Our final activation for 27th October 2024 was the Emu Valley Bushland Reserve VKFF-4969, which is located about 10 km southeast of Bendigo.
Above:- Map showing the location of Emu Valley Bushland Reserve. Map c/o Google Maps.
On the way, we stopped to have a look at the Sedgwick Hall built in 1959. Sedwick is a small town and rural district that was known as Upper Emu Creek until 1903. It was renamed Sedgwick after British geologist Professor Adam Sedgwick.
The Emu Valley Bushland Reserve is located on the southern side of Schilling Lane, Emu Creek.
Above:- An aerial view of the reserve. Image c/o Google Earth.
Emu Creek consists of several creeks named after the flightless Australian bird, the Emu. The reserve is about 4 hectares in size and was established on the 26th day of February 2002. (Blake 1978) (CAPAD 2022)


We parked the car and walked into the park, which did not have any fencing. We ran the Yaesu FT857, 40 watts, and the 20/40/80m linked dipole. The 20m band on SSB was pretty much a wipeout due to a contest, and as a result, the QRM was very high.
Marija worked the following stations on 40m SSB:-
- VK3KLI/P (VKFF-5762)
- VK5NOU
- VK3IFR
- VK3TKU
- VK2IO/P (VKFF-0960)
- VK2GEZ/P (VKFF-0960)
- VK3PF/P (VKFF-4960)
- VK3BHR/P (VKFF-0960)
- VK4NH
- VK4DXA
Marija worked the following station on 20m SSB:-
- VK3PF/P (VKFF-2158)
I worked the following stations on 40m SSB:-
- VK3KLI/P (VKFF-5762)
- VK5NOU
- VK3IFR
- VK3TKU
- VK2IO/P (VKFF-0960)
- VK2GEZ/P (VKFF-0960)
- VK3PF/P (VKFF-4960)
- VK3BHR/P (VKFF-0960)
- VK4NH
- VK4DXA
- VK3APJ
- VK3MGM
- VK3GJG
- VK3ABE
- VK3CEO
- VK3UP
- VK5HS
- VK7PJM
- VK3ZSC
- VK3FQSO
- VK2QR
- VK5WU
- VK1AO
- VK2MET
- VK5SPJ/M
- VK2VW
- VK2HFI
- VK2AKA
- VK2BUG
- VK3SQ
- VK2BD
- VK5AAY
- VK3DCQ
- VK3PWG
- VK5QA
- VK3CLD
- VK2DBF
- VK5MOS/M
- VK3ZMD
- VK7MAD
- VK2EXA/P
- VK3CWF
- VK3WRD
- VK3WSG
- VK3DJC
I worked the following stations on 20m SSB:-
- VK2VW
- VK2HFI
- VK2AKA
- VK2BUG
- VK4EW
- VK3PF/P (VKFF-2158)
- VK2IO/P (VKFF-0960)
- VK2GEZ/P (VKFF-0960)
I worked the following stations on 20m FT8:-
- CT2HEX
- K3RH
- OK1WCF
- LY1CX
- WI0M
- RZ3AM
- EA5ASQ
- IZ8VYU
- EB3DIM
- KB6LQV
- IK4IDF
- OE9SKJ
- EA6ANX
- IU8PLP
- OH1MM
- VA7ZT
- KS6N
We packed up and headed back to the motel for a shower and then headed off to the historic Shamrock Hotel in Bendigo for an evening meal with some of those who were still around from the 2024 VKFF National Get Together.



It was another great night of plenty of amateur radio tales, solving the world’s problems, and lots of laughs.
References.
- 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 9 Apr. 2025].
- Leslie James Blake, 1978, Place Names of Victoria.




