After leaving the Tiega I80 Bushland Reserve on Thursday 22nd August 2024, I headed south to my next park activation, the Carters Tank Bushland Reserve VKFF-4198.
The reserve is about 15 km west of Ouyen in northwest Victoria.
Above:- Map showing the location of Carters Tank Bushland Reserve. Map c/o Google Maps.
The reserve is located at the intersection of Lodwick Road and Weston Road.
Above:- An aerial view of Carters Tank Bushland Reserve. Image c/o Google Earth.
The reserve is about 79 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.
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:-
VK3MTT
VK5WU
VK3SQ
VK2BD
VK3VIN
VK1DI
VK5MAZ
VK2HRX/P (SOTA VK7/ SC-001)
VK5IS
VK3WSG
VK3CEO
VK3KRL
VK5ADB
VK3CA
VK3HM
VK2EXA
VK2IO
VK2GEZ
VK3PF
VK5GY
VK3EJ
VK3BAP
VK3ANL
VK3APJ
VK2YW
VK2VW
VK2HFI
VK2AKA
VK2BUG
VK4HNS
VK1AAF
I worked the following stations on 20m SSB:-
VK4EMP
VK4TI
VK4GKO
VK4HNS
VK1DI
VK1AD/P 9VKFF-0845)
VK2VW
VK2HFI
VK2AKA
VK2BUG
VK1ARQ
VK6LK
VK6LMK
VK2HRX/P (SOTA VK7/ SC-001)
At the conclusion of the activation I paid a quick visit to the Ouyen cemetery.
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:-
F1BLL
KG5CIK
KC0IJN
VK5QA
Vk3CLD
VK2DBF
VK3SX
OH1MM
Vk4HNS
OH2CGU
F5NZO
F8DZU
K7CTV
VE2JC
VK2IO
VK2GEZ
ZL1HIM
G4MAP
SQ9FMC
VK4SMA
PA5WK
IZ4EFP
YO3AEK
IK1GPG
ON4BB
EW1TZ
IK3HMB
SQ9CWO
S58AL
ON1JU
VK2VW
VKK2HFI
VK2AKA
VK2BUG
M7CBI
S52KM
ON4VT
F4DSK
DM2KP
OH5EP
ON7LO
Vk3TKK/p (Drouin West G83 Bushland Reserve VKFF-4298)
DL2ND
IW1DAL
PD2BA
OP7M
I worked the following stations on 40m SSB:-
VK4EMP
VK4TI
VK4GKO
VK3PF
VK3SQ
VK2BD
VK2EXA
VK5FANA
VK5TUX
VK3CA
VK3HJW
VK5PL
VK3EJ
VK2IO
VK2GEZ
VK2KYO
VK3ALF
VK5VK
VK2YAK
VK4YAK
Vk4FDJL
VK4WAB
VK3MTT
VK5JK
VK3TKK/p (Drouin West G83 Bushland Reserve VKFF-4298)
VK5WU
VK3CJN
VK3QHU
VK1DI
VK3CEO
VK4HNS
VK3APJ
VK7PJM
VK2TM
VK5PCM
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.
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.
VK5PAS 