SOTA Durras Mountain VK2/SC-051

After activating Murramarang Aboriginal Area in the morning headed off to activate SOTA summit Durras Mountain, VK2/SC-051. As per previous activations drove off the Princes Hwy onto Bucks Rd, then Dam Rd, turning off onto Mountain Rd. Sign for the Durras Mountain walk car park

Murramarang National Park got burnt in the December 2019 bushfires. When I got to the car park the sign for the walk was gone. The walking track to Durras Mountain was still there, but overgrown. Looks like NSW National Parks are not planning to fix the track for a while, if at all. I was still able to follow the track, just needed to avoid fallen trees and vines.

The track joins the Old Coast Rd track, which was in better condition..

Old Coast Rd walking track.

Reached the trig, in good condition.

The wooden picnic table near the trig had also survived the fires, although looking a bit worse for wear now.

Set up the squid pole on the table, dipole legs out to some branches.

Shack on the table.

Radio on the table. As on a small battery set the power to 30w

Got on 40m. Able to spot easily on ParksnPeaks. Worked through the chasers

VK2IO, VK1CHW, 

VK3SGL in VKFF-2373 Lonsdale Lakes Wildlife Reserve

VK2LAX, VK2TM, VK1AO/VK2MET, VK1AD, VK2GWC, VK2DJL, VK2EXA, VK3SG

Tried 20m, worked

ZL4NVW

F4WBN, Christian a regular European SOTA chaser

ZL1SKL

Was packing up, heard another station start calling CQ parks on the frequency I was using, 14.310. It was VK4EW Greg in VKFF-1426 Wunaamin Conservation Park.

He was in a park almost on the exact opposite side of Australia to me, over 3000 Km away, so pleased to work him.

Packed up and headed back. Track log of walk, from Alltrails website. About a 1.5 Km walk each way.