Finniss Conservation Park VKFF-1030

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Our third park for the 2023 VKFF Team Championship on Saturday 21st October 2023, was the Finniss Conservation Park VKFF-0916.

Above: Map showing the location of the Finnis CP. Map c/o Google Maps.

The Finniss Conservation Park is 123 hectares in size and was first proclaimed on 29th January 1976.  An additional 56 hectares were added between 1985 and 2005.  The park is undulating with Woodland consisting of Pink Gum and Golden Wattle, and Low Woodland consisting of Cup Gum and Pink Gum over Tate’s Grass-tree.

The park is located just 7 km (by road) to the northeast of the settlement of Nangkita. It is located about 20 km to the northwest of the settlement of Finniss which was originally known as Queen’s Own Town, after the Queen’s Own Regiment of Foot.  The name of the town was changed in 1940 to Finniss, in in honour of an early surveyor and the first Premier of South Australia, Colonel Boyle Travers Finniss.

Above:- Colonel Boyle Travers Finniss.  Courtesy of Wikipedia.

Over 62 species of native birds have been recorded in the park including Laughing Kookaburra, Galah, Adelaide Rosella, Superb Fairywren, New Holland Honeyeater, Grey Fantail, Eastern Spinebill, and Australian Golden Whistler.

The park is located in close proximity to a number of other conservation parks, including Cox Scrub, Mount Magnificent, Kyeema, and Bullock Hill.

As we drove along Mount Magnificent Road we enjoyed some magnificent views out to the east and southeast.

We crossed the Finniss River en route to Finniss.

We then travelled along Stones Ford Road and crossed the Finniss River again at a small ford.

We continued north along Stones Ford Road which is part of the Heysen Trail, and soon reached the southwestern corner of the Finniss Conservation Park.

Our operating equipment for this activation was the Yaesu FT857, 40 watts, and the 20/40/80m linked dipole, supported on the 7-metre heavy-duty squid pole.

Marija and I logged a total of 73 QSOs. This included 6 Park to Park contacts. There was also a nice little opening on 20m on the long path into Europe.

Marija worked the following stations on 20m SSB:-

  1. VK4MGL/p (Main Range National Park VKFF-0300)
  2. ZL3MR
  3. VK4EW
  4. S51ZZ
  5. VK1AO/p (Port Stephens/Great Lakes Marine Park VKFF-1410)
  6. VK2MET/p (Port Stephens/Great Lakes Marine Park VKFF-1410)
  7. IK4IDF

Marija worked the following stations on 40m SSB:-

  1. VK3SG
  2. VK3PF
  3. VK3UAO
  4. VK3GB
  5. VK5CZ/m
  6. VK3VIN
  7. VK5NM
  8. VK1CHW
  9. VK5BJE
  10. VK5FD
  11. VK2ZLM
  12. VK3UZI
  13. VK3GJG
  14. VK5HYZ
  15. VK5DAB
  16. VK1DI
  17. VK2LEE
  18. VK5FANA
  19. VK2USH
  20. VK3MIJ
  21. VK3EJ
  22. VK4SMA
  23. VK3SAK
  24. VK3ZS
  25. VK3ACZ
  26. VK1AO
  27. VK2MET
  28. VK5AAF

I worked the following stations on 20m SSB:-

  1. VK4MGL/p (Main Range National Park VKFF-0300)
  2. IK3HMB
  3. IK4IDF
  4. ZL3MR
  5. UT5PI
  6. IW2BNA
  7. SQ9CWO
  8. VK4EW
  9. HA0ML
  10. 9A2KI
  11. IK1GPG
  12. I4RHP
  13. W1OW
  14. UA3BM
  15. S51ZZ
  16. VK1AO/p (Port Stephens/Great Lakes Marine Park VKFF-1410)
  17. VK2MET/p (Port Stephens/Great Lakes Marine Park VKFF-1410)
  18. OM5TX
  19. OM5DP
  20. OM3CND
  21. IZ5JMZ
  22. IZ2IHO
  23. S52BB
  24. OE3NRC
  25. OH1MM
  26. ON4VT
  27. IW2NXI
  28. IZ2BHQ
  29. VK6NTE
  30. IK4IDP
  31. F5PYI
  32. IU2JWF
  33. OH5TQ
  34. OH1CM
  35. F1BLL
  36. OH1XT
  37. SP1JQJ
  38. DK9HN

References.

  1. Birds SA, 2023, <http://www.birdssa.asn.au/location/finniss-conservation-park/&gt;, viewed 21st October 2023
  2. Wikipedia, 2023, <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Finniss,_South_Australia&gt;, viewed 21st October 2023

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