Our final park for Tuesday, 29th October 2024, was the Strathfieldsaye H97 Bushland Reserve VKFF-5876. The park is about 12 km southeast of Bendigo in central Victoria.

Above:- Map showing the location of the Strathfieldsaye H97 Bushland Reserve VKFF-5873.

The park is located on the southern side of Strathfieldsaye Road alongside the Strathfieldsaye Waste Transfer Station.

Above:- An aerial view of the Strathfieldsaye H97 Bushland Reserve. Image c/o Google Earth.

The reserve is about 6 hectares in size and was established on the 26th day of February 2002. (CAPAD 2022)

There was a short dirt track leading into the park off Strathfieldsaye Road. We ran the Yaesu FT857, 40 watts, and the 20/40/80m linked dipole.

Marija worked the following stations on 40m SSB:-

1. VK2YK
2. VK5GA
3. VK3PF
4. VK3KAI
5. VK2IO/M
6. VK2GEZ/M
7. VK7DD
8. VK5WU
9. VK1AO
10. VK2MET

I worked the following stations on 40m SSB:-

1. VK2YK
2. VK5GA
3. VK3PF
4. VK3KAI
5. VK2IO/M
6. VK2GEZ/M
7. VK7DD
8. VK5WU
9. VK1AO
10. VK2MET
11. VK4EHI
12. VK3TDX
13. VK4DTS
14. VK3GJG
15. VK3MGM
16. VK2EG
17. VK2AAJ
18. VK5IJ
19. VK4SMA
20. VK5HS
21. JF7RJM

References.

1. Dcceew.gov.au. (2023). Collaborative Australian Protected Areas Database (CAPAD) 2022 – DCCEEW. [online] Available at: https://www.dcceew.gov.au/environment/land/nrs/science/capad/2022 [Accessed 10 May. 2025].‌

Our sixth park for Tuesday, 29th October 2024, was the Strathfieldsaye I160 Bushland Reserve VKFF-5876. The park is about 12 km southeast of Bendigo in central Victoria.

Above:- Map showing the location of the Strathfieldsaye I160 Bushland Reserve VKFF-5876.

The park is located on the southern side of Strathfieldsaye Road. Its southern boundary is Walmer Street.

Above:- An aerial view of the Strathfieldsaye I160 Bushland Reserve. Image c/o Google Earth.

The reserve is about 1 hectare in size and was established on the 24th day of August 1982. (CAPAD 2022)

We drove to the end of Walmer Street and set up in a clearing amongst the scrub.

Marija worked the following stations on 40m SSB:-

1. VK3PF
2. VK3KAI
3. VK2LEE
4. VK2EG
5. VK2AAJ
6. VK7DD
7. VK1AO
8. VK2MET
9. VK4SMA
10. VK4FDJL
11. VK4WAB

I worked the following stations on 40m SSB:-

1. VK3PF
2. VK3KAI
3. VK2LEE
4. VK2EG
5. VK2AAJ
6. VK7DD
7. VK1AO
8. VK2MET
9. VK4SMA
10. VK4FDJL
11. VK4WAB
12. VK3GJG
13. VK3TDX
14. VK2USH
15. VK4EHI
16. VK4HMI
17. VK5NOU
18. VK2JE
19. VK3MGM
20. VK3WSG

References.

1. Dcceew.gov.au. (2023). Collaborative Australian Protected Areas Database (CAPAD) 2022 – DCCEEW. [online] Available at: https://www.dcceew.gov.au/environment/land/nrs/science/capad/2022 [Accessed 10 May. 2025].‌

After leaving the Strathfieldsaye I1159 Bushland Reserve on 29th October 2024, Marija VK5MAZ and I drove the short distance to our next park, the Strathfieldsaye H98 Bushland Reserve VKFF-5874.

Above:- Map showing the location of the Strathfieldsaye H98 Bushland Reserve. Map c/o Google Maps.

The reserve is located on the northern side of Strathfieldsaye Road and at the end of Dukes Lane.

Above:- An aerial view of the Strathfieldsaye H98 Bushland Reserve. Image c/o Google Earth.

The reserve is about 1.3 hectares in size and was established on the 26th day of February 2002. (CAPAD 2022)

We drove along Dukes Lane and found a little 4wd track leading into this tiny park. Surprisingly, despite being surrounded by built-up housing on one side of the park, we had a zero noise floor.

Marija worked the following stations on 40m SSB:-

1. VK2LEE
2. VK4SMA
3. VK3PF
4. VK3KAI
5. VK1AO
6. VK2MET
7. VK4EMP
8. VK4TI
9. VK4GKO
10. ZL4NVW
11. VK2IO/M
12. VK2GEZ/M

I worked the following stations on 40m SSB:-

1. VK2LEE
2. VK4SMA
3. VK3PF
4. VK3KAI
5. VK1AO
6. VK2MET
7. KD1CT
8. VK4EMP
9. VK4TI
10. VK4GKO
11. ZL4NVW
12. VK2IO/M
13. VK2GEZ/M
14. VK4HMI
15. VK5LA
16. VK5KAW
17. VK2USH
18. VK2WAN
19. VK3TDX
20. VK2EG
21. VK2AAJ
22. VK2MOE
23. VK1MO
24. VK5ADP
25. VK3MGM
26. VK6DS
27. VK2MG
28. VK3WSG
29. VK7DD
30. VK5CZ
31. VK3GAZ
32. VK7MAT
33. VK3GJG
34. VK2YK
35. VK5GA
36. KH6XX/W0
37. KG8P
38. VK5IJ
39. VK2BY
40. VK5PE
41. VK3SPG
42. VK4FDJL
43. VK4WAB
44. VK1CHW

References.

