My latest FT8 award certificates.
Thank you to all of the FT8 operators and the various Award Managers.






Next for the day (13th November 2023) was the Boinka Bushland Reserve VKFF-4163. This was to be the first time the park had been activated for the World Wide Flora Fauna (WWFF) program.
The reserve is located about 4 km east of Tutye and about 8 km west of Linga in northwest Victoria.
Above:- Map showing the location of the Boinka Bushland Reserve. Map c/o Google Maps.
Boinka is a small town and locality in north-western Victoria. Boinka is pronounced bow-in-ka. (Kow Plains 2024). The name Boinka means “flat black beetle” in the language of the indigenous people of Lake Hindmarsh (Hartmann).
The locality of Boinka stretches all the way from the Murray Sunset National Park in the north to the Wyperfeld National Park in the south.
Above:- Map of the locality of Boinka. Image c/o maps.land.vic.gov.au
European settlers commenced arriving in the Boinka district in 1911. This included Murdock McDonald who was one of the first settlers. He camped on his allocated block at Campbell’s tank which was situated under a stand of Mallee Black-box. (Ballinger 2012)
Above:- The Parish of Boinka, c. 1921. Image c/o National Library of Australia
The Boinka town bore was sunk in 1910, tapping into artesian water that rose above ground level. (Ballinger 2012) The first store opened in a tent. It was operated by J. Kay who sold groceries. That same year in 1912, Boinka township allotments were sold. The average price per block at Boinka was £48.45. (Mallee Highway 2024)
The Post Office was opened on the 15th day of July 1912 and this closed in 1975. (Phoenix 2024) Over the next few years, Boinka had a plumber, a coffee palace, a draper, a butcher, a grocery, blacksmiths, a boarding house, a Bank of Victoria, and a saddler. (Victorian Places 2024) (Ballinger 2012) In 1913 a public hall was constructed. (Victorian Places 2024) By the early 1920s, a Presbyterian church was established. The town also had a sports ground and tennis courts. (Ballinger 2012)
In 1912 the railway was opened to Boinka. The Boinka railway station opened on the 25th day of June 1912 and closed on the 1st day of November 1968. (TrainsandTrams 2024)
Above:- Filling tanks from the main water tank of the Boinka water supply, c. 1925. Image c/o Museums Victoria.
The former State School No 3800 is now the Boinka Community Centre. The school was opened on the 14th day of July 1913, following representation from 13 parents to the District Inspector Hurley. The first lessons at Boinka were held in an old coffee palace, which was a pine and canvas building with an iron roof. The Head Teacher at Boinka was Robert Currie. He had a total of 23 pupils. The school moved to the public hall in 1913, and at that time had a total of 34 pupils. In 1973 the school moved to a single-room building, that is today used by the Boinka community for meetings and functions. The school building is listed as a part of Heritage Victoria. (Victorian Heritage Database 2024) (Ballinger 2012)
Above:- Article from the Pinnaroo and Border Times, Fri 2 Oct 1914. Image c/o Trove.
Outlying schools were opened at Boinka West which operated between 1917-1921, and Boinka North which operated between 1926-1940. (Victorian Places 2024)
The Boinka Cemetery was first noted on the 14th day of July 1916 in meeting minutes for the Boinka Cemetery Trust. At that time burial charge rates were ten shillings for land for a single grave (8’X4′), fifteen shillings for land 8’X8′ and one pound for grave sinking. In March 1918, funds were obtained for a cemetery fence. The earliest recorded burial at the cemetery is of Lois Harrop in 1916. (Ballinger 2012)
Limestone is widely found in the Boinka district and was used in the construction of several houses in the district. There is a surviving limestone fence that was built in c. 1920 by the land owner, Mr. M.O. Kelly. (Ballinger 2012)
By 1921, Boinka had a population of 242 people. (Victorian Places 2024)
Pale Myoporum is a native shrub of about 2 metres that is widely found in South Australia. In the late 1980s, a population of Pale Myoporum was found near Boinka. The plant is now listed in the Victorian Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act of 1988 as being one of only two places where Pale Myoporum is known to grow indigenously outside of South Australia. (Department of Sustainability and Environment 2003)
On our way to the reserve, we passed one of the many bores in the district.
The Boinka Bushland Reserve is about 79 hectares in size and was declared on the 1st day of May 1979 (CAPAD 2022).
The reserve is located on the northern side of Artesian Bore Road, near the junction of Ewins Road.



