It was now Saturday morning (27th November 2021) and the first day of the 2021 VKFF Activation Weekend. After a shower in the motel room, Marija and I headed to one of the local service stations for some breakfast.

After breakfast, we headed to the first of three parks we intended to activate during the day, the Poocher Swamp Game Reserve VKFF-1741. I had activated this park previously, but this was to be a first-time activation for Marija.

Poocher Swamp is located about 270 km southeast of Adelaide, and about 9 km west of the town of Bordertown, in the southeast of South Australia, not far from the South Australia/Victoria State border.

The park can be accessed via Cannawigara Road. The park is well signposted and there is a large car parking area at the park.

Poocher Swamp Game Reserve is about 77 hectares in size and was proclaimed on the 14th day of November 1985.

The town of Bordertown relies on a groundwater supply that is refilled by water draining through the two major runaway holes at Poocher Swamp. The water flows through a hidden underground network of limestone cavities leading to an aquifer.

Birds SA have recorded a total of 85 species of bird at Poocher Swamp including Grey Teal, Pacific Black Duck, Black-tailed Nativehen, Galah, Red-rumped Parrot, Australian Magpie, White-plumed Honeyeater, and Magpielark.

During our visit to the park, we observed numerous Sulphur Crested Cockatoos and Galahs.

There was also a large population of Striated Pardalotes. They are beautiful little birds with a white eyebrow with a yellow spot in front of the eye. They have a black crown which has fine white stripes.

As it was summer, the two runaways were bone dry during our visit. During the 1950s, numerous levee banks were created in Poocher Swamp to impound water and attract birdlife. The swamp fills from Tatiara Creek.

The overflow from Poocher Swamp flows westwards and a series of runaway holes which includes Scotwn’s Runaway Hole.

The video below shows Poocher Swamp when full of water.

Poocher Swamp is home to numerous native plants and animals. Apart from the magnificent Red Gums, the park is home to four plants that are listed as rare in South Australia.

Also located in the park is a large tree, which has now partially collapsed. Known as the Pinkie tree, it was used as a shelter.

You can also view the ‘washpool’ where aboriginal women washed wool in the various pools near station shearing sheds.

The video below includes information on Poocher Swamp and the surrounding area.

We set up just inside the gate at the park. We ran the Yaesu FT-857d , 40 watts, and the 20/40/80m linked dipole for this activation.

Marija and I spent about 3 hours on air at Poocher Swamp. All up we made a total of 122 QSOs and this included 60 Park to Park contacts.

The majority of our contacts were on the 40m band, although we did make some contacts on 80m and 20m. Contacts were made into VK2, VK3, VK4, VK5, VK6, VK7, and New Zealand.

Marija worked the following stations on 40m SSB before the UTC rollover:-

1. VK2IO/p (Rouse Hill Regional Park VKFF-2784)
2. VK3OAK/p (Lake Aringa Wildlife Reserve VKFF-2355)
3. VK2MET/ (Worimi National Park VKFF-0614)
4. VK2TER/p (Bouddi National Park VKFF-0049)
5. VK2YAK
6. VK4YAK
7. VK4AAC/p (Axedale Nature Conservation Reserve VKFF-2037)
8. VK2VH/p (Axedale Nature Conservation Reserve VKFF-2037)
9. VK3SQ
10. VK2DG
11. VK3MPR
12. VK3OF
13. VK3ARH
14. VK3HRA
15. VK5QI
16. VK5PE
17. VK5IS
18. VK3EJS
19. VK3ZK/p (Echuca Regional Park VKFF-0966)
20. VK5MRE
21. VK2PKT
22. VK3XV/p (Black Range State Park VKFF-0751)
23. VK2KNV/m
24. VK5FANA
25. VK3PF/p (Churchill National Park VKFF-0621)
26. VK2XSE/m
27. VK5PET/p (Bullock Hill Conservation Park VKFF-0873)
28. VK5KLV
29. VK7QP

Marija worked the following stations on 40m SSB after the UTC rollover:-

1. VK3VIN
2. VK5ZSH
3. VK3EJS
4. VK3MCA/p (Paddys Ranges State Park VKFF-0772)
5. VK3FIMD
6. VK5PL
7. VK3ACZ
8. VK3LF/p
9. VK2TER/p (Bouddi National Park VKFF-0049)
10. VK3DCQ/p
11. VK3DAC/p (Mount Martha Nature Conservation Reserve VKFF-2152)
12. VK3PF/p (Churchill National Park VKFF-0621)
13. VK4AAC/p (Axedale Nature Conservation Reserve VKFF-2037)
14. VK2VH/p (Axedale Nature Conservation Reserve VKFF-2037)
15. VK3MKE
16. VK6POP/p (Avon Valley National Park VKFF-0008)
17. VK2BYF/p (Jerrawangala National Park VKFF-0248)
18. VK2KNV/p (Buckingbong Flora Reserve VKFF-3049)
19. VK2XSE/p (Buckingbong Flora Reserve VKFF-3049)
20. VK3KXR/p (Salt Lagoon-St Leonards Wildlife Refuge VKFF-2432)
21. VK5CZ/p (Warrenben Conservation Park VKFF-0818)
22. VK3LF/p (Gippsland Lakes Coastal Park VKFF-0747)
23. VK4AAC/p (Mount Sugarloaf Nature Conservation Reserve VKFF-2158)
24. VK2VH/p (Mount Sugarloaf Nature Conservation Reserve VKFF-2158)
25. VK3BCM/p (SOTA VK3/ VC-040)
26. VK3OAK/p (Pretty Hill Flora Reserve VKFF-2424)
27. VK3AWA/p (Fryers Ridge Nature Conservation Reserve VKFF-2091)
28. VK3TV/p (Fryers Ridge Nature Conservation Reserve VKFF-2091)

