VK5PAS
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Nixon Skinner Conservation Park 5CP-165 and VKFF-0923
Posted: 07 Dec 2020 07:23 PM PST
https://vk5pas.org/2020/12/08/nixon-...d-vkff-0923-2/
Our fourth and final park for the 2020 VKFF Activation Weekend was the
Nixon Skinner Conservation Park 5CP-165 & VKFF-0923, which is located about
60 km south of Adelaide and about 4 km south of the town of Myponga.
Above:- Map showing the location of the Nixon Skinner Conservation Park.
Map courtesy of Protected Planet.
Nixon Skinner Conservation Park is a small park comprising just 8 hectares,
but it is a very picturesque park. The park backs onto the Myponga
Reservoir and is located adjacent to Main South Road (the main road between
Myponga and Yankalilla). There are no signs from the road to indicate the
park. There is a small area to park your car, but be careful turning in as
Main South Road can be quite busy with the speed limit being 100kph.
Above:- An aerial view of the Nixon Skinner CP looking north towards the
city of Adelaide. Image c/o Google maps.
The land which became the Nixon Skinner Conservation Park was donated in
1948 by Mrs. Lucy Page of Wattle Flat, to the Field Naturalists Society of
South Australia, for use as a natural history reserve.
Above:- from The Advertiser, Sat 16th October 1948. c/o Trove
Mrs. Lucy Eleanor Page nee Nixon (b. 1870. d. 1960) was a long standing and
active member of the Field Naturalists Society of South Australia. Mrs.
Page lived in the locality for about 60 years.
Above:- Lucy Eleanor Page nee Nixon. Image c/o Ancestry.com.au
The land was subsequently bestowed to the National Parks and Wildlife
Reserves Commission as the Nixon Skinner Reserve. However the actual land
transfer did not occur until the 12th day of April 1961 following the death
of Mrs. Page on the 22nd June 1960.
Above:- Article from the Victor Harbour Times, Fri 12 Aug 1960. c/o Trove
On the 9th day of November 1967 the park was declared the Nixon Skinner
National Parks Reserve. On the 27th day of April 1972 it was re-proclaimed
as the Nixon Skinner Conservation Park
Above:- from The South Australian Government Gazette, 9th November 1967.
The park was named in honour of the grandfathers of Mrs. Page; Thomas
Skinner (b. 1814. d. 1902) and William Millington Nixon (b. 1814. d.
1893).
Thomas William Skinner was born on 2nd September 1822 in Robertsbridge,
Sussex, England. Thomas emigrated to Australia in 1854 aboard the
Ostrich. He died on the 2nd April 1902 in Yankalilla.
William Millington Nixon was born on 1st August 1814 in Birmingham,
England. He arrived in Melbourne in 1855 aboard the Champion of the Seas.
He then transferred to the ship Havilah and sailed to Adelaide. He lived
in the Yankalilla area in 1866.
Above:- William Millington Nixon. Image c/o State Library of South
Australia [B 64201/13].
The land was the first privately donated reserve to be established in South
Australia for the preservation in peerpetuity of native plants and animals
and for the enjoyment of nature lovers.
In 1980 a plaque was erected in the park by the Field Naturalists Society
of South Australia Incorporated. The plaque was unveiled on the 24th day
of February 1980, by the Hon. David Wotton, Esq, M.P. Minister of
Environment. About 60 people were in attendance, including Mrs. Pages
three surviving daughters.
Above:- The plaque in the park.
At the official unveiling of the plaque, Mr. Wotton said:
this beautiful Myponga area showed that she (Lucy Page) had a far sighted
and truly conservationist attitude.
Above:- Newspaper article from the Victor Harbour Times, Wed 27th Feb 1980
There is a very easy, but enjoyable walk in the park. It is a distance of
about 1.3 km and is about 30 minutes return. The walk concludes at Gate 26
of the reservoir. More information can be found on the Walking SA website
at..
Short walk in Nixon-Skinner Conservation Park
The park consists of Messmate Stringybark, Pink Gum, River Red Gum, Erect
Guinea-flower, Heath Tea-tree, Myrtle Wattle, Golden Wattle, South
Australian Blue Gum, Silver Banksia, Cross-leaved Honey-myrtle, and Silky
Tea-tree.
There are some spectacular views to be enjoyed in the park of the adjoining
Myponga Reservoir.
The video below shows the Nixon Skinner Conservation Park and the Myponga
Reservoir from the air (via drone).
Birds SA have recorded a total of 81 species of bird in the park
including :auhing Kookaburra, White-throated Treecreeper, Superb Fairywren,
Crescent Honeyeater, Brown Thornbill, Grey Shrikethrush, Scarlet Robin,
Musk Lorikeet, Willie Wagtail, Restless Flycatcher, Rufous Whistler, and
Black-capped Sittella.
