It was now day six, Wednesday 21st November 2018.  Marija and I headed out for breakfast to Fraga’s Cafe in Marysville and enjoyed some nice poached eggs on toast with bacon, and some refreshing coffee.  It was a cloudy morning, with occasional light drizzle, and it provided some more opportunities for a bit of bird photography.

We then headed to Mount Gordon VK3/ VN-027, our first activation for the day.  Mount Gordon is situated about 6 km (by road) west of Marysville, and about 96 km north east of the city of Melbourne.

Above:- Map showing the location of Mount Gordon VK3/ VN-027.  Map courtesy of Google maps.

Mount Gordon is 764 metres above sea level and is worth 4 points for the Summits on the Air (SOTA) program.  This would be a first time activation of this summit by Marija and I.  It had been activated a total of 55 times previously, so it is a popular summit.  Most likely due to its easy access and relatively close proximity to Melbourne.

Above:- Mount Gordon, c/o Open Topo Map

We drove south out of Marysville on the Marysville Road, with the summit soon coming into view.  Fortunately the rain was holding off.  It had rained quite heavily the night before, and Marija and I were hopeful that it would remain relatively clear for the day.

A short distance out of Marysville we turned right onto Mount Gordon Road.  This is a dirt track, but in good condition, and easily passable in a conventional vehicle.  We soon reached the summit which was dominated by a number of communication towers.

Maps showed that the Mount Gordon Track formed a loop up to, and down from the summit.

But this was not the case.  The road was closed.  It was one way up and one way down.

On the way up to the summit there were some reasonable views through the trees of the surrounding countryside.  But once up on the summit, the only clear view was north back down Mount Gordon Road.

There was the occasional view through the trees to Marysville, which was partially clouded over.

There weren’t a huge lot of options here on the summit for operating spots.  We were hoping that as it was a chilly morning there wouldn’t be too many visitors to the summit.  We set up on the side of the track, below the fire spotting tower.

Marija threw up a spot for me on parksnpeaks and I started calling CQ on 7.098.  There was a net on 7.093, so we couldn’t get on to the normal SOTA frequency of 7.090.  First in the log was Karl VK2ADB, then Gerard VK2IO, Peter VK3PF, and then Paul VK3HN.  I had qualified the summit.  I logged 1 more station, Adam VK2YK, before handing the microphone to Marija.

Marija’s first contact was with John VK2YW, followed by Barry VK5KBJ/m mobile, Les VK5KLD, and then Tony VK4FAAT.  Marija had also qualified the summit.  Marija logged a further 3 stations, before I jumped back on the mic again, ramping the power back up from 10 watts to 40 watts.

I logged a further 6 stations on 40m from VK4 and VK5, before heading to 3.610 on the 80m band.  There I logged 4 stations, all Victorian (VK3) stations.  To complete the activation I moved to 14.310 on the 20m band where I experienced strength 5 noise.  However, I managed to log 9 stations on 20m including two New Zealand stations: Andrei ZL1TM, and Daniel ZL4DVG.

We had quite a few things planned for the day, so with the summit qualified, Marija and I packed up and headed off.

Marija worked the following stations:-

I worked the following stations:-

But before leaving the summit we drove to a point near the Woods Lookout Track.  This offered the best views of the surrounding countryside.

References.

Summits on the Air, 2018, <https://www.sota.org.uk/Summit/VK3/VN-027>, viewed 11th December 2018

After leaving Mount Wombat, Marija and I drove to the little town of Strathbogie, which was named after the Strathbogie pastoral run (1843) which was subdivided from the Seven Creeks run (1838).  The town is surrounded by the Strathbogie Ranges, once a notorious hideout for Ned Kelly and his gang of bushrangers.  Wool production has become the main industry in the area.

We stopped to have a look at the Merino Sheep monument.  The model was presented to the Strathbogie community by Toyobo Co Ltd of Japan, and C. Itoh & Co Ltd of Japan, in recognition of production by local farmers of high quality fine merino wool bought and process by the Japanese to manufacture quality wool material.

