Maria National Park VKFF-0304

After stopping overnight at Port Macquarie continued driving North, heading for Coffs Harbour but not in a hurry to get there, After getting to Kempsey headed South East towards the coast along the Crescent Head Rd. This passes next to Maria National Park, so stopped when I saw the park sign.

Note the "No vehicle access permitted" part... Found a locked gate stopping me driving in any further. The road is marked as "Cable Rd" on Google Maps. Does not show blocked off though...

Parked and carried the gear to the other side of the gate, set up using a signpost for squid pole support.

Shack on the table. Got on 40 m running 40 w power out.

Found no mobile coverage to spot myself. This was just out of Kempsey, a large town! So got on 7.144 Mhz and started calling. Got VK5IS Ian to spot me then got a line up of callers.

VK4FDJL/m
VK3SQ
VK4RF VK4HA
VK4HAT
VK3PF
VK4TJ VK4/AC8WN VK4/VE6XT

Got a park to park with Gerard VK2IO/8 in VKFF-2858 Alice Springs Telegraph Station Historical Reserve. He was down, about a 42 but workable.

As had 11 contacts and still some more parks to do packed up and drove on to Crescent Head.