Below you can see some photos I took during my time in the park.
The park is home to a number of native mammals, including numerous Western
Grey kangaroos. We certainly saw a lot in the park during our visit.
The park was also alive with butterflies.
Marija and I kicked off the activation by calling CQ on 7.144. Mike VK3ZMD
was first in my log, followed by Joseph VK3HJJ, and then Joe VK3YSP. I
logged a total of 22 stations before callers slowed down. This included 8
Park to Park contacts who Marija also logged.
Tony VK3YV/p Bull Beef Creek Nature Conservation Reserve VKFF-2055Peter
VK3PF/p Traralgon South Flora & Fauna Reserve VKFF-2464Malcolm VK3OAK/p
Annuello Flora & Fauna Reserve VKFF-2255Adam VK2YK/5 Wiljani Conservation
Park VKFF-1159Bryan VK3LF/p Bull Beef Creek Nature Conservation Reserve
VKFF-2055Brett VK3MCA/p Muckleford Nature Conservation Reserve
VKFF-2160Adam VK2YK/5 Little Mount Crawford Native Forest Reserve
VKFF-2884Gerard VK2IO/p Birds Rock Flora Reserve VKFF-3045
I then swapped the mic with Marija who logged a total of 29 stations from
VK2, VK3, VK4, and VK5. There was a little bit of close in propagation
with VK5 stations logged at nearby Willunga, up to Port Augusta about 300
km to the north of us, and down to Millicent about 350 km to the
south-east. We were also very pleased to log Adam VK2YK/5 who was
activating the Little Mount Crawford Native Forest Reserve.
I then got back into the mic to hopefully get my 44 QSOs to qualify the
park for the global WWFF program. I logged a further 19 stations and now
had 41 contacts in the log, just 3 short of my 44. I then moved to the 20m
band where I logged a total of 8 stations from VK2, VK3, VK4, and New
Zealand. I was very pleased to log Peter ZL1PWM and Andrei ZL1TM. I also
logged Tony VK3YV/p who was in the Bull Beef Creek Nature Conservation
Reserve VKFF-2055. Contact number 44 for me was a QSO with Geoff VK3SQ at
Beechworth in north-east Victoria.
We then took down the linked dipole and put up the 15m dipole. We were
hoping for some contacts on that band, which had performed well at our last
activation. We were not disappointed, logging a total of 14 stations on
15m from VK2, VK3, VK4. This included another Park to Park contact with
Tony VK3YV/p in the Bull Beef Creek Nature Conservation Reserve VKFF-2055.
We headed back to the 40m band to pick up another Park to Park contact,
this time with Peter VK3ZPF/p who was in the Kurth Kiln Regional Park
VKFF-0971.
We then saw some spots pop up on parksnpeaks for some of the Western
Australian park activators, so it was back to that band where I logged the
following Park to Park contacts:-
Mike VK6MB/p Wills Nature Reserve VKFF-2852Hans VK6XN/p Kings Park
Botanic Garden VKFF-2980
I had well and truly qualified the park for both WWFF and VKFF, while
Marija had 43 contacts in the log. So we moved back to 40m where Marija
logged 8 further stations including the following Park to Park contacts:-
Chris VK1CT/p Muckleford Nature Conservation Reserve VKFF-0841Joseph
VK3HJJ/p Warby Ovens National Park VKFF-0742Mike VK6MB/p -Wills Nature
Reserve VKFF-2852Hans VK6XN/p Kings Park Botanic Garden VKFF-2980
We decided to have a quick listen on 80m and then pack up and go for a walk
through the park. We logged 6 stations on 80m including another Park to
Park with Peter VK3TKK/p in the Kurth Kiln Regional Park VKFF-0971.
We were about to pack up when Marija saw a spot on parksnpeaks to advise
that Gerard VK2IO would soon be on a SOTA summit. So we decided to wait
around for a while with the hope of logging Gerard, which we did, from the
top of SOTA VK2/ CT-043.
