Marija and I packed up at Rossbridge Wildlife Reserve and drove a short distance to the little town to Tatyoon where we planned to activate the Tatyoon silo VK-TTN3 for the Silos On The Air (SiOTA) program.

Above:- Map showing the location of Tatyoon. Map c/o Google maps.

Tatyoon is located about 28 kilometres south of the town of Ararat, and about 180 kilometres northwest of the city of Melbourne. It is believed that Tatyoon is an aboriginal word describing water or a water catchment.

The first Tatyoon settlement was established near Fiery Creek and by 1872 contained a school, a Presbyterian church, and various other buildings.

In 1913 a railway reached Tatyoon. Tatyoon’s population increased following a Soldier Settlement scheme that was introduced following the Second World War.

Nowadays, Tatyoon is a small settlement with a rural supplies store, an old church, and an oval. There is also an Avenue of Honour to honour those from Tatyoon who served in the First World War.

The silos at Tatyoon were constructed in the town adjacent to the railway station due to the expansion of wheat growing in the district.

We operated from the 4WD alongside the silos. We ran the Icom IC-7000, 100 watts, and the Codan 9350 antenna. We found the band conditions to be extremely poor. In fact some of the worst conditions that we have ever experienced whilst out in the field. We squeezed in 4 contacts each, qualifying the silo, before we headed off for another activation.

Marija worked the following station on 40m SSB:-

1. VK2IO

Marija worked the following station on 80m SSB:-

1. VK3PF

Marija worked the following stations on 20m SSB:-

1. VK1AO
2. VK2MET

I worked the following station on 40m SSB:-

1. VK2IO

I worked the following station on 80m SSB:-

1. VK3PF

I worked the following stations on 20m SSB:-

1. VK1AO
2. VK2MET

Marija and I then briefly visited the Tayoon cemetery where many of the pioneers of the district are buried.

References.

1. Victorian Places, 2023, <https://www.victorianplaces.com.au/tatyoon>, viewed 27th March 2023.

It was now Tuesday 28th February 2023, and we would be leaving Stawell and heading to Geelong. Along the way we planned on activating a number of parks for the World Wide Flora Fauna (WWFF) program and silos for the Silos On The Air (SiOTA) program.

After having breakfast in Stawell, Marija and I travelled to the Rossbridge Wildlife Reserve VKFF-2429

Above:- Map showing the location of Rossbridge. Map c/o Google maps.

The town of Rossbridge was established on the Ararat to coast Road during the 1860s. It was named after Ross’s Bridge at the crossing of the Hopkins River. The bridge was named after John Ross, the selector of the Mount William Plains 20,000-acre pastoral run.

The Hopkins River is a perennial river of the Glenelg Hopkins catchment which rises below Telegraph Hill near Ararat and flows south for 271 km and is joined by twelve tributaries. This includes Mount Emu Creek. The Hopkins River eventually joins its mouth and empties into Bass Strait at Warnambool.

A church, a school and numerous residences had been established at Rossbridge by the 1870s. The Rossbridge Post office opened on the 21st day of November 1873. It closed in March 1962.

Above:- the township of Rossbridge. Image c/o Trove.

On the 9th day of February 1863, a tragedy struck the Rossbridge area when four children died after the shepherd’s hut they were sleeping in caught fire. The children john aged 9, William aged 6, Elizabeth aged 4, and Michael aged 2, were the children of Michael Murphy and Catherine Murphy nee Toland. They were buried on the bank of Hopkins River at what was then Gledefield Station. There is a memorial on private property on the Mortlake-Ararat Road. The actual burial site remained unmarked for many years until a landowner became aware of the death of the children and erected a fence around the site. The Ararat Historical Society subsequently erected a plaque.

The old Rossbridge school and church remain today. The school is a private residence.

The Rossbridge Wildlife Reserve is about 148 acres in size. It is located on the northern side of Grange Road. Its northern boundary abuts the Hopkins River.

Above:- An aerial shot showing the Rossbridge Wildlife Reserve. Map c/o Protected Planet

There is a park sign, but it is in poor condition and could be easily missed. The park is generally grassland with some low-lying trees.

Marija and I found an open gate and a track at the southwestern corner of the park. We drove along the track and set up the 20/40/80m linked dipole. It was an overcast and chilly morning, so we operated from inside the 4WD.

We found band conditions to be very poor, although we both managed to get 10 QSOs to qualify the park for the VKFF program.

