After leaving the SERG Convention, Marija and I decided to head out to the Telford Scrub Conservation Park 5CP-226 & VKFF-0805 for a few hours for the VK Shires Contest which had commenced at 0600 UTC that day (3.30 p.m. South Australian local time).  Telford Scrub is just 15 km north of Mount Gambier, just off the Riddoch Highway.

Map showing the location of the Telford Scrub Conservation Park.  Map courtesy of Protected Planet.

Telford Scrub is 175 hectares in size and was first proclaimed on 12th March 1987.  The park features a 100 metre long boardwalk which takes you along the forest canopy about 4 metres off the ground.  There are various interpretive signs along the way.

Aerial shot, showing the park, with Mount Gambier in the background.  Image courtesy of Google maps

The park supports four major vegetation types:  Brown Stringybark open woodland, Brown Stringybark/Rough-barked Manna Gum open woodland, Swamp Gum open woodland; and low open shrubland.  More than 20 species of native orchid can be found in the park.

About 117 species of bird have been recorded in the park including the Crimson Rosella, Laughing Kookaburra, White-throated Treecreeper, Superb Fairywren, White-browned Scrubwomen, Red-tailed Black Cockatoo, Satin Flycatcher, and Southern Boobook.  During our visit, a vehicle arrived in the carpark.  It was a gentleman about to head off on a night walk through the park to photograph owls and Tawny Fromouths.  It is truly amazing who you meet when you visit these parks.

A large amount of native wildlife can be found in the park including Western Grey kangaroos and koalas.The vulnerable Southern Brown Bandicoot and the endangered Sugar Glider can also be found.

Sugar Glider

Southern Brown Bandicoot

Below is a great video of a Sugar Glider in flight.

Marija and I set up in the carpark off Grundys Lane.  We were all set up and ready to go by around 0710 UTC (4.40 p.m. South Australian local time).

Aerial shot of the park showing our operating spot in the southern section of the park.  Image courtesy of Protected Planet.

There was plenty of room here to string out the 80/40/20m linked dipole.

Telford Scrub is located in the District Council of Grant (GD5 for the VK Shires Contest).  It is quite strange how it works down in the South East.  The town of Mount Gambier comes under the City of Mount Gambier Council, whilst the land around it is the District Council of Grant.

Map showing the Grant Council area surrounding the town of Mount Gambier, and our operating spot at Telford Scrub.

I started off on 7.115 on the 40m band.  The band was quite busy with stations calling ‘CQ Contest’.  My first station worked was Andrew VK2UH, followed by Geoff VK3SQ, and then Hans VK6XN who was operating portable in the Shoalwater Islands Marine Park VKFF-1454.  I logged a total of 52 stations including another Park to Park contact, this time with Phil VK6ADF/p who was in Lesueur National Park VKFF-0285.

The 40m band had slowed a little, so I headed to the 80m band.  We found Tony VK3XV/p calling CQ on 3.610 from the Terrick Terrick National Park VKFF-0630.  We both logged Tony, and I then moved down to 3.605 and started calling ‘CQ Contest’.  I logged 12 stations before swapping the mic with Marija.

Marija wasn’t real keen on the contesting, but wanted to qualify the park with 10 QSOs for the VKFF program.  She soon reached that total in around 10 minutes, with contact number 10 being Michael VK3LM.

I then took charge of the mic again and logged an additional 15 stations on 80m including Bill ZL2AYZ in Blenhiem in New Zealand.  Marija and I swapped the mic so she could log our good friend Ivan VK5HS when he called in, and also Bill in New Zealand.  To finish off the activation, Marija logged a handful of stations after tuning across the 80m band.

Marija had a total of 15 stations in the log from VK2, VK3, VK5, and New Zealand, all on the 80m band.  I had a total of 80 stations in the log on the 40m and 80m bands.  It was time to head back into Mount Gambier for some dinner, with the local time being just after 7.00 p.m. local time.

