Our next activation for Thursday, the 30th day of April 2026, was the Piangil West Bushland Reserve VKFF-5714.
Above: Map showing the location of the Piangil West Bushland Reserve. Map c/o Google Maps
The reserve is located on the northern and southern sides of the Mallee Highway, at the junction with Kookoomboo Road.
Chris and I were very surprised to see a sign at the corner of Malleee Highway and Kookoomboo Road that said ‘Kookoomboo Bushland Reserve.’ It was an old wooden sign, and I suspect it is the old name for the reserve.
The reserve is about 17 hectares in size and was established on the 1st day of May 1979. (Dcceew.gov.au 2023)
We had no internet coverage in this park, so thank you to everyone who took the time to spot us on parksnpeaks. Chris and I ran the Yaesu FT857, 40 watts, and the 20/40/80m linked dipole. We swapped the mic during this activation. We set up in the northeast section of the park.
Above: an aerial view of the reserve looking east. Image c/o Google Maps
On Wednesday evening, 29th April 2026, my mate Chris VK5FR stayed overnight in preparation for our trip to Abury, New South Wales, for the 2026 VK Summit event, and the 2026 AGM for the Wireless Institute of Australia (WIA). My wife Marija cooked a beautiful meal, and we enjoyed a nice bottle of red. Chris also had some fun in my radio shack, making several contacts into the USA and Canada on the Southern Cross DX Net on the 20m band.
Bright and early on Thursday morning, the 30th day of April 2026, Chris and I left home and headed to Kyalite in New South Wales, where we had booked in to stay for one night at the Kyalite Hotel. We had 476 km to drive that day out through the Murray Mallee region of South Australia and into the Mallee region of northwest Victoria.
Our first stop was just down the road from home at the Strathalbyn bakery for some breakfast. We enjoyed a magnificent sunrise as we travelled along the way.
Chris and I stopped briefly at the Victorian and South Australian border to stretch our legs. We then continued east along the Mallee Highway in Victoria to the town of Ouyen, where we stopped for lunch. We then headed to our first park activation of the day, the Kookoombo West Bushland Reserve VKFF-5246.
The reserve is located on the northern and southern sides of the Mallee Highway at Manangatang, just to the east of Meridian Road.
The reserve is about 35 hectares in size and was established on the 1st day of May 1979. I have not been able to find the origin of the name of the park. The northern section of the park consists of a small piece of remnant scrub, while the southern section is grassland. (Dcceew.gov.au 2023)
Chris and I accessed the northern side of the park. We ran the Yaesu FT857, 40 watts, and the 20/40/80m linked dipole. Chris and I swapped the mic for this activation.
I worked the following stations on 40m SSB:-
VK3SMW
VK2MAB
VK2LUE
VK3SQ
VK2BD
VK3JT
VK3VIN
VK2VW
VK2HFI
VK2AKA
VK2BUG
VK3BEL
VK3BEB
VK1AC
VK3ZSC
VK3BSC
VK5WU
VK1AO/P (VKFF-1392)
VK2MET/P (VKFF-1392)
VK3WSC
VK1DI
VK3PF
VK3OTR (VKFF-3904)
VK3FS/M
VK3ATT/M
VK3ETT/M
VK3CJN
VK3QHU
VK2IO/P (VKFF-1386)
VK2GEZ/P (VKFF-1386)
VK3SWL
VK2SWL
VK1AD
VK1NAM
VK1OE
VK3AMO
VK5BJE
VK7EE
VK2YW
VK4MGL/P (VKFF-0939)
VK2PKT
VK2KFT
VK3PF (VKFF-6240)
VK3ARK
VK5AOK
VK5EDY
VK3BSF
VK3APJ
VK3AUX
VK2GQR
I worked the following stations on 20m SSB:-
VK4FNQ
KG5CIK
It had been a very enjoyable and rewarding activation, and with a combined total of 108 QSOs in the log, Chris and I packed up and hit the road and headed to our next VKFF park activation.
After leaving Clare on Thursday, the 18th day of December 2025, I decided to head to Saddleworth for a quick silo activation. Saddleworth is located about 112 km north of Adelaide.
Above: Map showing the location of Saddleworth, S.A. Map c/o Google Maps
I headed south out of Clare on the Horrocks Highway and stopped at John Horrocks’ cottage at Penwortham, south of Clare. The Pioneer Cottage is the oldest stone building in South Australia, north of Gawler. It was built by the pastoralist and explorer John Ainsworth Horrocks shortly after he arrived in South Australia at the age of 21.
