WWFF Red Hill Nature Reserve VKFF-0860

With a day off work for ANZAC day and nice weather decided to activate another Canberra Nature Park for the WWFF award, VKFF-0860 Red Hill Nature Reserve. This park has not been activated before.

This is a very easy park to visit, there is a road going to the lookout on the top of Red Hill. It is just South of Parliament House at the end of Melbourne Avenue, take Gowrie Dr, where you enter the park.

Gowrie Dr continues at a turnoff to the right heading down to the Federal Golf Club, Red Hill Dr continues to the top. The road passes by a lookout over Parliament House. The trees are getting a bit high though to see it properly, here is a view through a gap in the trees.

The road ends in a loop around a round building, Red Hill Cafe and Restaurant. Parked in front of the building. Summit marker out the front of the restaurant. The restaurant on the top floor is called On Red. Very expensive, have not dined there before. The cafe below used to be good but has also become too expensive lately to visit, a pity as it has nice views.

Summit marker. Interestingly the map shows the Red Hill Summit to the North as 720 m, must have 2 peaks about the same height. Note there is not enough prominence for the summit to qualify for SOTA. There is also another hill just South of here, Davidson Hill, at 749 m. Also does not qualify for SOTA. Anyway both are within Red Hill Nature Reserve so good for a WWFF activation.

Walked around the back of the restaurant to a track along the ridge, The Red Track. A sign about it.

Another view looking down to the suburb of Red Hill. The commercial area of Fyshwick beyond, Canberra airport on the left, Queanbeyan in the distance. The oval just below is in Canberra Grammar School Red Hill.

A bit further on a sign about the Red Hill geology.

Off track behind this sign spotted a good area to set up the radio on the Western side of the hill. Used a small gum tree sapling to support the squid pole.

Shack in the shade of the trees.

Got on 40 m. Managed to get a park to park contact with Tony AX3VTH/p in VKFF-0264 Kinglake NP, just before he went clear on 7.144 Mhz. Then worked Paul AX5PAS/p with a good strong signal in VKFF-0881 Ferries - McDonald CP.

Moved down to 7.135 Mhz and got spotted, then the pileup began... Lots of good strong signals from chasers in VK2, VK3 and VK5. Another Park to park contact with AX4FR/5 Chris in VKFF-0832 Swan Reach CP.

Worked my usual VK4 contact with Rick VK4RF/VK4HA with a good S8 signal. Stopped calling to chase Brian VK3MCD/p on SOTA peak VK3/VE-014.

Finished up with a local contact with Matt VK1MA, a huge signal on Red Hill. Headed back home. A total of 31 contacts, so need to return to complete the 44 contacts needed for a WWFF point.

A view to the West towards Woden and the Brindabellas from Red Hill

Map showing my operating spot