Our second activation for Saturday 25th November 2017 was the White Dam Conservation Park VKFF-1122, which is located about 200 km north east of Adelaide, and about 20 km north west of Morgan.

The White Dam Conservation Park is 891 hectares in size and is bisected by the Morgan-Burra Road, the Goyder Highway.  The park was first gazetted on the 17th July 1969, and was originally part of a travelling stock route.   On the 17th September 1970 it was proclaimed as White National Parks Reserve.  On the 27th April 1972 it was gazetted as the White Dam Conservation Park.

This is pretty harsh and isolated country out here.  The landscape is flat to gently undulating, with much of the park comprising low open woodland of Black Oak with an understorey dominated by Bluebush.

About 91 species of native bird have been recorded in the park including Galah, Black-backed Fairywren, Chestnut-rumped Thornbill, Southern Whiteface, Redthroat, Spiny-cheeked Honeyeater, Red-capped Robin, Stubble Quail, White-winged Fairywren, White-fronted Honeyeater, Apostlebird, White-browed Babbler, and Gilbert’s Whistler.

We turned off the Goyder Highway onto a dirt track which lead into the park, and set up at the intersection of a few tracks.  There was plenty of room here to string out the 80/40/20m linked dipole.

Marija kicked off the activation, calling CQ on 7.150.  John VK5BJE was the first in the log with a 59 plus signal, followed by Adrian VK5FANA who was also 5/9 plus, Brett VK2VW, and then Rick VK4RF/VK4HA.  Contact number 7 was our first Park to Park contact at White Dam, a QSO with Mark VK4SMA/p who was activating the Moggill Conservation Park VKFF-1594 in Queensland.  This was followed by a run of further Park to Park contacts as follows:

• Peter VK3PF/p who was in the Fernbank Nature Conservation Reserve VKFF-2088
• Neil VK4HNS/p in the Sundown National Park VKFF-0471
• Gerard VK2JNG/p in the Toonumbar National Park VKFF-0492
• Rob VK4AAC/p in the Glass House Mountains National Park VKFF-0200

Marija now had 11 contacts in the log and had qualified the park for VKFF and handed the mic to me.  I called CQ and this was answered by John VK5BJE, then Les VK5KLV, and then Hans VK5YX, all of whom had 5/9 signals into White Dam.

I went on to work 52 stations on 40m, swapping the mic with Marija whenever a Park to Park contact came up.  And there were plenty of those, as follows…..

• Dave VK2ZK/p in the Maroota Ridge State Conservation Area VKFF-1348
• Dave VK2JDC/p in the Maroota Ridge State Conservation Area VKFF-1348
• Liz VK2XSE/p in the Balowra State Conservation Area VKFF-1269
• Peter VK2KNV/p in the Balowra State Conservation Area VKFF-1269
• Peter VK3ZPF/p in the Main Ridge Nature Conservation Reserve VKFF-2135
• Gordon VK5GY/p in the Red Banks Conservation Park VKFF-1086
• Jonathan VK7JON/p in the Ferndene State Reserve VKFF-1802
• Helen VK7FOLK/p in the Ferndene State Reserve VKFF-1802
• Brett VK3FLCS/p in the Spring Plains Nature Conservation Reserve VKFF-2194
• VK6MB/p in the Walpole-Normalup Inlets Marine Park VKFF-1456
• Peter VK3TKK/p in the Organ Pipes National Park VKFF-0627
• Hans VK6XN/p in the Buller Nature Reserve VKFF-1868
• Peter VK3PF/p in the Bengworden Nature Conservation Reserve VKFF-2045
• Angela VK7FAMP/p in the Safety Cove State Reserve VKFF-1825
• Tony VK7LTD/p in the Safety Cove State Reserve VKFF-1825
• Alan VK5AR/p in the Newland Head Conservation Park VKFF-0922

Marija then jumped back on the mic, with 30 contacts in the log, and hoping to get 14 more QSOs to qualify the park for the global WWFF program.  Marija soon had 44 contacts in the log, with contact number 44 being a QSO with Andrew VK2UH.  We also logged another Park to Park contact, this time with Peter VK3ZPF/p who was activating the Buckley Nature Conservation Reserve VKFF-2054.

I then went up to the 20m band and found Tony VK7LTD/p on 14.310 calling CQ from the Safety Cove State Reserve VKFF-1825.  I then moved up to 14.315 where I logged 8 stations including Bob VK6POP/p who was activating the Walyunga National Park VKFF-0516 and Hans VK6XN/p in the Buller Nature Reserve VKFF-1868.  I also found Martin VK6AHR/p on 14.310 calling CQ from the Avon Valley National Park VKFF-0008.

I then put out a few calls on 3.610 on the 80m band, but the only station/s logged there was Mick VK3GGG/VK3PMG.  To finish off the activation I called CQ on 21.244 for a few minutes, but there were no takers.

We then packed up and left the park, with Marija having 47 contacts in the log including 23 Park to Park QSOs.  I had 69 contacts in the log, including 28 Park to Park QSOs.  Between us, we had 116 QSOs, including 51 Park to Park contacts.