John Ainsworth Horrocks was born on the 22nd day of March 1818 at Penwortham Lodge, near Preston, Lancashire, England. In 1839, aged 21, he arrived with his 16-year-old brother Eustace in the new colony of South Australia. They established the village of Penwortham, south of Clare. John Horrocks returned to England in 1842 following his father’s death. and returned to Australia in 1844. (Wikipedia 2025)
Above: John Ainsworth Horrocks. Image c/o Wikipedia
On the 29th day of July 1846, Horrocks led an exploratory expedition into the far north-west of South Australia. His 2nd in charge was John Henry Theakston. Artist and botanist, Samuel Thomas Gill was an unpaid volunteer. There were also several hired men, including Bernard Kilcoy as a cook and driver, a goatherd, Jimmy Moorhouse, who was a young Aboriginal man employed at Penwortham Station. (Wikipedia 2025)
Above: Horrocks’ encounter with Aboriginals during the expedition. Image c/o Wikipedia
On the 1st day of September 1846, on the shores of Lake Dutton, about 100 km north of Port Augusta, Horrocks was accidentally shot whilst reloading his firearm. One barrel of the gun was tripped by the packload of a camel known as Harry whilst it was kneeling. Harry was the first camel to arrive in Australia. Horrocks was severely wounded, losing the middle finger of his right hand and a row of teeth from his upper right jaw. The expedition was cancelled, and the party returned to Penwortham, where Horrocks died from his wounds on the 23rd day of September 1846. (Wikipedia 2025)
A little further south is a monument to Horrocks.
Saddleworth was named after Saddleworth Lodge pastoral station, which was named after a civil parish in Yorkshire, England. The town of Saddleworth was established as one of several settlements on the road to the mining town of Burra. (Wikipedia 2021)
The Saddleworth silos are located on Girth Street and are operated by Viterra.
I parked on Girth Street and 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 Saddleworth silo. Image c/o SiOTA website
I worked the following stations on 40m SSB:-
VK5MAZ
VK3PF
VK3FTOM
VK3CLD
VK5WU
After the activation, I continued south on the Horrocks Highway, stopping at the monument for the former site of Gilbert Town, just north of Tarlee. The town was established in 1848 and was originally known as Gilbert. It was renamed Gilberton in 1851, and then in 1856 was proclaimed Gilber Town. The town once had a Post Office, the Bow & Arrow Hotel, and a store. The coming of the railway in 1870 caused the town’s decline, until 1902, when the town was officially reverted to agricultural land.
I continued on to home on the Fleurie Peninsula. It had been a very enjoyable day out and about.
References.
Wikipedia Contributors (2025). John Ainsworth Horrocks. Wikipedia.
My second silo activation for Thursday, the 18th day of December 2025, was the Tarlee silo VK-TRE5. Tarlee is about 88 km north of Adelaide in the lower Mid North of South Australia.
Above: Map showing the location of Tarlee. Map c/o Google Maps
Tarlee is believed to derive from Tralee in Ireland. The town is located about 8km south of Giles Corner, where the Barrier Highway to Broken Hill diverges from the Horrocks Highway to the beautiful Clare Valley. (Wikipedia 2025)
In June 1867, it was announced that the town of Tarlee was ready for sale by auction. It was to occur at Forrester’s Hotel at Gilberton. The locality was described as ‘most desirable, being the very nucleus of the whole of the lines of Northern traffic from the populous and important districts of Clare, Auburn, Mintaro, Port Wakefield and Saddleworth.‘ (Trove 2026) (Wikipedia 2025)
Above: article from the South Australian Weekly Chronicle, Sat 15 Jun 1867. Image c/o Trove
There is an excellent visitor information bay adjacent to the silos with a detailed history of the district. The info bay is named in honour of Frank Gorey, who worked at the Tarlee silos for 15 years. (UBC 2023)
On display at the info bay is a sculpture which includes an Armstrong Siddeley Cheetah aero engine from an Avro Anson aircraft. Such an aircraft crashed in a field near Tarlee in 1943.
The Tarlee silos are located on the western side of the Horrocks Highway opposite the visitor info bay.
I parked the 4WD in the visitor bay and operated from the vehicle, 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 Tarlee silos. Image c/o SiOTA website
I made just 3 contacts, which was a combination of poor band conditions and being short of time.
