The Park

Woomargama National Park is about 30 kilometres north east of Albury. The Park is the largest protected area west of the Great Dividing Range and is renowned for the largest remnant box woodlands on the South West Slopes. Parts of the reserve are near 1000 metres above sea level and the Norths Lookout, where I operated on the 15th, is one such  location.

The views were stunning. The excellent Park brochure indicates that the Park provides well-marked public access trails and opportunities for off-road driving. The 3.8k track from the edge of the private pine forrest to Norths Lookout was of intermediate 4 x 4 standard, probably because of the rocky areas and drop-offs on the track. I bottomed the Patrol at one point. The track can be navigated by ‘capable off-road vehicles’. High clearance is necessary and the tracks would be slippery today (17th April 2015).

Woomargama NP track maker at 3.8k mark

My activation spot and vehicles at Norths Lookout: JCD photo

Norths Lookout

To visit the Park we stayed at the Great Aussie Holiday Park located at 14 Hore Road, Bowna. It is a great spot whether you want an unpowered tent site, a powered site or wish to live in ‘luxury’ in a cabin. There are plenty of activies for small people as well.

Access

The brochure indicates that access to the western side of the Park can be gained via Tunnel Road. That was the approach we took today for our second activation (17th April 2015).  But on our first visit we left our camp and took the River Road from Wymah Road, and turned on to Tunnel Road from the Eastern end drove to the Samuel Bollard Camping area. Then we took Tin Mines Trail through the Park, then through the private pine forrest before reaching the Park boundary and taking the 3.8k 4 x 4 track to Norths Lookout. Here is the map of the Park from the Government brochure. The two approaches we took are clearly visible as is Norths Lookout.

Woomargama National Park courtesy Department of Environment and Climate Change NSW

Contacts I was able to secure 22 contacts on the first activation (15th April 2015) and 28 on my second activation (17th April 2015). I am delighted to gain my required 44 contacts for this Park, the first New South Wales Park where I have managed to jump the hurdle. I appreciate the chasers who made the effort to give me a call. I always appreciate the callers. 15/04/2015 7.080 VK5EE/P5, 02:49, s59 r51, Tom; VK2JDL/P2, 02:53, s57 r59, VK2/IL-004, Phil; 7.095 VK3HRA, 03:00, s59 r55, Allan; VK2IO, 03:01, s58 r43, Gerard; VK3OF, 03:03, s59 r58 Rex; VK3FQSO, 03:08, 58 54 Amanda; VK3TKK/M, 03:09, s57 r55, Peter; 7.080 VK3EQ/P3, 03:24, s58 r58, VK3/VE-014, The Horn, Mt Buffalo National Park; 7.090 VK5PXO s58 r53, 03:36, Les at Millicent; VK3NBL, 03:35, s56 r59; VK5NIG/QRP, 03:48, s51 r51, Nigel; VK2FABE, 03:49, s59 r57, Gary; VK5ZLT, 03:56, s59 r57, Allan, Bordertown; VK3DAC, 04:02, s59 r58, Fred; VK3LSD, 04:06, s59 r58, Les; VK3FOWL, 04:09, s53 r57, Julie; VK3NBL, 04:13, s59 r57, Ray at Melton; VK5IS, 04:21, s55 r54, Ian; VK3PF, 04:28, s59 r 58, Peter; VK3OHM, 04:29, s59 r59, Marc; VK2FMIA, 04:31, s52 r22, Doug; 7.090 VK2FADV, 0433, s57 r 58, Jim, Blaxland. This activation resulted in 22 contacts with one duplicate. My operating conditions were an FT897 set at 10 watts, 8.4 MAh LiFePO4 battery and a home brew 20/40m dipole.

17/04/2015

On the 17th April 2015, on a very wet morning, we left our camp and took the roads to the Hume Highway and then travelled north to Woomargama township. There we took a right hand turn to Tunnel Road and we drove until the Park was on both sides of the road, clearly visible on the map, and found a spot to set up my station. It was not a cold day but it was wet. 7.090 VK2UH, 00:16, S59 r59, Andrew; VK2JCC/P2, 00:26, s56 r56, Colin; VK5PAS, 00:38, s58 r55, Paul; VK5HCF, 00:40, s55 r55, Col; VK2FADV, 00:42, s53 r58, Jim, Blaxland; VK2BMU, 04:44, s59 r58, Bob, North Kellyville; VK3ANL, 00:48, s57 r58. Nick; VK2XJS, 00:50, s58 r41, Julian, Oberon; VK2XAM, 00:53, s52 r53, Max QRP; VK3PMG, 01:00, s57 r58, Mick; VK5FAKV, 01:04, s58 r59, Shawn; VK7VDL, 01:07, s55 r51, Ron; VK3PTL, 01:09, s58 r57, Ian; VK3AXH, 01:11, s59 r 57, Ian, Ballarat; VK3ARR, 01:13, s54 r59, Andrew; VK2HPN, 01:18, s55 r57, Phil, Bredbo; VK2FAJF, 01:23, s57 r59, Steve; VK5HS, 01:26, s56 r55, Ivan; VK5FAJS, 01:28, s52 r55, Alan, Mt Gambier; VK5TA, 01:30, s53 r57, Tom; VK3FQSO, 01:31, s53 r56, Amanda; VK2MTC, 01:35, s59 r58, Greg, Cooma; VK5FMID, 01:40, s57 r57, Brian; VK3HRA, 01:42, s59 r56, Allan; VK3KAI/M, 01:44, s52 r45, Peter; VK3FPSR, 01:46, s59 r57, Peter; VK3OHM, 01:47, s59 r59, Marc; VK7VDL, 01:49, s43 r54, Bob. I enjoyed my visit to this spendid park and commend it to you, especially the VK1 and VK2 amateurs who live nearby. I wish to thank all of those amateurs who gave me a call. It is always appreciated.

The Murray River from River Road: JCD photo