Our next activation for Friday 17th October 2025, was the Walpeup Nature Conservation Reserve VKFF-2471 and the Walpeup silo VK-WLP3.

Walpeup is a small town located about 347 km east of Adelaide and about 30 km west of Ouyen/

Walpeup is pronounced wol’pee’UP. Walpeup is derived from an Aboriginal word with several reported meanings, including a stumpy-tailed lizard, another is an indigenous acacia, while another source suggests ‘big smoke’. (Malleehighway.com.au 2025) (Victorian Places 2014) (Walpeup & Dist Comm Plan 2023)

In 1909, a store was opened at Walpeup by Ben Oke. In 1911, the Walpeup shire was proclaimed, with the administrative centre being in Ouyen. Council meetings alternated between Ouyen and Murrayville. On the 3rd day of June 1912, the Walpeup Primary School opened in the ‘Little White Hall’. In 1914, a one-room school building was built, and in 1927, a second room was added. The school was closed in 2015. The Walpeup South State School No. 3929, also known as Hungry Hut, was opened in 1912 and closed in 1951. On the 16th day of December 1912, the post office was opened. Matchett’s brick store was opened in 1918 and was also utilised as a post office. Also in 1918, the Bank of Victoria was opened, and in 1923, the Walpeup Memorial Hall was opened. (Mildura Council 2013) (Victorian Places 2014) (Wikipedia 2024)

Above:- Walpeup township, c. 1911. Image c/o Museums Victoria.

By 1920, Walpeup was a thriving community with a population of about 400 people. The town had a general store, a blacksmith, a butcher, a bank branch and several other businesses. (Victorian Places 2014)

By the early 1930s, the Mallee region was growing about 45% of Victoria’s wheat. There was a desire by local farmers to have a research farm established that was specifically devoted to Mallee conditions. The Walpeup Research Station was opened in 1932 and closed in December 2009. (Victorian Places 2014) (Walpeup & Dist Comm Plan 2023)

The Walpeup silos were painted in June 2023 by Julian Clavijo and Camilo Delgado. They depict the story of Trooper Harold Thomas Bell. (Australiansiloarttrail.com 2022)

Harold Thomas Bell was born in 1901 at Walpeup. He was just 16 years old when the First World War broke out. He travelled to Mildura and enlisted with the Light Horse Regiment, lying about his age, name and his family circumstances. He claimed to be 21 years old and gave his name as Harold Thomas Wickham. (Australiansiloarttrail.com 2022)

Above:- The attestation document of Harold Thomas Bell @ Harold Thomas Wickham. Image c/o ancestry.com.au

On the 22nd day of June 1917, he left Australia and arrived in Egypt about 6 weeks later. He was subsequently selected for the Hotchkiss machine gun section. On the 28th day of October 1917, he was involved in a battle near the town of Beersheva. He was shot in the leg and critically wounded. He died the following day and was laid to rest in the Beersheba War Cemetery. (Australiansiloarttrail.com 2022)

A telegram was dispatched to Harold’s only living uncle, recorded on the enlistment forms, to inform him of Harold’s death. 

Above:- the telegram sent to Thomas Bell. Image c/o National Archives of Australia

Upon receiving the telegram, Thomas Bell replied:

“I don’t have a nephew named Harold. I do have a son by that name, but he couldn’t be in the Army, he’s only 16.”

Tragedy was to strike the family twice. Less than a year following Harold’s death, his father received another telegram to advise of the death of his other son, Samuel. (Australiansiloarttrail.com 2022)

The Walpeup Nature Conservation Reserve is about 177 hectares in size and was established on the 1st day of May 1979. (CAPAD 2024)

Above: the boundaries of the Walpeup Nature Conservation Reserve. Image c/o Google Earth

The park consists ot typical mallee scrub.

Marija worked the following stations on 40m SSB:-

1. VK3WSG
2. VK3PF
3. VK1AD
4. VK3UP/P
5. VK3APJ
6. VK5WU
7. VK3ARM/P
8. VK5FANA
9. VK2SVN/P
10. VK5CZ
11. VK5XE

Marija worked the following stations on 20m SSB:-

1. VK1AO/P (VKFF-2533)
2. VK2MET/P (VKFF-2533)
3. VK6XL
4. VK4SMA/P (VKFF-0471)
5. VK4SOE/P (VKFF-0471)
6. VK4COA (VKFF-0471)

I worked the following stations on 40m SSB:-

1. VK3WSG
2. VK3PF
3. VK1AD
4. VK3UP/P
5. VK3APJ
6. VK5WU
7. VK3ARM/P
8. VK5FANA
9. VK2SVN/P
10. VK5CZ
11. VK5XE
12. VK3LOC

I worked the following stations on 20m SSB:-

1. VK4EW
2. VK2VW
3. VK2HFI
4. VK2AKA
5. VK2BUG
6. VK1AO/P (VKFF-2533)
7. VK2MET/P (VKFF-2533)
8. VK4SMA/P (VKFF-0471)
9. VK4SOE/P (VKFF-0471)
10. VK4COA (VKFF-0471)

References.

1. Australiansiloarttrail.com. (2022). \r\n \n Walpeup Silo Art\n \r\n. [online] Available at: https://www.australiansiloarttrail.com/walpeup. [Accessed 22 Nov. 2025].
2. ‌Malleehighway.com.au. (2025). Walpeup, Victoria. [online] Available at: https://www.malleehighway.com.au/html/walpeup.html [Accessed 22 Nov. 2025].
3. ‌Mildura Rural City Council, 2023, Walpeup and District Community Plan 2023-2028
4. Mildura Rural City Council, 2023, Mildura (Former Shire of Walpeup) Heritage Study Stage 2
5. Victorianplaces.com.au. (2014). Walpeup | Victorian Places. [online] Available at: https://www.victorianplaces.com.au/walpeup [Accessed 22 Nov. 2025]‌
6. Wikipedia Contributors (2024). Walpeup. Wikipedia.‌