I worked the following stations on 40m SSB:-
VK5MAZ
VK5WU
VK3PF
I then headed off to Clare and enjoyed a very enjoyable BBQ lunch with the boys from the Mid North, the Clare Valley, and the Riverland.
On Thursday, the 18th day of December 2025, I headed up to Clare to the home of Andrew VK5BL, for a Christmas lunch with a group of amateurs from the Clare Valley and the Mid North.
On the way, I activated two silos for the Silos On The Air (SiOTA) program. The first was Roseworthy silo VK-RSY5. Roseworthy is about 58 km north of Adelaide, and about 10 km north of Gawler.
Above: Map showing the location of Roseworthy. Map c/o Google Maps
The first known European to visit the area was in December 1837, when the Surveyor General travelled through the district. In 1855, William and Grace Gartrell purchased land in the Hundred of Mudla Wirra. Mudla Wirra are Aboriginal words meaning ‘implement’ and ‘forest.’ Following William’s death in 1863, Grace subdivided the land and named it Roseworthy after a village in Cornwall. Roseworthy is derived from Roswartha, meaning Meadow Heath. (Light Country n.d.) (Wikipedia 2015)
In 1881, the South Australian Government purchased land to establish an experimental farm in the Roseworthy district. Two years later, in 1883, the Roseworthy Agricultural College was established. It was the first of its kind in Australia and continues to operate to this day. (Light Country n.d.)
The Roseworthy silos are located on Railway Terrace. They are operated by Viterra and are part of a large grain facility of both storage silos and bunkers for grain that is grown in the region, and then conveyed to Port Adelaide. (Wikipedia 2015)
I parked on Cliff Road and 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 Roseworthy silos. Image c/o SiOTA website
On the 10th day of December 2025, I attended the Christmas lunch for the Strathalbyn Amateur Radio Group. Nine of us enjoyed a very fine meal at The Plough at Echunga.
Above: L to R: Paul VK5PAS, Rick VK5RI, Stef VK5IE, Peter VK5PET, Michael VK5MTR, Phil VK5ABD, Bill VK5WMK, Robbie VK5MRS, and Det VK5DET
Our second and final silo activation for Saturday, the 6th day of December 2025, was the Kapunda silo VK-KPA5. Kapunda is about 87 km north of Adelaide.
Above: Map showing the location of Kapunda. Map c/o Google Maps
Marija and I drove south on Thiele Highway, and as we approached the town of Kapunda, we stopped to view the magnificent old building below. It is the old stone store built in 1854 by David & James Fowler.
James Alexander Fowler was born in 1831 in Fife, Scotland. He emigrated to South Australia with his sister Margaret aboard the Anna Maria in 1850. He opened a grocery store in Rundle Street, Adelaide. He was joined by his elder brother David, who arrived in South Australia in 1854 aboard the Fop Smit. David was born in January 1827 in Fife, Scotland. The two brothers traded under the name D. & J. Fowler. (Wikipedia 2023)
In February 1858, James Fowler died after a long battle with illness. He was just 27 years old. Another brother, George Swan Fowler, emigrated in 1860 and became a partner in the business. In 1868, they purchased premises in King William Street, Adelaide and by 1865 they had opened a branch office in London. By 1873, they had acquired premises at Port Adelaide. Branches were opened in Fremantle, Broken Hill, and Kalgoorlie. They acquired a dealership for Shell products and set up a shipping agency. (Wikipedia 2023)
Above:- The Lions building in King William Street during the early 1960s. Image c/o State Library SA.
In 1881, David Fowler died, leaving George as the senior partner in the business. In c. 1882, they contracted farmers in the south-east of South Australia to grow chicory. This was used to make “Lion” brand coffee and chicory essence. The brothers built the “Paou Chung Factory” on King William Road. By 1883, their “Paou Chung” brand was the first packaged tea marketed in South Australia. They took over Barnfield & Turner’s “London Condiment Company” at Maylands and H. B. Hanton’s in Fullarton and renamed it the “Lion Preserving Company”. (Wikipedia 2023)
The brothers expanded their range of canned fruits, jams and pickles. A new factory for “Lion” canned fruit was set up at Nuriootpa. They took over the factory of Henry Harford in Mill Street, Adelaide, and this became the Lion Confectionery Works. In 1895, they took control of the bankrupt Adelaide Milling Company’s flour mill, the Adelaide Bottle Company in 1912, and the Robur Tea Company in 1928. (Wikipedia 2024)
We continued on to the town of Kapunda, reputed to be the most haunted town in Australia. Copper ore outcrops were discovered in the district in 1842 by Charles Bagot, who ran sheep in the Kapunda area.
