SOTA Box Ridge VK2/SM-065 and Paupong Nature Reserve VKFF-2699

After staying overnight at Jindabyne headed South to do a SOTA activation of Box Ridge, VK2/SM-065. As well as a SOTA peak the summit is in Paupong Nature Reserve, which was recently added to the WWFF list of parks, VKFF-2699. This was to be a first activation of this park. Headed South on Barry Way, turning off to the left onto Gullies Rd. This is initially sealed but changes to a dirt road. Took a road off onto the left Thornybush Rd. This is a private road so make sure to shut the gate to stop cattle getting out. Drove along Thornybush Rd and entered Paupong Nature Reserve

Map showing the park location. From Protected Planet.

Came to the 4 way junction, Thornybrush Trail and Paupong Fire trail.

Continued along Paupong Trail , until reaching the SOTA "summit", actually just a high point in the terrain. The road runs right over the top of it. Map from SOTA maps, Google Map view

 Set up the squid pole on a roadside Telstra cable sign.

Shack on the table. Note the haze, there was a bush fire well to the South of me close to the Victorian border.

Got on 40 m . Plenty of keen chasers as a Saturday morning. Most fairly strong signals

VK2IO
VK3CAT
VK3ZPF
VK1MIC
VK4TJ
VK3PF
VK2VIC
VK1VIC/2
VK3FPSR
VK2HRX
VK3ANL
VK3SQ
VK3ARH
VK2GKA
VK3HN
VK2ZRD

Tried changing the links to 20 m. There was summer sporadic e about so lots of calls there too, including some ZLs

VK3SQ
ZL1BYZ
VK2IO
VK3PF
VK3ARH
ZL2AJ
VK3GTV
VK5KLV
VK5PL
VK4HNS
ZL1WA
VK5ATN

After 28 contacts had morning tea and packed up, heading for my next park, Ironmungy Nature Reserve VKFF-2624