Last night (Friday 9th December 2016) I activated the Monarto Woodlands Conservation Park 5CP-276 and VKFF-1763, for the very first Friday afternoon/evening activation event in 2016 for the VK5 National and Conservation Parks Award.  The Friday afternoon/evening events have proven to be very popular in previous years, so it was decided during the week that I would kick off these events again.  Sadly I had quite a few e-mails from a lot of the regular park activators advising they could not get out this Friday due to Christmas functions.

This was the second time that I had activated Monarto Woodlands Conservation Park.  I had qualified the park previously, so I was hoping to give some park hunters a new park during this particular activation.  More information on the park and my previous activation can be found at…..

https://vk5pas.org/2016/10/19/monarto-woodlands-conservation-park-vkff-1763/

Above:- Map showing the location of the Monarto Woodlands Conservation Park.  Map courtesy of Location SA Map Viewer.

The Monarto Woodlands Conservation Park was gazetted on the 22nd September 2016 and was previously set aside as Crown land.  The park extends about 15 km along the South Eastern Freeway from near Callington to Murray Bridge.  The park is 426 hectares in size, and provides important habitat for more than 60 bird species, five of which are of State conservation significance.

The scrub located within the park is a mixture of plant species from across Australia.  This is due to the extensive planting in the area due to the proposed satellite city of Monarto back in the 1970’s.  The then South Australian Premier, Don Dunstan had proposed that Monarto, or ‘New Murray Town’ would become the site of a satellite city of Adelaide.  However this concept was eventually abandoned.

The park is in close proximity to the newly gazetted Kincina Conservation Park, and also the Monarto Conservation Park and the Ferries McDonald Conservation Park.

Above: Aerial shot showing my operating spot in the park, and other nearby parks and towns.  Image courtesy of Location SA Map Viewer.

Monarto Woodlands is a short drive from home.  I took the Mount Barker exit onto the South Eastern Freeway and headed east to the Monarto turnoff.  From there I drove north for a short distance towards Monarto South and then turned right onto White Road.  Last time I was out at the park, White Road was under construction.  They have now laid bitumen the length of the road.  A short drive of about 1.5 km up White Road and I came to the entrance to the park.  It is not marked at all, but is a break on the fenceline.

The newly bitumised White Road

The entry point into the park

It was a beautiful late sunny afternoon with a temperature of 21 deg C.  So I found some shade underneath a gum tree and set up the fold up table and deck chair.  I used the Yaesu FT-857d set at 40 watts, the 80/40/20m linked dipole and the 15m dipole for the activation.  As it was a suny day I also set up the solar panels to top up the battery.

I was all set and ready to go by 0630 UTC (5.00 p.m. South Australian local time).  I headed to 7.144 on 40m and started calling CQ and this was answered by Nick VK3ANL.  Nick was  a strong 5/9 and was receiving me at 4/9.  Nick was experiencing a bit of local noise at his location.  As is the case with most portable activations, there was no man made noise at all in Monarto Woodlands.

Nick kindly spotted me on parksnpeaks and this resulted in a handful of the regular park hunters giving me a call, including Peter VK3PF and Rick VK4RF.  But it was very very slow going.  My seventh QSO was a Park to Park contact, with Neil VK4HNS who was portable in the D’Aguillar National Park VKFF-0129.  Neil was camping overnight in the park, and I was his first contact for his activation (5/8 both ways).

Next up was John VK5BJE in the Adelaide Hills who was very very low down but perfectly readable.  We exchanged 5/1 signal reports, and just in time.  I started to receive QRM from some VK2 stations on 7.146.  It was also at this time that my good mate Danny ON4VT in Belgium sent me a message on Messenger to advise that he was just hearing me on 40m.  I called Danny and could just hear him in there, but not enough to make a valid contact.  I worked a further 3 stations, Jonathan VK7JON, Ian VK1DI, and ANdrew VK7DW, before heading to to the 20m band.

Unfortunately it was not much better there.  I was only able to log Rick VK4RF/VK4HA.  Despite numerous CQ calls I had no further takers.  Danny ON4VT sent me another message to advise that I was not being heard in Europe.  I tuned across the 20m band and only heard Steve VK4KUS working PY6RT on 14.200.  I then lowered the squid pole and erected the 15m antenna and called CQ on 21.244.   But despite 5 minutes of calling I had no response from anyone.

I then re-erected the 80/40/20m linked dipole and started claling CQ on 3.610 n the 80m band.  This was answered by John VK5BJE who was a good 5/9, followed by David VK5PL and then Tony VK5MRT.  I logged a further 5 stations on 80m: Mike VK5FMWW/VK5FVSV, Mick VK3PMG/VK3GGG, and Adrian VK5FANA.