Above: Charles Bagot. Images c/o Wikipedia
Although Kapunda is well known for its copper, there were also marble mines which provided fine quality marble ranging in colour from dark blue to white. Marble from Kapunda was used at Parliament House in Adelaide, and the pedestal of the statue of Venus on North Terrace. (Wikipedia 2024)
The Chronicle in May 1913 reported:
“No better proof of the quality of Kapunda marble should be needed than an inspection of the Parliament Buildings on North-terrace…” (Trove 2026)
Kapunda is a very historic town and contains dozens of historical buildings. Below is some information on just a few of the buildings that we viewed.
Christ Church Anglican church was built in 1857 and was extended in 1868. It was designed by the renowned South Australian architect Edmund William Wright. This was his second church and is the most intact of the remaining churches designed by Wright. The church contains a pipe organ from 1885. (Sa.gov.au 2026)
The foundation stone of the Kapunda Congregational Church was laid on the 21st day of June 1858. The church was opened on the 14th day of November 1858. (Flickr 2026)
The Kapunda Institute Soldiers Memorial Hall is located on Hill Street. It was built in 1871.
The Kapunda Herald Printing Office was built in 1866.
The Kapunda Herald was published in Kapunda between 1864 and 1951, and was founded by Charles Barton and Deutsche Zeitung. (State Libray SA 2026)
Above: The Kapunda Herald printing office, c. 1900. Image c/o State Library South Australia
The very impressive Baptist church was built in 1866. It was used as a technical school from 1948 until the 1960s. It now houses the Kapunda Historical Society’s museum. (Sa.gov.au 2018)
In Lucas Street, you can find a very impressive mural. It is one of 13 murals in Kapunda, part of the Kapunda Mural Town Project. (ABC 2024)
The mural on the Kapunda Post Office was nominated for a national art award. It depicts the original Post Office of 1910 and features a postman on a bicycle and a bright red heritage post box. (ABC 2024)
The Kapunda History Mural features Kapunda’s history, dating back to Aboriginal times to the turn of the 21st century.
Adjacent, you can view a mural of Kapunda’s sporting greats.
On the main street, we found this statue of a miner, taking a rest on a bench.
In Kidman Square is a monument for Sir Sidney Kidman, an Australian pastoralist and entrepreneur who was known as ‘the Cattle King’. He either owned or co-owned large tracts of land in Australia. (Wikipedia 2025)
Marija and I then visited the Kapunda Mine Historic Site.
The Kapunda Mine was opened in 1833, following the discovery of copper in the district two years earlier in 1842. It was the first metal mine in South Australia to operate on a commercial level. South Australia had suffered a depression during the 1840s, and the Kapunda Mine assisted with the economic recovery of the colony of South Australia. The mine was also the first in South Australia to use large open-cut mining methods. The Kapunda mine closed in 1878. (SA.gov.au 2026)
The photograph below shows the mine in the 1860s.
Above: the Kapunda Mine, c. 1860s. Image c/o State Library South Australia
There is a replica of the first horse whim used at the mine site. Whims were used extensively in mining operations in the 1800s for hauling heavy buckets called kibbles of ore from the deep mine shafts. The horse sculpture is Clyde, designed and built by Joel Zimmermann from Sedan, to honour the numerous horses that were used in mining operations to haul ore and mining equipment.
Certainly, the most impressive feature at the site is the mine chimney which was constructed in 1850.
The ruins of the Bull Pumping enginehouse can also be viewed. In 1850, the Bull Pumping Engine was purchased and commenced operation in March 1851. The Bull engine was named after Edward Bull, who invented the direct-acting Cornish pumping engine
The ruins of the Bull Winding House can also be viewed.
At the site are two headstones. One is for Captain John Richards. The other is for William Tuckfield, Harriet Tuckfield, and Constance Tuckfield.
John Richards was born in 1796 in Gwinear, Cornwall, England. In 1821, he married Amy Eddy in Cornwall. He gained his mining experience by working in the tin and copper mining district of St Austell in Cornwall. By 1838, he was employed as the mine captain at the Glendasan Lead mine. He arrived in South Australia with his family in July 1846 aboard the Medway. They settled in Kapunda and lived in the newly completed mine captain’s cottage in Mine Square. Captain Richards died in September 1848, aged 52 years.
