Our final park activation for Friday 1st November 2024, was the Lake Cogumbal Wildlife Reserve VKFF-5278. The reserve is located about 14 km northeast of Edenhope in southwest Victoria.
Above:- Map showing the location of Lake Cogumbal Wildlife Reserve. Map c/o Google Maps.
The reserve is located on the corner of Wimmera Highway and Muddy Lake Road.
Above:- An aerial view of Lake Cogumbul Wildlife Reserve. Image c/o Google Earth.
Cogumbul is an Aboriginal word meaning shadow. (Blake 1978)
The reserve is about 74 hectares in size and was established on the 22nd day of November 1983. (CAPAD 2022)
We did not plan on activating this park, but as we were heading back to Edenhope, we noticed the park sign, so we decided to pop in for a quick activation.
We ran the Yaesu FT857, 40 watts, and the 20/40/80m linked dipole.
Our next activation for Friday, 1st November 2024, was the Little Donkey Woman Swamp Wildlife Reserve VKFF-5379. The reserve is located about 27 km northeast of Edenhope in southwest Victoria.
Above:- Map showing the location of Little Donkey Woman Swamp Wildlife Reserve. Map c/o Google Maps.
The reserve is located on the eastern side of Goroke-Harrow Road, south of the Wimmera Highway.
Above:- An aerial view of the Little Donkey Woman Swamp Wildlife Reserve. Image c/o Google Earth
The reserve is about 11 hectares in size and was established on the 22nd day of November 1983. (CAPAD 2022)
This was an easy park to access, with a track leading into the park. We ran the Yaesu FT-857, 40 watts, and the 20/40/80m linked dipole.
Our next stop on Friday 1st November 2024, was the town of Harrow in southwest Victoria. We had been there before, but we wanted to visit the Harrow Discovery Centre again which has an excellent cricket museum.
As we approached the town of Harrow, we came across the interesting property below. It had a Halloween collection and a display for the Harrow National Billycart championships.
Harrow is located on the west side of the Glenelg River, about 391 km northwest of Melbourne.
Prior to European settlement, the district was the traditional home of the Madi Madi and Wutjubaluk First Nations people. The first European settlement in the area were large pastoral runs. This included “Clunie,” “Longlands,” “Mullagh,” and “Second Kout Narin”. (Aussie Towns, 2023) (Swvic.au, 2021)
Major Thomas Mitchell crossed the Glenelg River near Harrow on the 31st day of July 1836 during his Australia Felix expedition. (Victorianplaces.com.au, 2015)
Above:- Major Mitchell. Image c/o Wikipedia.
At the Glenelg River bridge you can find a monument to commeorate his crossing of the river.
Harrow was originally known as Upper Glenelg, a crossing point on the Glenelg River. By 1849, the settlement had a hotel the Foresters Arms Inn, a blacksmith, and a store operated by R.H. Evans. On the 16th day of 1849, it was announced that a Post Office would operate out of Mr R. H. Evans store.(Wikipedia, 2020)
Above:- Article from The Argus, Fri 16 Mar 1849. Image c/o Trove.
The town was surveyed in 1852 which was renamed Harrow, inspired by Harrow in England. In October 1853, township blocks were auctioned at Portland. This was amongst allegations that the owner of Clunie station had purchased all of the blocks in an effort to prevent occupation of the town. By 1853 a police post was established at Harrow. At its peak, Harrow had two hotels, three general stores, a blacksmith’s, a saddlery, a drapery store, a shoemaker, a baker, flour mills, a brickworks and Chinese market gardens. (Wikipedia, 2020) (The Sydney Morning Herald, 2004)
A number of historic buildings remain in Harrow. This includes the Hermitage Hotel which was originally Hermitage Stores and built in 1848. Its licence was granted in 1853.
The National Australia Bank building was built in 1874. It features some magnificent murals on the side of the building.
Kolmar House was built in 1881 for the Rosenthal Brothers as a licenced grocery store.
The Harrow War Memorial Obelisk is located outside the old Harrow courthouse (now RSL) built in 1877. The obelisk is on the Victorian Heritage Database.
St Paul’s Anglican Church was built in 1933.
