The results of the 2016 VK Shires Contest are out.

I operated during the contest from the Telford Scrub Conservation Park 5CP-226 & VKFF-0805, and the Carpenter Rocks Conservation Park 5CP-038 & VKFF-1018, in the South East of South Australia.

I came first in the Rover section with a total score of 16,704 points.

ROVER

VK5PAS/P VK SHIRES 16704 …… WINNER
VK4GH/P VK SHIRES 8624 …. 2nd
VK3TST VK SHIRES 2352
VK6WE VK SHIRES 1548
VK3ANL VK SHIRES 304

Thanks to everyone who called and thanks to the organisers of the VK Shires Contest.

My latest WWFF certificate, the OCCFF-H-14, issued for working 14 references from different OC entities.

Last night I received via email my latest activator certificate for the World Wide Flora Fauna (WWFF) program.  It is the WWFF Activator 132, issued for activating a total of 132 different WWFF references.

Many thanks to Pit YO3JW, the WWFF global award manager.

Also thanks to the many park hunters I have worked.

I was surfing the web tonight and discovered quite by accident that South Australia has a new National Park.  In fact it is South Australia’s 22nd National Park, and the first new National Park in South Australia in 10 years.  It is the Adelaide International Bird Sanctuary National Park—Winaityinaityi Pangkara, which is located north of Adelaide.  It extends from Parham in the north to Light Beach Road in the south.

The park was proclaimed on the 27th October 2016 and is made up of 2,457 hectares of land aimed at protecting South Australias vital migratory bird habitat.  Birds fly from as far as Siberia and Alaska, passing through 22 countries to get to the park.  Threatened species such as Curlew sandpiper, Ruddy turnstone, Red knot and Eastern Curlew are found in the park.

Following further community consultation and investigation over the next 18 months, a core portion of the entire Adelaide International Bird Sanctuary – the coastline from the Barker Inlet to the township of Port Parham – will be included in the national park in stages.

Above:- A map showing the current park boundaries and the proposed areas for inclusion in the park.  Map courtesy of National Parks SA

Above:- Map of the Adelaide International Bird Sanctuary, courtesy of National Parks SA

References.

Birds SA, 2016, <http://www.birdssa.asn.au/2016/10/new-national-park-for-south-australia/&gt;, viewed 1st December 2016

National Parks SA, 2016, <http://www.environment.sa.gov.au/parks/Find_a_Park/Browse_by_region/Adelaide/adelaide-international-bird-sanctuary-national-park#about&gt;, viewed 1st December 2016