1. Dcceew.gov.au. (2023). Collaborative Australian Protected Areas Database (CAPAD) 2022 – DCCEEW. [online] Available at: https://www.dcceew.gov.au/environment/land/nrs/science/capad/2022 [Accessed 9 May. 2025].‌

Here is my latest WWFF Hunter certificate, issued for having worked 2,844 WWFF references.

Thank you to the WWFF activators and Hugo CT7AOV, the Awards Manager.

My latest VKFF Hunter Honour Roll certificate, issued for having worked 2,225 VKFF references.

Thank you to all of the VKFF activators, and thank you to Adam VK2YK, the VK5 VKFF State Rep for the certificate.

My latest Park to Park certificate, issued for having made 2,144 Park to Park contacts.

Thank you to all of the WWFF activators and Swa ON5SWA, the Awards Manager.

Here is my latest WWFF Activator Points Award.

Thank you to all of the WWFF participants and Swa ON5SWA, the Awards Manager.

Here is a selection of some of the QSL cards recently received for VK5MAZ and VK5PAS.

Here is a selection of the latest QSL cards received for VK5MAZ and VK5PAS.

Our next park for Tuesday, 29th October 2024, was the Strathfieldsaye I159 Bushland Reserve VKFF-5875. The reserve is located about 10 km east of Bendigo in central Victoria.

Above:- Map showing the location of the Strathfieldsaye I159 Bushland Reserve. Map c/o Google Maps.

It is believed that Strathfieldsaye was named after the Hampshire estate awarded to the Duke of Wellington in 1817. Strathfield means ‘field near street’ and saye means ‘small island’. (Blake 1978) (Victorianplaces.com.au, 2015)

The Shire Hall was built in 1869 alongside the Duke of Wellington Hotel. The town is located on Sheepwash Creek, and this land was found very suitable for dairying, fruit and vegetable growing. There were also several vineyards in the district. In 1871, Strathfieldsaye’s population was 26 people. In 1873, a school was opened in the Shire Hall, with a permanent school building constructed two years later in 1875. By 1888, the railway had reached Strathfieldsaye from Bendigo. (Victorianplaces.com.au, 2015)  (Wikipedia Contributors, 2019)

The reserve is located on the southern side of Somerset Park Road. Google Maps shows the park, also called Turner’s Bushland Reserve and Somerset Park Reserve.

Above:- An aerial view of the Strathfieldsaye I159 Bushland Reserve. Image c/o Google Earth.

The reserve is about 24 hectares in size and was established on the 24th day of August 1982. (CAPAD 2022)

We ran the Yaesu FT857, 40 watts, and the 20/40/80m linked dipole for this activation.

Marija worked the following stations on 40m SSB:-

1. VK3CEO
2. VK3PF
3. VK3KAI
4. VK3WSG
5. VK1AO
6. VK2MET
7. VK2YK
8. VK5GA
9. VK2IO/P (VKFF-0420)
10. VK2GEZ/P (VKFF-0420)

I worked the following stations on 40m SSB:-

1. VK3CEO
2. VK3PF
3. VK3KAI
4. VK3WSG
5. VK1AO
6. VK2MET
7. VK2YK
8. VK5GA
9. VK2IO/P (VKFF-0420)
10. VK2GEZ/P (VKFF-0420)
11. VK3VIN
12. VK5WU
13. VK3ZGA
14. VK7MAT
15. VK2MFW
16. VK4FDJL
17. VK4WAB
18. VK4ABFT
19. VK5LA
20. VK5KAW
21. VK2LEE
22. VK6DJ
23. VK3HJW
24. VK1ARQ
25. VK5PDR
26. VK3APJ
27. VK4SMA
28. VK3MGM
29. VK3EJ
30. VK3ADS
31. VK4HMI
32. VK2BW
33. VK5QA
34. VK3CLD
35. VK2DBF
36. VK3PWG
37. VK3TTK
38. VK3HBG
39. VK3CEO/M
40. VK5IS
41. VK2ACZ
42. VK5EBA
43. VK3BEL
44. VK3TDX

I worked the following stations on 40m AM:-

1. VK3APJ
2. VK3CEO
3. VK4SMA

References.

1. Dcceew.gov.au. (2023). Collaborative Australian Protected Areas Database (CAPAD) 2022 – DCCEEW. [online] Available at: https://www.dcceew.gov.au/environment/land/nrs/science/capad/2022 [Accessed 2 May. 2025].‌
2. ‌Leslie James Blake, 1978, Place Names of Victoria.
3. Victorianplaces.com.au. (2015). Strathfieldsaye | Victorian Places. [online] Available at: https://www.victorianplaces.com.au/strathfieldsaye [Accessed 2 May 2025].‌
4. Wikipedia Contributors (2019). Strathfieldsaye. Wikipedia.‌