On Saturday morning (7th April 2018) Marija and I left the motel at Renmark and made our way out to the historic Overland Corner Hotel for the 2018 BRL Gathering.  Each year in April the Riverland Radio Club hold a get together at Overland Corner, where amateurs travel from far and wide for a weekend of socialising and sharing their ham experiences.  This year, 2018, is the fourth year that such an event has been held, and Marija and I have been to each of these.

The BRL Gathering takes place at the Overland Corner Hotel which dates back to 1859.  For more information on this historic hotel, please see my post re the 2017 BRL Gathering at…….

https://vk5pas.org/2017/04/27/2017-brl-gathering-at-overland-corner/

This really is a great day of catching up with fellow hams and their partners.  There were a number of familiar faces, but this year I was really pleased to meet for the first time, Keith VK3FMKE who had travelled all the way from Melbourne.  Other long distance travellers included Dennis VK2HHA, Frank VK3VEF, and Joe VK2EIR who had made his way from Sydney.

L-R: Bill VK5MBD, John VK5MJC, myself, & Roger VK5WE

L-R: myself, John VK5MJC & Keith VK3FMKE

L-R: Joe VK2EIR & Frank VK3VEF

With Ivan VK5HS

Each Saturday morning the BRL Net is run on 7.115.  And on Saturday a special BRL Net was run from Overland Corner.  Ron VK5MRE was Net Control, with callers from all across Australia.

I set up a little display table at the gathering which promoted the WWFF program and the VK5 Parks Award.  I had a number of transceivers, power supplies, and awards on display.

The Riverland guys had recently been involved in a club project building cross yagis to work the amateur radio satellites.  These were brought out during the day and a number of contacts were made.

After lunch it was time for the group photo.

A number of presentations were then made including the Home Brew competition.  Grant VK5VGC was the recipient for his home brew dipole antenna.

Ron VK5MRE presenting Dennis VK2HHA with his ‘relay’ certificate

Frank VK3VEF

Marija VK5FMAZ receiving some bottles of wine

Ivan VK5HS with Grant VK5VGC’s home brew entry

Grant VK5VGC receiving his award

At around 3.00 p.m. Marija and I left Overland Corner and headed back to Renmark.  Along the way we stopped to have a look at the Lake Bonney Hotel ruins.  The hotel dates back to 1859 and was built by William Napper and William Parnell who had emigrated to Adelaide from Guernsey in 1855.  The ruins are the remains of the 11 room hotel and a separate store hut to the south.

We then stopped briefly at Lake Bonney at Barmera, a large freshwater lake which is fed and drained by the Murray River.

We then drove in to Berri and down to Martins Bend Reserve.  This is one of the Riverland’s most popular picnic spots and is located on the banks of the Murray River.

We then made our way back to the hotel where I caught a bit of shuteye.  It was then time to freshen up and head off to the Renmark Hotel where we had arranged to got out for tea with a group.  A nice meal was enjoyed and plenty of laughs were had.  It was the ending to a really enjoyable day.  THANKS to the member of the Riverland Radio Club.