vk5pas

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Kattyoong Flora and Fauna Reserve VKFF-2346

Posted: 12 Nov 2019 02:02 AM PST
https://vk5pas.org/2019/11/12/kattyo...rve-vkff-2346/


It was now day two (Sunday 10th November 2019) of our trip to Victoria for
the 2019 KRMNPA Activation Weekend.Â* Our plan was to activate two Flora &
Fauna Reserves for WWFF, and then activate the Wyperfeld National Park for
the KRMNPA weekend.

Our first park for the day was the Kattyoong Flora and Fauna Reserve
VKFF-2346.Â* The park is located about 13 km north of the little town of
Torrita on the Mallee Highway in north-western Victoria.

This was the first time that the park had been activated.
Above:- Map showing the location of the Kattyoong Flora and Fauna Reserve
in north-western Victoria.Â* Map courtesy of Protected Planet.

After leaving the cabin at the caravan park we headed to the Cobb & Co Cafe
in Murrayville for some breakfast.Â* Whenever we are in the area we always
stop here.Â* It is good food and good coffee.Â* The owner is friendly and
coincidentally his two sons live in our home town of Mount Barker.
Above:- Marija enjoying some breakfast at the Cobb and Co Cafe at
Murrayville.

We left Murrayville after breakfast and headed east on the Mallee Highway.Â*
Our first stop was the little town of Cowangie.Â* If you are travelling
along the Mallee Highway, take the time to detour into this little town.Â*
Cowangie is the birthplace of motorsport legend Larry Perkins.Â* He is a
former racing driver and V8 Supercar team owner.



The Cowangie Post Office opened in July 1912 and was originally known as
Kow Plains until 1913.Â* The Post Office closed in 1994, and not much else
remains in Cowangie from its heyday.Â* The nearby Kopw Plains homestead is
well worth a visit.Â* However, we did not do that on this trip as we have
visited there previously.
Above:- an old shop in the main street of Cowangie.

One of the buildings worthwhile having a look at whilst in Cowangie is the
old Bush Nursing cottage.Â* At a meeting of the Cowangie Bush Nursing Centre
in August 1917, it was moved that a two-roomed stone cottage be erected so
the nurse could live in more comfort and afford privacy to patients.Â* The
cottage was completed in 1918.Â* The Cowangie Bush Nurse Centre ceased
operation in 1924.





Another interesting place is the Cowangie Bakery which opened in 1912.Â* The
bakery closed in 1952 and in 2001 was restored.






We left Cowangie and continued east on the Mallee Highway, stopping briefly
to have a look at the lone grave for a railway worker.Â* The grave which is
located in the middle of nowhere is marked on the Mallee Highway.





The highway was quite busy with trucks as this is the main highway between
Adelaide and Sydney.



We then stopped briefly at the small town of Underbool.Â* The town name is
thought to come from theÂ*GermanÂ*wordÂ*underboltÂ*given to it by surveyor Dr
Neumayer when he camped there in October 1861.Â* A post office opened on 15
July 1912 when a regular mail service was provided by the opening of the
railway from Ouyen toÂ*MurrayvilleÂ*a month earlier.Â* In 1913 a school and
public hall were built, while in 1917 a Bush Nursing Centre was
established.Â* By 1918 there were numerous stores and business in Underbool.



The Underbool Hotel was built in 1925 and boasted a large formal dining
room, public bar, pool room and accommodation.Â* Sadly it closed in December
2016.
Above:- The old Undeerbool Hotel.

There are a few things of interest in the town.Â* One of those being an old
mallee scrub roller which was made from a large steam engine boiler with a
heavy timber framework attached.Â* It was used to clear the mallee scrub and
was adapted to be used behind a crawler tractor.Â* It was in use until the
early 1960s.





The Pioneer and Early Settler Memorial is inÂ*honour of the pioneers of the
district.Â* There is also a replica of the train used by Sailor Salt Co. to
transport salt from Lake Becking to the Linga Railway Station in the 1920s.






You can also view Underbools police cells that were decommissioned in 2002.





We continued on to the little town of Torrita (dont blink, you will miss
it) and then turned left onto Stones Road and then right onto Cheesmans
Road and then left onto Cooke Road.Â* The park is located at the corner of
Cooke Road and Joyce Road.Â* It is not be confused with the Kattyoong
Bushland Reserve which is located nearby.
Above:- An aerial view of Kattyoong Flora & Fauna Reserve, with the
Kattyoong Bushland Reserve close by.Â* Image courtesy of Google maps

The Kattyoong Flora and Fauna Reserve is 39 acres in size and was
established in 1990.Â* It comprises typing mallee scrub.





