Our final activation for 27th October 2024 was the Emu Valley Bushland Reserve VKFF-4969, which is located about 10 km southeast of Bendigo.
Above:- Map showing the location of Emu Valley Bushland Reserve. Map c/o Google Maps.
On the way, we stopped to have a look at the Sedgwick Hall built in 1959. Sedwick is a small town and rural district that was known as Upper Emu Creek until 1903. It was renamed Sedgwick after British geologist Professor Adam Sedgwick.
The Emu Valley Bushland Reserve is located on the southern side of Schilling Lane, Emu Creek.
Above:- An aerial view of the reserve. Image c/o Google Earth.
Emu Creek consists of several creeks named after the flightless Australian bird, the Emu. The reserve is about 4 hectares in size and was established on the 26th day of February 2002. (Blake 1978) (CAPAD 2022)
We parked the car and walked into the park, which did not have any fencing. We ran the Yaesu FT857, 40 watts, and the 20/40/80m linked dipole. The 20m band on SSB was pretty much a wipeout due to a contest, and as a result, the QRM was very high.
Marija worked the following stations on 40m SSB:-
VK3KLI/P (VKFF-5762)
VK5NOU
VK3IFR
VK3TKU
VK2IO/P (VKFF-0960)
VK2GEZ/P (VKFF-0960)
VK3PF/P (VKFF-4960)
VK3BHR/P (VKFF-0960)
VK4NH
VK4DXA
Marija worked the following station on 20m SSB:-
VK3PF/P (VKFF-2158)
I worked the following stations on 40m SSB:-
VK3KLI/P (VKFF-5762)
VK5NOU
VK3IFR
VK3TKU
VK2IO/P (VKFF-0960)
VK2GEZ/P (VKFF-0960)
VK3PF/P (VKFF-4960)
VK3BHR/P (VKFF-0960)
VK4NH
VK4DXA
VK3APJ
VK3MGM
VK3GJG
VK3ABE
VK3CEO
VK3UP
VK5HS
VK7PJM
VK3ZSC
VK3FQSO
VK2QR
VK5WU
VK1AO
VK2MET
VK5SPJ/M
VK2VW
VK2HFI
VK2AKA
VK2BUG
VK3SQ
VK2BD
VK5AAY
VK3DCQ
VK3PWG
VK5QA
VK3CLD
VK2DBF
VK5MOS/M
VK3ZMD
VK7MAD
VK2EXA/P
VK3CWF
VK3WRD
VK3WSG
VK3DJC
I worked the following stations on 20m SSB:-
VK2VW
VK2HFI
VK2AKA
VK2BUG
VK4EW
VK3PF/P (VKFF-2158)
VK2IO/P (VKFF-0960)
VK2GEZ/P (VKFF-0960)
I worked the following stations on 20m FT8:-
CT2HEX
K3RH
OK1WCF
LY1CX
WI0M
RZ3AM
EA5ASQ
IZ8VYU
EB3DIM
KB6LQV
IK4IDF
OE9SKJ
EA6ANX
IU8PLP
OH1MM
VA7ZT
KS6N
We packed up and headed back to the motel for a shower and then headed off to the historic Shamrock Hotel in Bendigo for an evening meal with some of those who were still around from the 2024 VKFF National Get Together.
It was another great night of plenty of amateur radio tales, solving the world’s problems, and lots of laughs.
Our next activation for 27th October 2024 was the Hawkestone Bushland Reserve VKFF-5113. The reserve is located about 37 km southeast of Bendigo and about 140 km northwest of Melbourne.
Above:- Map showing the location of the Hawkestone Bushland Reserve. Map c/o Google Maps.
The reserve is located on the southern side of Myrtle Creek between Pattersons Road and Bartys Road.
This is just a small park, being about 1.3 hectares in size. It was established on the 24th day of August 1982. (CAPAD 2022)
This was quite a difficult park to access due to the thick vegetation. Our 20/40/80m dipole was on all sorts of angles with the 80m sections lying on the ground. We ran the Yaesu FT857 and 40 watts.
