A good turnout of 5 teams after the aborted attempt in March made it a much better proposition. Despite a huge dumping of rain the previous day, the Friday was perfect conditions. The evening was run as 4 2-legged hunts of varying difficulty.

Apologies to all teams for neglecting to mention the 1st hunt was a 2-legger, but we were consistent and didn’t tell anyone till they’d found the 1st leg. The 1st leg was near a bike path with the potential entrance cunningly disguised by an unknown parked fox vehicle. Most teams had little difficulty with this one, VR blitzing the field a full 6 minutes ahead of BLN. The 2nd leg had a bit of a problem with signal strength. Teams were assisted with some extra transmissions from a handheld. This was found to be mainly due to a bad fox antenna connector, and in retrospect not the fault of the super-duper new Cyclon battery pack afterall. This was all possibly to VR’s disadvantage, so this leg was in fact won by BLI on leg time followed by VR 2nd 5 minutes slower. All teams found this leg within the 10 minutes leg time, despite the long elapsed time.

The 2nd hunt must have been easier with the first leg atop a metal stairway adjoining Churchill Park and then off a closed road. A different 2nd fox was used since we hadn’t at this stage worked out what was wrong with the WIA one, but this one provided it’s own challenges for the bicycle bound fox operator. VR took out the 1st leg narrowly from TXO, BLN and YDF who all found it within the 1st minute. The 2nd leg was won by YDF on leg time due to the faster sprinter, followed closely by BLI (aren’t those leg times deceptive !), then the rest spread out up to 5 minutes.

The 3rd hunt provided the major challenge for the evening with longer distances and trickier to get to locations. YDF had no problems finding the fox near a creek under a major freeway function, but since he drew the orienteering map in the area that’s not a big surprise. VR also did well despite Roger falling into a hole, but the only other team to find us before the 10 minutes was BLN sneaking in with a 9 (Don’t run too far up the hill Marta!… come back come back Marta!). The 2nd leg was again under the freeway a long long way from the 1st leg. BLN did best on leg time followed by VR. A surprise that TXO did well with a 3 despite not finding the 1st leg and still seen running about after fox 1 had left the scene ! All teams found the 2nd leg in time.

Hunt 4 was really one hunt dressed up as 2 to make it a little more interesting. The first leg was one side of a lake, the 2nd the other. The leg 1 planned location got driven out by automatic sprinklers choosing that time to creep closer, but despite that it still took the teams some time to find. VR (again) blitzed the 1st leg, but luckily the leg time system seem to work against them and they rarely win the 2nd leg which was taken out by YDF, who won by running (the team had driven there quicker, but since they drove through marked private property we had to insist they come in another way. All teams found the 2nd leg within 2 minutes of YDF’s time.

The final scores are therefore:

VR 12 (0,5,0,4,1,1,0,1)

YDF 26 (8,9,1,0,0,4,4,0)

BLN 31 (6,7,1,3,9,0,3,2)

BLI 36 (9,0,4,1,10,7,3,2)

TXO 41 (10,8,1,5,10,3,3,1)

Report on the February 2005 Melbourne Foxhunt

The fox for February was the VK3YDF team. The weather was cool and dry. Five teams took part in the hunts that started at Eastfield park in Croydon South. Due to the need for an early finish by the fox the hunts were started promptly at 8PM. All teams had turned up in time and were ready to go as soon as the fox was switched on.

The first hunt quickly took the hounds to a small linear park and bike track next to Dandenong creek in Boronia. The fox was located about 200m west of Colchester Road. (65D3) Most hounds entered on foot using the bike track rather than via the grass on the opposite side of the creek. Once the signal swung many hounds decided that the quickest way to the fox would be to battle through instead of go around the rather thick bush and blackberries. VK3BLN were first to the fox with all but one team finding the fox within the following minute or so. The VK3MZ team only just managed to find the fox before the time limit. Hounds regrouped at nearby Colchester park for the start of the next hunt.

The second hunt for the evening was located less than 1km away from the regroup location and was once again alongside Dandenong creek. The fox was located in scrub at the end of the bike track. (65G5) A number of teams tried to enter via an equestrian centre (effectively private property) and were turned back and told to try another way in. VK3BLN were once again first in followed a few minutes later by VK3YQN and VK3MZ. VK3OW and VK3VT followed only a couple of minutes afterward. Hounds regrouped again at Colchester park.