Marija worked the following stations on 40m SSB:-

1. VK5HS
2. VK2EXA
3. VK4HNS
4. VK2YPU
5. VK4NH
6. VK4DXA
7. VK1AO
8. VK2MET
9. VK5FANA
10. VK2FALL/p
11. VK3PF

I worked the following stations on 40m SSB:-

1. VK5HS
2. VK2EXA
3. VK4HNS
4. VK2YPU
5. VK4NH
6. VK4DXA
7. VK1AO
8. VK2MET
9. VK5FANA
10. VK2FALL/p
11. VK3PF

I worked the following stations on 80m SSB:-

1. VK3PF
2. VK3ANL
3. VK2EXA
4. VK5BJE
5. VK5HS

I worked the following stations on 20m SSB:-

1. VK4TJ
2. VK1AO
3. VK2MET
4. VK4NH
5. VK4DXA

References.

1. ozburials, 2023, <http://www.ozburials.com/CemsVic/rossbridge.htm#>, viewed 27th March 2023.
2. 1849 Squattters Directory of the Port Phillip District, 2023, <https://www.portphillipdistrict.info/1849_Directory.htm>, viewed 27th March 2023.
3. Protected Planet, 2023, <https://www.protectedplanet.net/314841>, viewed 27th March 2023.
4. Wikipedia, 2023, <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rossbridge>, viewed 27th March 2023.
5. Wikipedia, 2023, <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hopkins_River>, viewed 27th March 2023.

Our next stop on Monday 27th February 2023, was the Deep Lead Nature Conservation Reserve (NCR) VKFF-2078, which is located about 8 kilometres northwest of the town of Stawell in western Victoria.

Above:- Map showing the location of the Deep Lead NCR. Map c/o Google maps.

In July 1857, gold was discovered between Deep Lead and Stawell. Within a year of the discovery, mining was located almost the distance between Deep Lead and Stawell. ‘Deep Lead’ described the run of gold gravel which was uncovered at great depth that ran normally north-south. At the time it was one of Victoria’s richest alluvial gold fields.

By 1858 Deep Lead had a population of about 12,000 people and it appeared to be the likely administrative centre for the district, above Stawell. By 1860 the majority of gold had been removed from the area and a community of Chinese gold fossickers remained in the area. The Junction Hotel was run by one of the Chinese miners.

In 1857 the Deep Lead schools were opened. In 1858 Catholic and Presbyterian churches were opened. In 1862 a Common School was built. In 1861 the Pleasant Creek Hospital was opened. By 1878 the railway had reached Deep Lead. Between 1921 to the 1940s a eucalyptus distillery ran at Deep Lead.

Above:- A miner at Deep Lead. Image c/o https://victoriancollections.net.au/items/6052a342c9704ed38a6f7d7e

Deep Lead was described in the 1903 Australian handbook as follows:

Deep Lead does have some infamy attached to it. It is the story of Robert Francis Burns (b. 1840. d. 1883) who was a convicted murderer and probable serial killer.

On the 17th day of January 1882, a miner came across the headless naked corpse at Deep Lead. Police subsequently determined that the head of the victim had been severed by ‘some sharp instrument’. A few months later in April 1882, the Police identified the victim as being Charles Forbes aka Scotty or Charley, and that he had last been seen in company with Robert Francis Burns.

On the 12th day of April 1882, Burns was arrested by Police at Rupanyup near Stawell. On the 28th day of April 1882, Burns was charged in the Stawell police court with the murder of Charles Forbes on or about the 19th day of December 1991. He appeared in court the following day where there was legal argument that the police had failed to prove that Forbes was dead and that ‘he might turn up at any day to confound the police’.

Leading up to the Burns’ trial, the Police undertook extensive enquiries regarding Charles Forbes, particularly if he was still alive. His details were published in various police and government gazetted throughout Australia and New Zealand.

A police officer from the town of Murtoa, Mounted Constable Mullaney was tasked with visiting various settlements in Victoria with printed notices containing a photograph and description of Forbes. Constable Hilliard who was stationed t Deep Lead was dispatched on various trips as far afield as Hobart and New Zealand to make enquiries to locate Forbes. Detective Forster also carried out enquiries in South Australia and other colonies.

Above:- Article from NSW Govt Gazette, Fri 16 Jun 1882. Image c/o Trove.

