This year I determined I would participate in the sixth anniversary of the South Australian National and Conservation Park (SANCPA) award. I decided I would activate a new Park and chose Kyeema Conservation Park within the Fleurieu Peninsular south of Adelaide. The Park is nearly 41 kilometres from home. It was an easy Sunday drive although there was a bike event underway and lots of road cyclists.

The weather was good, a sunny day with a few clouds, a little humid, although there were puddles on the road suggesting some of the predicted rain showers had come early. It was an ideal day for an activation. However, I had not yet finished with cyclists. Off road bikes are permitted in this park and soon after I had eaten my lunch, a school bus, from a private school, arrived and about 30 young people alighted and retrieved their bikes from a trailer behind the bus. These folk did not disturb me and I am sure they had a good time. There were also bush walkers in the park. I wonder how the shared use of paths would work? Perhaps there was a lot of bell [w]ringing?

The Park

Kyeema Conservation Park is 347 hectares.

The following material is taken from the SA Government web pages for the Park: The area was mined for alluvial gold for several years until it was abandoned in 1890 due to low yield. A few years later some of the area was cleared for pine plantations before being used as a labour prison reserve. This area at the western end of the park, once known as the Kyeema Prison Camp, was established in 1932. The camp was intended for well-behaved prisoners from Yatala, it held around thirteen prisoners and only two guards, with the prisoners were placed on their honour to behave. The Kyeema Prison Camp closed in the mid 1950’s and today there is only a cleared area of land visible to remind us of the Prison Camp’s existence.

The Park has a rich history of bushfires also, being entirely burnt out during the 1983 Ash Wednesday bushfires, and partly affected by subsequent fires in 1994 and 2001. The Friends of Kyeema Conservation Park have worked hard over the years revegetating cleared areas of the park. Due to this history, the area provides a wonderful example of the regeneration capacity of South Australia’s native vegetation following fire, which you can explore as you follow one of the walking trails”.

The Heysen Trail passes through this Park as it makes its way from the coast to the top of the Flinders Ranges.

Kyeema Conservation Park Map

Contacts

I enjoyed 25 qsos before the weather changed. Soon after midday the winds arrived and dust was flying in all directions. I decided I would pack up and head home. While driving home the rain started. It was a shame about the weather because I was prepared to stay late into the afternoon (band practice had been cancelled). Any way I appreciated the contacts and thank all of those who gave me a call, especially Geoff, VK3SQ and Peter, VK3ZPF, who both spotted me on parks and peaks. My phone would not load the parks and peaks website. Perhaps there was not enough signal?

0022 7.150 VK3SQ 59s 55r

0025 VK3UCD 59 58

0028 VK3ZPF 59 57

0031 VK2IR 59 53

0031 VK4TJ 52 310032

0032 VK4/AC8WN 52 31

0033 VK4/VE6XT

00:35 VK3XPT/P 59 59 Perrin was in the Barmah National Park, VKFF-0739 (see photos below)

0041 VK2LEE 59 52

0042 VK3KYO 58 55

0044 VK3ARH/M 57 53

0044 VK3AHR 59 57

0047 VK2HHA 59 57

0050 VK4NH 57 53

0051 VK4DXA 57 53

0052 VK2IO/P 53 53 VKFF-0272

0053 VK1DI/P 59 59

0056 VK3HOT/ 59 56

0058 VK2PKT 58 59

0103 VK3LTL 59 59

0107 VK5NJ 59 58

0127 VK3XV/5 53 51 VKFF-0797

0130 VK3MPR 59 57

0138 7.160 VK3XV/5 59 55

0145 VK3UH 59 41

Perrin, VK3XPT, using his UK/RT-320 (PRC-320) Military Manpack and 2.4 metre ‘battle whip’ transmitting 30 watts pep. Perrin was in the Barmah National Park. Thanks Perrin for the photo.

This photo, is from the man himself, Perrin. Perrin and I have had a number of contacts over the years and the one that comes to mind was a qso while he was at Devonport (my home town).

My operating conditions were more standard. I used my FT 857D, set for 20 watts, powered from an 8.4 amp hour LIFEPO4 battery. The antenna was a linked dipole.