Above:- The Merino Sheep monument.

Marija and I then headed to the Seven Creeks Wildlife Reserve VKFF-2435, for a quick activation from the vehicle, as it was continuing to drizzle with rain.  The reserve is located about 4 km south east of Strathbogie, and about 122 km north of the city of Melbourne.

Above:- Map showing the location of the Seven Creeks Wildlife Reserve VKFF-2435.  Map courtesy of Protected Planet.

The park is located in the scenic Strathbogie Ranges, and features a unique system of granite outcrops, and year-round cascading waterfalls and deep pools.  Seven Creeks, which originates on the Strathbogie plateau above the township of Strathbogie, flows through the reserve.  The river is the habitat of numerous native fish species, including the nationally endangered Trout Cod, and Macquarie Perch.

The Seven Creeks Wildlife Reserve forms part of the traditional land of the Taungurung aboriginal clans.  The people of Yaran-yilam and Yiran-yilam bulock clans occupied the vast area around the Sven Creeks region prior to European colonisation.  The rich resources of the permanent rivers, creeks, tributaries, and assocated floodplains of the area enabled the Taungurung people to access an abundance of fish and other wildlife.

We activated the reserve from the Polly McQinns Weir picnic area.  Polly Mcquinns Weir is one of Euroa’s five water storages.  In 1933 the tender was accepted for the construction of the 30 million gallon weir.

Above:- Map of the Seven Creeks Wildlife Reserve, showing our operating spot.  Map courtesy of Protected Planet.

It is from here that Seven Creeks descends a steep granite escarpment, and eventually cascading over Gooram Falls, which we would later visit.  Sven Creeks then flows through a confined valley to the town of Euroa, emerging onto the riverine plain.  It then joins the Goulburn River south of Shepparton.

Who was Polly McQuinn?  There is much local folklore as to how this area was named.  The most commonly accepted version is that the name derives from a nearby resident who was named Polly because he did not have a beard.  Apparently McQuinn accidentally drove his wagon and team of horses into the watering hole whilst attempting to cross the rocks, prior to the construction of the first bridge.  It is said that McQuinn and his horses all tragically perished in the 9m deep water.

Despite the shower activity and our disapointment that we could not operate from outside of the vehicle, the rain did work in our favour as the water was running well across the granite outcrop.  It was a beautiful spot.

It was also an opportunity for me to take a few bird photographs.  The park is also home to a variety of native wildlife including microbats, possums, gliders, koalas, kangaroos, echidnas, snakes, and lizards.

Unfortunately we had no internet access in the park, so we were unable to place a self spot on parksnpeaks.  I called CQ on 7.144, competing with the strength 9 + static crashes, due to the unstable weather.  After a few minutes, Dave VK7LG came back to my call with a strong 5/9 signal.  This was followed by Grant VK2LX , Rod VK7FRJG, and then Al VK7AN.  But that was the extent of callers on 40m.  It wasn’t looking good, getting to my 10 contacts.

I then moved to 3.610 on the 80m band and called CQ.  Peter VK3PF came back to my call, and kindly gave me his 2 other calls of VK3KAI and VK3GV.  Geoff VK3SQ then called in from Beechworth, but as quick as 40m, callers on 80m dried up.  Sadly the rain wasn’t though.

I was now just 1 short, so I headed back to 40m and called CQ on 7.144.  Gerard VK2IO was my saviour, being contact number 10.  I then logged Andy VK5LA, and it was at this time that the heavens really opened up and we started to experience some lightning.  It was time to go QRT and hit the road.

Sorry to anyone else who would have liked this park.  It is one that Marija and I will definitely be re-visiting.

I worked the following stations on 40m SSB:-

1. VK7LG
2. VK2LX
3. VK7FRJG
4. VK7AN
5. VK2IO
6. VK5LA

I worked the following stations on 80m SSB:-

1. VK3PF
2. VK3KAI
3. VK3GV
4. VK3SQ

We then drove along Galls Gap Road and then south on the Euroa-Mansfield Road.  Although it was drizzling, Marija and I decided to do the walk at Gooram Falls, which features a system of granite outcrops, year round cascading waterfalls and deep pools.  The name Gooram is derived from the Taungurung aboriginal word for hunting ground, spelt Guram in the Taungurung language.