I decided to try 20m again and had a little bit more success this time, logging 4 stations: Clive ZL/GM4FZH running QRP 5 watts from his Yaesu FT-817 and linked dipole, Adam VK2YK, John VK6NU, and Ken ZL4KD who is the ZLFF co-ordinator in New Zealand.

I headed back to 40m and had a tune across the band.  I heard Max IK1GPG, who is a regular park hunter, chatting to another European station.  Max was a good 5/8 and this was a great sign that I may have been able to work into Europe on 40m.  I headed up the band found a ZL calling CQ on 7.145 so I moved down to 7.137 and asked if the frequency was in use.  Hauke VK1HW came back to my query, with a booming 5/9 plus signal.  I went on to work a total of 21 stations from VK1, VK2, VK3, VK4, VK5, and VK7.   I’m sorry to the weaker stations that were calling, but I was experiencing a lot of splatter from a very strong VK3 station on 7.140, and it made it very very difficult.

As the time approached 8.00 p.m. local time I headed to the 7130 DX Net, which was being held on 7.127 due to QRM.  I booked in to the net where I worked a total of 5 stations including Brian ZL2ASH in Wellington and Ian VK3IRS running QRP 5 watts.  The net was running very very slow so I booked out and moved uo to 7.140 and started calling CQ.  Darryl VK5JDS called in, followed by Damien VK5FDEC running QRP 5 watts.  Brian VK5FMID also called running just 5 watts from Mount Gambier and was a nice 5/9 signal.  I was also called by Perrin VK3XPT operating remote from Newell Beach in Queensland.  Perrin was a very nice 5/9 signal but was experiencing some QRM at his end from South East Asia.

We both QSYd up to 7.142 where Perrin called me from his QRP set up in Queensland.  There was a signficant drop in his signal from 5/9 down to 3/3.  It was quite a difficult copy with nearby QRM and the static crashes.  I worked a further 9 stations on 40m before QSYing to 3.610 on 80m where I logged 6 stations from VK3, VK5, and VK7.

I was famished and it was down to 11 deg C, so with 73 contacts in the log it was time to pack up and head back home.

I worked the following stations on 40m SSB:-

1. VK3ANL
2. VK3PF
3. VK4RF
4. VK4HA
5. VK2KJJ
6. VK3FSPG
7. VK4HNS/p (VKFF-0129)
8. VK5BJE
9. VK7JON
10. VK1DI
11. VK7DW
12. VK1HW
13. VK7VZ/2
14. VK4PDX
15. VK3FRAB
16. VK2FLEZ
17. VK3SFG
18. VK5UK/p
19. VK3ARH
20. VK4FFAB
21. VK2YW
22. VK2FOUZ
23. VK7CW
24. VK4AAC/3
25. VK5WG
26. VK3BKT
27. VK1EM
28. VK3SQ
29. VK5FD
30. VK6ANC
31. VK2STO
32. VK2FPRM
33. VK7VEK
34. VK3TJS
35. VK2NED
36. ZL2ASH
37. VK3IRS
38. VK5JDS
39. VK5FDEC
40. VK5FMLO
41. VK5FMID
42. VK1MTS
43. VK3XPT/4
44. VK3AB/p
45. VK7CC
46. VK7FRJG
47. VK6RC/m
48. VK2FARL
49. VK7FPRN
50. VK2QK
51. VK3FCMC
52. VK3FPSR

I worked the following stations on 20m SSB:-

1. VK4RF
2. VK4HA
3. VK6XN
4. ZL/GM4FZH
5. VK2YK
6. VK6NU
7. ZL4KD

I worked the following stations on 80m SSB:-

1. VK5BJE
2. VK5PL
3. VK5MRT
4. VK5FMWW
5. VK5FVSV
6. VK3PMG
7. VK3GGG
8. VK5FANA
9. VK5FMID
10. VK5FMLO
11. VK7FPRN
12. VK3AB/p
13. VK3FPSR
14. VK5LB

Today via email I received my latest certificate for the World Wide Flora Fauna (WWFF) program.  It is a certificate from Cyprus, issued for working three different 5BFF references.

Thankyou to Noz 5B4AIX, the 5BFF awards manager, and thanks to the 5BFF activators.

The 4th year anniversary of the VK5 National and Conservation Parks Award is this March.  And to celebrate the 4th birthday, the annual special activation weekend will be held on Saturday 1st and Sunday 2nd April 2016.

If you do intend to activate a park that weekend, please drop me an email at vk5pas@wia.org.au so I can add your details to the spreadsheet which is being maintained to record all intended activations.