We then packed up and went for a walk through the park. Between the two of
us, we had 117 contacts in our log. Marija had 52 QSOs in the log. I had
65 QSOs in the log. This included 32 Park to Park contacts.
Marija worked the following stations on 40m SSB:-
VK3YV/p (Bull Beef Creek Nature Conservation Reserve VKFF-2055)VK3PF/p
(Traralgon South Flora & Fauna Reserve VKFF-2464)VK3OAK/p (Annuello Flora &
Fauna Reserve VKFF-2255)VK2YK/5 (Wiljani Conservation Park
VKFF-1159)VK3LF/p (Bull Beef Creek Nature Conservation Reserve
VKFF-2055)VK3MCA/p (Muckleford Nature Conservation Reserve
VKFF-2160)VK3ARH/mVK3SQVK3DJCVK4FDJLVK2VWVK2HFIVK4NHVK4DXAZL4TY/VK4VK3UCDVK2HRXVK3PWGVK2LXVK3HJJVK5KVAVK5KLVVK2VHV K4AACVK3CRGVK5VSTVK3ANLVK3PTVK2YK/5
(Little Mount Crawford Native Forest Reserve VKFF-2884)VK2IO/p (Birds Rock
Flora Reserve VKFF-3045)VK3ZPF/p (Kurth Kiln Regional Park
VKFF-0971)VK1CT/p (Muckleford Nature Conservation Reserve
VKFF-0841)VK3HJJ/p (Warby Ovens National Park VKFF-0742)VK6MB/p (Wills
Nature Reserve VKFF-2852)VK3PIVK3MPRVK4SMAVK2DGVK6XN/p (Kings Park Botanic
Garden VKFF-2980)VK2IO/p (SOTA VK2/ CT-043)
Marija worked the following stations on 15m SSB:-
VK3YV/p (Bull Beef Creek Nature Conservation Reserve
VKFF-2055)VK4NHVK4DXAZL4TY/VK4VK2OZIVK2FPARVK2FAPCVK2PAAVK4SMAVK3PFVK3KAI
Marija worked the following station on 80m SSB:-
VK3ZPF/p (Kurth Kiln Regional Park VKFF-0971)
I worked the following stations on 40m SSB:-
VK3ZMDVK3HJJVK3YSPVK3XVVK3FOWLVK4NHVK4DXAZL4TY/VK4VK3YV/p (Bull Beef Creek
Nature Conservation Reserve VKFF-2055)VK2VWVK2HFIVK3PF/p (Traralgon South
Flora & Fauna Reserve VKFF-2464)VK3OAK/p (Annuello Flora & Fauna Reserve
VKFF-2255)VK2YK/5 (Wiljani Conservation Park VKFF-1159)VK3LF/p (Bull Beef
Creek Nature Conservation Reserve
VKFF-2055)VK5LBVK3BBBVK2CCPVK3OFVK2ACRVK3MCA/p (Muckleford Nature
Conservation Reserve VKFF-2160)VK4FDJLVK2YK/5 (Little Mount Crawford Native
Forest Reserve VKFF-2884)VK3EJVK3CRGVK2IO/p (Birds Rock Flora Reserve
VKFF-3045)VK2VHVk4AACVK5KLVVK5LAVK2DGVK3CWFVK3NBLVK8GM/3VK7LAGVK5DWVK3SQVK3ZKVK3YSP/mVK3ANLVK2LXVK3ZPF/p
(Kurth Kiln Regional Park VKFF-0971)VK1CT/p (Muckleford Nature Conservation
Reserve VKFF-0841)VK3HJJ/p (Warby Ovens National Park VKFF-0742)VK6MB/p
(Wills Nature Reserve VKFF-2852)VK6XN/p (Kings Park Botanic Garden
VKFF-2980)VK2IO/p (SOTA VK2/ CT-043)
I worked the following stations on 20m SSB:-
ZL1PWMZL1TMVK3SQVK2LXVK4NHVK4DXAZL4TY/VK4VK3YV/p (Bull Beef Creek Nature
Conservation Reserve VKFF-2055)VK6MB/p (Wills Nature Reserve
VKFF-2852)VK6XN/p (Kings Park Botanic Garden VKFF-2980)
I worked the following stations on 15m SSB:-
VK3SQVK3YV/p (Bull Beef Creek Nature Conservation Reserve VKFF-2055)
I worked the following stations on 80m SSB:-
VK5PETVK5AYLVK2DGVK3ZPF/p (Kurth Kiln Regional Park VKFF-0971)VK5DWVK2IO/p
(SOTA VK2/ CT-043)
Marija and I packed up and we headed to the Mount Compass Tavern where we
stopped in for a meal and some liquid refreshment. It was a beautiful meal.
A BIG THANKS to all of the Activators and Hunters who took part in the 2020
VKFF Activation Weekend.
References.
ancestry.com.au, 2020, https://www.ancestry.com.au/, viewed 8th December
2020.
Birds SA, 2020,
https://birdssa.asn.au/location/nixon-skinner-conservation-park/, viewed
8th December 2020.
Design & Art Australia Online, 2020,
https://www.daao.org.au/bio/william-millington-nixon/, viewed 8th
December 2020.
Walking SA, 2020,
https://www.walkingsa.org.au/walk/find-a-place-to-walk/short-walk-in-nixon-skinner-conservation-park-myponga/,
viewed 8th December 2020.
Wikipedia, 2020,
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nixon-Skinner_Conservation_Park, viewed 8th
December 2020.