In the main street (Blair Street) you can find these quirky headstones in the Harrow Boneyard.
Kalang Cottage was built in 1876 as a settler’s cottage. It was subsequently moved into town to Gardner Park and was restored in 1988.
Near the cottage is an old horse drawn fire tank and an old tyre shrinker that was used by blacksmiths to shrink iron tyres to fit wooden wheels.
The oldest surviving building in Harrow is the old log gaol built in 1859 from locally sawn logs. It was used by the police until 1869.
The log gaol is one of only a few remaining in existence in Victoria.
Near Kalang Cottage is an old wall that is the remains of a stable that is believed to have been used by Cobb & Co coaches in the early days of Harrow.
The jewell in the Crown of Harrow, in our opinion, is the Harrow Discovery Centre and Johnny Mullagh Interpretative Centre.
The centre has an excellent collection of cricket memorabillia.
The centre also tells the story of the Aboriginal cricket team that toured England in the 1860s. This was 14 years before the first Ashes matches in England.
There is some emphasis on Johnny ‘Unarrimin’ Mullagh who was born on Mullagh Station near Harrow in c. 1841. Mullagh Station was established in 1844 by Patrick Riley and Thomas Barrett As was usual for those times in the 1800s Aboriginal workers were employed on the stations. Unarrim was employed at Mullagh Station and was given the European name Johnny Mullagha.
Below is an excellent video on Johnny ‘Unarrimin’ Mullagh.
The centre also has an excellent collection of Don Bradman cricket memorabaillia.
For those reading this post from overseas who know nothing about Bradman and cricket, you can view a very interesting video below.
The centre contains the original Harrow Bank which was built in 1873 at a cost of 2,400 pounds. It was originally the Bank of Victoria, before merging with the Commonwealth Banking Company in 1927.
There is also a room dedicated to the 1988 Aboriginal Cricket team, who 120 years after the 1868 aboriginal cricket team, retraced the steps of the first team to coincide with the bicentennial celebrations
Next door is the Harrow Historical Society building that was originally erected in 1868 for the North Harrow Roads Board. It later became the Kowree Shire Council Offices building from 1872 to 188. It was purchased and restored by the Harrow Historical Society in 1985.
Marija and I left Harrow and headed out to activate Lake Mullancoree Wildlife Reserve VKF-5315.
Above:- Map showing the location of Lake Mullancoree Wildlife Reserve. Map c/o Google Maps.
The reserve is located on the eastern side of Goroke-Harrow Road.
Above:- An aerial view of the Lake Mullancoree Wildlife Reserve. Image c/o Google Earth.
The reserve is located at Wombelano, which is an aboriginal word meaning beautiful. (Blake 1978)
We were given permission to access the reserve by the landowner.
We ran the Yaesu FT857, 40 watts, and the 20/40/80m linked dipole.
Our next activation for Friday, 1st November 2024, was the School Swamp Wildlife Reserve VKFF-5819. The reserve is located about 13 km north of Edenhope in southwest Victoria.
Above:- Map showing the location of School Swamp Wildlife Reserve. Map c/o Google Maps.
The reserve is located on the southern side of Old School Lane, which runs off Kaniva-Edenhope Road.
Above:- an aerial view of the School Swamp Wildlife Reserve. Image c/o Google Earth.
The reserve is about 30 hectares in size and was established on the 22nd day of November 1983. (CAPAD 2022)
Our next park for Friday, 1st November 2024, was the Jallakin I17 Bushland Reserve VKFF-5166. The reserve is located about 8 km north of Edenhope in southwest Victoria.
Above:- Map showing the location of the Jallakin I17 Bushland Reserve. Map c/o Google Maps.
The Jallakin I17 Bushland Reserve is located on the western side of Patyah Road.
Above:- An aerial view of the Jallakin I17 Bushland Reserve. Map c/o Google Maps.
Jallakin is an Aboriginal word meaning kangaroo rat. (Blake 1978)
The reserve is about 7 hectares in size and was established on the 22nd day of November 1983. (CAPAD 2022)
We arrived at the park just before the UTC rollover, which we decided to take advantage of. Contacts made on either side of the UTC rollover would count towards our 10 QSOs and 44 QSOs required to qualify the park. We called CQ from the 4WD before setting up our normal portable station outside of the vehicle and logged 14 stations.