The bands were alive with park activators from the 2024 VKFF National Get Together at Bendigo. We made a total of 41 Park to Park contacts during the activation.
On Sunday, 27th October 2024, we attended the next stage of the 2024 VKFF National Get Together in Bendigo, Victoria. That was a morning breakfast at the clubrooms of the Bendigo Amateur Radio & Electronics Club.
Following breakfast, everybody headed off for the final stage of the event, a series of park activations around the district.
Marija and I headed to Pilchers Bridge Nature Conservation Reserve VKFF-2176, which is located about 26 km south of Bendigo.
Above:- Map showing the location of Pilchers Bridge NCR. Map c/o Google Maps.
Pilcher’s Bridge is divided into a number of separate sections of protected land. The park is about 2,243 hectares in size and was established on the 24th day of August 1982. It was originally known as Lyell Forest. (CAPAD 2022) (AllTrails.com, 2025)
Above:- An aerial view of Pilchers Bridge NCR. Image c/o Google Earth.
The park is named in honour of the Pilcher family who lived in the district. The first to settle in the area was Stephen Pilcher in the 1880s. He was born in 1832 in Kent, England and emigrated to Australia in 1854. (ancestry 2016) (Heritage Vic 2017)
Above:- the headstone of Stephen Pilcher. Image c/o ancestry.com.au
Gold was discovered in the area at Myrtle Creek during the late 1880s.
Above:- Part of an article from the Bendigo Advertiser, Wed 6 Aug 1884. Image c/o Trove
Pilchers Bridge Nature Conservation Reserve is a Box-Ironbark forest dominated by red ironbark, red stringybark, red box, grey box, and yellow gum. This entire area was cleared during the 1930s for timber and gold mining activities. (Harcourt.vic.au 2024)
We ran the Yaesu FT857, 40 watts, and the 20/40/80m linked dipole for this activation.
ancestry (2016). Ancestry® | Genealogy, Family Trees & Family History Records. [online] Ancestry.com.au. Available at: https://www.ancestry.com.au/. Accessed 3 Apr. 2025]
On Saturday, 26th October 2024, Marija and I attended the 2024 VKFF National Get Together (which we organised). A total of 53 amateurs from around Australia were in attendance.
The day included ten presentations on various topics associated with portable activity.
A raffle was held during the day with some fantastic prizes on offer from our very kind sponsors:
JMM Solutions
RivComm Radio Solutions
Haverford
VKFF Team
The VKFF Team members in attendance fielded a question-and-answer session. That included myself, Ian VK1DI, Gerard VK2IO, Hans VK6XN and Mark VK5MK
There were some static displays during the day and this included a display by Joe VK3YSP and Julie VK3FOWL.
All of the presenters were issued with a certificate of appreciation. Our MC Chris VK5FR, who did a great job once again, was also issued a certificate of appreciation.
Below is a group photograph of those in attendance at the event.
Below is a photo of the YL’s who attended the Get Together.
All of the VKFF Team that were in attendance were issued with certificates of appreciation for their ongoing efforts in keeping the VKFF program flourishing.
That evening, we enjoyed a very nice meal at the Quality Hotel Lakeside Bendigo.
Our guest speaker on Saturday night was Jordan Crook from the Victorian National Parks Association.
On Friday evening 25th October 2024, the 2024 VKFF National Get-Together kicked off with a dinner at the Hotel Shamrock in Bendigo.
There were about 50 people in attendance.
Those who attended were issued with their Welcome pack (a bag full of goodies) and the merchandise that they had previously ordered, e.g. VKFF Get Together caps, polo shirts, etc.
It was a great night, with a few of us kicking on after the meal.
My final activation for Friday 25th October 2024 was Jobs Gully Bushland Reserve VKFF-5172, located in Bendigo, Victoria.
The reserve is located on the southern side of Jobs Gully Road, Eaglehawk, a suburb of Bendigo.
The reserve is about 11 hectares in size and was established on the 5th day of August 1980. (CAPAD 2022)
There was no vehicular access to this park. I set up just inside one of the access gates to the reserve. I strapped the 7-metre telescopic squid pole to a permapine fence post with an octopus strap. I ran the Yaesu FT857 and 40 watts and the 20/40/80m linked dipole.