I had logged 61 different shires for the contest:

1. AC2
2. AC5
3. BB3
4. BC3
5. BL2
6. BN4
7. BU7
8. CB2
9. CK2
10. CN2
11. CO6
12. CS3
13. CW6
14. DG4
15. DN6
16. FC3
17. FC4
18. GB3
19. GD5
20. GG3
21. GS7
22. HC7
23. HI2
24. IP4
25. IS3
26. KH7
27. KY2
28. LC3
29. LE2
30. LS3
31. LV4
32. MD5
33. MG3
34. MM3
35. MO3
36. MP3
37. MZ3
38. NA2
39. NC2
40. NS3
41. OC5
42. QP2
43. RP5
44. RM6
45. RX5
46. SB4
47. SG3
48. UA2
49. UH2
50. UL2
51. WD2
52. WH3
53. WO2
54. WR3
55. WV2
56. WW2
57. WW7
58. WY3
59. YP5
60. YV2
61. YV3

We headed to Fasta Pasta, and while Marija was inside ordering, I made a total of 6 contacts on 40m and 80m from the vehicle.  This time in the Mount Gambier Council area (MG5 for the VK Shires Contest).

We then headed back to the motel room for dinner.

Marija worked the following stations on 80m SSB:-

1. VK3XV/p (Terrick Terrick National Park VKFF-0630)
2. VK3GH
3. VK3FSLG
4. VK5FANA
5. VK3FAAJ
6. VK3SQ
7. VK3ER
8. VK3WMM/p
9. VK3PF
10. VK3LM
11. VK5HS
12. ZL2AYZ
13. VK3C
14. VK5KBJ
15. VK2YW/p

I worked the following stations on 40m SSB:-

1. VK2UH
2. VK3SQ
3. VK6XN/p (Shoalwater Islands Marine Park VKFF-1454)
4. VK2NEO
5. VK2KDP
6. VK4QQ
7. VK2BBQ/p
8. VK2KJJ
9. VK2KT
10. VK5FANA
11. ZL2AYZ
12. VK2TCL
13. VK4NH
14. VK3OHM
15. VK2LEE
16. VK2YW/p
17. VK7JGD
18. VK4FMAX
19. VK3PI
20. VK2SR
21. VK5KPR
22. VK5NJ
23. VK2MTM
24. VK2VVV
25. VK2NSS
26. VK3GYH/p
27. VK7ZGK
28. VK3NLK
29. VK3ARH
30. VK3MRG
31. VK3TNL
32. VK2PHL
33. VK2PAW
34. VK3GC
35. VK4FE
36. VK7JON
37. VK3FPSR
38. VK2ND
39. VK3JP
40. VK2NSW
41. VK2MT/p
42. VK6ADF/p (Lesueur National Park VKFF-0285)
43. VK7DW
44. VK3GTS
45. VK2QH
46. VK3WMM/p
47. VK2QK
48. VK6FBOS
49. VK2VOL
50. VK4SMA
51. VK5MR
52. VK2GGA

I worked the following stations on 80m SSB:-

1. VK3XV/p (Terrick Terrick National Park VKFF-0630)
2. VK3SQ
3. VK5KBJ
4. VK2YW/p
5. VK2BFC
6. VK3LDB
7. VK3VKT
8. VK5FANA
9. VK3WMM/p
10. VK3LM/p
11. VK2ARL
12. VK7GG
13. VK2GGA
14. VK3PF
15. VK3GH
16. VK5PO
17. VK5HS
18. VK3OHM
19. VK3LM/p
20. VK3CWF
21. VK3FSPG
22. VK3NXT
23. VK3GC
24. VK6VCK/p
25. VK3CWM
26. ZL2AYZ
27. VK3ER
28. VK4QH

References.