Following the sudden death of Captain Richards, the Kapunda mine was without an underground manager. Following his death, William Tuckfield commenced as the underground manager. William Tuckfield was born on the 22nd day of November 1801 in Gwennap, Cornwall, England. In April 1828, he married Constance Gillard in Cornwall. Along with their three children, they emigrated to Australia, arriving in January 1838 aboard the Royal Admiral. They initially settled in Meadows in the Adelaide Hills, before moving to Kapunda, where William worked as a miner. He died on the 17th day of June 1850, aged 52 years, following what was described as a ‘lingering illness.’ (ancestry 2016) (Trove 2026)
Above: article from the Adelaide Times, Fri 21 Jun 1850. Image c/o Trove
Just 2 months before William’s death, his daughter, Harriet Williams Tuckfield, was born in April 1850 at Kapunda. Sadly, she died on the 10th day of January 1851, aged 9 months. William’s wife, Constance Tuckfield, died on the 27th day of October 1852, aged 48 years. I wonder who took on the role of looking after their surviving children? (ancestry 2016)
Marija and I also visited the historic Kapunda Cemetery. The first recorded burial in the cemetery was in November 1851 for Christopher Biggs, who drowned at Light Bridge, Kapunda. (Light Regional Council 2023)
Thomas Vivian Moyle was born in Cornwall, England in c. 1828. He emigrated to Australia in 1852 aboard the Phoebe Dunbar. In 1854, he married Elizabeth James. (ancestry 2016)
Thomas was a publican of the Hamilton Hotel at River Light from 1855 to 1860. In 1861, he became the manager/licensee of the Kadina Exchange Hotel. In 1867, he became ‘Mine Host’ of the Strathmore Hotel. In 1871, he became the licensee of the Rising Sun Hotel in Auburn. (wikitree 2022)
Thomas died on the 24th day of January 1888, at Gilberton, South Australia, aged 59 years, as a result of injuries he sustained in an accident while driving a 2-wheel trap. An inquest was held by the City Coroner at the Elephant and Castle Hotel on the 26th day of January 1888. It was reported that he was seen travelling on Bickles Road, Gilberton, at a ‘furious rate’. He lost control and was thrown headfirst out of the trap. He was conveyed whilst unconscious to a residence, and the police and doctor were called, but he died from his injuries. (ancestry 2016) (Trove 2026) (wikitree 2022)
The South Australian Register recorded that ‘The Jury were of opinion that deceased came to his death from dislocation of the neck caused by being thrown out of a trap, and that no blame attached to any one.” (Trove 2026)
John William Hill was born in 1808 in Hertfordshire, England. John emigrated to South Australia aboard the HMS Buffalo in 1836. He died on the 2nd day of April 1885, aged 77 years. (ancestry 2016)
His headstone records that John had the honour of unfurling the British standard at the Proclamation of the Colony.
Above: John Hill. Image c/o ancestry.com.au
A headstone that caught our attention was the one below, for Edith Kidman and Norman Sidney Palethorpe Kidman. They were the children of Sidney Herbert Kidman and Isabel Brown Kidman, nee Wright. I spoke about Sir Sidney Kidman earlier in this post.
Thomas Badge was born in 1820 in Marazion, Cornwall. He emigrated to Australia in 1850.
Thomas died on the 18th day of November 1876 on his farm, Trevarthan, at Kapunda, after he was run over by his wagon while carting hay. (Trove 2026)
Above: article from the Evening Journal, Adelaide, Mon 20 Nov 1876. Image c/o Trove
William George Delmar Mobbs was born on the 11th day of October 1895 in Bagots Well near Kapunda. His parents were John George Mobbs and Elizabeth Esther Mobbs, nee Hughes. (ancestry 2016)
Delmar, as he was known, enlisted for service during the First World War and served with the 9th Australian Light Horse. He was killed on the 28th day of August 1915 at Gallipoli, Turkey. He was just 19 years old. Delmar is buried at Hill 60 Cemetery, Turkey. (ancestry 2016)
In February 2016, a ceremony was held at the Bagots Well Public School, where a marble memorial tablet was unveiled to Delmar. He had attended school there and was described as “his fine spirit and manly nature set a grand example for other lads.” (Trove 2026)
Above: article from the Kapounda Herald, Fri 25 Feb 1916. Image c/o Trove
Three years before Delmar’s death, his younger brother Colin Sidney Mobbs was born in May 1912. He died on the 12th day of October 1920 at Bagots Well, aged 8 years. (ancestry 2016)
Above: article from The Register, Wed 13 Oct 1920. Image c/o Trove
On our way to the silo, we drove past one of the old railway sheds on Hancock Road, which is in a very poor state of repair.