The third hunt was on the south east edge of a disused retarding basin and bush area also less than 1km from the regroup location. The 2005 edition of the Melways  actually has this marked. (65F3). While there were a couple of easier ways in, all teams decided to bash their way through scrub from the opposite corner of the retarding basin. VK3BLN were once again first in followed shortly after by VK3YQN.

The remaining teams found the fox only a couple of minutes later. Teams regrouped for a third time at Colchester park.After some brief problems with getting a signal running hunt 4 took the hounds some distance to the top of a hill next to the Mt Dandenong Tourist Road in Upwey. (74J4) Regroup location was a nearby Petrol station (no, not in Colchester park!) The VK3YQN team were first on the scene with the VK3MZ team arriving a couple of minutes later. None of the other teams found this fox within the ten minute time limit.

For the second last hunt for the evening the fox was located in scrub just south of the bike track not far from a Railway Bridge in Belgrave. (75E10)  While most teams entered via the bike track, David and Marta from the BLN team decided to enter from the railway bridge side and battle through the rather thick greenery. After much cursing came in for third place with VK3OW. Bruce from the VK3YQN team were first in from the Bike Track followed a few minutes later by Geoff from the VK3MZ team.

For the supper hunt the 10 minute drive-off rule was used. The fox was located next to Ferny creek in Upper Ferntree Gully not far from Ferndale Road in a proposed park area. (74G10) Easy access was available via a windy track, both ends of which were available off Ferndale Road. Still many teams decided that going through the scrub was better than sticking to the track. Despite their bush bashing the VK3BLN team were first in followed a few minutes later by VK3OW who appeared to come in from a different direction than the other hounds. VK3YQN found the fox just a couple of minutes before time had elapsed. There was no sign of VK3MZ and VT teams could not find a suitable way in.

Supper was held in nearby Ferntree Gully at the QTH of Steve, VK3YLE. Adam VK3YDF ran the supper as Steve was overseas at the time.  Hounds were treated to Chilli chicken strips and Kangaroo Sausages and a variety of other goodies.  The winner for the night was the VK3YQN team only just ahead of VK3BLN. VK3VR/MZ, VK3OW and VK3VT teams took the minor placings.

The fox for March will be the VK3YQN team.

Here are the results of the hunt held last Friday.


The hounds gathered at the old traditional start location in the car park adjacent to the roundabout on the corner of Swanston Street and Cemetery Rd.  Greg VK3VT the fox for the evening arrived at the start on his bicycle.  This led a number of  hounds to think that they were in for a few long runs over the evening.

The First Hunt was down around the docks area west of the city.  Those that know Greg well would have realised that this was a favorite spot of his long before the development of Docklands and its huge increase in popularity.  Ian, Doug and Andrew were to be found on the bicycle bridge (Melway 2E  H 9) across the Yarra and only one team VK3VR/MZ/TVB/JMD was able to find them before ten minutes were up.

Second Hunt Now the teams thought they were in for a bike chase and started hunting Greg who was on a bike track (Is there a theme emerging?)  beside the Maribyrnong River at the junction of Steels Creek.  Geoff VK3VR was first in the area and saw a bike riding  away in the distance and had that sinking feeling!!!  However he was only about 10 metres from the stationary fox and was first in for the  VK3MZ/VR/TVB/JMD team, Second in was Bruce VK3TJN for the VK3YQN team. Others did not make the 10 minute time limit. (Melway 27 J 4).

Third Hunt  Saw Doug and Andrew located at the end of Edwards Rd  out west of the airport (Melway 3 A 2).  First to find them was the VK3BLN team, followed closely by Geoff from VK3TVB/MZ/VR/JMD team who had disappeared from view on two occasions as he clambered down, and I guess up, some extensive cliffs.  VK3YDF and team found the transmitter with seconds to spare and VK3YQN failed to do so.  About this time the theme seemed to be out the window!!!

Fourth Hunt – Greg and Ian were sitting in the car in Inverness Mews (Melway 178 K 10)  First to find them was the VK3JMD/MZ/TVB/VR team with VK3YQN second seven minutes later and VK3BLN and VK3YDF missed the ten minute time limit.

While Greg and Ian headed off to prepare supper Doug and Andrew found a play ground  near Broadway Court  (Melway 182 F 12)  VK3BLN who was either winning or getting zero continued in this manner by winning this hunt. VK3VR was next after four minutes then VK3YDF a further minute behind and VK3YQN just before time expired.

At supper where low-fat food was provided results were announced as follows:

Well done all teams  The fox next month will be either VK3OW or VK3VR/MZ/TVB/JMD  Remember the hunt is a week early and will be the traditional Bar-B-Q.  See you on 10th December.