Birds SA, 2017, <http://www.birdssa.asn.au/location/telford-scrub-conservation-park/&gt;, viewed 13th June 2017

National Parks South Australia, 2017, <https://www.environment.sa.gov.au/parks/Find_a_Park/Browse_by_region/Limestone_Coast/telford-scrub-conservation-park&gt;, viewed 13th June 2017

Our second activation for Saturday 10th June 2017 was the Douglas Point Conservation Park 5CP-057 and VKFF-0795.  The park is situated and about 42 km south (by road) of Mount Gambier and about 470 km south east of Adelaide.

Map showing the location of the Douglas Point Conservation Park.  Map courtesy of Protected Planet.

The Douglas Point Conservation Park is 31 hectares in size and was proclaimed on 8th May 1997 to protect the state endangered and nationally vulnerable plant species, Sand Ixodia.  Douglas Point is the only reserve in Australia containing this plant.  In addition to this, the Park is a significant refuge for two plant species of conservation significance.

The habitats of the Douglas Point Conservation Park vary from exposed cliff top to coastal heath, principally Coastal Wattle / Coastal Beard-heath scrubland.

The Park is located within the traditional lands of the Boandik people.  The remains of scattered middens are evidence of Aboriginal habitation in the past.

The exact origins of the name, Cape Douglas, are unknown.  Lieutenant James Grant sailed through the area on the Lady Nelson in December 1800 and named several features including Cape Northumberland.  On the 5th of April 1802, the French navigator Nicholas Baudin passed Cape Northumberland in his ship the ‘Geographe’ whilst travelling west along the coast.  Baudin subsequently met Matthew Flinders, who was travelling from the west to east, in Encounter Bay.  Later in 1802 Matthew Flinders charted the area on the Investigator, with crew including boatswain Charles Douglas. Captain William Bloomfield Douglas helped Captain Benjamin Germain chart the waters around Cape Northumberland and Port MacDonnell in 1860.  It is possible that Cape Douglas was named during one of these exercises.

William Bloomfield Douglas.  Image courtesy of wikipedia

The park is home to over 60 species of bird.  A total of those are of conservation significance including the Rufous Bristlebird and the Beautiful Firetail, and also the nationally endangered Orange-bellied Parrot.

Orange-bellied Parrot

Beautiful Firetail

Rufous Bristlebird

During our visit to the park we spotted a Crested Tern and a Nakeen kestrel (I think).

Recreational activities undertaken in the Park include bush-walking, surfing, diving, fishing and 4WDriving.

Just outside of the park on the Cape Douglas Road, you can view an interpretive sign regarding the Admella, a passenger steamship which was shipwrecked on a submerged reef off the coast of nearby Carpenter Rocks.

It was during the early hours of Saturday 6 August 1859 that the ship struck the reef, resulting in survivors clinging to the wreck for over a week.  Many took days to die as they glimpsed the land from the sea and watched as one rescue attempt after another failed.  With the loss of 89 lives, mostly due to cold and exposure, it is one of the worst maritime disasters in Australian history.   It remains the greatest loss of life in the history of European settlement in South Australia.  Of the 113 on board 24 survived, including only one woman, Bridget Ledwith.  Of the 89 dead, 14 were children.

SS Admella.  Image courtesy of Wikipedia

The GPS showed that we had a short 20 minute drive to get to the park.  WRONG!.  It took us to a carpark at the end of Pelican Point Road at Blackfellows Caves.  There was no access to the park via the coastal road as the GPS indicated.  So we headed inland and eventually reached the park via Cape Douglas Road.

There weren’t too many operating options here.  It is very exposed to the ocean as you are above some clifftops overlooking the ocean.

Aerial view of the park showing our operating spot.  Image courtesy of Protected Planet.

There is a 4WD track leading further into the park.  And it is definitely 4WD.  It is extremely rocky and then sandy.

Aerial shot of Douglas Point Conservation Park.  Image courtesy of Google maps 

For this activation we ran the Yaesu FT-857d and the 80/40/20 m linked dipole, supported on the 7m heavy duty squid pole.  It took some belts of the hammer to drive the squid pole holder into the ground, as the ground was very rocky.

