Our final Victorian Park was the Barmah National Park. This activation was number three. The first was for the Keith Roget Memorial National Park award and my last activation was for the WWFF program. Here is a link to my last activation:
https://vk5bje.com/category/barmah-national-park/
On each of the my three activations I have set up in slightly different locations. But they are all just a few hundred metres to a kilometre or so within the Park boundary. As you enter the Park from Barmah and cross the creek (the location of my last activation) you drive on past the mustering yards (the site of my first activation) and then take a left had turn to the camp ground (site number three). The road was closed just past the turnoff to the camp because of recent rains and floods.
The photo above shows the camp ground. It appears that most of the campers like to be near the lake which meant that I could set up in the area furthest away from the lake (about 400 metres) and I had the place to myself.
The next photo shows a log on rollers near the camp ground. The diameter of the red gum log exceeds my height.
Here is a photo of the end of the log. It is very large. We also saw many old red gums that had been ring-barked in days gone by. You can read more about the cutting of railway sleepers in my first post on this park.
https://vk5bje.com/2013/12/23/barmah-national-park-victoria-23rd-december-2013/
The final picture shows the Barmah Lake at the camp ground. It is a great spot and I spoke with a young camper from Germany. She spoke so enthusiastically about the space in Australia.
My aim with this activation was to complete 44 plus contacts to qualify the Park for the WWFF award.
I checked 7.144 Mhz at 22:38 and then called CQ. I was answered by VK3CWB/5, Maurie.
Then I had contacts with the following stations in quick succession:
VK7FRJG
VK2EJW
VK4RF/VK4HA
VK5PAS/M
VK2IO
VK2MTC
VK3PF/VK3KAI
VK2YK
VK1DI
VK2LX
VK2FOUZ
VK5WG
VK4FRAL
and at 22:36 VK5IS.
I then tried 20 metres looking for the VK6s and VK4s. I did not have any success.
I then went back to 7.144 and had qsos with:
VK5FANA
00:00 VK7FAMP/7, Angela in VKFF-1135
VK5YX
VK3PF/VK3KAI
VK5FANA
VK5EE
VK4RF/VK4HA
VK5PL
VK5AA
VK2MOR
VK5FMID
VK5TT, 59 57 Tony at Sellicks Beach but operating a remote station in the Adelaide Hills. We arranged to try 14.310 without success and then tried 30 metres.
00:27 10.120 VK7BC, 59 58 Frank in Launceston
00:36 VK5TT, Tony 59 57. We had a three way qso on 30 metres with VK7BC.
All signals were good during the activation. Thanks to all of the callers and those who posted spots. I gained enough contacts to qualify the Park. After spending some time walking and taking photos we set off for Nathalia where we had some lunch and a break before driving to Bendigo to our accommodation.
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vk5bje 
G’day John,
I was really pleased to get you in the log from Barmah, because as you know a few weeks earlier I had been there myself in very close proximity to where you set up.
I really enjoyed Barmah. The authorities have done a great job there with all of the interpretive/information signs. It has certainly got a very interesting history.
You were a great signal into my mobile. I was mobile down in the city and you were way above the noise.
73,
Paul VK5PAS.
Hi Paul
We like the Barmah National Park. It was one of the first places Jenny and I went camping in the early 1970s. It was then State Forest but you could camp. Railway sleeper cutting was the main work done in the Forest. It was the era before concrete sleepers. I remember once when it rained we had a very exciting 4 x 4 trip out – slow and carefully dealing with the slippery and boggy conditions. The roads were just tracks!
Thanks for the comment.
John D
VK5BJE/VK5PF