More info can be found on the VK5 Parks website at…..

http://www.vk5parks.com/

I qualified for my latest VKFF certificate today for the World Wide Flora Fauna (WWFF) program.  It is the VKFF Hunter Honour Roll 575 certificate, issued for working 575 different VKFF references.

Thankyou to all the activators.

I operated from the Totness Recreation Park VKFF-1754 for the 2016 Remembrance Day (RD) Contest.  I entered into the Single Op Phone category.

I found the results of the RD contest on the internet today.  I came 14th in Australia and 2nd in South Australia.

Thanks to everyone who called and thanks to the RD Contest organisers.

More information on the activation at Totness can be found at…..

https://vk5pas.org/2016/08/15/totness-recreation-park-vkff-1754-and-the-rd-contest/

The results of the 2016 VK Shires Contest are out.

I operated during the contest from the Telford Scrub Conservation Park 5CP-226 & VKFF-0805, and the Carpenter Rocks Conservation Park 5CP-038 & VKFF-1018, in the South East of South Australia.

I came first in the Rover section with a total score of 16,704 points.

ROVER

VK5PAS/P VK SHIRES 16704 …… WINNER
VK4GH/P VK SHIRES 8624 …. 2nd
VK3TST VK SHIRES 2352
VK6WE VK SHIRES 1548
VK3ANL VK SHIRES 304

Thanks to everyone who called and thanks to the organisers of the VK Shires Contest.

My latest WWFF certificate, the OCCFF-H-14, issued for working 14 references from different OC entities.

Last night I received via email my latest activator certificate for the World Wide Flora Fauna (WWFF) program.  It is the WWFF Activator 132, issued for activating a total of 132 different WWFF references.

Many thanks to Pit YO3JW, the WWFF global award manager.

Also thanks to the many park hunters I have worked.

I was surfing the web tonight and discovered quite by accident that South Australia has a new National Park.  In fact it is South Australia’s 22nd National Park, and the first new National Park in South Australia in 10 years.  It is the Adelaide International Bird Sanctuary National Park—Winaityinaityi Pangkara, which is located north of Adelaide.  It extends from Parham in the north to Light Beach Road in the south.

The park was proclaimed on the 27th October 2016 and is made up of 2,457 hectares of land aimed at protecting South Australias vital migratory bird habitat.  Birds fly from as far as Siberia and Alaska, passing through 22 countries to get to the park.  Threatened species such as Curlew sandpiper, Ruddy turnstone, Red knot and Eastern Curlew are found in the park.

Following further community consultation and investigation over the next 18 months, a core portion of the entire Adelaide International Bird Sanctuary – the coastline from the Barker Inlet to the township of Port Parham – will be included in the national park in stages.

Above:- A map showing the current park boundaries and the proposed areas for inclusion in the park.  Map courtesy of National Parks SA

Above:- Map of the Adelaide International Bird Sanctuary, courtesy of National Parks SA

References.

Birds SA, 2016, <http://www.birdssa.asn.au/2016/10/new-national-park-for-south-australia/&gt;, viewed 1st December 2016

National Parks SA, 2016, <http://www.environment.sa.gov.au/parks/Find_a_Park/Browse_by_region/Adelaide/adelaide-international-bird-sanctuary-national-park#about&gt;, viewed 1st December 2016

My third and final park for Sunday 27th November 2016 was the Ridley Conservation Park VKFF-0932 which is situated on the western side of the Swan Reach to Mannum Road, about 10 km south of Swan Reach, and about 120 km from Adelaide.

Above:- Map showing the location of the Ridley Conservation Park.  Map courtesy of Protected Planet.

Ridley is a long and narrow park (10km by 0.4 km) and has a total area of around 414 hectares.The southern boundary of the park lies on the edge of the valley of the River Marne, with the highest point in the park being located in this southern section.  The remainder of the park to the north comprises flat country which is typical of the limestone plaines west of the Murray River.  The park covers a transition zone in the natural vegetation just to the south of Goyder’s Line between the mallee open scrub to the south and the semi-arid, low woodland to the north.

The park is covered by two major vegetation formations: 35 per cent comprises an open scrub of red mallee (Eucalyptus oleosa) and yorrell (E. gracilis), including some very large specimens. Also present are stands of murray pine (Callitris columellaris) and associated areas of shrubland dominated by hop bush (Dodonaea attentuata), and cassias (Senna spp.).

