VK5PAS

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Yarrara Flora Reserve VKFF-2498

Posted: 28 Apr 2021 08:01 PM PDT
https://vk5pas.org/2021/04/29/yarrar...rve-vkff-2498/



After leaving the Millewa Pioneer Park, we continued east on Millewa Road
and headed to our next planned park activation for the day, the Yarrara
Flora Reserve VKFF-2498. The park is located about 80km west of Mildura in
north-western Victoria.



Above:- Map showing the location of the Yarrara Flora Reserve. Map c/o
Protected Planet.




The Yarrara Flora Reserve is about 22.64 km² in size and consists of
various sections on both the southern and northern side of Millewa Road.
The Parks Victoria website has little if any information on their site.



Above:- An aerial view showing the location of the Yarrara Flora Reserve.
Image c/o Protected Planet.




EBird have recorded about 98 species of native bird at Yarrara including
Australian Owlet-nightjar, Australian Ringneck parrot, Gilberts Whistler,
Singing Honeyeater, Yellow-rumed Thornbill, and Wedge Tailed Eagle.




Also found in the park is the White-browned Treecreeper, a species which is
rare in Victoria.




In 2014 the Fauna Survey Group of the Field Naturalists Club of Victoria
undertook a fauna survey in the Yarrara area. During that survey, four
specimens of Little Pied Bat were captured and released. This species had
not previously been recorded in the Victorian Biodiversity Atlas and is
listed as endangered in South Australia and vulnerable in New South Wales.Â*




In the spring of 2018 an addition survey was undertaken and this resulted
in a further nine detections of the Little Pied Bat.




See the story below




https://www.weeklytimesnow.com.au/ne...-1227285729387








The park was well signposted and we had no problems finding it. We turned
down Yarrara South Road and then turned down a little 4WD track and entered
the park.




This would a first time activation of this park for Marija and myself.
Yarrara has been activated twice before, back in 202 by Nick VK3ANL who
logged 15 QSOs, and in 2019 by Mike VK6MB who logged 31 QSOs.








We found some shade underneath a tree, and whilst Maria placed a spot for
me on parksnpeaks, I called CQ on 7.144. First in the log was Brian
VK3BBB, followed by Joe VK3SRC, and then Dennis VK2HHA. I qualified the
park for VKFF after about 8 minutes, with a QSO with Geoff VK3SQ.




I logged a further 6 stations before Marija jumped into the operators chair
to get her 10.








First in the log for Marija was Ian VK5CZ, followed by Ian VK5IS, and then
Danny VK5DW. All had 5/9 signals into north-western Victoria. Marijas
10th contact was with Adrian VK5FANA on the Yorke Peninsula.




Once Marija had qualified the park for VKFF, I took charge of the
microphone once again hoping to get to 44 to qualify the park for the
global WWFF program.




I logged a further 20 stations on 40m, bringing my total to 36 QSOs. This
included a Park to Park with Peter VK3TKK/p who was activating the Yabba
South Nature Conservation ReserveÂ*VKFF-2239. Marija also logged Peter.




I then moved to 3.610 on the 80m band where I logged 7 stations from VK2,
VK3, and VK5, including another Park to Park with Peter VK3TKK. Marija
also logged the Park to Park with Peter.




I was now just 1 QSO short of the required 44. I moved to 14.310 on the
20m band where I worked Gerard VK2IO, followed by Ray VK4NH, Rob VK4HAT,
Alan VK2MG, and George VK4GSF.








Marija and I packed up and headed off to our next park, the Mallambool
Flora Reserve. We had 65 QSOs in the log.




Marija worked the following stations on 40m SSB:-



VK5CZVK5ISVK5DWVK3CUVK2HHAVK3CMVK3PMCVK3PFVK5EJVK5 FANAVK1DIVK2VHVK4AAC/2VK3TKK/p
(Yabba
South Nature Conservation Reserve VKFF-2239)




Marija worked the following stations on 80m SSB:-



VK3TKK/p (Yabba South Nature Conservation Reserve VKFF-2239)




I worked the following stations on 40m SSB:-



VK3BBVK2CCPVK3SRCVK3FOWLVK3YSPVK2HHAVK4FDJLVK3PFVK 3CMVK3SQVK3ZPFVK2IOVK5DWVK4NHVK4DXAZL4TY/VK4VK5FANAVK1DIVK2FIGVK5NMVK2VHVK4AAC/2VK5CZVK2EXAVK5MRE/mVK3GVVK5LAVK3PIVK7JFDVK3TKK/p
(Yabba
South Nature Conservation Reserve
VKFF-2239)VK5KBJ/mVK3SHVK3IK/mVK5ISVK2FPARVK2FAPCVK5CZVK3OFVK3TKK/p (Yabba
South Nature Conservation Reserve VKFF-2239)VK5ISVK5HAAVK2VHVK4AAC/2




I worked the following stations on 20m SSB:-



VK2IOVK4NHVK4DXAZL4TY/VK4VK4HATVK2MGVK4GSF














References.




eBird, 2021, https://ebird.org/hotspot/L937591, viewed 29th April 2021.




Informit, 2021,
https://search.informit.org/doi/abs/10.3316/informit.620614078513454,
viewed 29th April 2021




ResearchGate, 2021,
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/329776032_A_fauna_survey_in_Yarrara_Flora_and_Faun a_Reserve_and_adjacent_reserves_in_north-western_Victoria_Fauna_survey_group_contribution_N o_27,
viewed 29th April 2021.