Our next activation for Friday, 17th October 2025, was the Prooinga School Bushland Reserve VKFF-5747. The reserve is located about 16 km east of Manangatang, and about 405 km northwest of the city of Melbourne.
Above: Map showing the location of the Prooinga School Bushland Reserve. Map c/o Google Maps
This was the first time the park had been activated for the World Wide Flora Fauna (WWFF) program.
The reserve is located on the southern side of the Mallee Highway, about halfway between Managatang and Piangill.
The reserve takes its name from the Prooinga State School Number 3935, which was opened on the 23rd day of February 1917 and closed in 1946.
Discussions commenced in early 1915 regarding the building of a school at Prooinga. An article in the Swan Hill Guardian in April 1915 reported that there were 30 children in the district and that the ‘children must be educated.’ (Trove 2025)
Above: Article from the Swan Hill Guardian, Mon 12 Apr 1915. Image c/o Trove.
The photo below was published in the Weekly Times, Melbourne, in December 1926. It features staff and students at the Prooinga School.
Above:- Staff & students at the Prooinga State School, Weekly Times Melbourne, Sat 25 Dec 1926. Image c/o Trove.
The school served several purposes other than to educate the youngsters in the district. Public meetings were held, and church services were also held in the school building.
Above:- Church service at the Prooinga State School, Weekly Times Melbourne, Sat 25 Dec 1926. Image c/o Trove.
Prooinga is an Aboriginal word meaning ‘to cut yourself.’ The reserve is about 21 hectares in size and was established on the 1st day of May 1979. ((Blake 1977) CAPAD 2024)
Marija and I operated with the Yaesu FT857, 40 watts, and the 20/40/80 m linked dipole.
Marija worked the following stations on 40m SSB:-
- VK2YK
- VK5GA
- VK7PJM
- VK3AMO
- VK5HS
- VK3PF
- VK3KAI
- VK3WSG
- VK5FANA
- VK3SPG
- VK2PKT
- VK2KFT
- VK5FR/P (WWFF VKFF-6415)
I worked the following stations on 40m SSB:-
- VK2YK
- VK5GA
- VK7PJM
- VK3AMO
- VK5HS
- VK3PF
- VK3KAI
- VK3WSG
- VK5FANA
- VK3SPG
- VK2PKT
- VK2KFT
- VK2VAR
- VK2GOM
- VK3APJ
- VK3GJG
- VK1DI
- VK3NCC
- VK2MOE
- VK1MO
- VK5FR/P (WWFF VKFF-6415)
- VK1CHW
- VK2CHW
- VK2DA
- VK1DA
- VK5LA
- VK5KAW
- VK2YAK
- VK4YAK
- VK2VW
- VK2HFI
- VK2AKA
- VK2BUG
- VK2IO/M
- VK2GEZ/M
- VK3ALF
- VK5FBIC
- VK7DW
- VK5AYL
- VK5CZ
- VK5XE
- VK3AEK
- VK3MGM
- VK3CJN
- VK3QHU
- VK3WAR
- VK3EJ
References.
- Blake, L, 1977, Place Names of Victoria
- Dcceew.gov.au. (2025). Collaborative Australian Protected Areas Database 2024 – DCCEEW. [online] Available at: https://www.dcceew.gov.au/environment/land/nrs/science/capad/2024.
- Trove. (2025). Swan Hill Guardian and Lake Boga Advocate (Vic. : 1914 – 1918) – 12 Apr 1915 – p3. [online] Available at: https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/page/8476872?searchTerm=prooinga%20school [Accessed 4 Dec. 2025].
VK5PAS 