The remaining 65 per cent of the park comprises low open woodland of native apricot (Pittosporumangustifolium) and false sandalwood (Myoporum platycarpum). The understorey consists of spear-grass (Austrostipa spp.) and ephemeral herbs; wait-a-while (Acacia colletioides) also occurs in this formation.  A small area near the southern boundary of the park and much of the northern part is almost devoid of trees and can be sub-categorised as open grassland.

The park was originally set aside to conserve native vegetation and bird habitats, but in addition, the open areas of the park include a number of warrens of the Southern Hairy-nosed Wombat.

Above:- Southern Hairy-nosed wombat.  Image courtesy of wikipedia.

Other native animals found in the park include echidna and Western Grey kangaroos.  Various birdlife can be found in the park including Mallee Ringnecks, Purple-crowned Lorikeets, Regent Parrot, White-winged Fairywren, and Butcherbirds.  A total of 109 species of bird have been recorded in the park.

Ridley was once part of a Travelling Stock Reserve (TSR) which ran for roughly 5-10 kilometres parallel to the River Murray.  This reserve linked the stock market of Burra to the north with Murray Bridge to the south.  In the early days of the colony of South Australia, sheep and cattle were driven overland from New South Wales to stock the newly-developed pastoral industry in South Australia.  During the early 1860’s when the Hundreds of land were proclaimed on the western plains of the Murray River, it became necessary to provide areas under the Crown for the localised movement of stock and to give access to markets.  Travelling Stock Reserves, which normally consisted of 20-chain (approx 400 metres) width, were given fixed boundaries and often followed existing stock tracks.

This particular stock route, as with others, became uncessary with the advent of mechanised transport such as the railway.  The Morgan to Adelaide railway was completed in 1878.  Increasingly there were moves to resume and allot the TSRs to adjoining landowners.

By 1901 local landowners in the Ridley area had approached the Department of Lands, requesting that the TSR in the Hundreds of Ridley and Fisher be resumed and made open for allotment.  During 1901 and again in 1907, proposals went before Parliament, but were not approved.  In 1910 farmers adjoining the reserve requested permission to erect fences and graze sheep on the TSR, claiming that the unused TSR harboured vermin and tied up valuable grazing land.

By 1934 the District Council of Caurnamont had contacted the Director of Lands requesting that the TSR be resumed for allotment, again claiming that it was a home for vermin and was a drain on council funds.  Similar requests were made again in 1937.  In 1939, the ranger of the Crown Lands Department, Inspector Klau inspected the TSR and reported that it was used for camping and watering stock when feed was scarce in the districts to the north of the TSR.  He recommended that the TSR not be resumed as he believed the reserve would be used for this purpose again in the future.

During 1838-1940 there were a number of requests to cut wood in the reserve for charcoal burning and a proposal to clear 28 hectares of the reserve north of Haywards Hill.  The ranger described the reserve as ‘an asset to the State’ and recommended the TSR be retained in its uncleared state.

By 1956 there were further requests to utilise the TSR and on this occsion Annual Licences were granted for grazing purposes.

In 1966 when land was being resumed and purchased for the purpose of national parks, the Land Board proposed that portions of the TSR “be retained and dedicated as a Wildlife Reserve under the control of the Commissioners of the National Parks and Wildlife Reserves at the expiration of the current Annual Licence”.  In September 1967, a field officer for the National Parks Commission, Mr. G.C. Cornwall inspected the TSR and stated “Although a long narrow strip of land such as this is not the ideal shape for a national park, the idea of preserving natural vegetation and bird habitats by setting aside portions of the Travelling Stock Reserve is an excellent one and the area under investigation is suitable for this purpose‘.

First proclaimed as Ridley National Parks Reserve on 30 May 1968 and re-proclaimed on 27 April 1972 as Ridley Conservation Park.

After leaving Swan Reach I drove north along the Murraylands Road and it wasn’t long before I reached the northern section of the park, which is located on the western side of the Murraylands Road.  Along the way I spoke with Norm VK5GI and Greg VK5GJ who were in the Aldinga Scrub Conservation Park VKFF-0866.  I told the fellas I was very close to setting up and that I would come to find them for a Park to Park contact.

I found a spot to pull off the road and drove a short distance into the park and found a shady spot to set up.  Again for this activation I ran the Yaesu FT-857d, 40 watts and the 80/40/20m linked dipole, supported on the 7m squid pole.

Above:- Map showing my operating spot in the park.  Map courtesy of Protected Planet.

After setting up, I turned the radio on.  It was already set on 14.310 and I had the links removed in the dipole.  It was fortunate, because on 14.310 I found Phil VK6ADF and Hans VK6XN, both in parks.  I gave Phil and a call and then crash, down came the squid pole.  The second section on this virtually new pole has a habit of de-telescoping.  An issue I have never had before.  So it was out with some tape to hold it in place.

