VK5PAS
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Myponga Conservation Park 5CP-157 and VKFF-0921
Posted: 01 Dec 2020 03:43 PM PST
https://vk5pas.org/2020/12/01/mypong...d-vkff-0921-4/
Our first park for day two of the 2020 VKFF Activation Weekend was the
Myponga Conservation Park 5CP-157 & VKFF-0921. The park is located about
60 km south of Adelaide, and about 10 km south of the town of Myponga on
the Fleurieu Peninsula.
Above:- Map showing the location of the Myponga Conservation Park. Map
courtesy of Protected Planet.
Myponga Conservation Park is 167 hectares in size. It was formerly known
as the Myponga National Park and was proclaimed on the 24th February 1972.
On the 27th April 1972, the national park was reconstituted under the
National Parks and Wildlife Act 1972 as the Myponga Conservation Park.Â*
The park is situated in hilly terrain and is substantially undisturbed. It
is one of my favourite parks. The famous Heysen Trail passes through the
park. The Heysen Trail is a 1,200 km long hiking trail which extends from
Cape Jervis on the southern tip of the Fleurieu Peninsula, up to Parachilna
Gorge in the Flinders Ranges.
Above:- An aerial view of the Myponga Conservation Park. Image courtesy of
Protected Planet.
Myponga Conservation Park is located in close proximity to the little town
of Myponga which has a small population of about 750 people. The area
surrounding Myponga is rich grazing and dairy country. The town of Myponga
was officially laid out in 1939, fairly recent times. However, European
settlement in the area dates back to the 1850s.
The Kaurna aboriginal name for the area is Miapungga meaning high cliffs.
The town of Myponga backs onto the Myponga Reservoir which has a capacity
of 27.6 gigalitres.
Above:- An aerial view of the Myponga Conservation Park, looking north back
towards Adelaide. Image courtesy of Google maps
There are several vegetation habitats in the park. Plant species include
Messmate Stringybark, Cup Gum, Prickly tea-tree, Heath tea-tree, Pink Gum,
Cranberry heath, and Common fringe-myrtle.
Various native mammals can be found in the park including the locally
endangered Short-nosed bandicoot.Â*
Birds SA have recorded a total of 68 species of bird in the park including
Crescent Honeyeater, New Holland Honeyeater, Australian Golden Whistler,
Scarlet Robin, Grey Shrikethrush, Red Wattlebird, Magpielark, Jacky Winter,
and Hooded Robin.
The only way to access the park (by vehicle) is via James Track. Keep an
eye out for the gate which has the name of the park next to it. This track
takes you to the park. Please remember to shut the gate. This is a shared
track for pedestrians and is part of the Heysen Trail, so please drive
carefully.
The track is okay to get you to the park. If however you want to get to
the end of the track and enjoy some of the views, I would recommend a 4WD.
There are some magnificent views to be enjoyed of the surrounding
countryside as you travel along the track.
And some equally beautiful views of the park itself and its deep gorges.
We set up in close proximity to the park sign. We made sure that we were
set up off the track. There was plenty of room to stretch out the
20/40/80m linked dipole. We ran the Yaesu FT-857d for this activation.
I kicked off the activation, calling CQ on 7.120. We could not get a
frequency higher up the band as the Sunday morning broadcasts for the
Wireless Institute of Australia were in full swing. It took about 5
minutes of CQ calls before my first taker, Rex VK3OF.
This was followed by a Park to Park with Gerard VK2IO/p in the Snow Gum
Flora Reserve VKFF-3096. This was followed by Rob VK2VH/VK4AAC, and then
Brian VK2CCP.
But we then had a gap of about 5 minutes without any callers. The 40m band
appeared to be in very poor condition.
I had just 5 contacts in the log and decided to get Marija on the mic.
Marijas first taker to her CQ call was Rob VK2VH/VK4AAC, followed by Peter
VK3PF/p who was activating the Traralgon South Flora Reserve VKFF-2465.
It was really slow going and Marija and I had doubts that we would get 10
contacts, yet alone 44 to qualify the park for the global World Wide Flora
Fauna program. We decided that we would get our 10 contacts and qualify
the park for VKFF and then move on to another park.
But fortunately for us we were called by a number of other stations to get
us both over the line with 10 QSOs. The UTC rollover helped us, with some
stations calling back for a contact with us for a new UTC day. We logged a
total of 30 stations on 40m including a further three Park to Park
contacts..
Gerard VK2IO/p Snow Gum Flora Reserve VKFF-3096Malcolm VK3OAK/p Kulwin
Flora & Fauna Reserve VKFF-2353Peter VK3PF/p Traralgon South Flora Reserve
VKFF-2465
Marija and saw a spot on parksnpeaks for Ian VK5CZ/p in a park on 80m. So
we lowered the squid pole and inserted the links for the 80m band. We
logged Ian VK5CZ/p, Gordon VK5GY/p, Hugh VK5NHG/p, John VK5MJC/p, and Ian
VK5IS/p who were all in the Wirrabara Range Conservation Park VKFF-2252
with a big signal.