And despite getting totally soaked, it was a very rewarding walk, with terrific views of the gorge and the cascading waterfalls.

We then drove into the town of Alexandra, which was settled during the late 1860’s.  Our first stop here was to have a quick look at the Monument for explorers Hume and Hovell, who passed through the area on 3rd December 1824.

We then had a look at the replcia of The Red Gate.  The town of Alexandra was originally known as the Red Gate by early settlers and Red Gate Diggings by gold miners in late 1866.  The Red Gate situated on the banks of the Ultima Thule Creek marked the break in the boundary fence between two pastoral runs.

We then stopped to look at the Princess Alexandra marble statue, the work of English sculptor Charles Somers, commissioned in 1878.  It was originally located in the National Gallery in Melbourne, until offered to and accepted by the Shire of Alexandra in 1939.

We continued south on the Maroondah Highway, and soon reached our destination of the town of Marysville, where we had booked in to stay three nights.

Our accomodation was the Vibe Hotel in Marysville.

After freshening up we headed out for tea to the restaurant at the Vibe, and enjoyed a nice (but expensive) meal.

References.

Goulburn Broken Catchment Management Authority, 2018, <https://www.gbcma.vic.gov.au/projects/macquarie-perch/seven-creeks>, viewed 11th December 2018

Parks Victoria, 2018, <https://parkweb.vic.gov.au/explore/parks/seven-creeks-w.r>, viewed 11th December 2018

Victorian Places, 2018, <https://www.victorianplaces.com.au/strathbogie>, viewed 11th December 2018

After leaving Arcadia, Marija and I continued south on the Euroa-Shepparton Road, heading for the town of Euroa.  We stopped briefly to have a look at the Major Thomas Mitchell Expedition monument.  It marks the site where Major Mitchell and his expedition party passed on their ‘Australia Felix’ expedition in 1836.  Australia Felix is Latin for ‘fortunate Australia’ or ‘happy Australia’, and is the name given by Mitchell to the lush pasture area of western Victoria he explored in 1836.

We then drove in to the historic town of Euroa.  Urowa, or Euroa, is thought to be derived from an Aboriginal word meaning push or joyful.

Our first stop was the Victoria Cross Memorial which was opened in 2014.  It commemorates three Victoria Cross recipients from Euroa, Leslie Maygar, Fred Tubb and Alex Burton.  Eurioa is the only town in the Commonwealth, to have this many citizens granted the Victoria Cross.

Nearby is a memorial for the site of James Kirkland’s Euroa Station Homestead  on the Urowa Pastoral Run(1844-1851).  Kirkland was the resident squatter at the time that the original town survey was made in 1850.

We had hoped to visit the museum in Euroa, however it was closed.  The museum is contained within the old Farmers Arms Hotel.  In 1876 John Shelswell was granted the first licence for the hotel.  It served as a hotel with various licences for about 40 years, after which is became a boarding house run by the widow of a local policeman.  Edith Smith ran it as such for about 50 years before the then Shire of Euroa purchased the building for the Historical Society.

We then had a look at the Hume and Hovel monument which stands opposite Burton’s Bridge.  Who were Hume and Hovel?  In 1824, Hamilton Hume and William Hovell led an expedition of discovery to find new grazing land for the colony.

We also stopped to have a look at the locally named Swaggy Tree, which is a large River Red Gum hundreds of years old.  It is believed people sheltered here during the 1930s Depression. Major Thomas Mitchell passed nearby in 1836 during the Australia Felix expedition and, not long after, the township of Euroa was established on the banks of the Seven Creeks.

We then undertook a section of the Euroa Heritage Trail.  A Trail Guide can be downloaded from http://euroa.org.au/heritage/.  Euroa contains many historic buildings dating back to the late 1800’s.

