Parks
Apart from the fact that our National Parks are some of the most beautiful and diverse environments in Victoria, there are two more good reasons to visit them: Amateur Radio activation for the Keith Roget Memorial National Parks Award and the World Wide Flora and Fauna (Australia) Program. These Amateur Radio programs actively promote the unique heritage of our National Parks around the world and support their upkeep and management.
Keith Roget Memorial National Parks Award
The Keith Roget Memorial National Parks Award (KRMNPA) is managed by Tony VK3XV for Amateur Radio Victoria. Tony is an avid activator and does a magnificent job providing very professional award certificates and organising KRMNPA activation weekends.
World Wide Flora and Fauna (Australia) Program
The World Wide Flora and Fauna (Australia) program is managed by Paul VK5PAS, who has added many Australian regional parks to the program. Paul is also an avid activator and does a magnificent job providing very professional award certificates and organising VKWWFF activation weekends.
Tony VK3XV operating portable for KRMNPA
Tony VK3XV operating from the back of the Troup Carrier
Paul VK5PAS and Tony VK3XV - Fierce contesters and great sports too!
What happens on activation, stays on activation!
National Parks Road Trips
We completed our activation of all 45 Victorian National Parks for the Keith Roget National Parks Award (KRMNPA) in January 2015 after travelling over 5500kms in 18 days. We were on the air each day between 7am and 9pm Eastern Australian time, listening on 7090kHz while mobile and activated the parks on 7100kHz. Alerts were published on ParksNPeaks (http://www.parksnpeaks.org/alerts.php) and we broadcast our position on APRS (www.aprs.fi/VK3YSP-10).
We divided the 45 Victorian National Parks into four separate road trips or loops, all starting and finishing in Melbourne. The loops are shown in different colours on the map below. The first is the Peninsula Loop (blue), which takes in French Island and the Mornington Peninsula. The second is the Bendigo Loop (green), which goes up the Calder Freeway and returns via the Western Highway. The Third is the Western Loop (purple), which almost goes to Mount Gambier and Mildura and comes back through Kinglake. The fourth is the Eastern Loop (red), which goes through Wodonga and Cann River and back through Wilsons Promontory. The incursion of the Western Loop into Gippsland was just to equalize the distance of the two, big, 7-day loops. Parks ending in “&” are adjacent to the next park listed. The two parks were activated separately after only a short delay to reposition the station.
Peninsula National Parks Loop – 2 Days, 269km
1. Dandenong Ranges National Park (VKFF-132)
2. Churchill National Park (VKFF-621)
Day 2 Saturday - 57km
3. French Island National Park (VKFF-622)
Day 2 Sunday -151km
4. Mornington Peninsula (VKFF-333) &
5. Point Nepean National Park (VKFF-628)
Bendigo National Parks Loop – 2 Days, 544km
6. Organ Pipes National Park (VKFF-627)
7. Greater Bendigo National Park (VKFF-623)
Day 2 Sunday - 363km
8. Kara Kara National Park (VKFF-629)
9. Brisbane Ranges National Park (VKFF-055)
Western National Parks Loop – 7 Days, 2365km
Day 1 Friday 27 Dec 2013 - 467km
10. Great Otway National Park (VKFF-405)
11. Port Campbell National Park (VKFF-420)
12. Mount Richmond National Park (VKFF-361)
Day 2 Saturday 28 Dec 2013 - 267km
Eastern National Parks Loop – 7 Days, 2402km
Day 1 Friday 26 Dec 2014 - 336km
30. Warby-Ovens National Park
Day 2 Saturday 27 Dec 2014 - 223km
31. Chiltern-Mt Pilot National Park
32. Burrowa-Pine Mountain National Park (VKFF-069)
Day 3 Sunday 28 Dec 2014 - 300km
33. Mount Buffalo National Park (VKFF-339)
34. Alpine National Park (VKFF-619)
Day 4 Monday 29 Dec 2014 - 284km
35. Snowy River National Park (VKFF-455) &
36. Errinundra National Park (VKFF-158)
Day 5 Tuesday 30 Dec 2014 - 246km
37. Lind National Park (VKFF-287)
38. Coopracambra National Park (VKFF-113)
39. Alfred National Park (VKFF-618)
40. Croajingolong National Park (VKFF-119)
Day 6 Wednesday 31 Dec 2014 - 236km
41. Mitchell River National Park (VKFF-321)
42. The Lakes National Park (VKFF-484)
Day 7 Thursday 1 Jan 2015 - 352km
43. Tarra-Bulga National Park (VKFF-480)
44. Morwell National Park (VKFF-623)
45. Wilsons Promontory National Park (VKFF-539)