Burns’ murder trial was held between the 16th and 18th day of August 1882 in the Central Criminal Court, Melbourne, before Justice Williams. A total of 45 witnesses gave evidence, but the identity of the murder victim was never proved beyond doubt and Burns was acquitted. If today’s DNA technology existed back in 1882, the result would most likely have been very different.

Upon leaving the court, Burns was arrested for another murder, that of Michael Quinlivan. Police commenced enquiries into other deaths which were suspected to be connected to Burns.

Burns was held in the Hamilton gaol on remand. He was described by the warders as volatile and savage. During his last three months imprisoned, he barely slept at night with “his rest being broken by most hideous roars and cries”. The police barracks were just a few hundred metres from the gaol and they were “nightly disturbed by his roaring’.

He was subsequently convicted of the murder of Quinlivan and was sentenced to death. He was held at the Ararat Gaol. A Roman Catholic priest, Father Meade was “in constant attendance on him” and efforts were made to elicit a confession from him. This was to no avail and he was described as being “callously indifferent to all the entreaties”.

Burns was hung at the Ararat Gaol on Tuesday the 25th day of September 1883. It was reported that Burns claimed to the hangman, Elijah Upjohn, that he had murdered a total of eight people – five in Victoria, and three in New South Wales. Burns was alleged to have said: “I have cooked eight, five in Victoria and three in Sydney, and now you are going to cook me”.

Very little remains of Deep Lead today. There is the Deep Lead Hall and a memorial to the early pioneers of the district.

The Deep Lead Nature Conservation Parks consists of two distinct parks, No. 1 and No. 2. The Deep Lead NCR No. 2 has three separate sections. One is located on either side of Deep Lead Road, another on either side of Deap Lead Park Road, and the third on the southern side of Germania Mine Road.

Above:- Map showing the location of Deep Lead No. 2 NCR. Map c/o Protected Planet.

The park provides a habitat for a variety of native birds and mammals, including some endangered species including the Swift parrot and the squirrel glider. The park contains about 350 species of native plants, including several species of rare ground orchids. The park was first established in 1982 when 2,800 acres were set aside. In 2002 a further 1,855 acres were added to the park.

The absolute highlight of this activation was being called by Tom KH9/NL7RR on Wake Island. Yes he called us. We couldn’t believe it. Wake Island is listed as the 33rd most-wanted DXCC entity in the world.

Marija worked the following stations on 40m SSB:-

1. VK3VIN
2. VK3PF
3. VK5CZ
4. VK2MOE
5. VK2EXA
6. VK2WE
7. VK2IO
8. VK4HNS
9. VK4SMA
10. VK5HAA
11. NL7RR/KH9

I worked the following stations on 40m SSB:-

1. VK3VIN
2. VK3PF
3. VK5CZ
4. VK2MOE
5. VK2EXA
6. VK2WE
7. VK2IO
8. VK4HNS
9. VK4SMA
10. VK5HAA
11. VK2XB/m
12. VK3APJ
13. VK3AMO
14. VK3VEK
15. VK5KVA
16. VK1CHW
17. VK4TJ
18. VK2VMG
19. VK2HOC/4
20. VK3TMO
21. VK3TDK
22. VK1JMH
23. VK5LA
24. VK5KAW
25. VK2VJE
26. VK3TCM
27. VK2CDB
28. VK5PL
29. VK2YKL
30. VK5GA
31. VK5MCB

I worked the following stations on 20m SSB:-

1. VK4SMA
2. VK4TJ
3. VK4EGS
4. VK4HAT
5. IW2NXI
6. 3D2BT
7. NL7RR/KH9
8. IW1GGR
9. DL1EJA
10. ON4VT
11. IW2BNA
12. UT5PI
13. F1EMX
14. VK6JK
15. ON4ON

I worked the following stations on 80m SSB:-

1. VK3PF
2. VK5BJE
3. VK5HS
4. VK3ANL
5. VK2YK
6. VK5GA
7. VK1AO
8. VK2MET

With a total of 65 QSOs in the log, Marija and I packed up and headed to get a bite to eat and back to our accommodation in Stawell. We had one night in Stawell before heading off for Geelong.

References.

1. Victorian Places, 2023, <https://www.victorianplaces.com.au/deep-lead>, viewed 27th March 2023.
2. Wikipedia, 2023, <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Francis_Burns>, viewed 27th March 2023.
3. Wikipedia, 2023, <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deep_Lead_Nature_Conservation_Reserve>, viewed 27th March 2023.