I activated a VKFF reference during 2024 National Bird Week and as such I became eligible for a special certificate.
The certificate features a photograph I took of a Singing Honeyeater during a park activation on the Eyre Peninsula, South Australia.
My second activation for Thursday 22nd August 2024 was the Ouyen I245 Bushland Reserve VKFF-4207.
But prior to heading to the park I had a look around the town of Ouyen.
My first stop was the Big Mallee Stump at Blackburn Park. The mallee stump is estimated to be hundreds of years old and is believed to be the largest mallee stump in Australia. This particular stump was dug up by a gentleman called Bert Holland whilst he was grading roads for the former Shire of Walpeup.
Adjacent is the unique clock with wheat sheafs.
There is also an information board detailing all the facts about the Malleefowl, a ground dwelling bird about the size of a domestic chicken. Their conservation status is listed as vulnerable due to the clearing of land for farming and the introduced fox.
I then took a drive around Ouyen to look at some of the town’s historic buildings. This includes the former Savings Bank of Victoria building that was built in 1926 in Neo-Georgian style. The Victoria Hotel was built in 1918 and laid claim to being the best hotel between Adelaide and Melbourne. Sadly the old Ouyen RSL Memorial Club Rooms stands derelict. (Flickr)
Virtually every town I go to has a ‘Bills’ horse trough. They were manufactured in Australia and were installed to provide relief for working horses during the early 1900s. They were financed by a trust fund that was established through the will of George Bills. About 700 of these troughs were distributed around Australia and about 50 in several other countries around the world. (Wikipedia 2024)
George Bills was born in Brighton Sussex England in 1859. With his family, he emigrated to New Zealand and in 1873 he emigrated to Australia. By 1882 he was operated a bird dealers shop in Brisbane Queensland. In 1885 George married Annis Elizabeth Swann and soon after they moved to Sydney where George opened a wire mattress manufacturing company with his brothers. In 1908 George retired. His wife Annis died in 1910 while the couple wrestled visiting England. In 1924 George became a Life Governor of the RSPCA. (Wikipedia)
Above:- George Bills. Image c/o Billswatertroughs.wordpress.com
George died in 1927. Following his death a Trust fund was established valued at about £70-80,000 One of the purposes of the trust, as set out in the will of George Bill’s was:
“construct and erect and pay for horse troughs wherever they may be of the opinion that such horse troughs are desirable for the relief of horses and other dumb animals either in Australasia, in the British Islands or in any other part of the world subject to the consent of the proper authorities being obtained.“
Above:- Article from The Advertiser, Fri 12 Oct 1928. Image c/o Trove.
Each Bill’s horse trough cost £13 including transport and installation. They were initially indivually designed and constructed. By the early 1930s, J.B. Phillips who was a relative of George and Annis, became the head contractor. He produced the troughs in Hawthorn Victoria to a standard design. The troughs were precast concrete and had the inscription of “Donated by Annis & George Bills Australia”. (Wikipedia)
Ouyen also has an excellent mural. It was undertaken by local artist Kevin Jones and represents the history, people and activities that have shaped Ouyen.
I then left Ouyen and headed to the Ouyen I245A Bushland Reserve. On the way I passed the Ouyen State Forest.
The reserve is located on the western side of Dunkley Road, in between the Ouyen Cemetery and the Ouyen Landfill site.
Above:- An aerial view of the Ouyen I245A Bushland Reserve. Image c/o Google Earth.
The reserve is about 4 hectares in size and was established on the 29th day of January 1992. (CAPAD 2022)
I ran the Yaesu FT857d, 40 watts, and the 20/40/80m linked dipole for this atcivation.
I worked the following stations on 40m SSB:-
I worked the following stations on 20m SSB:-
At the conclusion of the activation I paid a quick visit to the Ouyen cemetery.
References.
My first activation for Thursday 22nd August 2024 was the Ouyen I244 Bushland Reserve VKFF-4208 and the Ouyen silo VK-OYN3.
The reserve is located on the southwest edge of the town of Ouyen in northwest Victoria.
Above:- Map showing the location of the Ouyen I244 Bushland Reserve. Map c/o Google Maps.
The reserve is located on the northern and southern sides of the Mallee Highway.
Above:- An aerial view of the Ouyen I244 Bushland Reserve. Image c/o Google Earth.
The reserve is about 75 hectares in size and was established on the 1st day of May 1979. (CAPAD 2022)
There was quite a bit of birdlife in the park, and in between activating I managed to get off a few snaps which can be seen below.
I set up in the very top northeast corner of the park which was in the activation zone of the Ouyen silo.
Above:- Map showing the activation zone at the Ouyen silo. Image c/o SiOTA website.
I ran the Yaesu FT857d, 40 watts, and the 20/40/80m linked dipole.
I worked the following stations on 40m SSB:-
I worked the following stations on 20m SSB:-
References.
My final park for Wednesday 21st August 2024, was the Nulkwyne I26 Bushland Reserve VKFF-4197.
The reserve is about 24 km northwest of Ouyen in northwest Victoria.
Above:- Map showing the location of the Nulkwyne I26 Bushland Reserve. Map c/o Google Maps.
