Our second and final park for Sunday, the 23rd day of November 2025, and day two of the 2025 VKFF Activation Weekend, was the Kinchina Conservation Park VKFF-1764. The park is about 57 km southeast of Adelaide in the north of the Gifford Hill Range and on the eastern flanks of Rocky Gully and White Hill. (Wikipedia 2026)
Above: Map showing the location of Kinchina CP. Map c/o Google Maps
The southern boundary of Kinchina Conservation Park is Old Princes Highway. Maurice Road passes through the northern section of the park. The Monarto Safari Park is located to the west of the park. To the east of the park is Murray Bridge.
Above: the boundaries of Kinchina Conservation Park. Image c/o Google Earth
Kinchina Conservation Park is about 414 hectares in size and was established on the 22nd day of September 2016. The park is part of the Monarto Woodlands, which was established in the 1970s with plantings of native and non native species, which were to form parks and reserves surrounding the proposed satellite city of Monarto. (Dcceew.gov.au 2025)
The park takes its name from the railway siding where local Monarto granite was loaded to be freighted to Adelaide. This was commenced in 1879 by Jessie and Charles Duncan. The granite was used in the construction of several buildings and monuments, including Colonel Light’s statue, St Peter’s Cathedral steps, Electra House on King William Street and for kerbing in the city of Adelaide. In turn, Kinchina is an Aboriginal word meaning rocky place. (NPWS n.d.) (Trove 2026)
Over 90 species of birds have been recorded in the park, including Diamond Firetail, Crested Shrike Tit, and Restless Flycatcher. Kinchina contains a significant number of nationally, state, and regionally listed plant species, including the nationally endangered Monarto Mintbush.
The Lavender Federation Trail passes through the park. The trail is 325 km in length and extends from Murray Bridge to Clare. It is named after Terry Lavender OAM and was developed in 1999. (Wikipedia 2026)
Above: an aerial view of the park. Image c/o Google Maps
The Melbourne-Adelaide railway line passes through the park, and at one point, we had to stop transmitting as a large freight train passed by.
Marija and I set up underneath the shade of a tree and ran the Yaesu FT857, 40 watts, and the 20/40/80m linked dipole.
Marija worked the following stations on 40m SSB:-
- VK3PF (VKFF-5823)
- VK5EDY
- VK3WSG
- VK2IO/P (VKFF-6421)
- VK2GEZ/P (VKFF-6421)
- VK3BWS/P
- VK2LEE
- VK7JZ/3
- VK5NM
- VK5WU
Marija worked the following stations on 20m SSB:-
- VK2IO/P (VKFF-6421)
- VK2GEZ/P (VKFF-6421)
- ZL1GA
I worked the following stations on 40m SSB:-
- VK3PF (VKFF-5823)
- VK5EDY
- VK3WSG
- VK2IO/P (VKFF-6421)
- VK2GEZ/P (VKFF-6421)
- VK3BWS/P
- VK2LEE
- VK7JZ/3
- VK5NM
- VK5WU
- VK3TDX
- VK3OAK
- VK2EXA
- VK6ASK/M
- VK5BL
- V K3GCD
- VK2VW
- VK2HFI
- VK2AKA
- VK2BUG
- VK5KPR
- VK3MGM
- VK3MLT
- VK5YP
- VK3SO
- VK3SFG
- VK3JAC/M
- VK3DIY
- VK5AYL
- VK5ACC
- VK3HHE
- VK3UAO
- VK3PTR
- VK5IS
- VK3SX
I worked the following stations on 20m SSB:-
- VK4SMA
- VK3ACZ
- VK2MG
- VK4BW
- VK4QRZ
- JF7RJM
- VK4EW
- VK1O
- VK2MET
- VK7UK
- VK4NH
- VK4DXA
- VK6NT
- VK2IO/P (VKFF-6421)
- VK2GEZ/P (VKFF-6421)
- ZL1GA
- VK3CLD
- VK2DBF
- VK5QA
Thank you to everyone who called us, and thank you to everyone who took part in the 2025 VKFF Activation Weekend.
References.
- 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. [Accessed 24 Apr. 2026]
- National Parks and Wildlife Service South Australia. (n.d.). Kinchina Conservation Park. [online] Available at: https://www.parks.sa.gov.au/parks/kinchina-conservation-park. [Accessed 24 Apr. 2026]
- Trove. (2026). NAMES OF RAILWAY STATIONS. – MEANINGS AND DERIVATIONS. – The Register (Adelaide, SA : 1901 – 1929) – 24 Mar 1915. [online] Available at: https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/60740013?searchTerm=kinchina%20%2B%20granite [Accessed 24 Apr. 2026].
- Wikipedia Contributors (2026). Kinchina Conservation Park. Wikipedia.
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