As this was a built-up residential area I received lots of unusual looks and was approached by a handful of people asking me what I was doing. It was a good opportunity to promote the hobby of amateur radio to those who spoke with me.
I worked the following stations on 40m SSB:-
VK3TKK/p (Bendigo West Bushland Reserve VKFF-4590)
I packed up and headed back to the motel to have a shower and freshen up for the evening’s dinner at the Hotel Shamrock as part of the 2024 VKFF National Get-Together.
After packing up at the California Gully Bushland Reserve on 25th October 2024, I drove the short distance to my next park activation at the Jackass Flat Nature Conservation Reserve VKFF-2114.
The park is located in Bendigo, Victoria.
Jackass Flat is a suburb of Bendigo, about 6.5 km north of the Bendigo CBD. The park is located between Crane Street, Prouses Road, and Holdsworth Road.
Above:- Aerial view of the Jackass Flat NCR. Image c/o Google Earth.
The reserve is about 73 hectares in size and was established on the 27th day of May 1980. (CAPAD 2022)
This was another easy park to access. I drove along a 4WD track and set up in a clearing amongst the scrub. I ran the Yaesu FT857, 40 watts, and the 20/40/80m linked dipole.
It was now Friday 25th October 2024, with the 2024 VKFF National Get-Together commencing with a Friday evening dinner.
After breakfast Marija and I headed to the Bendigo Visitor Centre to collect some tourist brochures that we had arranged to pick up for the Get-Together attendee pack.
We headed back to the motel, admiring some of the collectable cars that were parked in the carpark.
We then commenced to pack the welcome packs for all of the attendees.
Marija decided to stay back in the motel to rehearse her presentation, while I headed out to activate the California Gully Bushland Reserve VKFF-4723.
Above:- Map showing the location of the California Gully Bushland Reserve. Map c/o Google Maps.
The reserve is located in the Bendigo suburb of California Gully, about 4 km northwest of Bendigo city centre. In April 1852 gold was discovered in California Gully and a rush followed of miners from the Californian gold diggings. About 18,000 miners from California came to the area. As a result, the area was known as California Gully. (Victorianplaces.com.au, 2015)
By the 1870s the area saw a large influx of Cornish miners. A township was formed on Eaglehawk Road. The White Horse Hotel was built during the 1870s. In 1883 a large school was built on the west side of the town on an elevated site known as Bell Topper Hill. Its name comes from the English miners making a bonfire on their bell topper hats. (Victorianplaces.com.au, 2015)
The mines at California Gully had a long production period. One of those was the North Johnson group which operated from 1861 to 1920 and yielded over 320,000 oz. of gold and £334,020 dividends, after commencing in 1853. (Heritage, 2017) (Victorianplaces.com.au, 2015)
Above:- California Gully, c. 1895. Image c/o Museums Victoria.
Sadly, as I drove into the reserve I noticed rubbish everywhere. Clearly some of the good people of Bendigo use the reserve as a dumping point for their rubbish.
The reserve is located between Prouses Road, Holdsworth Road, Sandhurst Road and Jobs Gully Road.
Above:- Aerial view of the California Gully Bushland Reserve. Image c/o Google Earth
The reserve is about 48 hectares in size and was established on the 26th day of February 2002. (CAPAD 2022)
I drove into the park via a 4WD track. I ran the Yaesu FT857, 40 watts, and the 20/40/80m linked dipole for this activation.
I logged a total of 46 stations including 8 Park to Park QSOs.
It was a pleasure to log Lew VK5DU at his very first park activation.
Our next activation for Thursday 24th October 2024, was the two silos at Charlton, Victoria, for the Silos On The Air (SiOTA) program.
As we left the town of Donald, we stopped briefly at the William Donald monument. It commemorates the establishment of the first white settlement in the district by WIlliam Donald.
