My final activation for Friday 5th June, 2015 was the Hacks Lagoon Conservation Park, which is situated midway between Adelaide and Melbourne.
Above:- Map showing the location of the park. Map courtesy of mapcarta.com
Hacks Lagoon Conservation Park adjoins the basin of the adjacent Bool Lagoon Game Reserve, which is one of the largest and most diverse freshwater lagoon systems in southern Australia. The seasonal wetland areas of Bool Lagoon and Hacks Lagoon are home to a wide range of wildlife and provides essential drought refuge for numerous rare and endangered bird species. In fact, over 150 species of birds visit the area. A number of birds visit the park during Summer, including Sharp-tailed Sandpipers, who fly thousands of kms to be at Bool and Hacks Lagoons. Brolgas are perhaps the most spectacular of all of the birds that can be found here.
Above:- Map showing Bool and Hacks Lagoons. Image courtesy of DEWNR
The area is recognised under the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands as a Wetland of International Importance. It is protected under the Japan/Australia and China/Australia Migratory Bird Agreement due to the importance of the area as a summer refuge for migratory wading birds.
Above:- Map showing my operating spot. Map courtesy of mapcarta.com
The 40m band was very busy below 7.100 so I found 7.115 clear and started calling CQ. My first taker was John VK5BJE, followed by Col VK5HCF in Mount Gambier, and then Jim VK5TR. The band started off very good, with great signals from eastern Australia. But this didn’t last long. The band dropped out very quickly to VK3. However, the band remained open to southern Australia and the remainder of eastern Australia.
I worked a number of QRP stations including Gerard VK2JNG who was portable, Greg VK5GJ again running just 4 watts, Peter VK3PF running 5 watts, Mark VK7MK running 2.5 watts, Andrew VK1NAM running 5 watts, Alan VK2AJG running 5 watts, Nev VK5WG running 5 watts, and Adrian on the Yorke Peninsula running 5 watts.
I remained in the park until just before 0800 UTC (5.30 p.m.) and watched a magnificent sunset. I managed a total of 32 contacts on 40m SSB into VK1, VK2, VK3, VK4, VK5, and VK7,
The following stations were worked:-
- VK5BJE
- VK5HCF
- VK5TR
- VK3AXF
- VK3FEUG
- VK3AV
- VK4AAC/5 (Kangaroo Island)
- VK5JK
- VK5LSB
- VK2JNG/p
- VK5GJ
- VK3PF
- VK3DBP
- VK7MK
- VK1NAM
- VK2AJG
- VK3OHM
- VK5ZAR
- VK5NQP
- VK2NP
- VK3FBI
- VK5KLV
- VK3FQSO
- VK3OF
- VK5KPR
- VK5WG
- VK7LTD
- VK4FBMW
- VK4FAAS
- VK5FANA
- VK7VEK
- VK4RZ
References.
Department of Environment and Natural Resources, 2010, Bool Lagoon Game Reserve and Hacks Lagoon Conservation Park brochure.
National Parks South Australia, 2015, <http://www.environment.sa.gov.au/parks/Find_a_Park/Browse_by_region/Limestone_Coast/Bool_Lagoon_Hacks_Lagoon>, viewed 11th June 105.
VK5PAS 
Particularly impressive park. Wouldn’t mind journeying out that way.
Howdy Chris,
There are some really great parks down in the South East. Maybe we could do a Park DXpedition down that way later in the year when the weather fines up.
Cheers,
Paul,
VK5PAS