Marija worked the following stations on 40m SSB:-

1. VK5BJE
2. VK5FANA
3. VK2VW
4. VK4RF
5. VK4HA
6. VK2PKT
7. VK4SMA/p (Moggill Conservation Park VKFF-1594)
8. VK3PF/p (Fernbank Nature Conservation Reserve VKFF-2088)
9. VK4HNS/p (Sundown National Park VKFF-0471)
10. VK2JNG/p (Toonumbar National Park VKFF-0492)
11. VK4AAC/p (Glass House Mountains National Park VKFF-0200)
12. VK2IO/p (Blue Mountains National Park VKFF-0041)
13. VK5FAJH/p (Mount Remarkable National Park VKFF-0360)
14. VK2ZK/p (Maroota Ridge State Conservation Area VKFF-1348)
15. VK2JDC/p (Maroota Ridge State Conservation Area VKFF-1348)
16. VK2KNV/p (Balowra State Conservation Area VKFF-1269)
17. VK2XSE/p (Balowra State Conservation Area VKFF-1269)
18. VK3ZPF/p (Main Ridge Nature Conservation Reserve VKFF-2135)
19. VK5GY/p (Red Banks Conservation Park VKFF-1086)
20. VK7FOLK/p (Ferndene State Reserve VKFF-1802)
21. VK7JON/p (Ferndene State Reserve VKFF-1802)
22. VK3FLCS/p (Spring Plains Nature Conservation Reserve VKFF-2194)
23. VK3TKK/p (Organ Pipes National Park VKFF-0627)
24. VK1DI
25. VK6XN/p (Buller Nature Reserve VKFF-1868)
26. VK3PF/p (Bengworden Nature Conservation Reserve VKFF-2045)
27. VK7FAMP/p (Safety Cove State Reserve VKFF-1825)
28. VK7LTD/p (Safety Cove State Reserve VKFF-1825)
29. VK5PET
30. VK5AR/p (Newland Head Conservation Park VKFF-0922)
31. VK3FSPG
32. VK3MPR
33. VK4GSF
34. VK3BNJ
35. VK5KLV
36. VK5NAW
37. VK4PDX
38. VK3MAB
39. VK7FGRA
40. VK3FRAB
41. VK3NLK/m
42. VK3ZPF/p (Buckley Nature Conservation Reserve VKFF-2054)
43. VK3VEK
44. VK2UH
45. VK4FARR
46. VK3VIN
47. VK3ANL

I worked the following stations on 40m SSB:-

1. VK4SMA/p (Moggill Conservation Park VKFF-1594)
2. VK3PF/p (Fernbank Nature Conservation Reserve VKFF-2088)
3. VK4HNS/p (Sundown National Park VKFF-0471)
4. VK2JNG/p (Toonumbar National Park VKFF-0492)
5. VK4AAC/p (Glass House Mountains National Park VKFF-0200)
6. VK5BJE
7. VK5KLV
8. VK5YX
9. VK2IO/p (Blue Mountains National Park VKFF-0041)
10. VK5FAJH/p (Mount Remarkable National Park VKFF-0360)
11. VK2XXM
12. VK2FCAC
13. VK3GGG
14. VK3PMG
15. VK5HS
16. VK4RF
17. VK4HA
18. VK2ZK/p (Maroota Ridge State Conservation Area VKFF-1348)
19. VK2JDC/p (Maroota Ridge State Conservation Area VKFF-1348)
20. VK2XSE/p (Balowra State Conservation Area VKFF-1269)
21. VK2KNV/p (Balowra State Conservation Area VKFF-1269)
22. VK2HHA
23. VK4FDJL
24. VK3ZPF/p (Main Ridge Nature Conservation Reserve VKFF-2135)
25. VK4PDX
26. VK5GY/p (Red Banks Conservation Park VKFF-1086)
27. VK2UH
28. VK3UH
29. VK5FANA
30. VK5MR
31. VK3DAC
32. VK3OHM
33. VK7JON/p (Ferndene State Reserve VKFF-1802)
34. VK7FOLK/p (Ferndene State Reserve VKFF-1802)
35. VK3FLCS/p (Spring Plains Nature Conservation Reserve VKFF-2194)
36. VK1LAJ
37. VK4GSF
38. VK4TJ
39. VK6MB/p (Walpole-Normalup Inlets Marine Park VKFF-1456)
40. VK5PET
41. VK3TKK/p (Organ Pipes National Park VKFF-0627)
42. VK2JNG/m
43. VK1DI
44. VK3FMKE
45. VK3LY
46. VK3HBG
47. VK6XN/p (Buller Nature Reserve VKFF-1868)
48. VK3PF/p (Bengworden Nature Conservation Reserve VKFF-2045)
49. VK2QK
50. VK7FAMP/p (Safety Cove State Reserve VKFF-1825)
51. VK7LTD/p (Safety Cove State Reserve VKFF-1825)
52. VK5TR
53. VK5AR/p (Newland Head Conservation Park VKFF-0922)
54. VK3ANL
55. VK3ZPF/p (Buckley Nature Conservation Reserve VKFF-2054)
56. VK3FRAB
57. VK7HCK

I worked the following stations on 20m SSB:-

1. Tony VK7LTD/p (Safety Cove State Reserve VKFF-1825)
2. VK7HCK
3. VK6DW
4. VK7JON
5. VK2YK
6. VK6SJ
7. VK4SMA
8.  VK6POP/p (Walyunga National Park VKFF-0516)
9. VK6AHR/p (Avon Valley National Park VKFF-0008)
10. VK6XN/p (Buller Nature Reserve VKFF-1868)

I worked the following stations on 80m SSB:-

1. VK3GGG
2. VK3PMG

After packing up we headed to the historic Lindley cemetery which is located, funnily enough, on Lindley Cemetery Road.  As we travelled on this road it gave you a great feel on how vast and isolated this land is.

The Lindley cemetery has many headstones dating back to the 1800’s.  There are also the ruins of the old school and church to be found here.  Both date back to the late 1800’s.  Sadly all that remains is a pile of stone.

We also had a look at the Henry Bryan memorial.  I spoke about this very interesting story in the last post.

That night we tried the second pub in town, the Terminus, and enjoyed a very nice meal.

 

 

References.

Birds SA, 2017, <https://birdssa.asn.au/location/white-dam-conservation-park/>, viewed 3rd December 2017