Yurammie State Conservation Area VKFF-1403

For Christmas was driving down to my brothers place at Pambula Beach on the NSW South Coast. Looking at maps, saw a possible parks activation I could do on the way, Yurammie State Conservation Area, VKFF-1403. This park is located North of Merimbula near Yellow Pinch Dam, which I have driven past other times and knew had an access road in off the Prince Highway.

Drove from Canberra to Cooma, Nimmitabel, down Brown Mountain, turning off to Candelo and joining the Princes Highway at the small town of Wolumla. Once on the Princes Highway only a few Km to the turnoff to Yellow Pinch Dam, and the park.

Unfortunately there was now a locked gate on the road to the dam, so no easy drive in and activate :( I knew however that the park boundary was just off the road in the bush behind the sign, so wandered in on foot behind the sign to set up my station inside the park.

Map of the park from ProtectedPlanet website

 The park was fairly open forest. Used a tree stump to support the squid pole.

Newlands Creek at the bottom of the hill. The Princes Highway on the right.

Shack on the tarp, my TS-480 running off Lifepo4 8400maH battery. Set the power to 40w.

Conditions were not good on 40m, a storm front a bit to the North of me generating a heap of static, and there just didn't seem to be many signals on the band. Christmas Eve guess a lot doing other things... Only managed to work 6 stations in a half hour before the threat of rain forced me to pack up. Worked the following stations:

VK3SFG Sergio
VK3SQ Geoff
VK3UH Ken
VK2IO Gerard
VK1WX Amanda
VK2FENG Helen.

Drove on to my brothers place at Pambula Beach for Christmas and Boxing Day.

27/12/2016 Yurammie State Conservation Area return

After Boxing day stopped by again on the way home to get some more contacts. Set up on the same stump.

The band was a bit better this time. Worked the following on 40m

VK5BJE/2 John park to park with VKFF-0444 Scheyville National Park
VK3ZPF Peter
VK3SQ Geoff
VK3MRG/p Marshall
VK2HHA Dennis
VK7CW Steve
VK5PAS Paul
VK3KMH Mike

There was a very light drizzle of rain, but it got heavier towards the end of the activation so gave it away and continued the drive home. At least had enough contacts for the basic VKFF point, which requires 10 contacts.