Malcolm Wicks Reserve VKFF-4043

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The weekend of Saturday 23rd November and Sunday 24th November 2024 was the annual VKFF Activation Weekend. After our big road trip to Bendigo in October, we decided to activate some parks close to home.

Our first park for Saturday was the Malcolm Wicks Reserve VKFF-4043. The reserve is located in the Mount Lofty Ranges ‘Adelaide Hills’, about 26 km east of the city of Adelaide.

Above:- Map showing the location of the Malcom Wicks Reserve. Map c/o Google Maps.

Our drive took us through beautiful countryside in the Adelaide Hills, including the apple, pear, and cherry-producing area of Lenswood.

The Malcolm Wicks Reserve is located on the southern side of Leslie Road, Lenswood.

Above:- An aerial view of the Malcom Wicks Reserve. Image c/o Google Earth.

The park is signposted on Leslie Road. There is an old shed with a green door, and alongside that is a gate that leads into the park. There is no vehicular access; it is pedestrian only.

Malcolm Wicks Reserve is an excellent example of Stringybark Open Forest in the high rainfall area of the Mount Lofty Ranges. It is about 8 hectares in size and comprises undulating land. (National Trust, 2025)

Malcolm Wicks Reserve was donated to the National Trust of SA by Mr & Mrs M. Wicks and Mr & Mrs G. Nancarrow in 1979. The National Trust is a worldwide membership organisation that cares for natural and built heritage. (National Trust, 2025)

Malcolm Norman (Norman) Wicks OBE was born on the 15th day of May 1920 at College Town (Adelaide). His parents were Hubert Norman David Wicks and Vera June Wicks, nee James.

Malcom’s grandfather was Henry Wicks, who was born in 1854 in Berkshire, England. He emigrated to Australia in 1882 and married Emma Jane Pitt in 1884. Henry worked for Emma’s uncle Charles Pitt at a nursery at Felixstow (I grew up there as a child, not far from Wicks Avenue). In 1905, Henry purchased some land at Balhannah where he established an orchard, and in 1908, he commenced the business of Balhannah Nurseries. (Balhannahnurseries.com.au, 2025) (Trevenen Family in Australia, 2017)

Above:- Henry Wicks. Image c/o http://www.ancestry.com.au

Henry died in 1939 at his home in Payneham. He was 85 years old. Below is Henry’s obituary, which appeared in The Advertiser on Wednesday, 28th June 1939.  (Trove, 2025)

Above:- Obituary of Henry ‘Norman’ Wicks, The Advertiser, Wed 28 Jun 1939. Image c/o Trove.

Henry’s son, ‘Norman’ Hicks, was born in October 1889 at Marden. Along with his brother Leonard ‘Len’, they traded as Wicks Brothers at Balhannah until 1917, when he purchased his father’s property. (Trevenen Family in Australia, 2017)

Above:- Norman Wicks and his wife, Vera James. Image c/o http://www.ancestry.com.au

Norman subsequently established the Balhannah Cold Store Company with August Filsell. This was Australia’s first private cold store. Norman also established Elmsdale Cider, which was exhibited in 1935 in Japan at an Australian trade fair. (Trevenen Family in Australia, 2017)

Above:- Article from the Observer, Sat 8 Mar 1930. Image c/o Trove.

Norman died in August 1974 and is buried at the Bonney’s Flat Methodist Cemetery, Balhannah.

Above:- Headstone of Norman and Vera Wicks. Image c/o http://www.findagrave.com

Norman’s son Malcolm continued his father’s nursery business and became the manager of Balhannah Nurseries in 1960. Malcom retired in 1981. He died on the 12th day of September 2009 and is buried at Bonney’s Flat Methodist Cemetery, Balhannah, with his parents.(Balhannahnurseries.com.au, 2025) (Trevenen Family in Australia, 2017)

Marija and I set up just inside the gate alongside the park sign. We ran the Yaesu FT857, 40 watts, and the 20/40/80m linked dipole.

It was a little drizzly at times, and as a result, we had to deploy the bothy bag to offer some protection. In the end, the rain won, and we had to go QRT. But not before we made a total of 144 QSOs and 54 Park-to-Park contacts. It was a brilliant activation.

Marija worked the following stations on 40m SSB before the UTC rollover:-

  1. VK1DI/p (VKFF-3181)
  2. VK2IO/P (VKFF-347)
  3. VK2GEZ/P (VKFF-0347)
  4. VK3PF/P (VKFF-5823)
  5. VK3KAI/P (VKFF-5823)
  6. VK3WSG
  7. VK3CAL
  8. VK5DU/P (VKFF-0826)
  9. VK3XV/P (VKFF-2263)
  10. VK3UAO
  11. VK2GOM/P (VKFF-2698)
  12. VK2VAR/P (VKFF-2698)
  13. VK5QA/P
  14. VK2DBF/P
  15. VK3CLD/P
  16. VK1AO/P (VKFF-1386)
  17. VK2MET/P (VKFF-1386)
  18. VK3ZK/P (VKFF-0747
  19. VK1CHW/P (VKFF-0835)
  20. VK7LTD/P (VKFF-3370)
  21. VK7AMP/P (VKFF-3370)
  22. VK3APJ
  23. VK3CEO
  24. VK2SLB
  25. VK2BRN
  26. VK2KBT
  27. VK3MCA/P (VKFF-6004)
  28. VK3SPG
  29. VK2LQ
  30. VK2PCT
  31. VK3KLI
  32. VK3BYD/P (VKFF-3791)
  33. VK3GJG/P (VKFF-5033)
  34. VK2VW
  35. VK2HFI
  36. VK2AKA
  37. VK2BUG
  38. VK5CZ