After working Ian and the crew, we moved down the band to 3.610 where we
logged a total of 6 further stations including 2 further Park to Park
contacts with..
Malcolm VK3OAK/p Kulwin Flora & Fauna Reserve VKFF-2353Adam VK2YK/5
Cromer Conservation Park VKFF-0779
Things were starting to look up and we decided to stay and try to press on
and get our 44 contacts. We quickly moved back to 40m to get another Park
to Park contact in the log, this time with Peter VK3TKK/p who was
activating the Mount Fyans Wildlife Reserve VKFF-2398. We then moved back
to 80m and logged a further 2 stations, Sue VK5AYL and John VK5BJE.
I then tried the 20m band and had some success there with 12 contacts into
VK2, VK3, VK4, including the following Park to Park contacts..
Peter VK3PF/p Traralgon South Flora Reserve VKFF-2465 Gerard VK2IO/p Snow
Gum Flora Reserve VKFF-3096Adam VK2YK/5 Cromer Conservation Park VKFF-0779
The 20m band was open to Victoria (VK3) with four VK3 stations logged,
which made me think that the 15m band may be open.
We then moved back to 40m where we logged a further including the following
Park to Park contacts
Bryan VK3LF/p -Swee****er Creek Nature Conservation Reserve VKFF-2200Adam
VK2YK/5 Cromer Conservation Park VKFF-0779Mike VK6MB/p Bartram Nature
Reserve VKFF-2788Brett VK3MCA/p Walmer South Nature Conservation
ReserveVKFF-2221
We then took down the linked dipole and put up the 15m dipole and we are so
pleased that we did. The 15m band was fantastic with 27 contacts made
there into VK2, VK3, VK4, VK5 VK6, and VK8. This included a contact with
Stuart VK8NSB in Darwin and the following Park to Park contacts
Mike VK6MB/p Bartram Nature Reserve VKFF-2788Allen VK3ARH/p Murray Valley
Regional Park VKFF-1785Tony VK3YV/p Bull Beef Creek Nature Conservation
Reserve VKFF-2055
To finish off the activation we moved back to the 40m band and logged a
further 21 stations including the following Park to Park contacts
Allen VK3ARH/p Murray Valley Regional Park VKFF-1785Allen VK3HRA/p Murray
Valley Regional Park VKFF-1785Peter VK3TKK/p Cobra Killuc Wildlife Reserve
VKFF-2294Gerard VK2IO/p Birds Rock Flora Reserve VKFF-3045Peter VK3PF/p
Traralgon South Flora & Fauna Reserve VKFF-2464Adam VK2YK/5 Wiljani
Conservation Park VKFF-1159
It was now just past 1.30 p.m. local time and we decided to pack up and
head to our next park, the Nixon Skinner Conservation Park.
We had both qualified the park for VKFF and WWFF, with a total of 126
contacts in the log including 53 Park to Park contacts.
I had made a total of 77 contacts and Marija hd made 49 contacts.
This activation proved to us that patience and perseverance in park
activating in crucial. And it also pays to be band agile. Dont call it
quits if the band isnt great for 10 minutes and give as many bands a go as
possible. You might be pleasantly surprised. We certainly were.
Marija worked the following stations on 40m SSB before the UTC rollover
VK2IO/p (Snow Gum Flora Reserve VKFF-3096)VK2VHVK4AACVK3PF/p (Traralgon
South Flora Reserve VKFF-2465)VK2DG
Marija worked the following stations on 40m after the UTC rollover
VK4FDJLVK2VHVK4AACVK2EXAVK2IO/p (Snow Gum Flora Reserve
VKFF-3096)VK2LXVK3OAK/p (Kulwin Flora & Fauna Reserve
VKFF-2353)VK3PFVK3PTVK3TKK/p (Mount Fyans Wildlife Reserve
VKFF-2398)VK3LF/p (Swee****er Creek Nature Conservation Reserve
VKFF-2200)VK2YK/5 (Cromer Conservation Park VKFF-0779)VK6MB/p (Bartram
Nature Reserve VKFF-2788)VK3MCA/p (Walmer South Nature Conservation
ReserveVKFF-2221)VK3ARH/p (Murray Valley Regional Park VKFF-1785)VK3HRA/p
(Murray Valley Regional Park VKFF-1785)VK3TKK/p (Cobra Killuc Wildlife
Reserve VKFF-2294)VK2IO/p (Birds Rock Flora Reserve VKFF-3045)VK3PF/p
(Traralgon South Flora & Fauna Reserve VKFF-2464)VK7RGVK5DWVK5AYLVK2YK/5
(Wiljani Conservation Park VKFF-1159)VK5KLVVK3IOVK5PETVK5FAAHVK5FBICVK5KVA
Marija worked the following stations on 80m SSB:-
VK5IS/p (Wirrabara Range Conservation Park VKFF-2252)VK5CZ/p (Wirrabara
Range Conservation Park VKFF-2252)VK5MJC/p (Wirrabara Range Conservation
Park VKFF-2252)VK5GY/p (Wirrabara Range Conservation Park
VKFF-2252)VK3OAK/p (Kulwin Flora & Fauna Reserve VKFF-2353)VK2YK/5 (Cromer
Conservation Park VKFF-0779)
Marija worked the following stations on 15m SSB:-
VK6MB/p (Bartram Nature Reserve VKFF-2788)VK3ARH/p (Murray Valley Regional
Park VKFF-1785)VK4VCEVK3YV/p (Bull Beef Creek Nature Conservation Reserve
VKFF-2055)VK2FGZAVK8NSBVK4FDJLVK4SMAVK6TDF
I worked the following stations on 40m SSB before the UTC rollover
VK3OFVK2IO/p (Snow Gum Flora Reserve VKFF-3096)VK2VHVK4AACVK2CCPVK3PF/p
(Traralgon South Flora Reserve VKFF-2465)
I worked the following stations on 40m SSB after the UTC rollover.