The rugged coastline of Douglas Point provided some great views along the coast and out across the Southern Ocean.  Fortunately there was only a gentle breeze blowing and the rain was holding off.

There were also some nice views back out to Umpherstone Bay and back to Mount Gambier.  Centennary Tower in Mount Gambier and Mount Schank were clearly visible in the distance.

This was to be another unique park for both Marija and I, for both the World Wide Flora Fauna (WWFF) program and the VK5 National & Conservation Parks Award.  Marija started off the activation calling CQ on 7.144.  It didn’t take long and Marija had her first caller in the log, Geoff VK3SQ in norther eastern Victoria.  This was followed by Greg VK2EXA, Andy VK3AJA, and then Paul VK3AFB.  Marija had qualified the park for VKFF, with 10 contacts in the log within 10 minutes.  After logging 11 stations, Marija was happy to hand over the mic.

I then called CQ on 7.144 which was answered by Peter VK3PF, followed by Don VK3MCK, and then Craig VK3NCR.  Mike VK5FMWW then called in and although being quite low was readable in the park.  Sadly Mike was struggling with noise at his end and we couldn’t quite complete the contact with a valid signal report exchange.  Contact number 10 for me, qualifying the park for VKFF, was with Greg VK2MTC in Cooma.

I had reached contact number 40 on 40m within one hour.  I still needed another 4 contacts to qualify the park for the global WWFF program.  As things had slowed a little on 40m I headed off to 14.310 on the 20m band where I logged 4 stations from VK2, VK4 and VK4.  Contact number 44 was with Allen VK3ARH whose signal was very low.  But as there was no noise in the park, and Allen was suffering from a low noise floor at his end, we were able to comfortably log the QSO.

To finish the activation I headed off to 3.610 on the 80m band.  Allen VK3ARH (signing as VK3HRA) had followed me down and was first in the log.  I logged only one further contact, that being with Ken VK2KYO.  Cliff VK2NP also tried, but although readable in the park, Cliff was unable to hear me above his noise floor.

With 11 contacts in the log for Marija, and 46 for me, it was time to pack up and head back into Mount Gambier.

Marija worked the following stations on 40m SSB:-

1. VK3SQ
2. VK2EXA
3. VK3AJA
4. VK3AFG
5. VK7DW
6. VK3ELH
7. VK4TJ
8. VK4/AC8WN
9. VK4/VE6XT
10. VK5FMWW
11. VK7FOLK

I worked the following stations on 40m SSB:-

1. VK3PF
2. VK3MCK
3. VK3NCR
4. VK2EXA
5. VK3SFG
6. VK3OHM
7. VK3AFB
8. VK3AWG
9. VK2YS/4
10. VK2MTC
11. VK3SQ
12. VK2NP
13. VK2HHA
14. VK7DW
15. VK3BBB
16. VK4TJ
17. VK4/AC8WN
18. VK4/VE6XT
19. VK3FRC
20. VK5IS
21. VK7GG
22. VK7AN
23. VK3ELH
24. VK2KYO
25. VK2TCL
26. VK3PTE
27. VK2VW
28. VK3FDAP/p
29. VK5HSX/2
30. VK7JON
31. VK5MBD
32. VK7FOLK
33. VK4RF
34. VK4HA
35. VK7EE
36. VK3ZZS/p
37. VK2UH
38. VK2FRJH/m
39. VK6VRO

I worked the following stations on 20m SSB:-

1. VK4FI
2. VK2NP
3. VK2IO/m
4. VK4AAC/2
5. VK3ARH

I worked the following stations on 80m SSB:-

1. VK3HRA
2. VK2KYO

At the end of the activation Marija and I headed in to Mount Gambier and the Scout Hall for the SERG Convention.  It was great to catch up with a lot of familiar faces.  I also had a browse through the buy and sell.  My only purchase for the day, much to Marija’s pleasure, was a cup of coffee.

