Daily Archives: February 20, 2024

St Arnaud I53 Bushland Reserve VKFF-4263

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After packing up at Hard Hills, Marija and I decided to squeeze in another park before we headed back to the motel at St Arnaud. It was approaching dusk and there were lots of kangaroos and wallabies on the roads.

Our plan was to activate the St Arnaud H35 Bushland Reserve, however, we encountered several fallen trees on the track leading into the park and this resulted in no access to the park.

So we headed to the St Arnaud I53 Bushland Reserve VKFF-4263. The park is about 5 km east of St Arnaud and about 236 km northwest of the city of Melbourne.

Above:- Map showing the location of the St Arnaud I53 Bushland Reserve. Map c/o Google Maps.

The park is about 14 hectares in size and was established on the 24th day of August 1982. (CAPAD 2022)

Parks Victoria has a page for this park but it contains no information about the park other than a park boundary image.

Above:- An aerial view of the park with St Arnaud in the background. Image c/o Google Maps.

We accessed the park via a dirt track which led into the park running off the Wimmera Highway. We ran the Yaesu FT857, 40 watts, and the 20/40/80m linked dipole for this activation.

Above:- An aerial view of the park showing our operating spot. Image c/o Google Maps.

Marija worked the following stations on 40m SSB:-

  1. VK5NM
  2. VK2PBC
  3. VK3CA
  4. VK2EXA
  5. VK5FANA
  6. VK3PF
  7. VK3KAI
  8. VK2LQ
  9. VK2PCT
  10. VK4NH
  11. VK4DXA
  12. VK2DL
  13. VK2IMP
  14. VK2IO/p (VK2/ SW-027)

I worked the following stations on 40m SSB:-

  1. VK5NM
  2. VK2PBC
  3. VK3CA
  4. VK2EXA
  5. VK5FANA
  6. VK3PF
  7. VK3KAI
  8. VK2LQ
  9. VK2PCT
  10. VK4NH
  11. VK4DXA
  12. VK2DL
  13. VK2IMP
  14. VK3AMO
  15. VK7AAE
  16. VK1AO
  17. VK2MET
  18. VK2IO/p (VK2/ SW-027)
  19. VK4EMP
  20. VK4TI
  21. VK2GWB
  22. VK2EG
  23. VK2VRJ
  24. VK3ABQ
  25. VK7DW
  26. VK7HBR
  27. VK3YV
  28. VK3KAS
  29. VK5TQ
  30. VK4SMA
  31. VK3CWF
  32. VK3UAO
  33. VK3GRX
  34. VK3NP
  35. VK3SPG
  36. VK5LNX
  37. VK3SO
  38. VK3ANL
  39. VK3GB
  40. VK3ZK
  41. VK2BIO/p

I worked the following stations on 80m SSB:-

  1. VK3PF
  2. VK3KAI
  3. VK3NP
  4. VK2VRJ
  5. VK2IO/m
  6. VK3CWF
  7. VK3CA

References.

  1. Dcceew.gov.au. (2023). Collaborative Australian Protected Areas Database (CAPAD) 2022 – DCCEEW. [online] Available at: https://www.dcceew.gov.au/environment/land/nrs/science/capad/2022 [Accessed 20 Feb. 2024].‌

Hard Hills Nature Conservation Reserve VKFF-2106

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Our next activation for Saturday 18th November 2023 was the Hard Hills Nature Conservation Reserve VKFF-2106. The park is about 9 km northeast (by road) of St Arnaud and about 242 km northwest of the city of Melbourne.

Above:- Map showing the location of the Hard Hills NCR. Map c/o Google Maps.

After leaving the Redbank Nature Conservation Reserve, Marija and I travelled north on the Sunraysia Highway and soon reached the little town of Stuart Mill. Stuart Mill is an old gold-mining town that was gazetted in 1865. (Victorian Places 2024)

Opposite the Stuart Mill Recreation Reserve is the Stuart Mill Hall. It contains several information boards regarding those who served their country and who came from Stuart Mill.