Cheers and 73
Greg VK3VT

Six hounds rocked up at a shopping center carpark near the corner of Ferntree Gully Rd and Burwood Highway in perfect conditions for a night of challenge and fun. A GPS waypoint file is included below.

Hunt 1 was straight into a unusual hunt with unusual rules. There were 5 ARDF transmitters in the same area about 10 minutes drive from the Start. 1,3 & 5 were very close to each other (about 40m) wheras 2 and 4 were more distant. Teams could drive or drop off as many runners as they liked, but the trick was a homing beacon on another frequency could be turned on at any time, and since this was to be scored using the normal 10 minute timing teams could not delay too long hunting this or risk losing more points than they could gain by going for another ARDF. A dilemma ! Teams were also required to find the homing transmitter within 15 minutes of it first being found or lose all their ARDF points as well as getting 10 for the timed part. This was to give a defined finish to the hunt so it wouldn’t drag on forever.

OW still attempted to fool father time but it didn’t work and they lost all their ARDF points, as well as coming in 22 minutes after the winner. BLN had found the homing as well as all 5 ARDF transmitters. Mention must also go to KIR team who managed a credible 4 on this hunt, also finding all 5 ARDFs, making them 2nd. VT scored a total of 5 (with 4 ARDF’s). [ Note the ARDF’s were scored as 2 points for every ARDF TX *not* found, to fit in with the inverse scoring system ]. What did people think of this hunt ?

Hunt 2 was a more conventionally run 2 legged hunt. Hunts were scored on leg time, so even if a team does poorly on the 1st leg, the 2nd hunt is entirely independent. This tends to bring up some unexpected results at the end of the night ! Leg 1 wasn’t far from the ARDF location but tricky to get to. BLN again won this one, followed quickly by VT and BQZ, then OW. YDF and KIR both found it 5 minutes later. Leg 2 was a nice drive in the countryside, being located on the far side of Cardinia Reservoir in some grassland beyond the dam. On leg time VT and YDF were equal first to the well hidden YQN Pajero, followed closely by BQZ. All others were over 10 minutes, some having visited all sorts of interesting and fascinating rural locations on the way.

Hunt 3 was again 2 legged in order to save re-group time. Steve and Nathan were under a bridge on an equestrian (that’s horse for the ignorant) trail. They also found someone’s prize marajiana plant secreted in the same location. A glowing bollard decoy was used not far from the real fox just to annoy Roger. Well at least, we were told it was glowing, but by then that might have been the hash talking. YDF seemed to have recovered from the slow start and won this leg too, followed 4 minutes later by BLN and VT, then OW, KIR and BQZ (see that bollard really worked!).

Despite being last on the first leg, BQZ managed 1st on the 2nd leg, which was in a bastard location in a thin bit of green park hemmed in by private properties back near Rowville. OW did a bit better on this one with a 4 to come 2nd.

Hunt 4 was going to be somewhere else I’m not going to reveal, but as usual time contraints meant we had to skip it and straight into the 2 legged supper hunt. The first leg was possibly the hardest location to access on the night being in the middle of just plain white on the Melway. VT braved the long grass to find this one first, followed by a group of BLN, BQZ and YDF a minute later, closely then KIR and OW.

There were a few signal problems on the final leg, aggravated by the long distance back to Ashwood. Still everyone knew where supper was, so no prizes for guessing which way to head ! OW took honours on leg time (being last on the 1st leg does seem to help !), followed by BQZ and YDF on leg times. All other teams took over 10 minutes.

It was a high scoring night with only BQZ and YDF not scoring a 10. BQZ only missing the first place by 1 point. Bollards !! BLN started well, but they seem to have difficulies with 2 legged hunts (dropping off too many runners on the 1st leg perhaps ?). OW did very poorly on the first hunt by losing their ARDF scores (but they be the rules!) but improved markedly during the night.

Here are the scores:

YDF: 6,6,0,0,5,2,3 /22 (1st)

BQZ: 8,1,2,8,0,2,2 /23 (2nd)

VT: 5,1,0,4,10,0,10 /30 (3rd)

BLN: 0,0,10,4,10,2,10 /36 (4th)

KIR: 4,6,10,7,7,3,10 /37 (5th)

OW: 20,2,10,5,4,4,0 /45 (6th)

Fox hunt report – 12 December 2003 Four teams assembled at the north end of Cardigan St Carlton on a mild evening (with forecast of showers). Roger VK3HRL briefed the teams and shortly after 2010 the first hunt commenced.

