Broulee Island Nature Reserve VKFF-2546

Stopping down the NSW South Coast for a few days, decided to activate a park that does not get visited much, Broulee Island Nature Reserve VKFF-2546. Drove to Broulee, to the end of Harbour Dr where there is a car park for the walk to Broulee Island. After a short walk reached Shark Bay. Walked up to Broulee Island Nature Reserve

The southern side of the island is just rocky platforms and cliffs, so headed to the beaches on the northern side of the island via a narrow walking track. Easy beach walking.

Found a suitable log to support the squid pole, also made a handy bench for the radio and seat.

Looking at the station from the sea

Radio and myself on the log.

Location on OpenStreetMap.

Got on 40m just after UTC rollover. Band quite good with strong signals.

VK3IMD, VK2IO/VK2GEZ, VK3SQ/VK2BD/VK3JT

A SOTA/P2P contact with VK2HRX Compton on VK2/SC-051 Durras Mountain. Also in VKFF-0371 Murramarang National Park.

VK3PF/VK3KAI, VK1AD/VK1NAM

A park to park with VK2GOM Col in VKFF-2698 Parma Creek Nature Reserve

Tried 30m. Also, quite good strong signals.

VK3PF/VK3KAI, VK1AD/VK1NAM, VK2IO/VK2GEZ, VK4EW, VK2BED.

Tried 20m. Managed to just work VK2GOM Col in VKFF-2698 Parma Creek Nature Reserve, quite weak.

A strong signal from VK5PAS Paul on 20m.

Returned to 30m. Tuning around heard VK4QYS Doug on Lord Howe Island, worked him after he finished with a VK2.

Also worked Alan VK1AO/VK2MET.

Packed up and walked back to the car. Drove to Tomakin for lunch at a cafe.

Broulee Island Nature Reserve VKFF-2546

For a bit of a break from Canberra winter headed down to Batemans Bay on the South Coast. South of Batemans Bay is Broulee Island, near the town of Broulee. I had activated Broulee Island Nature Reserve before and made 28 contacts, so returned to finish the 44 needed for WWFF.

Parked at the car park for the walk to the island and made the short walk across the sand bar 

This is the short walk to the island. It was a proper island in the past, but the sand bar connecting it to the mainland has built up so much its vegetated, so an easy walk on what really is a peninsula.

Crossed over to the Northern side of the island and headed for the Northern most point

Just off the beach found a suitable stump for the squid pole and set up the 40 m dipole

Operating spot, map from Openstreetmap

Checked the SWR with the Rig Expert stick antenna analyzer, very good 1.04 at 7.168 Mhz.

Got on 40 m. Started by working VK2IO/p Gerard in VKFF-3109 Wells Crossing Flora Reserve

Then spotted myself on 7.150 and worked several park hunters

VK3PF, VK2KMI, VK5MAZ, VK3SQ, VK4SMA, VK5FANA, VK2MET, VK1AD, VK7AN, VK3BBB, VK2CCP

Worked a couple more parks that had spotted on Parksnpeaks, 

VK3DAC/p Fred in VKFF-0333 Mornington Peninsula National Park

VK3AWA/p Daryl in VKFF-0758 Holey Plains State Park

I tried going to 20 m and calling for a while, no takers there, so returned to 40 m.

Worked some more hunters

VK3ECG, VK7ME, VK5HS, VK3MTT, VK5CZ, VK3PF/m, VK2VW, VK2HFI, VK4KC, VK4MAD, VK4DOG

As more than enough to get 44 now packed up. I decided to continue walking around to see the South side of the island, not that great, mainly rocks. If you want to activate the Northern side of the island is best for sandy beaches and vegetation.

Broulee Island Nature Reserve VKFF-2546

Stopping for the weekend with my partner at Batemans Bay, decided to activate a nearby WWFF park that had not been activated before, Broulee Island Nature Reserve VKFF-2546

Broulee Island lies off the coast near the holiday village of Broulee. Looking on Google Maps it does appear as an island

However switching to Satellite View shows there is a narrow land connection to the mainland

Looking on the web the island has had an interesting history, having an Inn built on it in 1842, and even a small town of South Broulee planned in the 1980s but never built. It has been a proper island and then joined to the mainland, and lost again over time. The current connection has been in place since the 1990s.

Parked at the end of Bayside St in the North Broulee Beach Car park.

After a short walk reached North Broulee beach. The island can be seen in the distance

The walk to the island is about a Km. Found a bit of a clearing on the Northern side of the island and set up the squid pole on a tree stump.

Shack on the grass on the tarp nearby.

Got on 40 m. Found VK5PAS, Paul on 7.144 Mhz calling from VKFF-1754 Totness Recreation Park. He was using a special event callsign VI5LWF, "Lest We Forget"  It is one of a number of commemorative callsigns in Australia and Europe, to commemorate the centennary of the signing of the World War I armistice on 11th November 1918.

Also worked Paul under his own call. Paul kindly offered me the frequency.

Usual park hunters called. As a new park fairly popular.

VK4RF, VK4HA
VK3ANL
VK3UH
VK2VW
VK3PF
VK5MAS
VK4TJ, VK4/AC8WN, VK4/VE6XT
VK4QQ
VK2ZVG
VK5BJE
VK4SMA
VK4NH, VK4DXA, ZL4TY/VK4
VK4FOMP/P
VK3ALN
VK7RM
VK4AAC/M
VK2KYO
VK7FOXX
VK2HHA
VK7XDM
VK3MKE/P

Most signals fairly strong but lots of QSB. As usual the short NVIS skip was missing, nothing from nearby Canberra or Sydney. Could just hear VK2IO Gerard calling me, but did not hear me reply.

Packed up after 28 contacts and walked back to the car, headed back to Batemans Bay for the evening.