We then stopped to look at the monument for the old Jeffcott North Mechanic Institute. Jeffoctt is named in honour of Sir William Jeffcott who served as a Judge of the Supreme Court of Port Phillip from 1843-1845. (Blake 1978)
The monument was unveiled in November 2016 by members of the Donald History and Natural History Group.
The Jeffcott North Mechanics’ Institute was opened on the 19th day of November 1891. A concert and ball was held to honour the occasion. The building was constructed of timber and took only one week to build. The Institute building was used regularly for dances. On the 3rd day of January 1900, a severe storm struck the area and the Institute building was totally destroyed. Materials from the Institute were salvaged and sold. The Mechanics Institute was never rebuilt.
Above:- Image c/o ‘Useful Knowledge’ magazine
Charlton is a small town located on the banks of the Avoca River. It is about 245 km northwest of Melbourne.
Above:- Map showing the location of Charlton, Victoria. Map c/o Google Maps.
Prior to European occupation of the area, the Charlton district was home to the Jaara aboriginal people. In 1848, Robert Cay and William Kaye established ‘Charlton’ station, named after Charlton, a small town (now suburb) of London. Their run was divided into East Charlton and West Charlton and was separated by the Avoca River. (Aussie Towns 2018) (Museums Victoria Collections, 2025)
A town developed on the eastern side of the river and it was known as East Charlton after the pastoral run on which it was situated. By 1863 an Inn had been built by Mr. John Flug. In 1867 a bridge was constructed across the Avoca River and this allowed the growth of settlement on either side of the river. James Patterson of Wedderburn was contracted to build the bridge. (Charlton.vic.au, 2014) (Museums Victoria Collections, 2025)
By the 1870s large holdings of land were opened up to selectors. Two flour mills were built. In 1876 the East Charlton Post Office was opened. In that same year the Tribune newspaper commenced. In 1879 The Vale of Avoca was opened. In that year another town in Victoria called Charlton changed its name to Chute. As a result, East and West Charlton ceased, and the town was known as Charlton. (Museums Victoria Collections, 2025)
Above:- High Street Charlton, c. 1898. Image c/o Museums Victoria.
Today, Charlton has a population of about 1,200 people. The Charlton distirct is a cropping area where cereal grains and legumes are grown. The district is also well known for wool production and prime lamb. (Charlton.vic.au, 2014)
Former Australian Prime Minister John Joseph Curtin was a resident of Charlton from 1894 to 1896.
The former Charlton Mechanics Institute built in 1882, is now the home of the Charlton Golden Grains Museum. It is located on High Street. (Aussie Towns 2018)
Nearby you can find Elliott Gardens. They contain the Shire of Charlton Honour Board.
In Elliott Gardens is a monument for Harold Edward ‘Pompey’ Elliott (b. 1878. d. 1931), a soldier, solicitor, senator and national hero.
Below is a video on the life of ‘Pompey’ Elliott.
In the park there is also a small oblisque to commemorate those from the district who were killed in the Second Boer War.
At the end of High Street is the very prominent War Memorial which was unveilled in 1923 to honour the men from the district who lost their lives during the First World. Subsequently the names of those who were killed durring the Second World War were added to the memorial. A total of 60 names can be found on the memorial.
The nearby rotunda was opened in 1926 and was erected to the memory of the late Benjamin Green by the citizens of Charlton and district. Green was a solicitor in Charlton and a former lawn tennis player of Australia. (UBC Web Design 2025)
In Halliday Street you can find the historic Fire Station built in 1931.
Charlton contains several murals that are all within walking distance.
Jack Fran from Adelaide painted the Permier harvester. His mural can be found at 40 High Street, Charlton. (WALLS 2021)
Adjacent to the bus station is a magnificent train mural. It was painted by Moel Kilner and depicts a composite train engine and wagons that would have been on the Charlton line in 1957, the year that the Charlton Rotary Club was chartered.
Located at 24 High Street is a mural welcoming visitors to Charlton. The mural features sheep and grain which reflects the district’s industry and is the work of Kate Pullen. (WALLS 2021)
Located at 5 High Street is a football mural, the work of Kyke Torney. (WALLS 2021)
On Armstrong Street is a mural dedicated to the women of World War Two.
