After packing up at the Murray River National Park on Friday 27th October 2023, I headed to the Hotel Renmark with Marija, where we caught up with Chris VK5FR. We had a few drinks and a bite to eat and looked at the 2023 VKFF National Get-Together venue – the Nanya Function Room at the hotel.

Chris and I decided to head out to the Pike River Conservation Park VKFF-0831 for a quick activation before the Friday evening dinner at the Renmark Club. I phoned Hans VK6XN and picked Hans up from the motel, and the three of us then headed out to Pike River. Marija VK5MAZ decided to stay back at the motel to finish off the Welcome packs for the VKFF National Get-Together.

Above:- Map showing the location of the Pike River Conservation Park. Map c/o Google Maps.

The Pike River Conservation Park is about 2.88 km² in size and was established on the 1st day of February 1979. It is located in the locality of Mudic Creek about 215 km northeast of the city of Adelaide. It is named after the Pike River, a tributary of the Murray River which flows through the eastern end of the park. In 2009, additional land formerly known as the Mundic Forest Reserve was added to the park.

We entered the park via a track that runs off the Sturt Highway. There is a dilapidated sign at this location, but in such a state of disrepair that you would not notice it if you didn’t know it was there.

We ran the Yaesu FT857, 40 watts, and the 20/40/80m linked dipole for this activation. I used the special event call of VI10VKFF to celebrate the 10-year anniversary of the World Wide Flora Fauna (WWFF) program in Australia.

This was a fun activation with a lot of laughs.

I worked the following stations on 40m SSB:-

1. VK2XSE/p (Tatlows Beach Conservation Area VKFF-2921)
2. VK5PE/m
3. VK5BJE
4. VK2IO/p (Morkala Bushland Reserve VKFF-4119)
5. VK5TN
6. VK1DI/3 (Murray Sunset National Park VKFF-0373)
7. VK3APJ
8. VK3CJN
9. VK3TKK/p (Rowleys Streamside Reserve VKFF-3848)
10. VK4NH
11. VK4DXA
12. VK3MCA
13. VK1CHW
14. VK3DL
15. VK2MOE/m
16. VK7XX
17. VK5HS
18. VK7MAT
19. VK5VST
20. VK4EW
21. VK7PSJ
22. VK3BCM
23. VK3BAP
24. VK2NP
25. VK4FDJL/p (Homevale National Park VKFF-0237)
26. VK4WAB/p (Homevale National Park VKFF-0237)
27. VK5FANA
28. VK3ACZ
29. VK5PL
30. VK2HDT
31. VK5AAF
32. VK1RD
33. VK3ACH
34. VK4HMI
35. VK3MLT
36. VK3VIN
37. VK3CAT
38. VK1ACE

I worked the following stations on 20m SSB:-

1. VK2TER
2. VK2BM
3. VK4NH
4. VK4DXA
5. IK1GPG
6. 9A2AJ
7. VK4MUD
8. ON3CND
9. SQ9CWO
10. IW2BNA
11. KG5CIK
12. SQ9FMC
13. OM5TX
14. IK3HMB
15. UT5PI
16. VK4EW
17. OH5TQ
18. IW2NXI

I worked the following station on 20m AM:-

1. VK4EW

After packing up at Pike River, I headed back to the motel and had a quick shower and that evening we enjoyed stage one of the 2023 VKFF National Get Together – a dinner at the Renmark Club. Marija and I handed out everybody’s Welcome pack and the merchandise they had ordered. It was a great evening.

References.

1. Wikipedia, 2023, <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pike_River_Conservation_Park>, viewed 15th December 2023.