We ran the Yaesu FT857, 40 watts, and the 20/40/80m linked dipole for this activation. I used the special event callsign of VI10VKFF to celebrate the 10-year anniversary of the WWFF program in Australia.
Marija worked the following stations on 40m SSB:-
I worked the following stations on 40m SSB:-
I worked the following stations on 20m SSB:-
References.
During January 2024, the World Wide Award (WWA) was held. The purpose was to ‘promote friendship between amateur radio, and celebrating the 150th anniversary of the Marconi birth in 2024…’
A special award certificate was on offer. To obtain the WWA award, a minimum of 100 points was required. Below is my award certificate.
Below are the digital QSL cards that I received.



















































Our next park activation for Monday 13th November 2023 was the Underbool I71 Bushland Reserve VKFF-4168. This was the first time the park had been activated for the World Wide Flora Fauna (WWFF) program.
The park is located between Cowangie and Walpeup in northwest Victoria.
Above:- Map showing the location of the Underbool I71 Bushland Reserve. Map c/p Google Maps.
The reserve is about 15 hectares in size and was established on the 1st day of May 1979. (CAPAD 2022)
The reserve is located on the corner of Wisneske Road and Pink Lakes Road. It is a small piece of remnant mallee scrub that is surrounded by cleared farming land.



Marija worked the following stations on 40m SSB:-
I worked the following stations on 40m SSB:-
I worked the following stations on 20m SSB:-
References.
Our fourth activation for Monday 12th November 2023 was the Mamemgorook I236 Bushland Reserve VKFF-4172. This was the first activation of the park for the World Wide Flora Fauna (WWFF) program.
Above:- Map showing the location of the reserve in northwestern Victoria. Map c/o Google Maps.
The park is divided into two sections. The first is located on the eastern side of Pink Lakes Road. The larger section is located on the northern side of Chaves Plains Road.
Above:- An aerial view of the park showing its boundaries. Image c/o Google Earth.
Running off Chaves Plain Road is a dirt track. There is a sign which reads ‘Dry Weather Road Only’.


We followed this track for a few hundred metres and found another track that led into the park.
This was certainly not the most picturesque park I have ever visited. It was dry and baron, and the only sign of colour was the bright purple flowers of the Pig Face plants growing in the reserve.
The reserve is about 432 hectares in size and was established on the 8th day of May 1990.




We operated from the vehicle for this activation, running the Yaesu FT857, 40 watts, and the 20/40/80m linked dipole, supported by the 7-metre heavy-duty squid pole. I used the call of VI10VKFF.
Marija worked the following stations on 40m SSB:-
I worked the following stations on 40m SSB:-
I worked the following stations on 20m SSB:-
References.
Next for Monday 13th November 2023 was the Underbool I61 Bushland Reserve VKFF-4170. This was the first activation of the park for the World Wide Flora Fauna (WWFF) program.
Above:- Map showing the location of Underbool. Map c/o Google Maps.
The reserve is located on the southwestern corner of Purnya Road and Pink Lakes Road.
Above:- An aerial view of the reserve. Image c/o Google Earth.
The reserve is about 98 hectares in size and was established on the 1st day of May 1979. It is a piece of remnant mallee scrub surrounded by cleared farming land.


We decided to sit in the vehicle for this activation. It was a warm day so we had the windows down on the 4WD. The flies were relentless at this location so we donned our fly-netting hats.
We ran the Yaesu FT857, 40 watts, and the 20/40/80m linked dipole for this activation. I used the special event callsign of VI10VKFF to celebrate the 10-year anniversary of the VKFF program.
Marija worked the following stations on 40m SSB:-
I worked the following stations on 40m SSB:-
I worked the following stations on 20m SSB:-
References.
Our second activation for Monday 13th November 2023 was the Underbool I87 Bushland Reserve VKFF-4169. The reserve is located about 7 km northwest of the town of Underbool in northwest Victoria.
Above:- Map showing the location of Underbool. Map c/o Google Maps.
For detailed information on the history of Underbool, please see my previous post……..
Out in the Mallee, you encounter all sorts of things. Including grain tanks being transported from one property to another.
The farmers were also very busy out in their crops harvesting.
The Underbool I87 Bushland Reserve is about 67 hectares in size and was established on the 1st day of May 1979. (CAPAD 2022)
The reserve is located on the northern side of Harvey Road. There are 4WD tracks leading into the reserve.