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One of the more infamous sites in Euroa, is the former site of the second Euroa National Bank.  This is the bank which was robbed by the notorious Ned Kell Gang in 1878.  The bank no longer stands, but there is an information board here. The present day building was built in 1974 with bricks from the original bank building.

After a bite to eat, we left Euroa and headed to our second activation for the day, Mount Wombat VK3/ VU-002, which is located in the Mount Wombat-Garden Range Flora & Fauna Reserve VKFF-2403.  We drove out of Euroa, south east on the Euroa-Strathbogie Road, and then turned right onto Mount Wombat Road.

Above:- Map showing the location of the Mount Wombat-Garden Range Flora and Fauna Reserve.  Map courtesy of Protected Planet

We soon reached the park, which was signposted as Mount Wombat Native Plants Reserve.  Presumably this was its previous name and no-one has bothered to change the sign.

The Mount Wombat-Garden Range Flora & Fauna Reserve is 14.23 km2 in size and consists of Messmate Euc. obliqua forest.  Parks Victoria only have a map of this park on their website, and I was unable to find a lot of descriptive material on the internet about this park.

There were numerous small wildflowers in bloom during our visit to the summit/park.

We followed the Mount Wombat Road up to the summit.  The road is dirt, but is in good condition, and is easily passable in a conventional vehicle.

Mount Wombat is 802 metres above sea level and is worth 4 points for the Summits on the Air (SOTA) program.  Prior to our activation, the summit had been activated a total of 19 times, first by Wayne VK3WAM in May 2012.

Above:- Aerial shot of Mount Wombat’Garden Range FFR.  Image courtesy of google maps

At the top of the summit you will find a fie spotting tower (which was manned during our visit), various communications towers, and a trig point.  The original timber fire spotting cabin was destroyed by fire in 1980, as a result of a lightning strike.  The current tower was built during the 2010-11 fire season.  The VK3RGV repeater is located on the summit.

The summit offers sensational 360 degree views of the surrounding countryside.  Despite is being overcast during our visit, we still enjoyed the magnificent views.  The Waranga Basin and Goulburn Weir at Nagambie are both visible from the lookout.

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We set up to the south of the trig point and fire spotting tower, alongside one of the enclosures for one of the telecommunications towers.  There was just enough room here to stretch out the 20/40/80m linked dipole, without encroaching on the carpark.

The weather was quite threatening on the summit, with dark and stormy conditions, and as a result strength 9 static crashes on the band.  And it was humid and warm.  So I was just hoping that we would beat the rain, and qualify the summit for SOTA, and hopefully the park for the VKFF program.

Marija placed a spot up for me on parksnpeaks, and I started calling CQ on 7.147.  First in the log was Craig VK3WAR, followed by Peter VK3PF, Barry VK5KBJ/m mobile, and then Alan VK2MG.  I had qualified the summit.  I pushed on and soon had contact number 10 in the log, qualifying the park for VKFF.  QSO number 10 was with Fred VK3DAC.  I logged a further 2 stations, Grant VK2LX and Compton Vk2HRX, before swapping the mic with Marija.

Marija’s first contact was with Compton VK2HRX, followed by Marc VK3OHM, and then Ray VK4NH/VK4DXA.  Marija had qualified the summit as well.  Marija was proving to be quite popular, and soon had contact number 10 in the log, a QSO with Grant VK2LX.  A further 5 stations were logged before Marija, before handing the mic back to me.

I continued to log stations on 7.147 until callers dried up.  With 25 stations in the log, I decided it was time to try the 80m band.  I called CQ on 3.610 and this was answered by Geoff VK3SQ in Beechworth, followed by Peter VK3PF/VK3KAI.  Unfortunately they were my only callers on 80m.  I suspect it was just too noisy with the static crashes for some people to hear me.

