Ouyen I244 Bushland Reserve VKFF-4208 and Ouyen silo VK-OYN3

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After leaving Galah we headed into Ouyen and went to the local Ouyen Hotel for an evening meal which we were very impressed with. Following our meal we filled up the Toyota Hi-Lux with some diesel. We then headed the Ouyen I244 Bushland Reserve VKFF-4208 and the Ouyen silo VK-OYN3.

The town of Ouyen is located about 105 km south of Mildura and about 441 km northwest of Melbourne. Ouyen has a population of about 1,000 people.

 Above:- Map showing the location of Ouyen. Map c/o Google Maps.

The Ouyen district was first inhabited by the Wegaia aboriginal people. The name Ouyen, pronounced ‘Oh-Yen’, is believed to be derived from the Wegaia word ‘wuya-wuya’ There are differing views on the origin of the name. Some believe it means ‘pink-eared duck’ while others claim it means ‘ghost waterhole’.

In 1903 the railway line was extended from Woomelang, 80 km south of Ouyen, to Mildura. Settlements at Hopetoun and Lascelles, both near Woomerlang, had enhanced the prospects of farming in the Mallee region of Victoria. The opening of the railway line invited settlement along its route. In about 1906 settlers commenced arriving in the Ouyen district. The town of Ouyen was proclaimed in 1909.

Above:- 1920 Victorian railway map. Image c/o vrhistory.com

The town of Ouyen was established around the Ouyen railway station which was built in 1906. The Ouyen Post Office was opened on the 22nd day of July 1907.  Land to the west of Ouyen was found to be suitable for farming and various townships were established. Ouyen became a functioning service centre. In 1909 a school was opened in a coffee palace and public hall. In 1911 Ouyen’s population was 766 people. 

In 1918 a shire hall was constructed. In 1928 a higher education school was opened. In 1929 a district hospital was built. By the 1930s Ouyen had a local court, four banks, an agricultural society, sporting and racing clubs, and local industries such as cordial making, plaster sheet, a freezing works and an electricity generation plant. In 1933 Ouyen’s population was 1,169 people.

Above:- The Ouyen Coffee Palace, c. 1916. Image c/o Museums Victoria.

Above:- The main street of Ouyen, c. 1915. Image c/o Museums Victoria.

Today Ouyen is a rural service centre of the Mallee. It is the gateway to several Mallee parks in Victoria including Murray Sunset National Park, Wyperfeld National Park and Hattah Kulkyne National Park.

Well worth a visit if you are in Ouyen is the community mural in the centre of the business/cafe precinct of Ouyen. It depicts the history of the district.

Following dinner, we headed to the Ouyen I244 Bushland Reserve. The reserve was established on the 8th day of May 1990 and is only 1.5 hectares in size.

We set up within the activation zone of the Ouyen silo.

Above:- the activation zone at the Ouyen silo. Image c/o SiOTA website.

The Ouyen silos are located alongside the railway line on the western side of Rowe Street.

The silos were opened in 1939.

Above:- Article from the Ouyen Mail, Wed 8 Nov 1939. Image c/o Trove.

The Ouyen silo has not been without its accidents.

Above:- Article from the Ouyen Mail, Wed 3 May 1939. Image c/o Trove.

We ran the Yaesu FT857, 40 watts, and the 20/40/80m linked dipole for this activation. I operated with the special call sign of VI10VKFF.

Marija worked the following stations on 40m SSB:-

  1. VK3PF
  2. VK2EXA
  3. VK1AO
  4. VK2MET
  5. VK2YAK
  6. VK4YAK
  7. VK5LA
  8. VK5KAW
  9. VK3BWS
  10. VK5HS
  11. VK3OAK
  12. VK2IO/p (Baring I113 Bushland Reserve VKFF-4218)

I worked the following stations on 40m SSB:-

  1. VK3PF
  2. VK2EXA
  3. VK1AO
  4. VK2MET
  5. VK2YAK
  6. VK4YAK
  7. VK5LA
  8. VK5KAW
  9. VK3BWS
  10. VK5HS
  11. VK3OAK
  12. VK5GY
  13. VK3CEO
  14. VK7KW
  15. VK7AAE
  16. VK3UH
  17. VK2IO/p (Baring I113 Bushland Reserve VKFF-4218)
  18. VK3ACZ
  19. VK2CDB
  20. VK2DG
  21. VK4SMA
  22. VK2LQ
  23. VK2PCT
  24. VK3SQ
  25. VK2BD
  26. VK3CLD
  27. VK3EJ
  28. VK3SO
  29. VK3YUN
  30. VK3HNG
  31. VK3CNC
  32. VK5DW
  33. VK2GWB
  34. VK3ABK
  35. VK3GQ/m
  36. VK2TER
  37. VK2BM

I worked the following stations on 80m SSB:-

  1. VK3APJ
  2. VK3PF
  3. VK3SQ
    VK2BD
  4. VK3ZK
  5. VK3KAI
  6. VK3GV

References.

  1. Victorian Places, 2023, <https://www.victorianplaces.com.au/ouyen>, viewed 2nd December 2023.
  2. Wikipedia, 2023, <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ouyen>, viewed 2nd December 2023.

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