I headed back to 14.310 and worked Phil VK6ADF who was in the Stokes National Park VKFF-0468, and then Hans VK6XN/p who was activating the Rapids Conservation Park VKFF-1437.  Phil was an excellent 59 signal and reciprocated with a 5/9 for me.  Hans was a little lower down and we exchanged 5/2 signal reports.

I then QSY up to 14.315 and called CQ.  This was answered by John VK6NU, followed by Ray VK4NH, and then Rick VK4RF/VK4HA.  Band conditions on 20m were exceptionally good, wth great signals particularly from Queensland.  I logged a total of 9 stations on 20m from VK3, VK4, VK6, and VK7, before Rick reminded me that Greg and Norm were waiting for me on 40m.  So it was a quick dash to insert the links in the dipole, again tape the second section of the squid pole, and off to 7.130 on 40m.

I logged Norm and Greg Park to Park from Aldinga Scrub.  They had a very nice 5/9 signal coming in from south of Adelaide to the Murray Mallee.  I then headed up the band to 7.144 and it was not long before I had a mini pile up.   I logged a total of 48 stations from VK2, VK3, VK4, VK5, VK6, and VK7.  This included two Park to Park contatcs on 40m with Hans VK6XN from the Rapids Conservation Park VKFF-1437 and Phil VK6ADF in the Stokes National Park VKFF-0468.  It was nice to log Hans and Phil on two bands.

Band conditions on 40m were extremely good and I had a lot of callers who in the end I kept the QSOs quite short with.  Time was starting to march on and I had an early start the next day.

To wrap up the activation from Ridley I headed to 3.610 on 80m where I made a total of 4 contacts with Mick VK3PMG/VK3GGG, Jim VK5TR, and finally Michael VK5FMLO.  I would have liked to have stayed a little longer, but I really want to get on the road and head for home.

Fortunately during this activation, the only reptile I encountered was the little fella below, a Shingleback lizard.

After 90 minutes in the park I had a total of 65 stations in the log, including 6 Park to Park contacts.

I worked the following stations on 40m SSB:-

1. VK5GI/p (Aldinga Scrub Conservation Park VKFF-0866)
2. VK5GJ/p (Aldinga Scrub Conservation Park VKFF-0866)
3. VK4RF
4. VK4HA
5. VK3MLU
6. VK2IO/m
7. VK5KLV
8. VK3PMG
9. VK3GGG
10. VK5FANA
11. VK3FRAB
12. VK3GTS
13. VK3YSP
14. VK5KKT
15. VK7DW
16. VK5KPR
17. VK4SMA
18. VK1AD
19. VK2JDR
20. VK6XN/p (Rapids Conservation Park VKFF-1437)
21. VK1DI
22. VK3TKK/m
23. VK2VW
24. VK3ARH
25. VK3IRM
26. VK5NJ
27. VK2XXM
28. VK1AT
29. VK3PF
30. VK5TR
31. VK4FFAB
32. VK5FMLO
33. VK3JK
34. VK6ADF/p (Stokes National Park VKFF-0468)
35. VK2WGW
36. VK1RX
37. VK3SFG
38. VK3BHR
39. VK3FPHG
40. VK3OY
41. VK5YL
42. VK2WOW
43. VK5FD
44. VK2FLEW
45. VK3DDU
46. VK3CC
47. VK7FRJG
48. VK3UH
49. VK2FAD
50. VK6VZZ/m

I worked the following stations on 80m SSB:-

1. VK3PMG
2. VK3GGG
3. VK5TR
4. VK5FMLO

I worked the following stations on 20m SSB:-

1. VK6ADF/p (Stokes National Park VKFF-0468)
2. VK6XN/p (Rapids Conservation Park VKFF-1437)
3. VK6NU
4. VK4NH
5. VK4RF
6. VK4HA
7. VK4SMA
8. VK3SQ
9. VK3IRM
10. VK7CW
11. VK6MB

At the conclusion of the activation I made a quick tour down to Walker Flat.  I had not been there for many years.  This is where the mouth of the Marne River is located, flowing out to the mighty Murray River.

As I left Walker Flat I encountered this big fella, a Red Kangaroo bounding along the road in front of me, and then alongside of me.

Sadly another VKFF Activation Weekend had come to an end.  I certainly had a great time, and I sincerely hope all of the other activators did, along with the park hunters.

References.

Birds SA, 2016, <http://www.birdssa.asn.au/location/ridley-conservation-park/&gt;, viewed

National Parks and WIldlife Service, 1984, ‘Conservation Parks of the Murraylands (Western Plains) Management Plans