We left Stuart Mill and drove to St Peter’s Anglican church, known as the Pebble Church. This extremely interesting Gothic-style church is registered with the Heritage Council of Victoria. It was designed by prominent Melbourne architect Leonard Terry and was built between 1869 and 1870 using stones collected from the hill opposite the church.

We then drove into St Arnaud and enjoyed a very nice evening meal at the Farmers Arms Hotel.

We then headed out to the Hard Hills Nature Conservation Reserve. The park is about 32 hectares and was established on the 24th day of August 1982. (CAPAD 2022) Parks Victoria has a page for this park but it contains no information about the park other than a boundary image. A number of vulernable plants are located in the park including Pamaderris and Daddy Longlegs Orchid. The Hard Hills Spider Orchid can also be found in the reserve. (St Arnaud Field Naturalists 2019)

Above:- An aerial view of the park with St Arnaud in the background. Image c/o Google Maps.

The park is located in the Hard Hills area which takes its name from the gold rush days when ten hills located in the area that were difficult for the fossickers to sink their holes or shafts. (Blake 1977)

We access the park via Bray Road and we set up in the southeastern corner of the park. We ran the Yaesu FT857, 40 watts, and the 20/40/80m linked dipole.

Above:- An aerial view of the Hard Hills NCR showing our operating spot. Image c/o Google Earth.

Marija worked the following stations on 40m SSB:-

  1. VK5LA
  2. VK5KAW
  3. VK3VIN
  4. VK3MCA
  5. VK2IO/m
  6. VK1AO
  7. VK2MET
  8. VK3PF
  9. VK3KAI
  10. VK4EW
  11. VK5FR/p (Poolgarra Conservation Reserve VKFF-1742)

I worked the following stations on 40m SSB:-

  1. VK5LA
  2. VK5KAW
  3. VK3VIN
  4. VK3MCA
  5. VK2IO/m
  6. VK1AO
  7. VK2MET
  8. VK3PF
  9. VK3KAI
  10. VK4EW
  11. VK7HBR
  12. VK3MIJ
  13. VK2EXA
  14. VK3EJ
  15. VK5DW
  16. VK5FR/p (Poolgarra Conservation Reserve VKFF-1742)
  17. VK2CDB
  18. VK4NH
  19. VK4DXA
  20. VK3UAO
  21. VK4SMA
  22. ZL4NVW/p
  23. VK3NP
  24. VK5FANA
  25. VK3ANL

I worked the following stations on 20m SSB:-

  1. VK4SMA
  2. F1BLL
  3. IW2NXI

I worked the following stations on 80m SSB:-

  1. Vk2EXA
  2. Vk3PF
  3. VK3KAI
  4. VK3UAO
  5. VK3YY
  6. VK2DG
  7. VK5MK
  8. VK3PWG
  9. VK7ID
  10. VK2DG
  11. ZL2STR
  12. VK5ARZ
  13. VK4EMP
  14. VK4TI
  15. VK3SPG
  16. VK3AMO
  17. VK1DI
  18. VK2CGH
  19. VK3SO
  20. VK1KAZ
  21. VK2DL
  22. VK3YV
  23. VK3CA
  24. VK3KAS
  25. VK2VRJ
  26. VK7AAE
  27. VK3HO
  28. VK5NM
  29. VK2MFW
  30. VK5DDD
  31. VK2PBC

References.

  1. http://www.victorianplaces.com.au. (n.d.). Stuart Mill | Victorian Places. [online] Available at: https://www.victorianplaces.com.au/stuart-mill [Accessed 20 Feb. 2024].
  2. ‌Dcceew.gov.au. (2023). Collaborative Australian Protected Areas Database (CAPAD) 2022 – DCCEEW. [online] Available at: https://www.dcceew.gov.au/environment/land/nrs/science/capad/2022 [Accessed 20 Feb. 2024].‌
  3. Hughes, A. (2019). It’s not over yet! [online] starnaudfieldnats. Available at: https://www.starnaudfieldnats.org.au/single-post/2019/11/06/its-not-over-yet [Accessed 20 Feb. 2024].‌
  4. Leslie James Blake, 1977, Place Names of Victoria.‌