Stony Creek Nature Reserve VKFF-0986

With a nice mild sunny Saturday, decided to activate another local WWFF park, Stony Creek Nature Reserve. This is one of 5 parks protecting the Murrumbidgee River Corridor as it flows through the ACT. See http://www.tams.act.gov.au/parks-conservation/parks-and-reserves/explore/murrumbidgee-river-corridor/murrumbidgee-river-corridor-map

This is not an easy park to access...I eventually worked out an access point off the Brindabella Road, not far from the car park to SOTA summit Mt McDonald. As per Kama Nature Reserve Google maps proved useless for displaying the park boundaries, the following screenshot from Protectedplanet.net shows the southern end of the reserve. Parked at the park corner marked "Gate"on the map.

Here there is a locked gate, access to the park for park rangers. Entered on foot to the left of the gate.

As only a short walking distance set up my camping table and chair for a comfortable operating shack :)

Park activation shack on the table. Note I powered the radio using an old car battery, but kept the LifePO4 battery just in case. Wouldn't want to lug it too far though...Testing it for using with a larger radio on park activations near roads in the future.

Got on 7.144 Mhz, park calling frequency, to find it occupied by VK5HSX/P Stef in VKFF-0192 Gawler Ranges National Park . He was very weak but with my noise free location managed to work him. He kindly let me have the frequency. Once spotted on ParksnPeaks got a good list of VK1, VK2, VK3, VK4 and VK7 calls in the log. The VK4s were quite good signals, working up as far as Rockhampton. No VK5s though.

When the hunters stopped calling tried going to 20 m. Even with spotting no takers, gave it away and packed up. 20 contacts all up, so another park to revisit for the 44 needed for the WWFF credit.

On the way home stopped at Casuarina Sands, a local swimming and picnic spot. This would be another entry point to the park, but would need a bit of a walk in and probably have problems getting the signal out of the river gorge. Nice spot though.