Our final park for Sunday 27th November 2022 and the 2022 VKFF Activation Weekend was the Cox Scrub Conservation Park VKFF-0824. The park is located about 70 km south-south-east of the city of Adelaide and about 8 km south of the town of Ashbourne where I live.

Above:- Map showing the location of the Cox Scrub Conservation Park. Map c/o Google maps.

The park is bordered by Bull Creek Road to the east, and Rymill Road to the west. Cleared farming land can be found to the south and north.

Above:- An aerial view of the park showing the boundaries. Image c/o Google Earth.

Cox Scrub Conservation Park is about 563 hectares in size and is one of the largest parks on the Fleurieu Peninsula south of Adelaide.

Above:- An aerial view of the Cox Scrub Conservation Park. Image c/o Google maps.

The park was proclaimed on the 5th day of March 1970 as the Cox’s Scrub National Park. Prior to this, the park was owned by Mr V. Cox, an apiarist of Ashbourne> He preserved the park in is natural state for the bees which he bred. On the 27th day of April 1972, it was reconstituted as the Cox Scrub Conservation Park. Additional areas were added to the park in 1977, 1982, 1984, 1986, and 2018.

In 1983 the park was destroyed during the Ash Wednesday Bushfires.

Above:- Article from the Victor Harbour Times, Wed 21 Sep 1983. Image c/o Trove.

The park is well-signposted from Bull Creek Road.

The majority of the park’s vegetation is low stringybark and banksia with a dense understorey

The park is home to numerous birds. Below are some photos I took during our visit.

Birds SA have recorded 152 different bird species in the park including  Superb Fairywren, Red-browed Finch, Galah, New Holland Honeyeater, White-browed Scrubwren, and Red Wattlebird.

Marija and I logged a total of 70 QSOs, including 22 Park to Park contacts.

Marija worked the following stations on 40m SSB:-

1. VK3ZPF/p (Kurth Kiln Regional Park VKFF-0971)
2. VK3OAK/p (Baranduda Regional Park  VKFF-0959)
3. VK2YK/p (Angove Conservation Park VKFF-0867)
4. VK5BJE
5. VK5LA
6. VK5KAW
7. VK5DW
8. VK3VIN
9. VK5HAA
10. VK5FANA
11. VK5KLV/p (Whyalla Conservation Park VKFF-0808)
12. VK3BEZ/p (Kangaroo Swamp Nature Conservation Reserve VKFF-2121)
13. VK3MCA/p (Timor Nature Conservation Reserve VKFF-2211)
14. VK3TUN/p (Tunstalls Nature Conservation Reserve VKFF-2217)
15. VK5DG/p (Tunstalls Nature Conservation Reserve VKFF-2217)
16. VK2IO/p (Yellomundee Regional Park VKFF-0558)

Marija worked the following stations on 80m SSB:-

1. VK3BEZ/p (Kangaroo Swamp Nature Conservation Reserve VKFF-2121)
2. VK3MCA/p (Timor Nature Conservation Reserve VKFF-2211)

I worked the following stations on 40m SSB:-

1. VK3ZPF/p (Kurth Kiln Regional Park VKFF-0971)
2. VK3OAK/p (Baranduda Regional Park  VKFF-0959)
3. VK2YK/p (Angove Conservation Park VKFF-0867)
4. VK5BJE
5. VK5LA
6. VK5KAW
7. VK5DW
8. VK3VIN
9. VK5HAA
10. VK5FANA
11. VK5KLV/p (Whyalla Conservation Park VKFF-0808)
12. Vk2VH
13. VK4AAC
14. VK3AMO
15. VK3GJG
16. VK7HAM
17. VK5CZ
18. VK3CJN
19. VK3YAR
20. VK3BEZ/p (Kangaroo Swamp Nature Conservation Reserve VKFF-2121)
21. VK2HMC/p
22. VK3MCA/p (Timor Nature Conservation Reserve VKFF-2211)
23. VK3BBB/5
24. VK2CCP/5
25. VK3AHR
26. VK3TUN/p (Tunstalls Nature Conservation Reserve VKFF-2217)
27. VK5DG/p (Tunstalls Nature Conservation Reserve VKFF-2217)
28. VK3UAO
29. VK5PHR
30. VK3CWF
31. VK3UH
32. VK3DNB
33. VK3SMW
34. VK3MLT
35. VK2IO/p (Yellomundee Regional Park VKFF-0558)

I worked the following stations on 20m SSB:-

1. VK4FW
2. VK8MM
3. V73MS
4. VK1ZZ/4
5. VK6NU
6. VK4JT/p
7. VK4TJ
8. VK6LMK
9. VK4NH
10. VK4DXA

I worked the following stations on 80m SSB:-

1. VK3BEZ/p (Kangaroo Swamp Nature Conservation Reserve VKFF-2121)
2. VK5DW
3. VK5HAA
4. VK3MCA/p (Timor Nature Conservation Reserve VKFF-2211)
5. VK5FANA
6. VK5CZ

I worked the following station on 80m AM:-

1. VK5FANA

It was the end of an excellent weekend and another successful VKFF Activation Weekend. Marija and I activated eight (8) parks on the Fleurieu Peninsula.

References.

1. Birds SA, 2023, <https://birdssa.asn.au/location/cox-scrub-conservation-park/>, viewed 10th January 2023.
2. National Parks and Wildlife Service, 2023, <https://www.parks.sa.gov.au/parks/cox-scrub-conservation-park>, viewed 10th January 2023.
3. Wikipedia, 2023, <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cox_Scrub_Conservation_Park>, viewed 10th January 2023.