The 4th, 5th and 6th of April were set aside to celebrate the first anniversary of the SANPCPA award. It was a week end of exceptional activity especially on the 40 metre band. There were lots of activators, including some for the first time, and many chasers. My first contact was with VK5PAS/P5, Paul, who activated the Cox Scrub Conservation Park. I worked Paul from home. My last contact, from my home station, was on Sunday afternoon at 05:21 with VK5ARG/P5 (Amateur Radio Experimenters Group Inc.) Andrew at Belair National Park, 59 contacts later. These contacts included a number of new parks for me.

On Sunday morning local time, UTC 22:48 5th April 2014, I went back to Scott Creek Conservation Park, which I last activated on the 19th May 2013. I returned to Gate 8 on Mount Bold Road (See map on Friends of Scott Creek web page – link below). My equipment this time was a home made linked dipole for 20 and 40 metres and the Ten Tec Argonaut V1 (model 539).  Power was drawn from a 8.4 amp hour LIfePO4 battery, which was more than adequate for this activation. About one hundred metres inside the park there is a plateau which makes a fine activation spot. I enjoyed 52 contacts, including a number of new Parks and also with VK3PF/P3, Peter, on VK3 VC 001, Mount Matlock.

Here are my contacts: VK5NQP/P5, David at Cromer CP; VK5KET/P5, Andrew at Telford Scrub CP; VK5KC, David; VK5WG, Nev; VK3FQSO, Amanda; VK5GJ, Greg; VK5FMID, Brian; VK5LY/P5, Larry at Lowan CP; VK5PAS/P5, at Deep Creek CP; VK5AV, Tim; VK2AWJ, John; VK5IS, Ian; VK3AMB, Bernard; VK3UBY, Col; VK3CAT, Tony; VK3VIN, Ian; VK4FR/P5, Chris; VK5JP, Peter; VK5KRF/P5, Peter at Winninowie CP; VK5KGP, Graham; VK5KLV/P5, Winninowie CP; VK5DT, Darren;  and VK5FTRG/P5, Tom at Furner CP.  Then after UTC rollover, VK3VTH/P5, Tony at Carpenters Rocks CP; VK5FTRG/P5, Tom at Furner CP; VK5PAS/P5, Paul at Deep Creek CP; VK5ARG/P5, Andy at Horsenell Gully CP; VK5KLV/P5, Les at Winninowie CP; VK3CAT, Tony; VK5VCO/P5. Paul at Clinton CP; VK5KX/P5, Peter; VK5AV, Tom; VK5DJ, John; VK5LY/P5, Larry at Ridley CP; VK5TRM, Rob; VK2UH, Andy; VK5FMID, Brian; VK5NRG, Roy; VK5KET/P5, Andrew at Nene Valley CP; VK5LY/p5, Larry at Ridley CP; VK5NQP/P5, David at Charleston CP; VK5MJP, Patrick; VK5NE, Paul; VK5ZGY/P5, Greg at Naracoorte Caves NP; VK5ZAR/P5, Arno at Black Hill CP; VK3LY/M3, Bill at Yannack; VK3PF/P3, Peter at VK3 VC001, Mt Matlock; VK5MR/P5 Andrew at Tandappa CP; VK5HCF/P5, Col at Hacks Lagoon CP; VK5FTRG/P5, Tom at Reedy Creek CP; VK5PAS/P5, Paul at Eric Bonython CP and VK5STU/P5, Stu at Port Gawler CP.

Thanks to all those amateurs who gave me a call. It is greatly appreciated and I didn’t think Scott Creek Conservation Park would be so popular as the park has been activated three times: twice by me and once by VK5PAS, Paul.

Scott Creek History

Marie Steiner’s excellent book, published in 2000,  contains a wealth of research about the various sections of land which were incorporated into  Scott Creek Conservation Park, gazetted in 1985. ‘The Land Acquisition Act, passed in 1969′ (Steiner, 2000, p. 7), provided the basis for the State Government to pursue the long-term water needs of the community by purchasing the private land in the area now included in the Park. Not all of the land was in private hands but clearly the majority. Steiner’s (2000) book traces the challenges and hardships of trying to make a living on rocky, steep and, in places, infertile land.

The land was acquired to extend the catchment for the Mount Bold Reservoir, including the size of the dam. The plan was later modified because of unstable geological features which could lead to failure of a larger water holding.

The Twisted Chimney, Scott Creek CP

The Twisted Chimney, for example, was on a holding of 17 and a quarter acres, Section 1190.  Steiner (2000, p. 53) sketches the history of the occupation of this section and others.  Such a long history, of 150 years of human occupation and endeavour, is reflected in the challenges of living in the area and the gaps in knowledge. She asks how could such a large parcel of land with this history, come to be created a conservation park (Steiner, 2000, p. 55)? Her answer is that ‘Scott Creek Conservation Park contains some of the most diverse and interesting areas of indigenous vegetation left within the Mount Lofty Ranges’ and that much of it ‘survived the impact of settlement’.

Remains of a tractor

The picture shows the remains of a tractor, ‘discovered’ following a spraying of blackberries by the Friends of Scott Creek Conservation Park. http://www.users.on.net/~dld/Friends%20of%20scott%20creek/Website/

SA Water land (left) and Scott Creek CP (right)

This picture shows the two fire breaks, one each side of the fence, separating the Park from SA Water land.