During our visit to the park, we observed numerous Rainbow Bee Eaters.Â*
They areÂ* a strikingly brilliant bird.Â* Rainbow bee-eaters mostly eat
flying insects, but, as their name implies, they have a real taste forÂ*bees.



Marija and I could not find a suitable access point into the park on Cooke
Road.Â* We did, however, find a 4WD track leading into the park on Joyce
Road.Â* There was plenty of room to string out the 20/40/80m dipole antenna.
Above:- An aerial view of the Kattyoong Flora & Fauna Reserve showing our
operating spot.Â* Image courtesy of Protected Planet.

As this was a Sunday morning, the broadcasts for the Wireless Institute of
Australia (WIA) were in full swing, so I was not able to get onto 7.144.Â* I
found 7.120 clear and started calling CQ.Â* Â*Ken VK3ALA was first in the
log, followed by Tony VK5TT with an exceptionally strong signal, and then
Mark VK3PI.

My fourth contact was a Park to Park contact with Peter VK3ZPF/p who was in
the Dandenong Ranges National Park VKFF-0132.Â* Scott VK4CZ became my 10th
contact, thus qualifying the park for me for VKFF.Â* Â*I then logged David
VK5DG/3 who was in the Coopcrambra National Park VKFF-0113.

Sadly I started to experience QRM from a VK4 station who came up on
frequency, unannounced, and started calling CQ DX.Â* Despite being told by
numerous stations that the frequency was in use, he continued to call CQ
DX.Â* I apologise to anyone who was calling who I missed, as the
interference was strong.

I persevered and eventually, he got the message and moved off frequency.Â* I
logged a total of 30 stations including three further Park to Park contacts
with Peter VK3PF in the Chiltern Mount Pilot National Park VKFF-0620, and
Joe VK3YSP/p & Julie VK3FOWL/p in the Brisbane Ranges National Park
VKFF-0055.

I then swapped the mic with Marija.



Marijas first contacts were with Joe VK3YSP/p and Julie VK3FOWL/p who were
in the Brisbane Ranges National Park VKFF-0055.Â* John VK7FJFD followed,
then Ray VK4NH, and then Linda VK7QP.Â* Marijas 10th contact was a Park to
Park with Gerard VK2IO/p who was activating the Berowra Valley National
Park VKFF-1162.Â* This was followed by another Park to Park with Tony
VK3XV/p who was in the Terrick Terrick National Park VKFF-0630.

Marija logged a total of 26 contacts including two further Park to Park
QSOs with Peter VK3PF/p in theÂ*Chiltern Mount Pilot National Park
VKFF-0620, and David VK5DG/3 in the Coopracamba National Park VKFF-0113.



I then called CQ once again on 7.120 and logged a further 23 stations
including Park to Park contacts with Peter VK3PF/p in the Chiltern Mount
Pilot National Park VKFF-0620 (a new contact on a new UTC day), and Gerard
VK2IO/p in the Berowra Valley National Park VKFF-1162.

With 53 contacts in the log, I moved to the 20m band and called CQ on
14.310.Â* I logged a total of 9 stations, all bar one from Queensland.Â*
Brett VK2VW was the exception.

Marija then called CQ on 3.610 for about 5 minutes, but there were no
takers.

We packed up and headed off to our next park, the Timberoo Flora and Fauna
Reserve.

Marija worked the following stations on 40m SSB:-

VK3FOWL/p (Brisbane Ranges National Park VKFF-0055)
VK3YSP/p (Brisbane Ranges National Park VKFF-0055)
VK7FJFD
VK4NH
VK4DXA
ZL4TY/VK4
VK7QP
VK2PKT
VK5FANA
VK2IO/p (Berowra Valley National Park VKFF-1162)
VK3XV/p (Terrick Terrick National Park VKFF-0630)
VK2VW
VK4TJ
VK4/AC8WN
VK4/VE6XT
VK4SSN
VK4HNS
VK3PF/p (Chiltern Mount Pilot National Park VKFF-0620)
VK4CZ
VK5DG/3 (Coopracamba National Park VKFF-0113)
VK3AN
VK2LEE
VK3AQZ
VK2HHA
VK4SYD
VK3VLY