References.

Department for Environment and Heritage, May 2003, Douglas Point Conservation Park Management Plan.

Wikipedia, 2017, <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SS_Admella&gt;, viewed 13th June 2017

Marija and I both finished work early on Friday 9th June 2017 and then packed the Hi Lux and headed south east for Mount Gambier.  We had planned to stay at Mount Gambier for 3 nights, and attend the annual convention/buy and sell/fox hunting championships hosted by the South East Radio Group (SERG).

This was a 400 km journey for us from our home in the Adelaide Hills.

Map showing our route down to Mount Gambier from the Adelaide Hills.

Along the way we stopped briefly for a bite to eat and a drink at Coonalpyn.  The silos there have recently been the subject of some great artwork by Guido van Helten.  I had viewed this during a recent interstate trip, but this was the first time Marija had viewed this very impressive artwork.

We also had a quick look at Coonalyn Tunnel Vision, which was originally developed in 1995 to brighten up the railway pedestrian underpass with local art.

We then continued on to Mount Gambier, arriving just after 6.00 p.m. local time.  After booking in to our motel, the Tower Motor Inn, we headed out for tea at Jens Hotel at Mount Gambier, where we enjoyed a very nice meal.  It was then back to the motel room to watch a very nice win by the Adelaide Crows football team.

Our first activation for the trip away was on Saturday 10th June 2017 and was at the Bucks Lake Game Reserve VKFF-1690 which is located about 40 km south west of Mount Gambier, and about 440 km south east of Adelaide.

Map showing the location of the Bucks Lake Game Reserve in the South East region of South Australia.  Map courtesy of Protected Planet.

Bucks Lake Game Reserve is 138 hectares in size and consists of near pristine seasonally-inundated coastal wetland.  It is located at the southern end of Lake Bonney which was the primary source of water to  Bucks Lake.  Due to influences by man, the water level of Lake Bonney has descreased, resulting in Bucks Lake and other wetlands near Lake Bonney, becoming degraded from the lack of water supply.

The reserve was originally created as a National Park in 1968 under the National Parks Act 1966 and was re-proclaimed as a game reserve under the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1972 for the purpose of the conservation of wildlife and management of game.

Hunting is allowed in the Reserve during a proclaimed open season with hunters requiring to have an ‘endorsed hunting permit’ and only to harvest maximum numbers of specific species.

Aerial shot showing the Bucks Lake Game Reserve with Carpenter Rocks Conservation Park in the foreground.  Image courtesy of Google maps.

The reserve protects habitat for important fauna species such as the state endangered Swamp Antechinus and the Southern Bush Rat.  The Swamp Antechinus is a small carnivorous marsupial which has a very scattered distribution on the Australian mainland, limited to small pockets in South Eastern South Australia and south western Victoria.  It is also found in Tasmania.

Swamp Antechinus.  Image courtesy of Nature Glenelg Trust

Map showing the habitat of Swamp Antechinus.  Image courtesy of Nature Glenelg Trust

Marija and I were on the road by 7.30 a.m.  We made a quick detour to the local Subway where we purchased some lunch and also a bacon & egg roll for breakfast.  We then headed south west out of Mount Gambier on the Carpenter Rocks Road.  This is kangaroo and wombat country as was evident by the signs.

Prior to activating the reserve, we had a quick look around the little town of Carpenter Rocks which is renmowned for its rugged coastline which provides exceptional fishing and diving locations.

The coastline at Carpenter Rocks.

We then travelled out along the Cape Banks Lighthouse Road until we reached the northern section of the reserve.  We found a 4WD drive which followed the northern boundary of the park, but could not find anywhere really suitable to set up.  We followed this track all the way around the boundary of the park until we reached the Carpenter Rocks Road again.

