

http://vk1di.blogspot.com.au/2014/06/sota-activation-mount-burngoogee.html

The following stations were worked:

John VK5BJE; Mike VK3XL/p; Brian VK5FMID; Charles VK5FBAC; Peter VK3YE/pm; Amanda VK3FQSO; Tom VK5FTRG; John VK5FMJC/p; Ian VK5IS; Peter VK3PF; David VK3UCD; Tony VK5FTVR; Rick VK5FIVE; Nigel VK5NIG; Greg VK5ZGY/m; STand VK3BNJ; Erik VK3FMSC; Brendon VK4MAC; Kev VK3NKC; Gary VK5ZK/m; Graham VK5KGP; Steve VK2FISN; Phil VK3BHR; VK3FB/m; Erwin VK3ERW; Patrick VK5MPJ; Allen VK3HRA; Bernard VK3AMB; and Ian VK1DI/2.

My first activation for Monday morning, 9th June, 2014, was the Telford Scrub Conservation Park, which is located about 15km north of Mount Gambier.   Access is from Riddoch Highway via Grundys Lane.

Again it was a very chilly morning down in the South East.  There had been very little cloud cover over night, so there was quite a bit of frost and fog on my way out to the park.  But one of the advantages of getting up at this time of the day is to enjoy the spectacular sunsets.  And this morning was no disappointment.

Telford Scrub Conservation Park, like most parks and native forest areas in the South East of South Australia, is an ‘island’ of native vegetation in a ‘sea’ of farming land and pine forests.  They are a reminder of vast areas of native vegetation that were cleared for forestry and agriculture.

This property was owned and run by the Telford brothers – who, when they finally decided to give the farming game away, sold this parcel of bush to the Environment Department and ultimately all of us.

Telford Scrub was proclaimed in 1987 and conserves a significant eucalyptus forest of Brown Stringybark and Manna Gum and in the southern section, an important Swamp Gum woodland.  Although it is only a small park, consisting of 175 hectares, it provides homes for a wide variety of native flora.  The park also provides a safe refuge for native plants without the threat of being grazed by domestic stock or used for construction timber of firewood.

Within the park you can find the rare Southern Brown Bandicoot, which within the lower South East is now only known to be found in a  few native forest areas including Telford Scrub.  The endangered sugar glider can also be found within the park.  Koalas, which once roamed the woodlands and forests of the South East up to the 1930s, became locally extinct following hunting by Europeans for skins and extensive clearing of the first.  Early in 1997, several Koalas were reintroduced from Kangaroo Island to Telford Scrub and a few other parks and native forest areas in the South East.

As I drove along Grundys Lane I saw quite a few Western Grey kangaroos grazing in between the park and the adjacent pine forest.  I was also fortunate enough to see 2 of the rare Red Necked wallabies.

Numerous beautiful plants can be located in the forest, including over 20 species of native orchids.  These include Pink Fingers, Common Donkey orchid, Tiger orchid, and Purple Cockatoo.

I set up in the carpark off Grundys Lane.  There was plenty of room here to stretch out the dipole, and because of the early hour of the day, I was the only park visitor.  I used a permapine log fence to secure the 7 metre squid pole to, with the help of an octopus strap.

This was truly a very chilly morning.  In fact it was 2 degrees C.  So it was definitely beanie, jacket, and gloves weather.

 I turned the Yaesu FT-450 onto 40m and did a quick check for VSWR.  As per normal it was about 1.1:1.  I have never used a tuner.  The RG174 coax just simply plugs straight into the back of the transceiver.  I asked if 7.090 was in use, only to be greeted by the every keen Brian VK5FMID.  This was followed by another very keen park hunter, John VK5BJE, and then Andrew VK2UH.  Tom VK5FTRG who I had a fair bit to do with at the SERG conference also called in.  Tom is a keen park activator and hunter.

I had a steady flow of callers, including some QRP operators.  They included Len VK3FB using his Argonaut, Shaun VK3VLY running just 5 watts, Erwin VK3ERW also running 5 watts, Ian VK5IS on 5 watts, Rod VK2TWR on 5 watts, Roger VK5NWE on 5 watts, and John VK5FMJC also on 5 watts.  No-one was below strength 9.  The band conditions were very good.  This was again proven during this activation, by a call from Mike VK6MB.  Mike again had a beautiful 5/9 signal coming into the South East and I received a 5/7 signal report from Mike.

Telford Scrub is truly a very beautiful park.  I just wished I had more time to explore this park, but I was on a very tight schedule.  So it was set up, get some quick contacts, and head off to the next park.  There are some great interpretative signs at the park, and the Stringybark Forest Hike and Forest Canopy Walk, which I believe would be very enjoyable to undertake.

After operating at Telford Scrub for about 35 minutes I had a total of 30 contacts in the log from VK1, VK2, VK3, VK5, VK6, and VK7.

The following stations were worked:

Brian VK5FMID; John VK5BJE; Andrew VK2UH; Tom VK5FTRG; Len VK3FB; Wayne VK5FWMT; Mike VK3XL/m; Shaun VK3VLY’ Col VK5HCF; Ray VK3NBL; Dik VK7DIK; Tony VK2RI; Peter VK3PF; Mike VK6MB; Graham VK7NGA; Mark VK1EM; Erwin VK3ERW; Ian VK5IS; Rod VK2TWR; Roger VK5NWE; Scott VK7NWT; Nev VK5WG; Ethan VK3ETC; John VK5FMJC; Ian VK5CZ; Stan VK3BNJ;Peter VK5NAQ; Matt VK5MLB/m; Mike VK7MNH; and Marshall VK3MRG.

References.

Cockburn, R, ‘South Australia.  What’s in a Name?’, 2002.

Department of Environment and Natural Resources, ‘Telford Scub Conservation Park’, 2010.