I worked the following stations on 40m SSB:-

VK3ALA
VK5TT
VK3PI
VK1DI
VK3ZPF/p (Dandenong Ranges National Park VKFF-0132)
VK1BUB
VK2VH
VK4AAC/2
VK7DW
VK4CZ
VK5DG/3 (Coopracamba National Park VKFF-0113)
VK5FANA
VK3MPR
VK3DAC
VK3BSN/5
VK3PF/p (Chiltern Mount Pilot National Park VKFF-0620)
VK2HQ
VK2HBG
VK4NH
VK4DXA
ZL4TY/VK4
VK2XXM
VK3SQ
VK2PKT
VK2MGM
VK4SMA
VK3MAB
VK2LX
VK3YSP/p (Brisbane Ranges National Park VKFF-0055)
VK3FOWL/p (Brisbane Ranges National Park VKFF-0055)
VK2EXA
VK4TJ
VK4/AC8WN
VK4/VE6XT
VK4SSN
VK3AQZ
VK2YW
VK3DBP
VK3ZL/m
VK2LEE
VK7QP
VK2HHA
VK3VIN
VK3AHR
VK3UH
VK4HNS
VK3ANL
VK1MIC
VK5NJ
VK3PF/p (Chiltern Mount Pilot National Park VKFF-0620)
VK3AN
VK2IO/p(Berowra Valley National Park VKFF-1162)
VK3MDH


I worked the following stations on 20m SSB:-

VK2VW
VK4NH
VK4DXA
ZL4TY/VK4
VK4TJ
VK4/AC8WN
VK4/VE6XT
VK4SSN
VK4CZ






References.

Protected Planet, 2019,
https://www.protectedplanet.net/kattyoong-f-r-nature-conservation-reserve,
viewed 12th November 2019

Victorian Places, 2019, https://www.victorianplaces.com.au/underbool,
viewed 12th November 2019

Wikipedia, 2019, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Larry_Perkins, viewed 12th
November 2019

Wikipedia, 2019, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cowangie, viewed 12th
November 2019

Wikipedia, 2019, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Underbool, viewed 12th
November 2019

Wikipedia, 2019, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rainbow_bee-eater, viewed
12th November 2019


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Murray Sunset National Park VKFF-0373

Posted: 11 Nov 2019 11:21 PM PST
https://vk5pas.org/2019/11/12/murray...k-vkff-0373-2/


Our third and final park for Saturday (9th November 2019) was the Murray
Sunset National Park VKFF-0373.Â* This was to be our first park for the 2019
Keith Roget Memorial National Parks Award weekend.

The Murray Sunset National Park is located about 500 km north-west of
Melbourne.
Above:- Map showing the location of the Murray Sunset National Park in
north-western Victoria.Â* Map courtesy of Protected Planet.

After leaving Gnarr Flora & Fauna Reserve we drove back into the town of
Underbool and headed west on the Mallee Highway until we reached Linga
where we took Pink Lakes Road.Â* We headed north and about 18 km up the road
we reached the park.Â* Pink Lakes Road is dirt but it is suitable for a 2WD
vehicle.

On our way to the park, we logged Nik VK3ZK/p and Peter VK3PF/p from our
mobile.Â* Nik was activating theÂ*Dandenong Ranges National Park VKFF-0132,
while Peter was activating theÂ*Mitta Mitta Regional Park VKFF-0974.



We drove into the park and travelled along Pink Lakes Road passing Lake
Hardy.Â* The lake is made of solid salt and due to the presence of red algae
called Dunaliella saline, the lake often gives off a brilliant rosy-pink
colour.



The Murray Sunset National Park is the second-largest National Park in the
State of Victoria.Â* The park is aboutÂ*633,000-hectare (1,560,000-acre) in
size and was proclaimed on the 26th day of April 1979.Â* The park is located
in the north-western corner of Victoria and borders South Australia to the
west and the Murray River to the north.Â* The Sturt Highway passes through
the northern section of the park.Â* The majority of the park is in a remote
area between the Sturt Highway and the Mallee Highway, west of the Calder
Highway.
Above:- Map of the Murray Sunset National Park.Â* Map courtesy of Parks
Victoria.

The majority of the park liesÂ*within theÂ*Murray-Sunset, Hattah and Annuello
Important Bird AreaÂ*(IBA), which was identified byÂ*BirdLife
InternationalÂ*due to it containing mallee habitatÂ*supporting a number
ofÂ*threatenedÂ*mallee bird species, including the Mallee-fowl, Black-eared
MinerÂ*and Mallee Emu-wren.Â* Over 600 species of plants have been recorded
in the park, and 300 species of birds.






We travelled the short distance to the main campground at Lake Crosbie.
Above:- A map of the Pink Lakes area of the park showing our operating
spot.Â* Map courtesy of Parks Victoria.

Although there were a number of caravaners and campers there, our favourite
shelter shed was free and was the ideal spot to operate from.Â* It was a
very warm afternoon, so the shelter provided some valuable relief from the
afternoon sun.





At the campground, you can find the Kline-loop nature walk which is 4.8 lm
in length (takes about 2 hours).Â* The walk is named after Jim Kline who was
a worker who lived and worked in the area during the 1930s and 1940s.Â* The
walk follows the shore of Lake Crosbie and across pine-woodland rises to
the picturesque Lake Kenyon.