We then saw a sign on the northern side of the road which said ‘Fire Water’, so we decided to take this track, heading north, following the western boundary of the reserve.  We then came to a track on the right which took us into the park, and we soon found a sign marking the reserve.

There was an open gate here and a 4WD heading further east into the park.  We set up just off this track.

Aerial shot of the Bucks Lake Game Reserve, showing our operating spot.  Image courtesy of Protected Planet.

For this activation we ran the Yaesu FT-857d and the 80/40/20m linked dipole, inverted vee, supported on the 7m heavy duty telescopic squid pole.  Power output was 10 watts PEP for Marija and 40 watts for myself.

During the week, Al VK2OK, who had been part of the my team out into the field on the Sunday at the 2017 WIA AGM/Convention, sent me a wooden stand for the transceiver which had a Benelec speaker mounted at the front.  It was a great set up, and one which I will continue to use.  Many thanks Al.

The shack, showing the stand & speaker for the Yaesu FT-857d.

This was to be a unique park for both Marija and I for the World Wide Flora Fauna (WWFF) program.  And hopefully a new park for the hunters.

Marija started off first, working Gerard VK2IO who was on SOTA peak Middle Brother VK2/ MN-066.  Marija and I swapped the mic, so we both could log Gerard.  We then tuned across the 40m band and found Mick VK3PMG/p calling CQ from the Crawford River Regional Park VKFF-0963.  Although Mick’s signal was quite low, we both logged Mick comfortably as there was no noise in Bucks Lake.

Marija then propped on 7.132 and called CQ.  Her first taker was Peter VK3PF, who had activated Bucks Lake a few weeks earlier during his visit to VK5.  This was followed by Les VK5KLV, Jonathan VK7JON, and then Rob VK4AAC/2.

Marija soon had her 10 contacts in the log, qualifying Bucks Lagoon for VKFF.  Contact number 10 was with Rod VK7FRJG in Tasmania with a strong signal.

Marija was happy to qualify the park for VKFF.  I then jumped on the mic and called CQ on 7.132.  This was answered by Rod VK7FRJG, followed by Geoff VK3SQ, Les VK7OT, and then Helen VK7FOLK.  Signals out of Tasmania were exceptionally strong.

Contact number 10, qualifying the park for me for VKFF, was with Bruce VK3SOL/p, operating the club call of the Shepparton & District ARC, who was portable at the Echuca Steam Rally.

Whilst I was operating Marija went off for a walk to try to locate the actual lake in the park.  Sadly, all tracks leading to the lake were completely overgrown.

There was a steady flow of callers and despite a rather slow start, it looked like I was probably going to reach the 44 to qualify the park for WWFF.  I run a paper log out in the field, which contains 35 contacts on each page.  It is always a nice feeling when I reach page number 2, as that always means I only need another 10 contacts to qualify.

I worked a total of 44 stations on 40m within an hour, with contact number 44 being a SOTA contact with Ian VK5CZ/p who was activating Lagoon Hill VK5/ SE-008.  Marija also logged Ian.  Whilst Marija still had the mic she was called by Hans VK6XN who had a strong 58 signal from some 3,000 km to the west.  Not bad at all considering the time of the day.

I then headed off to 20m where I called CQ on 14.310.  This was answered by Hans VK6XN who had followed me up from 40m, and then Phil VK6ADF.  Sadly, they were my only 2 contacts on 20m, despite 5 minutes of CQ calls.

To finish off the activation I headed to 3.610 on the 80m band where I worked 4 stations from VK3, VK5, and VK7.  This included a contact with Mike VK3ZMD who advised that I was his 200th Australian park worked.  Congratulations Mike.

It was now just after 10.30 a.m. and it was time for Marija and I to pack up and head off to our next park, the Douglas Point Conservation Park.  Marija had qualified the park for VKFF, with a total of 12 contacts in the log, whilst I had qualified the park for VKFF & WWFF, with a total of 50 contacts in the log.  Thanks t everyone who called, and many thanks to those who took the time to spot Marija and I, either on parksnpeaks and/or Facebook.