We then set up the fold-up table, deck chair, the Yaesu FT857, 40 watts, and the 20/40/80m linked dipole.
Marija worked the following stations on 40m SSB before the UTC rollover:-
VK3PF
VK3KAI
VK3CEO
VK2SLB
VK2BRN
VK2KBT
VK3DL
VK5DW
Marija worked the following stations on 40m SSB after the UTC rollover:-
VK5DW
VK2HRX/P (SOTA VK1/ AC-023 & VKFF-0054)
VK3PF
VK3KAI
VK1AD/P (SOTA VK2/ ST-001)
VK1NAM/P (SOTA VK2/ ST-001)
I worked the following stations on 40m SSB before the UTC rollover:-
VK3PF
VK3KAI
VK3CEO
VK2SLB
VK2BRN
VK2KBT
VK3DL
VK5DW
I worked the following stations on 40m SSB after the UTC rollover:-
Our second park for Friday, 1st November 2024, was the Lumeah Swamp Wildlife Reserve VKFF-5401. The reserve is located just to the north of Edenhope in southwest Victoria.
Above:- Map showing the location of Lumeah Swamp Wildlife Reserve. Map c/o Google Maps
The Lumeah Swamp Wildlife Reserve is located on the corner of Kaniva-Edenhope Road and Patyah Road.
Above:- An aerial view of the Lumeah Swamp Wildlife Reserve. Image c/o Google Earth
The reserve is about 19 hectares in size and was established on the 22nd day of November 1983. (CAPAD 2022)
Our first park activation for Friday, 1st November 2024, was Sheepwash Wildlife Reserve VKFF-2437, located just to the north of Edenhope in southwest Victoria.
Above:- Map showing the location of Sheepwash Wildlife Reserve. Map c/o Google Maps.
The Sheepwash Wildlife Reserve is situated on the eastern side of the Kaniva-Edenhope Road.
Above:- an aerial view of the reserve. Image c/o Google Earth.
The reserve is about 12 hectares in size and was established on the 22nd day of November 1983. (CAPAD 2022)
The swamp was full of water during our visit and alive with birdlife.
We ran the Yaesu FT857, 40 watts, and the 20/40/80m linked dipole for this activation.
Our final activation for Thursday, 31st October 2024, was the Murrandarra Bushland Reserve VKFF-5603.
Above:- Map showing the location of the Murrandarra Bushland Reserve. Map c/o Google Maps.
Murrundarra is an Aboriginal word meaning thunder and lightning. The area was first settled by George Armytage (b. 1795. d. 1862), who ran a pastoral run in the area. (Blake 1978)
Above:- George Armytage. Image c/o Wikipedia.
The Murrandarra Bushland Reserve is located on the southern side of the Wimmera Highway between Apsley and Edenhope.
The reserve is about 7 hectares in size and was established on the 22nd day of November 1983. (CAPAD)
Above:- The Murrandarra Bushland Reserve, looking east towards Edenhope. Image c/o Google Maps.
Unfortunately, it was completely dark by the time we reached the park, so I did not take any photographs.
We found a small area to pull the 4WD into amongst the scrub, and we operated from the vehicle. We ran the Icom IC-7000, 100 watts, and the Codan 9350 antenna with the 1.5 metre stainless steel whip.
Our sixth park for Thursday, 31st October 2024, was the Leah Swamp Wildlife Reserve VKFF-5353. It is located about 7 km (by road) west of Apsley in southwest Victoria.
The Leah Swamp Wildlife Reserve is located on the eastern side of Newslands Settlement Road, south of the Wimmera Highway.
The reserve is about 225 hectares in size and was established on the 22nd day of November 1983. (CAPAD 2022)
When we arrived at the park, we found that the sign said Leah Swamp State Game Reserve. I believe ‘State Game Reserve’ is the old name for what is now known as a ‘Wildlife Reserve’.
We ran the Yaesu FT857, 40 watts, and the 20/40/80m linked diepole for this activation.
VK5PAS 