During the 1930s land described as being in the ‘virgin Mallee country in the parish of Nulkwyne’ was opened up for settlement. (The Argus 1934)
Above:- Article from The Argus, Mon 8 October 1934. Image c/o Trove.
The reserve is locate on the northern side of Parallel Road between Munro Road and Galah N Road.
The reserve is about 47 hectares in size and was established on the 1st day of May 1979. (CAPAD 2022)
I ran the Yaesu FT857d, 40 watts, and the 20/40/80m linked dipole for this activation.
I worked the following stations on 40m SSB:-
I worked the following stations on 40m AM:-
References.
After leaving the Tiega I24 Bushland Reserve, I headed to my next park activation, the Paignie I23 Bushland Reserve VKFF-4186.
The reserve is located about 24 km northwest of Ouyen in northwest Victoria.
Paignie is an aboriginal word meaning ‘water’. Paignie was once a thriving community. It had a State School and a Progress Association. Sadly, very little remains today. (Blake 1978)
Above:- Article from The Ouyen Mail, Fri 20 Feb 1914. Image c/o Trove.
The reserve is located on a dirt track just south of John Road.
Above:- An aerial view of the Paignie I23 Bushland Reserve. Image c/o Google Earth.
The reserve is about 163 hectares in size and was established on the 1st day of May 1979. (CAPAD 2022)
This was another easy park to access with 4WD tracks entering the park. I ran the Yaesu FT857d, 40 watts, and the 20/40/80m linked dipole. I enjoyed a very nice opening into Europe on the long path on the 20m band.
I worked the following stations on 40m SSB:-
I worked the following stations on 40m SSB:-
I packed up and headed to Ouyen where I planned on getting some dinner before activating a final park for the day. As I drove towards Ouyen on the dirt roads I encountered plenty of tumbleweed. It was like a scene out of a Western movie.
I drove into Ouyen and enjoyed a very nice meal at the Ouyen Club.
References.
My next activation for Wednesday 21st August 2024 was the Tiega I24 Bushland Reserve VKFF-4186.
The reserve is located about 20 km northwest of Ouyen in northwest Victoria.
Above:- Map showing the location of the Tiega I24 Bushland Reserve. Map c/o Google Maps.
Along the way, I stopped to have a look at the site of the old Galah North State School No. 4262 which operated from 1926 to 1942. In c. 1950, the building was moved to Mildura Central School. (Wikipedia 2024)
The Tiega I24 Bushland Reserve is located on the western and eastern sides of Galah N Road, south of Parallel Road.
The park is about 71 hectares in size and was established on the 1st day of May 1979. (CAPAD 2022)
I ran the Yaesu FT857, 40 watts, and the 20/40/80m linked dipole for this activation. Although not a huge opening on 20m on the long path, it was still nice to log some of the familiar European park hunters.
I worked the following stations on 40m SSB:-
I worked the following stations on 20m SSB:-
References.
Yesterday I received my latest WWFF Activator Points Award certificate.
Thank you to all of the WWFF participants and Swa ON5SWA the Awards Manager.
Some more FT8 award certificates for VI7POL
Thank you to all of the FT8 operators and the various award managers.
My next activation for Wednesday 21st August 2024 was the Tiega I81 Bushland Reserve VKFF-4205.
The reserve is about 11 km west of Ouyen in northwest Victoria.
Above:- Map showing the location of the Tiega I81 Bushland Reserve. Map c/o Google Maps.
Tiega is an aboriginal word for ‘sister’. Tiega was once a thriving community having its own school, a tennis club, and a football club. (Blake 1978)
Above:- Article from the Sunraysia Daily, Thu 30 Dec 1937. Image c/o Trove.
Above:- Article from the Ouyen Mail, Wed 11 Oct 1939. Image c/o Trove.
Today, little remains at Tiega, other than a sign to let you know that you are entering the district.
The Tiega I81 Bushland Reserve is located on the northern side of the Mallee Highway at the junction with Le Couteur Road.
Above:- An aerial view of the Tiega I81 Bushland Reserve. Image c/o Google Earth.
The reserve is about 16 hectares in size and was established on the 1st day of May 1979. (CAPAD 2022)
I drove down to the railway line and I accessed the northern section of the park. I ran the Yaesu FT857d, 40 watts, and the 20/40/80m linked dipole for this activation.
I worked the following stations on 20m SSB:-
I worked the following stations on 40m SSB:-
References.
My third park for Wednesday 21st August 2024 was the Kia I242 Bushland Reserve VKFF-4229.
It was just a short drive from the Kia I242A Bushland Reserve to reach this park which is located about 23 km north of Ouyen in northwest Victoria.
Above:- Map showing the location of the Kia I242 Bushland Reserve. Map c/o Google Maps.
The reserve is located in the southern side of Box Flat Road.
Above:- AN aerial view of the Kia I242 Bushland Reserve. Image c/o Google Earth.
The reserve is about 20 hectares in size and was established on the 8th day of May 1990. (CAPAD 2022)
This was another park that was not easy to string out the 20/40/80m dipole. So much so that the 80m sections were lying on the ground amongst the mallee scrub. But the antenna still seemed to perform okay.
I worked the following stations on 40m SSB:-
I worked the following stations on 20m SSB:-
References.
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