Marija worked the following stations on 20m SSB:-

1. VK2IO/p (Rouse Hill Regional Park VKFF-2784)
2. VK2TER/p (Bouddi National Park VKFF-0049)
3. ZL1TM

I worked the following stations on 40m SSB before the UTC rollover:-

1. VK2IO/p (Rouse Hill Regional Park VKFF-2784)
2. VK2KYO
3. VK5IS
4. VK2DJP
5. VK3BBB
6. VK2CCP
7. VK3SQ
8. VK7QP
9. VK5PE
10. VK5LA
11. VK3OAK/p (Lake Aringa Wildlife Reserve VKFF-2355)
12. VK2MET/p (Worimi National Park VKFF-0614)
13. VK2TER/p (Bouddi National Park VKFF-0049)
14. VK3ZK/p (Echuca Regional Park VKFF-0966)
15. VK3XV/p (Black Range State Park VKFF-0751)
16. VK3PF/p (Churchill National Park VKFF-0621)
17. VK5PET/p (Bullock Hill Conservation Park VKFF-0873)

I worked the following stations on 40m after the UTC rollover:-

1. VK3MCA/p (Paddys Ranges State Park VKFF-0772)
2. VK3DAC/p (Mount Martha Nature Conservation Reserve VKFF-2152)
3. VK3PF/p (Churchill National Park VKFF-0621)
4. VK4AAC/p (Axedale Nature Conservation Reserve VKFF-2037)
5. VK2VH/p (Axedale Nature Conservation Reserve VKFF-2037)
6. VK3MCK
7. VK3JP
8. VK3CA
9. VK3ZH/p
10. VK3KK/p
11. VK3VIN
12. VK3DQW
13. VK3PDG
14. VK3FIMD
15. VK6POP/p (Avon Valley National Park VKFF-0008)
16. VK5FD
17. VK3VRA
18. VK5KSW
19. VK7ME
20. VK2BYF/p (Jerrawangala National Park VKFF-0248)
21. VK2XSE/p (Buckingbong Flora Reserve VKFF-3049)
22. VK2KNV/p (Buckingbong Flora Reserve VKFF-3049)
23. VK3KXR/p (Salt Lagoon-St Leonards Wildlife Refuge VKFF-2432)
24. VK5CZ/p (Warrenben Conservation Park VKFF-0818)
25. VK3LF/p (Gippsland Lakes Coastal Park VKFF-0747)
26. VK4AAC/p (Mount Sugarloaf Nature Conservation Reserve VKFF-2158)
27. VK2VH/p (Mount Sugarloaf Nature Conservation Reserve VKFF-2158)
28. VK5LA
29. VK5PET/p (Bullock Hill Conservation Park VKFF-0873)
30. VK3MPR
31. VK3JP
32. VK4BXX
33. VK3BCM/p (SOTA VK3/ VC-040
34. VK3OAK/p (Pretty Hill Flora Reserve VKFF-2424)
35. VK3AWA/p (Fryers Ridge Nature Conservation Reserve VKFF-2091)
36. VK3TV/p (Fryers Ridge Nature Conservation Reserve VKFF-2091)
37. VK2VBW
38. VK2HFI
39. VK3WTS

I worked the following stations on 20m SSB:-

1. VK2IO/p (Rouse Hill Regional Park VKFF-784)
2. VK2TER/p (Bouddi National Park VKFF-0049)
3. ZL1TM
4. VK6POP/p (Avon Valley National Park VKFF-0008)

I worked the following stations on 80m SSB:-

1. VK5HAA/p (Mount Panorama Native Forest Reserve VKFF-2891)
2. VK5LA

References.

1. Aberdour and Mount Monster Conservation parks, Desert Camp Conservation Reserve and Poocher Swamp Game Reserve Management Plan, 1997.
2. Birdlife Australia, 2021, <https://www.birdlife.org.au/bird-profile/striated-pardalote>, viewed 4th December 2021.
3. Birds SA, 2021, <https://birdssa.asn.au/location/poocher-swamp-game-reserve/>, viewed 4th December 2021.
4. Bordertown Chronicle, 2021, <https://www.borderchronicle.com.au/story/4936482/poocher-swamp-a-sight-to-be-seen/>, viewed 4th December 2021.
5. Wikipedia, 2021, <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poocher_Swamp_Game_Reserve>, viewed 4th December 2021.