Marija worked the following stations on 40m SSB after the UTC rollover:-

  1. VK5CZ
  2. VK1RF/P (VKFF-047)
  3. VK2EXA
  4. VK5HS
  5. VK3APJ
  6. VK3UAO
  7. VK3GJG/P (VKFF-5033)
  8. VK1CHW/P (VKFF-0835)
  9. VK2IO/P (VKFF-0347)
  10. VK2GEZ/P (VKFF-0347)
  11. VK3MCA/P (VKFF-6004)
  12. VK2GOM/P (VKFF-2698)
  13. VK2VAR/P (VKFF-2698)
  14. VK1DI/P (VKFF-3181)
  15. VK5AYL/P (VKFF-1005)
  16. VK3PF/P (VKFF-5038)

Marija worked the following stations on 20m SSB:-

  1. VK2GOM/P (VKFF-2698)
  2. VK2VAR/P (VKFF-2698)
  3. VK1AO/P (VKFF-1386)
  4. VK2MET/P (VKFF-1386)
  5. VK1RF/P (VKFF-0847)
  6. VK2IO/P (VKFF-0347)
  7. VK2GEZ/P (VKFF-0347)

I worked the following stations on 40m SSB after the UTC rollover:-

  1. VK1DI/p (VKFF-3181)
  2. VK2IO/P (VKFF-347)
  3. VK2GEZ/P (VKFF-0347)
  4. VK3PF/P (VKFF-5823)
  5. VK3KAI/P (VKFF-5823)
  6. VK3WSG
  7. VK3CAL
  8. VK5DU/P (VKFF-0826)
  9. VK3XV/P (VKFF-2263)
  10. VK3UAO
  11. VK2GOM/P (VKFF-2698)
  12. VK2VAR/P (VKFF-2698)
  13. VK5QA/P
  14. VK2DBF/P
  15. VK3CLD/P
  16. VK1AO/P (VKFF-1386)
  17. VK2MET/P (VKFF-1386)
  18. VK3ZK/P (VKFF-0747
  19. VK1CHW/P (VKFF-0835)
  20. VK7LTD/P (VKFF-3370)
  21. VK7AMP/P (VKFF-3370)
  22. VK3APJ
  23. VK3CEO
  24. VK2SLB
  25. VK2BRN
  26. VK2KBT
  27. VK3MCA/P (VKFF-6004)
  28. VK3SPG
  29. VK2LQ
  30. VK2PCT
  31. VK3KLI
  32. VK3BYD/P (VKFF-3791)
  33. VK3GJG/P (VKFF-5033)
  34. VK2VW
  35. VK2HFI
  36. VK2AKA
  37. VK2BUG
  38. VK5CZ

I worked the following stations on 40m SSB after the UTC rollover:-

  1. VK5CZ
  2. VK1RF/P (VKFF-047)
  3. VK2EXA
  4. VK5HS
  5. VK3APJ
  6. VK3UAO
  7. VK3GJG/P (VKFF-5033)
  8. VK3PT
  9. VK3AMO
  10. VK3SMW
  11. VK1CHW/P (VKFF-0835)
  12. VK3CEO
  13. VK5FANA
  14. VK2IO/P (VKFF-0347)
  15. VK2GEZ/P (VKFF-0347)
  16. VK3MCA/P (VKFF-6004)
  17. VK2SLB
  18. VK2BRN
  19. VK2KBT
  20. VK2GOM/P (VKFF-2698)
  21. VK2VAR/P (VKFF-2698)
  22. VK5MK/P (VKFF-1686)
  23. VK1DI/P (VKFF-3181)
  24. VK5AYL/P (VKFF-1005)
  25. VK3PF/P (VKFF-5038)

I worked the following stations on 20m SSB:-

  1. VK2GOM/P (VKFF-2698)
  2. VK2VAR/P (VKFF-2698)
  3. VK3SQ
  4. VK2BD
  5. VK1AO/P (VKFF-1386)
  6. VK2MET/P (VKFF-1386)
  7. VK1RF/P (VKFF-0847)
  8. VK2SLB
  9. VK2BRN
  10. VK2KBT
  11. VK2VW
  12. VK2HFI
  13. VK2AKA
  14. VK2BUG
  15. VK4NH
  16. VK4DXA
  17. VK2IO/P (VKFF-0347)
  18. VK2GEZ/P (VKFF-0347)
  19. VK1ARQ
  20. VK2WG

References.

  1. Balhannahnurseries.com.au. (2025). History | Balhannah Nurseries. [online] Available at: https://balhannahnurseries.com.au/history/ [Accessed 11 Jun. 2025].
  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 11 Jun. 2025].‌
  3. National Trust. (2025). Malcolm Wicks Reserve – National Trust. [online] Available at: https://www.nationaltrust.org.au/places/malcolm-wicks-reserve/ [Accessed 11 Jun. 2025].
  4. ‌Trevenen Family in Australia. (2017). Eliza Trevenen 1837-1865. [online] Available at: https://trevenenfamilyinaustralia.wordpress.com/eliza-trevenen/ [Accessed 11 Jun. 2025].‌
  5. Trove. (2025). The Advertiser (Adelaide, SA : 1931 – 1954) – 28 Jun 1939 – p12. [online] Available at: https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/page/2891721?searchTerm=henry%20wicks%20%2B%20balhannah [Accessed 11 Jun. 2025].‌

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