Prior to calling CQ we tuned across the 40m to see if we could find some
other park activators.Â* We found Nik VK3ZK/p on 7.139 calling CQ from the
Dandenong Ranges National Park VKFF-0132.Â* Unfortunately, he was the only
park activator we were able to hear, so I headed up to 7.150 and started
calling CQ.

First in the log was Keith VK3MKE, followed by David VK5DWC, and then Linda
VK7QP.Â* The 40m band was in very good condition and it didnt take long for
a mini pile up to commence.Â* I logged a total of 31 stations in a very
short space of time, including the two further Park to Park contacts with
Peter VK3PF/p in the Mitta Mitta Regional Park VKFF-0974, and Gerard
VK2IO/p in the Cattai National Park VKFF-0092.

As I had qualified the park now for VKFF, I took the opportunity of telling
all stations to stand by and swapped the mic with Marija.



Marijas first contact was with Peter VK3PF/p in the Mitta Mitta Regional
Park VKFF-0974, followed by Mike VK5FMWW, Scott VK4CZ, and then Paul
VK3DBP.Â* It didnt take long before Marija had ten contacts in the log and
the park qualified for VKFF.Â* Contact number ten was with Greg VK2EXA.

Marija logged a total of 22 stations before handing me back the mic.



I again called CQ on 7.150 and logged a further 10n stations before callers
dried up.Â* I now had 42 contacts in the log and was just 2 short of the 44
required to qualify the park for the global WWFF program.Â* I headed over to
the 20m band where I logged 3 stations: Scott VK4CZ, Mark VK4SMA, and
Murray VK4MWB.



Marija worked the following stations on 40m SSB:-

VK3PF/p (Mitta Mitta Regional Park VKFF-0974)
VK5FMWW
VK4CZ
VK3DBP
VK2PKT
VK5BW
VK5kLD
VK3MPR
VK5BJE
VK2EXA
VK5ZZ
VK4GSF
VK5FANA
VK5VBR
VK3FCMC
VK4NH
VK4DXA
ZL4TY/VK4
VK7FJFD
VK3PF/m
VK2HPN
VK2YK


I worked the following stations on 40m SSB:-

VK3ZK/p (Dandenong Ranges National Park VKFF-0132)
VK3MKE
VK5DWC
VK7QP
VK3SQ
VK5FANA
VK5TT
VK3PF/p (Mitta Mitta Regional Park VKFF-0974)
VK2IO/p (Cattai National Park VKFF-0092)
VK3DAC
VK3MPR
VK2PKT
VK2HPN
VK5FMWW
VK5BW
VK7KT
VK5KLV
VK4SMA
VK4MWB
VK4NH
VK4DXA
ZL4TY/VK4
VK5FSPJ/m
VK7JON
VK7FRJG
VK4CZ
VK2LX
VK5KLD
VK2HDX
VK2VW
VK1ACE
VK2YK
VK5GA/2
VK6GA/2
VK2LEE
VK7FOLK
VK7FJFD
VK3PF/m
VK3KAI/m
VK3BSA/m
VK2JDS/m
VK4GSF


I worked the following station on 20m SSB:-

VK4CZ
VK4SMA
VK4MWB


After packing up Marija and I decided to have a drive along Pioneer Drive.Â*
We have done this before, but it is a very nice drive through the park.

We stopped briefly to have a look at the outdoor salt museum on the eastern
side of Lake Crosbie.Â* Â*There was once a thriving commercial salt industry
here, which commenced in 1916 and concluded in 1979 when the area was
declared as a State Park.







Lake Crosbie is the largest of four large salt lakes in the Pink Lakes area
of the Murray Sunset National Park.
Above:- Lake Crosbie

We then stopped at Lake Kenyon which was named after A.S. Kenyon who was
appointed engineer-in-charge of improvements to the northern Mallee.





A little further along the drive are a number of interpretive signs which
detail the history of salt mining within the park.Â* During the 1920s and
1930s there was a small township at this location for the salt workers and
their families.Â* This included houses, a school, and Otto the cook’s
underground house.Â* Seasonal workers and local farmers also came on foot or
by bicycle, horse, or car to work on salt harvesting.Â* Camels carried sale
to the railway at Underbool and Linga.Â* A short-lived tramway was
constructed but later abandoned and replaced by trucks.Â* Salt was shovelled
into bags weighing up to 180 pounds (abt 60 kg) and loaded onto trucks by
hand.Â* Very little remains today.







We then drove back to Murrayville and went out for tea at the local pub.Â*
We then headed back to the caravan park where Marija had an early night.Â* I
stayed up and watched Die Hard for about the 20th time before heading off
to bed.





References.

Wikipedia, 2019,
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murray-Sunset_National_Park, viewed 12th
November 2019