VK2/MN-132 Berrico, 16/Oct/2019 by VK2NU/P
Map. There is a Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) Beacon/Station on the summit, with a couple of large satellite dishes and various other antennas!
This is another summit I had tried previously (in 2017), but couldn't get anywhere near due to rough roads and a vehicle that wasn't up to the task.
Getting there!
Attempt 1. North along the Bucketts Way, turn left into Berrico Road at grid -32.186133, 151.940534. Stay on Berrico Road for 16.8km, and this should bring you to the summit!
After about 5-6km, I came to an open gate and cattle grid that had a sign advising that any visitors need to report to the house. Having a few less than pleasant experiences with landowners in the past, I didn't want to do this, so turned back.
Attempt 2. Backtracked to the Bucketts Way, and headed another 5.6km North to Upper Avon Road. Followed upper Avon Road for 18km, and turned right onto Berrico Road. Follow Berrico Road for 10.6km to the summit!
Bucketts Way X Upper Avon Road
Upper Avon Road passes through Berrico Nature Reserve
Nature reserve sign at the Western End of Upper Avon Road
Upper Avon Road is a good 4wd track, and in 2017 I made it this far with a Hyundai i30!
However, there are many side trails and care should be taken as they are not all sign posted! On the way back I took a wrong turn and had to reverse 500m down a trail, which was too narrow to turn.
Intersection of Upper Avon Road (Right) and Berrico Road (Left) on the way home! This section is outside the Nature Reserve and not signposted!
Berrico Road is also a good 4wd track, but very rocky and heavily rutted in parts, and requires good ground clearance!
Berrico Road
#2. Intersection of Berrico Road and Kanungra Road, about 650m before the summit.
And again!
The last 500m drive was very narrow with overhanging branches.
I arrived at the summit at 08:40 local time, and had alerted my activation for 09:00 (22:00z). To my surprise and annoyance, there was a couple of 4wd vehicles and workmen at the summit, servicing the Civil Aviation Facility!
There is a large (approx 10m x 30m) open patch of dirt on the summit, but not wanting to draw attention to myself I drove past the summit and down the trail 50m or so, until I was out of site of CAA building.
I set-up off the trail with a squidpole and 40 ocfd antenna. This was a far from optimal location, with little room, but I didn't want an audience!
I didn't take any photos at the summit, for the reasons mentioned above! In hindsight, I'm sure I could have activated from outside the CAA facilty without issue...
In 45m minutes I only made 5 QSO's on 40/20m, and whilst signals were good, there didn't seem to be anyone about! Having other stuff to do, I packed up, reversed up the narrow trail to the summit and headed back home the way I came.
Phone coverage on Optus was non-existent, but Telstra seemed OK!
There is plenty of room at the communications site before the summit (shown in the photos above). However, when I stopped here for some breakfast and a drink after the activation, I found this to be well out of the AZ with my GPS..
Whilst here, I was passed by another workman in a 4wd heading to the CAA facility!
Summary:
- Another good workout for the 4wd, but no walking this time!
- This is the third summit I've visited now to find workmen at communication towers!
- On unpacking my gear, I seem to be missing my GPS! I hope it is hiding in the car somewhere, but if not I think it is sitting on a patch of grass, about 500m before the summit, where I was eating a Kit-Kat and drinking a Coke!
Update:
I had indeed left my GPS at the communications site before the summit. I had made arrangements to go back to the site on my next days off work to look for it, but to my delight and amazement, a gentleman turned up at my house 5 days after my walk, and handed over the GPS.
He had been mountain biking in the area, and found it, and had the knowledge to use the old data in the GPS to pinpoint my house. As luck would have it, he only lived 20 minutes drive from me.
Obviously the gods were shining on me this week, and episodes like this help restore your faith in human nature!!!
No comments:
Post a Comment