The 1st fox was a remotely keyed VK3ZEO Special concealed in an “L-type” fire hydrant cover just around the corner at the north-west end of Keppel Street. VK3OW couldn’t hear signal and were instructed to head south – 40m south is still south. VK3BLN was first in, followed two minutes later by YQN and YDF (who were distracted by seedy events in an unrelated vehicle). VK3OW ended up in very heavy congestion in Richmond.

The second hunt started from the same location (Cardigan St). Dennis VK3BQZ had concealed the fox in a length of plastic pipe in a new industrial estate in Network Drive Port Melbourne (under West Gate Bridge near Boeing). There were some signal strength problems which required a few overs from the car rig. VK3YQN was in first followed nine minutes later by VK3YDF. BLN and OW could hear the fox but failed to arrive within the time limit.

The third hunt was a two-legged event, just as the rain set in. Graeme VK3ZEO and Roger VK3HRL placed sequenced foxes about 800m apart in Williamstown North / Newport. The foxes were keyed by a 70cm transmitter operated by Graeme and they transmitted in sequence on 145.300 MHz. To get hounds into the area Roger put up some overs from the car. All hounds found Graeme first – BLN (0), YDF (1), YQN (1) and OW (4). True to HRL’s hunt planning form, progress of some teams was impeded by a very long freight train (PacNat 5MP4, with two NRs and a DL in the shafts, for readers’ interest). “We’ll pick you up where we dropped you” “No, I can’t get back there’s a big train in the way. Why don’t you come to me?” “I can’t, there’s a big train in the way.”

For the other leg (and scored on leg time), VK3YDF found Roger first, followed by OW, BLN and YQN. Peter C of the YQN team takes the honours for finding Roger’s fox without equipment (it was sitting in plain view on a railway signal cabin). Most others went straight for concealed car.

While Roger went home to get supper going, Dennis and Graeme ran the fourth hunt, another two legged event which also turned out to be the supper hunt. With a rapidly fading fox, Dennis placed himself in Maribyrnong St Yarraville, deceptively close to, but not at, the rail freight terminal. Hounds got in as follows:- YQN (0), BLN (2), YDF (2), OW (9).

On the second leg, Graeme and son Norman went to ground in the Paisley Park golf course. Order (based on leg time) was YQN (0), YDF (2), BLN (4), OW (7).

Christmas supper was held at Roger’s QTHR. Hounds and fox team partook in a barbecue, the left-overs of which were strategically buried by a very grateful woofer for later consumption.

Overall scores:-

	Hunt 1		Hunt 2		Hunt 3		Hunt 4     Total   Place
VK3BLN	0		10		0+6=6		2+4=6	   22      3
VK3OW	10		10		4+2=6		9+7=16	   42      4
VK3YDF	5		9		1+0=1		2+2=4	   19      2
VK3YQN	2		0		1+7=8		0+0=0	   10      1

Well done VK3YQN!
73s,
Roger Lewis VK3HRL

The October hunt was run recently by the VK3MZ (et al) Team. Six hounds took part – with the KIR team accepting Geoff’s invitation to dinner that evening – only to discover that he had been talked into helping out with the hunt (sorry guys – maybe we could go out next month??). The meeting location was the Doncaster swimming centre carpark and promptly at 8:22 the hounds were called in for the first hunt.

This was a single leg hunt tucked away at the end of a long and winding road in what appeared to be public space. With no fences in the area we wandered down to the edge of a creek and concealed the fox. Nearby residents were attracted by the movement and wandered out to see what was going on – and we took the time to be courteous and informative about what was happening. They were thrilled to see the first team in – VK3YQN – and how they located the fox after only 2-3 minutes of sniffing. Second in was VK3BLN who waded the creek and climbed the embankment to get in about 2 minutes later; apparently dense undergrowth on the other side of the creek had prevented them from driving all the way to the transmitter on this hunt. While many other hounds appeared on the other side of the creek, none of them were able to find the stepping stones used by David – as a result, no other hounds got in before time expired. There was a protest about the location and this was neatly sidestepped by Geoff at the time because the protesting team had not submitted copies of the appropriate forms before time was up (I mean if people could protest after the hunt was over – say at supper – the end result would be quite unfair). Subsequently, Mark (VK3JMD) offered an independent opinion It’s a protest of second against first. It has good grounding It is easier to let it go but the right thing is to admit a mistake on the foxes behalf and cancel all scores for that hunt. YQN have a history of such violations in the past (Braeside Park when we ran a hunt at my place last) for being on private property and this shows past offence and a disregard for the rules.