The silos are located alongside the old Morgan railway line. The railway station at Kapunda was opened in August 1860 when the railway line was opened from Gawler to serve the copper mining industry at Kapunda. It was closed in December 1968. (Wikipedia 2025)
The Kapunda silos are part of the Australian Silo Art Trail. They were completed in October 2025 after 32 days of painting by the world-renowned street artist, Smug. They feature a copper miner underground. (Australiansiloarttrail.com 2026)
Marija and I parked alongside the silo and operated from the 4WD. We ran the Icom IC-7000, 100 watts, and the Codan 9350 antenna with the 1.5 metre stainless steel ship.
Above: the activation zone at the Kapunda silo. Image c/o SiOTA website
Marija worked the following stations on 40m SSB:-
VK3MDC
VK5LA
VK5KAW
VK1AO
VK2MET
I worked the following sttaions on 40m SSB:-
VK3MDC
VK5LA
VK5KAW
VK1AO
VK2MET
VK2HLM
After the activation, Marija and I headed to the Sir John Franklin Hotel at Kapunda for dinner.
The hotel was built in 1949 by James Whittaker and was named after the Arctic explorer and Tasmanian Governor, Sir John Franklin. In its day, it was the leading hotel in Kapunda. (Sir John Franklin Kapunda, 2025)
Above: the Sir John Franklin Hotel, c. 1926. Image c/o State Library South Australia.
After a very nice evening meal, we visited Map the Miner, also known as Map Kernow or the Son of Cornwall. It is a 7 metre statue that commemorates the Cornish mining history of Kapunda. (Wikipedia 2020)
We drove south on Thiele Highway towards home on the Fleurieu Peninsula, admiring a magnificent sunset.
On Saturday, the 6th day of December 2025, Marija and I headed out to lunch at Dutton at a friend’s house.
Our first stop along the way was the old Reedy Creek railway bridge near Palmer. This five-span bridge was built in 1919 on the railway line between Monarto South and Sedan.
After a very enjoyable lunch, Marija and I drove to the town of Eudunda. The town’s name originates from the name of the spring to the west of Eudunda, which was known by the local Aboriginal people as judandakawi, meaning “sheltered water”. The Ngadjuri Aboriginal people are the traditional owners of the land around Eudunda. (Wikipedia 2025)
Above: Map showing the location of Eudunda. Map c/o Google Maps
The first Europeans in the district were those travelling to markets in Adelaide from New South Wales and Queensland during the 1830s. In 1838, four livestock importers from the eastern states set out overland from New South Wales to South Australia, bringing livestock overland. They were John Hill, William Wood, Charles Willis and John Oakden. They followed the Murray River and named various landmarks during their journey. (Wikipedia 2025)
During the 1840s, pastoralists commenced establishing grazing runs in the district. This included Frederick Dutton, who was born in April 1812 in Lancashire, England. He emigrated to Australia in 1830 aboard the Lady Blackwood. Dutton owned substantial land holdings in South Australia. He sat in the South Australian Legislative Council from 1852 to 1853. He died in London in 1890 with assets valued at £800,000, which equates to about AUD150,00,000 today.
Above: Frederick Dutton. Image c/o Wikipedia
In 1870, the town of Eudunda was established by John Henry Hannan. He owned the land that was surveyed and then divided for sale. The first settlers were Lutherans from the Kingdom of Prussia. Friedrich Gotthilf Ernst Appelt opened Appelt’s General Store in 1874. The building remains and is listed on the South Australian Heritage Register. (Wikipedia 2025)
In 1879, Edwin Davey, a flour miller from Angaston in the Barossa Valley, built a chaff mill at Eudunda. Laucke Flour Mills operated the mill from 1951 to 1990. (Wikipedia 2025)
Above: the Eudunda mill, c. 1906. Image c/o State Library South Australia
The impressive stone structure still stands today.