Marija worked the following stations on 40m SSB:-

1. VK2IO/p (SOTA Middle Brother VK2/ MN-066)
2. VK3PMG/p (Crawford River Regional Park VKFF-0963)
3. VK3PF
4. VK5KLV
5. VK7JON
6. VK4AAC/2
7. VK7FOLK
8. VK2KYO
9. VK2NP
10. VK7FRJG
11. VK5CZ/p (SOTA Lagoon Hill VK5/ SE-008)
12. VK6XN

I worked the following stations on 40m SSB:-

1. VK2IO/p (SOTA Middle Brother VK2/ MN-066)
2. VK3PMG/p (Crawford River Regional Park VKFF-0963)
3. VK7FRJG
4. VK3SQ
5. VK7OT
6. VK7FOLK
7. VK5KLV
8. VK1HW
9. VK7JON
10. VK3SOL/p
11. VK5FANA
12. VK7AN
13. VK4AAC/2
14. VK5MBD
15. VK3PF
16. VK7FGRA
17. VK7WH
18. VK3ARH
19. VK2NP
20. VK4WC/2
21. VK4ICE/2
22. VK5ZGY/m
23. VK3WAC/m
24. VK2LX
25. VK6XN
26. VK6FSEA
27. VK2VW
28. VK3ZPF
29. VK2VAA
30. VK3AJA/p
31. VK4TJ
32. VK4/AC8WN
33. VK4/VE6XT
34. VK2TDB
35. VK3HKK
36. VK6BEC
37. VK3MCK
38. VK7JON/m
39. VK7FOLK/m
40. VK5MA/m
41. VK3JP
42. VK7PSJ
43. VK2JNG/3
44. VK5CZ/p (SOTA Lagoon Hill VK5/ SE-008)

I worked the following stations on 20m SSB:-

1. VK6XN
2. VK6ADF

I worked the following stations on 80m SSB:-

1. VK5FANA
2. VK7CW
3. VK3ZIE/p
4. VK3ZMD

References.

Department for Environment and Heritage,  2007, Management Plan Carpenter Rocks Conservation Park and Bucks Lake Game Reserve.

Wikipedia, 2017, <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bucks_Lake_Game_Reserve&gt;, viewed 13th June 2017

Marija VK5FMAZ and I are home from our trip to the South East region of South Australia.  We attended the South East Radio Group (SERG) Convention and had a great time.

Whilst away we activated a total of seven parks.  Six of those parks were in South Australia, whilst one was in Victoria.  We made a total of 567 QSOs with 44 of those being Park to Park.  We also competed a bit in the VK Shires Contest.

Bucks Lake Game Reserve VKFF-1690

• Marija – 12 QSOs (1 Park to Park)
• Paul -50 QSOs (1 Park to Park)

Douglas Point Conservation Park 5CP-057 & VKFF-0795

• Marija – 11 QSOs
• Paul – 46 QSOs

Telford Scrub Conservation Park 5CP-226 & VKFF-0805

• Marija – 15 QSOs (1 Park to Park)
• Paul – 80 QSOs (3 Park to Park

Lower Glenelg River Conservation Park 5CP-122 & VKFF-0905

• Marija – 14 QSOs (1 Park to Park)
• Paul – 51 QSOs (1 Park to Park)

Lower Glenelg National Park, Victoria VKFF-0296

• Marija – 52 QSOs (7 Park to Park)
• Paul – 65 QSOs (9 Park to Park)

Glen Roy Conservation Park 5CP-077 & VKFF-0797

• Marija – 15 QSOs (5 Park to Park)
• Paul – 53 QSOs (5 Park to Park

Padthaway Conservation Park 5CP-169 & VKFF-0924

• Marija – 19 QSOs (4 Park to Park)
• Paul – 84 QSOs (5 Park to Park)