Our final activation for the day and our final activation for the 2017 Keith Roget Memorial National Parks Award Weekend was the Lind National Park VKFF-0287.  This would be our fourth Victorian park activated for this special weekend.  The Lind National Park is located about 431 km east of Melbourne and about 20 km west of Cann River.

The Lind National Park is 1,370-hectare (3,400-acre) and was established way back in 1926.  The park was recommended by a Crown Lands Investigation Committee to conserve rainforest habitat and was subsequently gazetted, with an area of 1,166 hectares.  In 1988 the park was expanded to 1,365 hectares and a further 5 hectares were added in 1995.

The Lind National Park is old growth forest which is relatively untouched since European settlement.  The park has a history of minind activity which is indicated by numerous mine shafts and relics,particularly at Olive Branch mine on the Olive Branch Creek.  A total of 36 species of mammals, 167 of birds, 22 of reptiles and 14 of amphibians have been recorded in the Lind National Park.

We travelled back into Cann River and then west out of town along the Princes Highway until we reached Lind Park Road.  We travelled a short distance and then turned into Euchre Valley Nature Drive.

Despite the fact that various Parks Victoria literature talks about this track being accessible and leading to picnic areas, it certainly doesn’t at the eastern end of the park.  The track was totally overgrown with vegetation and was impassable.

As a result, it was a good place to set up.  There was a nice cleared area to string out the 80/40/20m linked dipole.

Marija and I once again shared the mic until Marija had her 10 contacts in the log.  We found the 40m band quite busy, but found 7.139 clear, where we started to put out a few CQ calls.  These were answered by Tony VK3XV/p who was activating the Hattah Kulkyne National Park VKFF-0231 in western Victoria.  Park regular, Rick VK4RF/VK4HA then called in, followed by Allen VK3ARH and then Deryk VK3PAA.  Within 15 minutes we had contact number 10 in the log, a QSO with John VK4TJ.

I then took control of the mic and called CQ, hoping to get my 44 contacts required to qualify the park for WWFF.  The 40m band was in great shape and it was like the old times again, with a mini pile up ensuing.

I logged a total of 60 stations on 40m from VK1, VK2, VK3, VK4, VK5, and VK7.  This included a number of Park to Park contacts as follows:-

• Peter VK3PF/p at the Mornington Peninsula National Park VKFF-0333
• Aaron VK1LAJ/p at the Mount Ainslie Nature Reserve VKFF-0850
• Helen VK7FOLK/p at the Scamander Conservation AreaV KFF-1147
• Jonathan VK7JON/p at the Scamander Conservation Area VKFF-1147

I also spoke with David VK3IL/p who was activating SOTA summit, Mt Number 3, VK3/ VE-033.

I then tried my luck on 14.310 on the 10m band.  My first caller there was Mick VK3GGG/VK3PMG, followed by Steve VK4KUS, Nev VK5WG, and then Hideo JF1SEK in Japan.  I worked a further 5 stations on 20m including Tadashi JA1VRY and Stuie VK8NSB in Darwin.

I then moved to the 80m band where I logged 3 stations: Peter VK3ZPF, Adam VK2YK, and Ian VK1DI.  To complete the activation I put out a few CQ calls on 40m again.  This was answered by John VK5BJE in the Adelaide Hills and then Peter VK2NEO with a very strong signal.  Unfortunately K3EST came up on the frequency and started calling CQ.  He was quite strong, but sadly wasn’t hearing my little signal.  I logged a further 3 stations: David VK5PL, Adrian VK5FANA, and Nan VK2KRN, and decided it was not worth competing with the USA station, so I went QRT for the day.

It had been another very good activation, with a total of 78 stations in the log.  Marija had also qualified the park for KRMNPA and VKFF, and had 16 contacts in the log.

Marija worked the following stations on 40m SSB:-

1. VK3XV (Hattah Kulkyne National Park VKFF-0231)
2. VK4RF
3. VK4HA
4. VK3ARH
5. VK3PAA
6. VK2NEO
7. VK2XXM
8. VK3OHM
9. VK4TJ
10. VK4/VE6XT
11. VK4/AC8WN
12. VK3PF/p (Mornington Peninsula National Park VKFF-0333)
13. VK3IL/p (SOTA Mt Number 3, VK3/ VE-033)
14. VK1LAJ/p (Mount Ainslie Nature Reserve VKFF-0850)
15. VK7FOLK/p (Scamander Conservation AreaVKFF-1147)
16. VK7JON/p (Scamander Conservation AreaVKFF-1147)

I worked the following stations on 40m SSB:-

1. VK3XV (Hattah Kulkyne National Park VKFF-0231
2. VK4RF
3. VK4HA
4. VK3ARH
5. VK3PAA
6. VK2NEO
7. VK2XXM
8. VK3OHM
9. VK4TJ
10. VK4/VE6XT
11. VK4/AC8WN
12. VK3SQ
13. VK3PF/p (Mornington Peninsula National Park VKFF-0333)
14. VK7QP
15. VK3FMKE
16. VK3RU
17. VK3KMH
18. VK3UH
19. VK7FGRA
20. VK3NLK
21. VK3IL/p (SOTA Mt Number 3, VK3/ VE-033)
22. VK3JP
23. VK3CA
24. VK2LEE
25. VK3FJET
26. VK3ELH
27. VK2JNG/m
28. VK3PI
29. VK7FRJG
30. VK3HOT
31. VK1DI
32. VK1LAJ/p (Mount Ainslie Nature Reserve VKFF-0850)
33. VK3SFG
34. VK5FMWW
35. VK5NJ
36. VK2NP
37. VK2YK
38. VK4FFAB
39. VK3MRH
40. VK5TR
41. VK3FVKI
42. VK3MIJ
43. VK3ZPF
44. VK1HM
45. VK3PWG
46. VK7FOLK/p (Scamander Conservation AreaVKFF-1147)
47. VK7JON/p (Scamander Conservation AreaVKFF-1147)
48. VK3FMAA
49. VK3FMIA
50. VK3NBL
51. VK4KUS
52. VK2HHA
53. VK3sX
54. VK3TKK/m
55. VK4SOE
56. VK4SMA/p
57. VK3GGG
58. VK3PMG
59. VK2VW
60. VK4QQ
61. VK5BJE
62. VK2NEO
63. VK5PL
64. VK5FANA
65. VK2KRN

I worked the following stations on 20m SSB:-

1. VK3GGG
2. VK3PMG
3. VK4KUS
4. VK5WG
5. JF1SEK
6. VK4RF
7. VK4HA
8. JA1VRY
9. VK5KLV
10. VK8NSB

I worked the following stations on 80m SSB:-

1. VK3ZPF
2. VK2YK
3. VK1DI

After packing up we headed back into Cann River, only to find the pub shut.  So we ventured over the road to Relics Cafe where I enjoyed a very nice Steak sandwich.

 

References.

Parks Victoria, 1998, ‘Lind and ALfred National Parks Management Plan’

Wikipedia, 2017, <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lind_National_Park>, viewed 30th November 2017