Next to the town’s playground and swimming pool is a wood carving
At Travellers Rest you can find an old windmill that was donated to the Travellers Rest by Keith Lynas and their family. It is in memory of his father Lance Corporal Arthur Falkner Lynas who was awarded a Military Cross for bravery during the First World War.
There are some nice views of the Avoca River here, including a flood marker. Charlton was flooded to record levels in January 2011. (Aussie Towns 2018)
At this point across the river you can view ‘The Big Fish’, a Kenya Broadbill Swordfish which is a memento of the 2006 Commonwealth Games.
The Charlton silo VK-CHN3 is located in Kaye Street. It is operated by GrainCorp. Charlton NW silo VK-CHW3 is located on the northern side of Borung Highway in the northwest area of Charlton.
In 1876 a mill was built on the banks of the Avoca River by Mr. W.E. Foreman. (Victorian Collections, 2025)
Above:- Charlton Steam Power flour Mill. Image c/o Victorian Collections.
It was acquired by the Noske brothers in 1919. A replacement mill was construced by the Noske’s and was opened on May 1927. By the 1970s it had been taken over by the Grain Elevator Board in the 1970s. (Victorian Collections, 2025)
Above:- Article from The Australasian, Sat 2 Jul 1927. Image c/o Trove
Marija and I parked at Travellers Rest in the activation zone of both silos. We 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 zones of the two silos in Charlton. Image c/o SiOTA website.
The band conditions had not improved since our activation atDonald, and we just scraped by with three contacts each, qualifying the silos.
Marija worked the following stations on 40m SSB:-
VK1CHW/p (VKFF-3842)
VK3APJ
VK5NOU
I worked the following stations on 40m SSB-
VK1CHW/p (VKFF-3842)
VK3APJ
VK5NOU
We left Charlton and headed to Bendigo about 106 km to the southeast. Along the way we stopped briefly at the Woosang cemetery which contains a number of historical graves.
We continued along the Calder Highway and soon reached the town of Wedderburn, about 70 km northwest of Bendigo. Gold was first discovered at Wedderburn in 1852. It was one of the most northwesterly goldfields from Melbourne. It is believed that Wedderburn is named after William Wedderburn who served on the goldfields in the Mounted Police. (Victorianplaces.com.au, 2015)
Wedderburn contains the ‘Birds Eye View’ murals. There are five large murals painted throughout the town that feature different bird species native to the district.
After looking at the impressive murals, we drove up to the site of the old Wdderburn god battery. It was opened in June 1905 and was known as ‘New Hope’.
Our next stop was the Wedderburn War Memorial located in Soldier’s Memorial Park at the corner of High and Chapel Streets.
The park also features a monument to Captain Albert Jacka who was awarded the Victoria Cross. He was the first Australian in the war to earn the honour.
Below is an excellent video on Albert Jacka.
There is also a monument for Liutenant Albert Chalmers Borella, another Victoria Cross recipient.
Below is a video on the life of Albert Borella.
Marija and I then visited Nancy Stokes Cottage built during the 1930s by Nancy Stokes and 11-year-old Brce Robertson, following the death of Nancy’s husband. Nancy continued to live in the little cottage until 1979. She passed away in 1982 at age 93. (Raftis 2023)
Nancy continued to live in the little cottage until 1979. She passed away in 1982 at age 93. (Raftis 2023)
We then visited the headstone of Thomas Whyte, a miner who arrived in Melbourne in 1859. He initially was a shopkeeper in Collins Street He wrote letters to his family in Edinburgh advising that his business was suffering due to the exodus of people to the goldfields. Thomas in turn travelled to Wedderburn and died on the 21st day of July 1855.
Our final stop before reaching Bendigo was the Major Mitchell monument on the Calder Highway, about 5 km south of Wedderburn. Mitchell passed this location on the 7th day of July 1836.
We then drove into Bendigo and booked into our accomodation at the Quality Hotel Lakeside.
That evening we enjoyed a very nice meal at the hotel before heading back to the motel room for some preparation for the 2024 VKFF National Get Together.
VK5PAS 