The second hunt was a 2 legger; with the two transmitters about 400 metres apart as the crow flies..but about 5km by road (i.e. about 1-2 minutes drive if you’re in the VT vehicle). First into leg 1 was YQN with BQZ and BLN narrowly behind. Next in was YDF then Greg, VK3VT, who had inadvertently found the 2nd leg first – and then sped off to find the 1st leg. The 2nd leg was tucked down yet another dead end road on the edge of a state park – with the fox concealed at the base of a tree on the edge of the forest. While YQN was first into the 2nd leg, we were using leg timing – and as a result the VK3VT team came first place on this leg (the combination of Greg’s driving, a V8 and knowing where the transmitter is was quite hard to beat).

The 3rd hunt was a single-leg hunt in a court north of Warrandyte. First in was VK3BQZ, with BLN, YDF and YQN close behind. The 4th hunt was hidden in a small laneway at the end of a long road. Surrounded by private property – there was only one way in – plus the way that Roger found (but he assures me it was legal, and if Roger says so, that’s fine by me ;-)). First in was Greg VK3VT, followed 9 minutes later by BQZ and BLN a few seconds after time was up – but given the benefit of the doubt.

The 5th hunt was in a court in Donvale – with YQN coming taking out 1st place followed by YDF, BLN, TXO, BQZ and VT.

The final hunt for the evening was on the Eastern side of the Yarran Dherran nature reserve. Adam from the YDF team came in first after a long run – followed by Greg and team who had come from the other side of the park. As we sat on the hillside waiting for other hounds to arrive two vehicles found their way onto a dirt-track on the other side of the creek. We watched the landcrab hurtle along the track at high speed – only to hear the distress call about 60 seconds later as they plowed into a large puddle – as water poured into the cabin they debated who would go down with the ship – – but Graeme wasn’t prepared to cooperate. The VT team were kind enough to make a brand new snatch-strap (for which we promised him 0.1 bonus points) available for a rescue attempt and after much preparation and three attempts, the (even more battered than normal) landcrab was pulled free. A highlight of the evening was the video recording of the bogging – and de-bogging – made by Adam VK3YDF. This was shown at supper and is likely to be a feature part in any future fox-hunting movie.

Scores announced at supper were

1 YQN 13

2 BQZ 14

3 BLN 15

=4 VT 18

=4 YDF 18

6 TXO 26

Allowing for protests and adjustments,

1 BQZ 11

2 YQN 13

=3 VT 14

=3 BLN 14

5 YDF 15

6 TXO 23

Six teams met at the Riversdale Station Carpark for a night of short multi legged hunts. Hunts were scored on order of arrival on the last leg only.  

Hunt 1 was a 2 leg hunt with the first transmitter only 100 or so meters from the start location. First in on this leg was VK3BQZ.. The final leg on this hunt was about 500 meters further down the railway line in Frog Hollow Reserve. First in was VK3YDF followed by VK3BLN and VK3TXO.  

Hunt 2 was a single leg hunt to a park at the rear of Penguin books near Camberwell Junction. First in was VK3YQN, followed by VK3BQZ and VK3YDF.  

Hunt 3 was a 2 legged hunt in two alley ways of Trafalgar road in Camberwell. The two transmitters were no more than about 300 meters apart. First in on leg two was VK3YDF followed by VK3BLN and VK3YQN.  

The first leg of hunt 4 was in a service lane behind the servo on the corner of Warrigal road and Riversdale road Most hounds found this very quickly. The next leg took them to the tram terminus on the corner of Riversdale Road and Elgar Road where VK3YDF found the fox first followed by VK3VT and VK3YQN.  

Hunt 5 was a multi leg hunt at fordham reserve in Blackburn South. Here hounds had to find 3 transmitters. First in on this leg was VK3BLN followed very closely by VK3VT and VK3YDF.   Hunt 6 found the hounds driving less than 5 minutes away to find the fox in the Eley Road park. First in was VK3BLN followed by VK3TXO and VK3YDF. Geoff, VK3VR managed to find this fox after having a night out at his local Greek restaurant.  

Supper was held at Ron’s house after 11 hunts at 11.30pm where the following results were announced.  

1. VK3YDF – 6

2. VK3BLN – 9

3. VK3YQN – 15

4. VK3VT – 18

5. VK3BQZ – 19

6. VK3TXO – 20  

73 Andrew VK3KIR