Baudin Conservation Park, like Scott Creek Conservation Park in the Adelaide Hills, had an earlier life. It was a farm from 1861 to 2001. The farming family was called Bates and there are some preserved areas in the Park that commemorate their lives. The Ironstone Hill hike takes walkers past the various relics of the past related to the family.

We wanted to visit this park because it is a home to the endangered Glossy Black Cockatoo, called the Glossies, but we did not see any! There are estimated to be about 300 birds left on the Island.  The land was created a Park to give the Glossies a greater chance of survival as their Sheoak trees grow there. They must have been visiting elsewhere! The Park is just two kilometres from Penneshaw. For an amateur who wants to visit the Island and activate the park there is a market day on the first Sunday of the month (from 0900 to 1300 hours). You leave your car on the mainland and catch the ferry to Penneshaw. Just a two kilometre (hilly) walk and you can be on the air! The cost is just $40. What a great training ground for a potential SOTA activation!

The Park is named after Nicolas Baudin (17th February 1754 to 16th September 1803). He died in 1803, at 49 years of age,  of tuberculosis, often referred to in literature by its older name of consumption. In 1802 Matthew Flinders met Nicolas Baudin at Encounter Bay near the modern day Victor Harbor. Many French names are used on Kangaroo Island because of Baudin’s exploration of that area.

Eight contacts were enjoyed: VK5GJ, Greg; VK3AMB, Bernard; VK5KGP, Graham; VK5GI, Norm; VK3UT, Greg; VK3BHR, Phil; VK3PF, Peter and, finally, VK5ZGY, Greg.

Today I finished digitising my log and uploading 119 contacts from Kangaroo Island to Logbook of the World. Thanks to all those amateurs who shared something of this wonderful island with me as we travelled around the various parks.