I then lowered the squid pole and removed the links, and headed to 14.310 on the 20m band.  Despite Peter placing a spot up for me on 20m (Thanks Peter), I had no callers and just started to experience a few drops of rain.  So it was quickly back to 40m and more CQ calls on 7.147.  I moved through the callers quickly, and within 14 minutes I had the magical number 44 in the log, a QSO with Gary VK2ZKT.

The rain was starting to get a little heavier, and rather than deploy the bothy bag, we packed up hurriedly.  Marija and I had both qualified the SOTA summit, the park for VKFF, and I had qualified the park for WWFF.  I’m sorry to anyone else who might have been there, but we were getting wet.

Marija worked the following stations:-

I worked the following stations:-

References.

Business Enterprise Euroa, 2018, <http://euroa.org.au/honouring-our-heroes/>, viewed 11th December 2018

Fire Lookouts Australia, 2018, <http://www.firelookoutsdownunder.com/Victoria/mtwombat.html>, viewed 11th December 2018

Monument Australia, 2018, <http://monumentaustralia.org.au/themes/landscape/exploration/display/100708-major-thomas-mitchell-expedition>, viewed 11th December 2018

Protected Planet, 2018, <https://www.protectedplanet.net/mount-wombat-garden-range-f-f-r-nature-conservation-reserve>, viewed 11th December 2018

State Library New South Wales, 2018, <https://www.sl.nsw.gov.au/stories/hume-and-hovell>, viewed 11th December 2018

Summits on the Air, 2018, <https://www.sota.org.uk/Summit/VK3/VU-002>, viewed 11th December 2018

Victorian Places, 2018, <https://www.victorianplaces.com.au/euroa-and-euroa-shire>, viewed 11th December 2018

It was quite amazing how quick the holiday was going, and it was now already day five, Tuesday 20th November 2018.  Our time in Shepparton had come to an end and it was time to head south to Marysville, a journey of about 153 km.

Above:- Map showing our travel route on day give, from Shepparton to Marysville.  Map courtesy of Plotaroute.

Before leaving Shepparton, Marija and I paid a visit to Monash Park to view the ‘Mooving Art’, a public art exhibition of life size 3D cow, painted in various costumes and colours.  In 1999, Shepparton’s CBD marketing committee Shepparton Show Me introduced Moooving Arts predecessor – the Merry Moos, for a Christmas campaign.  The Merry Moos were so successful it was decided to expand the concept and Moooving Art was born.  They certainly are a very interesting attraction in Shepparton.

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We then climbed the Shepparton Telstra Communications Tower which is located off the Maude Street Mall.  The tower was constructed in 1967-1968 and is 76 metres tall.  There is an observation deck at 35 metres high accessed by 160 steps, which offers magnificent views over Shepparton and the surrounding countryside.

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Marija and I were feeling a bit hungry and keen for some breakfast, so we headed for Noble Monks, which had been recommended to us by Jason VK3FNQS.  And we were not disappointed.  We enjoyed a great cooked breakfast, coffee, and freshly squeezed orange juice.

We then hit the road and off to our first park activation for the day, the Arcadia Bushland Reserve VKFF-2036, which is located just 22 km south of Shepparton.

Above:- Map showing the location of the Arcadia Busland Reserve VKFF-2036.  Map courtesy of Protected Planet.

There are three parks by the name Arcadia.  There is the Arcadia Streamside Reserve, the Arcadia H59 Bushland Reserve, and the Arcadia Bushland Reserve which is also referred to as the Arcadia Nature Conservation Reserve.  This is the one park of the three, which at this stage qualifies for the World Wide Flora Fauna (WWFF) program.  The Parks Victoria website refers to the park as the Arcadia Nature Conservation Reserve, however the park sign indicates the Arcadia Bushland Reserve.

Above:- An aerial view of the Arcadia Bushland Reserve.  Courtesy of Protected Planet. 

The park is located at the intersection of Arcadia Road and the Euroa-Shepparton Road.   It is located about 12 km (by road) from the little town of Arcadia.   The name came from the Arcadia pastoral run, established in 1839 and consisting of about 32,400 hectares, on the Goulburn and Broken Rivers.  It is believed the run was named after Arcadia in Greece, a place with plentiful pasture and water.  In 1848 William Snow Clifton of the Arcadia Run had 5517 sheep, 28 head of cattle and 11 horses.