In 1884, Johannes Wiesner and Gustav Hilbig established the Eudunda Machine Factory which was known for its forges and its production of plough and scarifier shares. (Wikipedia 2025)
In 1896, the Eudunda Farmers Co-operative Society was established. It was formed by a group of firewood traders. The venture became very successful, owning 62 general stores around South Australia. During the 1990s, the Co-operative merged with United Supermarkets, and their stores became Foodland and IGA supermarkets. (Wikipedia 2025)
During WWI, there was significant anti-German sentiment in Australia. Eudunda had a significant German population and experienced a number of incidents. This included the arrest of Theodor Nickel, a Lutheran pastor in January 1915, who communicated with Hermann Homburg, the Attorney-General of South Australia, regarding naturalisation issues. He was accused of disloyalty. (Trove 2026) (Wikipedia 2025)
Above: part of an article from The Register, Adelaide, Fri 15 Jan 1915. Image c/o Trove
Hermann Homburg was born in March 1874 in Norwood, South Australia. His father was Robert Homburg, who was born in the Kingdom of Prussia (to become Germany). His father was a prominent South Australian politician and lawyer. Robert Homburg served as the Attorney-General on three separate occasions and later as a Justice of the Supreme Court of South Australia. Despite his standing, in 1914, his government office in Adelaide was raised by soldiers with fixed bayonets. He resigned in early 1915 to avoid embarrassing the government in the upcoming election. He cited a ‘campaign of lies and calumnies against me…because I am not of British lineage.’ (Wikipedia 2026)
Above: Herman Homburg. Image c/o Wikipedia
In February 1915, Major M.W. Logan from the 4th Military District and men from the Citizens’ Forces conducted raids on several homes and businesses of both German-born and Australian-born residents in Eudunda. The Citizens Forces was the name given at the time to what is now known as the Australian Army Reserve. Sentries were placed around Eudunda, and all travel in and out of the town was restricted. Nothing untoward was found, but it sent a message to all those in South Australia that the authorities were determined to suppress any disloyalty. (Torrensisland 2026) (Trove 2026) (Wikipedia 2020) (Wikipedia 2025)
Above: part of an article from the Kapunda Herald, Fri 12 Feb 1915. Image c/o Trove
Eudunda contains several historic buildings. Although we have been to Eudunda previously, we took some time admiring some of the town’s history.
We visited the Eudunda Centenary Gardens at the corner of Worlds End Highway and Gunn Street. In the gardens is a statue of the Australian author Colin Thiele, who is well known for his works, including Storm Boy, Blue Fin and the Sun on the Stubble series. He was born at Eudunda in November 1920. (Wikipedia 2025) (Wikipedia 2026)
Another feature of the gardens is the shelter and walls with tiles that tell the story of Eudunda’s transport history.
You can also find a piece of Eudunda’s railway history.
Marija and I also visited the Eudunda Cemetery. We were expecting to find more historical headstones than we found, so we were a little disappointed.
The Eudunda silos are part of the Australian Silo Art Trail. The art is the work of Sam Brooks and was completed in 2021. The artwork features two children and Colin Thiel’s novel, The Sun on the Stubble. (www.australiansiloarttrail.com, n.d.)
Adjacent to the silos is the historic Eudunda Railway Station, which, sadly, is in a very bad state. The station lies at the junction of the former Morgan railway line and the Robertstown railway line. The station was opened on the 23rd day of September 1878. The station closed for regular passenger traffic in December 1968. The last passenger train to visit the station was in May 1989, with a special train on a tour to Robertstown. (Wikipedia 2026)
Marija and I parked alongside the silos and operated from the 4WD, running the Icom IC7000, 100 watts, and the Codan 930 antenna with the 1.5 metre stainless steel whip.
Above: the activation zone at the Eudunda silo. Image c/o SiOTA website
Marija worked the following stations on 40m SSB:-
VK3JG
VK3WSG
VK2DA
VK5FANA
VK5LA
VK5KAW
I worked the following stations on 40m SSB:-
VK3JG
VK3WSG
VK2DA
VK5FANA
VK5LA
VK5KAW
VK3COE
VK5TN
VK5DMO
I worked the following sttaions on 20m SSB:-
VK1AO
VK2MET
VK2VW
VK2HFI
VK2AKA
VK2BUG
VK4SMA
VK6DEV
References.
Torrensislandinternmentcamp.com.au. (2026). A FUTURE UNLIVED. A history of the internment of German Enemy Aliens on Torrens Island. [online] Available at: https://torrensislandinternmentcamp.com.au/sources60.html [Accessed 24 Apr. 2026].
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.
VK5PAS 