We ran the Yaesu FT857, 40 watts, and the 20/40/80m linked dipole for this activation. I used the special event call of VI10VKFF to celebrate the 10 year anniversary of the VKFF program.
Marija worked the following stations on 40m SSB before the UTC rollover:-
Marija worked the following station on 40m SSB after the UTC rollover:-
I worked the following stations on 40m SSB:-
I worked the following stations on 40m SSB after the UTC rollover:-
I worked the following stations on 20m SSB before the UTC rollover:-
I worked the following stations on 20m SSB after the UTC rollover:-
References.
Our first activation for Monday 13th November 2023 was the Tutye Bushland Reserve VKFF-4162 and the Tutye silo VK-TTE3. Tutye is located halfway between Murrayville and Underbool in northwestern Victoria.
Tutye is a former town and locality in north-western Victoria. The old town is located on the Mallee Highway, about 12 km northwest of Cowangie and about 9 km southeast of Boinka.
Above:- the locality of Tutye. Image c/o maps.land.vic.gov.au
Tutye is an aboriginal word meaning rest. (Blake 1977)
Tutye was proclaimed a township in 1920 with the proclamation appearing in the Victorian Government Gazette on the 1st day of December 1920. The proclamation was partly rescinded on two occasions in November and December 1922, to exclude areas on the edge of the township as it was established that the town would be smaller than first thought. (Context 2013)
Above: Plan of the township of Tutye. Image c/o Trove.
Settlement in the area however dated before 1920. The area was first settled in about 1912. (Context 2013) The Tutye Post office was opened on the 15th day of July 1912. A regular mail service was provided by the opening of the railway line from Ouyen to Murrayville in June 1912. It was closed in 1980. (Phoenix 2024) The Tutye General Store opened in 1912, and the Tutye Hall was built in 1913. (Context 2013)
In 1920 a bore was sunk at Tutye. (Context 2013) In that same year, the Tutye State School was also opened. (1920 Tutye State School)
Above: Article from the Sunraysia Daily, Mildura, Fri 29 Oct 1920. Image c/o Trove
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Above:- part of an article from the Pinnaroo and Border Times, Fri 11 Jun 1920. Image c/o Trove.
In 1954 the Tutye Gypsum Factory commenced trading as Australian Plaster Industries. Gypsum was brought through Tutye by rail in 1953-1956. A minor industrial boom was planned. However, only two of the anticipated 50 houses were constructed. The factory’s main product was Plaster of Paris. A cookhouse was constructed near the factory which operated for three years. (Context 2013)
The only remaining structure from the township of Tutye is the remains of a house on Stock Route Road
The row of sugar gums on Stock Route Road marks the township site. They were planted in honour of those who served in World War One. (Context 2013)
The Tutye cemetery is located on Tyalla Road. The first recorded burial at the cemetery was in 1915. One of the earliest burials was that of Roland Hendy who died in 1915, aged just 16 years. Unfortunately, a fire in 1934 destroyed all of the Tutye cemetery records. (Context 2013)



Sadly very little remains today of what was once a thriving settlement.
The Tutye Bushland Reserve is about 232 hectares in size and was declared on the 1st day of May 1979. It comprises 22 different sections of land located on the northern and southern sides of the Mallee Highway. (CAPAD 2022)
The Parks Victoria website has a page for the reserve but contains no information other than a boundary map of the reserve.
Above:- The Tutye Bushland Reserve. Image c/o Google Earth.
The bushland reserve is a good example of remnant mallee scrub in northwestern Victoria. The reserve is surrounded by cleared farming land.



The Tutye silos were built in 1968. (Context 2013)
We operated on Old Stock Route Road within the silo activation zone.
Above:- the activation zone at the Tutye silo. Image c/o SiOTA website.
Marija made the following QSOs on 80m SSB:-
Marija made the following QSOs on 40m SSB:-
I made the following QSOs on 80m SSB:-
I made the following QSOs on 40m SSB:-
I worked the following stations on 20m SSB:-
References.
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