Maryborough Regional Park VKFF-1878

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Marija and I left Carisbrook and headed to our next park activation for 23rd November 2023, the Maryborough Regional Park VKFF-1878.

Above:- Map showing the location of the Maryborough Regional Park. Map c/o Google Maps.

Along the way, we stopped at the Battery Dam Historic Site in the Craigie State Forest near Maryborough. The site was used to crush and process quartz from mines in the area. When old production ceased, some of the equipment used was adapted to be used for a eucalyptus distillery. (Goldfields Guide 2024)

Below is an excellent video on the Battery Dam and Distillery site.

We then drove a short distance and soon reached the Maryborough Regional Park. The park is about 270 hectares in size and is located southwest of Maryborough. About 245 native flora species have been recorded in the park. (Vic Flora 2024)

In May 2015, a prospector David Hole was searching for gold in the Maryborough Regional Park using a metal detector. He located what is referred to as the Maryborough meteorite, a 17 kg meteorite, the second largest ever to be found in Victoria. (Wikipedia 2024)

In the park is a monument to commemorate the finding of a 537-ounce gold nugget in 1858.

Marija and I set up on Centenary Track near the Centenary Reservoir.

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

We operated with the Yaesu FT857, 40 watts, and the 20/40/80m linked dipole. I used the special event callsign of VI10VKFF. Sadly, the band conditions were extremely poor.

Marija worked the following stations on 40m SSB:-

  1. VK3PF
  2. VK3KAI
  3. VK3BEL
  4. Vk3APJ
  5. VK3AXH
  6. VK3CLD/p (Kosciuszko National Park VKFF-0269)
  7. VK2EXA
  8. VK5GY
  9. VK2PKT
  10. VK2MOP

I worked the following stations on 40m SSB:-

  1. VK3PF
  2. VK3KAI
  3. VK3BEL
  4. Vk3APJ
  5. VK3AXH
  6. VK3CLD/p (Kosciuszko National Park VKFF-0269)
  7. VK2EXA
  8. VK5GY
  9. VK2PKT
  10. VK2MOP
  11. ZL1BQD
  12. VK3CEO
  13. VK5KBJ

I worked the following stations on 20m SSB:-

  1. VK4NH
  2. VK4DXA
  3. VK4HRE

References.

  1. https. (n.d.). Battery Dam and Distillery. [online] Available at: https://www.goldfieldsguide.com.au/explore-location/38/battery-dam-and-distillery/ [Accessed 22 Mar. 2024].
  2. ‌vicflora.rbg.vic.gov.au. (n.d.). VicFlora: Checklist of the flora of Maryborough Regional Park. [online] Available at: https://vicflora.rbg.vic.gov.au/checklist/parkres/maryborough-rp [Accessed 22 Mar. 2024].
  3. ‌Wikipedia. (2023). Maryborough meteorite. [online] Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maryborough_meteorite [Accessed 22 Mar. 2024].‌

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