VK2IO/p (Snow Gum Flora Reserve VKFF-3096)VK3OAK/p (Kulwin Flora & Fauna
Reserve VKFF-2353)VK3PF/p (Traralgon South Flora Reserve
VKFF-2465)VK3PTVK2VHVK4AACVK3MPRVK5KLVVK2DGVK2MOPVK3TKK/p (Mount Fyans
Wildlife Reserve VKFF-2398)VK3LF/p (Swee****er Creek Nature Conservation
Reserve VKFF-2200)VK2VWVK2HFIVK2YK/5 (Cromer Conservation Park
VKFF-0779)VK5VGCVK3ARHVK6MB/p (Bartram Nature Reserve
VKFF-2788)VK5DWVK5LAVK5FBICVK3UCDVK5FLKJVK3MCA/p (Walmer South Nature
Conservation ReserveVKFF-2221)VK5VBRVK3HRA/p (Murray Valley Regional Park
VKFF-1785)VK3ARH/p (Murray Valley Regional Park VKFF-1785)VK3TKK/p (Cobra
Killuc Wildlife Reserve VKFF-2294)VK2IO/p (Birds Rock Flora
ReserveÂ*VKFF-3045)VK3PF/p (Traralgon South Flora & Fauna Reserve
VKFF-2464)VK2YK/5 (Wiljani Conservation Park VKFF-1159)
I worked the following stations on 80m SSB:-
VK5CZ/p (Wirrabara Range Conservation Park VKFF-2252)VK5GY/p (Wirrabara
Range Conservation Park VKFF-2252)VK5NHG/p (Wirrabara Range Conservation
Park VKFF-2252)VK5MJC/p (Wirrabara Range Conservation Park
VKFF-2252)VK5IS/p (Wirrabara Range Conservation Park
VKFF-2252)VK5BJFVK5FANAVK3OAK/p (Kulwin Flora & Fauna Reserve
VKFF-2353)VK2YK/5 (Cromer Conservation Park VKFF-0779)VK5AYLVK5BJE
I worked the following stations on 20m SSB:-
VK3PF/p (Traralgon South Flora Reserve VKFF-2465)VK2IO/p (Snow Gum Flora
Reserve VKFF-3096)VK4NHVK4DXAZL4TY/VK4VK2KYOVK3SQVK3EJVK2YK/5 (Cromer
Conservation Park VKFF-0779)VK3IDMVK4BXXVK4/NN3Z
I worked the following stations on 15m SSB:-
VK6MB/p (Bartram Nature Reserve
VKFF-2788)VK2FGZAVK4NHVK4DXAZL4TY/VK4VK4BXXVK4/NN3ZVK4SMAVK4FDJLVK6FNLWVK2PAAVK3ARH/p
(Murray Valley Regional Park VKFF-1785)VK4HATVK4VCEVK5STUVK3YV/p (Bull Beef
Creek Nature Conservation Reserve VKFF-2055)VK8NSB
References.
Birds SA, 2020,
https://birdssa.asn.au/location/myponga-conservation-park/, viewed 1st
December 2020.
Friends of Heysen, 2020, https://heysentrail.asn.au/, viewed 1st December
2020
SA Water, 2020,
https://www.sawater.com.au/water-and-the-environment/south-australias-water-sources/reservoir-data/myponga-reservoir,
viewed 1st December 2020.
Wikipedia, 2020, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Myponga,_South_Australia,
viewed 1st December 2020.