The Rock silo VK-THK2

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After leaving The Rock West silo on Wednesday, 22nd October 2025, Marija and I drove a short distance to our next activation, The Rock silo VK-THK2.

Above: Map showing the location of The Rock. Map c/o Google maps.

The silos are located in close proximity to the historic The Rock railway station. The station is located on the Main Southern line. The station building was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on the 2nd day of April, 1999. (Wikipedia 2025)

A temporary station had been opened by September 1880 and was known as Hanging Rock. This was following the extension of the Main South line from Wagga Wagga to Gerogery. The Wagga Wagga Advertiser recorded that the building used as the station was only temporary. It was reported that the building of a station, a goods shed, and a station master’s residence was expected to be completed in about three months. (Nswrail.net 2026) (Trove 2026)

Above: part of a newspaper article from the Wagga Wagga Advertiser, Thu 2 Sept 1880. Image c/o Trove

By February 1881, it was reported that a small passenger station, goods warehouse and station master’s house were at Hanging Rock. (Trove 2026)

Above: part of an article from the Evening News, Sydney, Wed 2 Feb 1881. Image c/o Trove

On the 28th day of December 1887, it was renamed Kingston. And then on the 10th day of February 1883, it was renamed The Rock. (Nswrail.net 2026)

The silos are located alongside the railway line and on the northern side of Railway Street.

Construction of The Rock silos commenced in 1918. (Trove 2026)

Above: article from the Daily Advertiser, Wagga Wagga, Thu 27 Jun 1918. Image c/o Trove

The silos were officially opened on the 24th day of October 1918. Mr Watt, the Acting Prime Minister, was invited to be present. (Trove 2026)

Above: A view of the The Rock railway complex with the footings of the grain silos. Image c/o NSW Archives.

Marija and I operated from alongside the silos. We operated from the 4WD running the Icom IC-7000, 100 watts, and the Codan 9350 antenna with the 1/5 metre stainless steel whip.

Above: the activation zone at The Rock silo. Image c/o SiOTA website

Marija worked the following stations on 40m SSB:-

  1. VK3PF
  2. VK2HRX
  3. VK3MCK
  4. VK2ZR

I worked the following stations on 40m SSB:-

  1. VK3PF
  2. VK2HRX
  3. VK3MCK
  4. VK2ZR
  5. VK3BWS
  6. VK1CHW
  7. VK5FANA
  8. VK2HLM
  9. VK2IO
  10. VK1DI
  11. VK3WSG
  12. VK7IAN
  13. VK2DA
  14. VK4SOA
  15. VK4COA
  16. VK5WU
  17. VK5ATJ

References.

  1. Nswrail.net. (2026). The Rock Station. [online] Available at: https://www.nswrail.net/locations/show.php?name=NSW:The+Rock [Accessed 8 Jan. 2026].
  2. ‌Trove. (2026). OPENING OF THE RAILWAY LINE TO GEROGERY – Wagga Wagga Advertiser (NSW : 1875 – 1910) – 2 Sep 1880. [online] Available at: https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/101919849?searchTerm=hanging%20rock%20railway%20station [Accessed 8 Jan. 2026].
  3. ‌Trove. (2026). Evening News (Sydney, NSW : 1869 – 1931) – 2 Feb 1881 – p3. [online] Available at: https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/page/11788201?searchTerm=hanging%20rock%20railway%20station [Accessed 8 Jan. 2026].
  4. ‌Trove. (2026). Daily Advertiser (Wagga Wagga, NSW : 1911 – 1954) – 27 Jun 1918 – p2. [online] Available at: https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/page/15623512?searchTerm=the%20rock%20silos [Accessed 8 Jan. 2026].
  5. ‌Wikipedia Contributors (2025). The Rock railway station. Wikipedia.‌

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