In 1869 Arcadia was recorded in Bailliere’s Victorian gazetteer as a small pastoral hamlet, set in rich grassy flats, well timbered with box, cherry and woolly gum.

After the area was opened for farm selection schools were opened at Arcadia (1877), Arcadia East (1883) and Arcadia South (1889).  Arcadia was described in the 1903 Australian handbook:

In about 1910, the town of Arcadia was at the height of its activity.  It had two stores, a hotel, wine shop, butter factory, butcher, bootmaker, blacksmith, Anglican, Presbyterian and Catholic churches and a railway station.  In 1926 a hall was constructed, but by the 1980’s very few of these buildings existed.  In 1924 Arcadia’s school population was 55, and by 1955 it was just 11.  In 1982 the school closed.  Arcadia South schools closed in 1892 and 1919 respectively.

For more information on Arcadia, check out the Arcadia District Progress Association website at……

http://arcadia.org.au/default.asp?ID=38

The park protects a small area (8 hectares) of Grey Box-Buloke grassy woodlands.

As we had a big day ahead of us, so we decided to operate from the vehicle for this action.  The gear used was the Icon-IC-7000 and the Codan 9350 self tuning antenna mounted on the rear of the Toyota Hi Lux.

I threw up a quick spot on parksnpeaks and started calling CQ on 7.144.  First in the log was Gerard VK2IO, then Ken VK3UH, Adrian VK5FANA, and Alan VK2MG.  Considering we were using the equipment from the vehicle, all signals were quite good, ranging from strength 5 to strength 9.

Within 8 minutes I had qualified the park for the VKFF program, with contact number 10 being a QSO with Kieran VK2QK.  I then spoke with Peter VK4CAL, and with the park qualified, I swapped the mic with Marija, lowering the power output down to 10 watts PEP.

Marija’s first contact was with Adrian VK5FANA, followed by Adam VK2YK, Grant VK2LX, and then Alan VK2MG.  Contact number 10 for Marija came 8 minutes into the activation, with a QSO with Kieran VK2QK.

Marija logged a further 4 stations on 40m, before I moved off to 3.610 on the 80m band.  I there logged just 2 stations, Geoff VK3SQ, and Peter VK3PF.

The park had been qualified for VKFF for both Marija and I, and it was time to hit the road once again.

Marija worked the following stations on 40m SSB:-

1. VK5FANA
2. VK2YK
3. VK2LX
4. VK2MG
5. VK4TJ
6. VK4/AC8WN
7. VK4/VE6XT
8. VK3UH
9. VK2FF
10. VK2QK
11. VK4NH
12. VK4DXA
13. ZL4TY/VK4
14. VK2KNV/m
15. VK7FJFD

I worked the following stations on 40m SSB:-

1. VK2IO
2. VK3UH
3. VK5FANA
4. VK2MG
5. VK2YK
6. VK7FJFD
7. VK4TJ
8. VK4/AC8WN
9. VK4/VE6XT
10. VK2QK
11. VK4CAL/2

I worked the following stations on 80m SSB:-

1. VK3SQ
2. VK3PF

References.

Arcadia & District Progress Association, 2018, <http://arcadia.org.au/default.asp?ID=59&gt;, viewed 10th December 2018

Department of Sustainability and Environment, 2006, ‘Site 14-Arcadia Bushland Reserve’.

Victorian Places, 2018, <https://www.victorianplaces.com.au/arcadia>, viewed 10th December 2018

Visit Melbourne, 2018, <https://www.visitmelbourne.com/regions/The-Murray/Things-to-do/Nature-and-wildlife/Scenic-Lookouts/Shepparton-Tower.aspx>, viewed 9th December 2018

Visit Shepparton, 2018, <http://visitshepparton.com.au/moooving-art/about-moooving-art>, viewed 10th December 2018