In December 2010, Jodie and Hamish McTaggart were looking forward to the chance to sit back and relax for a few days. The family property, Bidgemia Station, was in the worst drought on record, and the newlyweds had been working flat out all year to look after their cattle. So, when news of rain in […]
Carbon Farming is a topic that been dominating the Australian media over the past several years. I don’t know about you, but even with an agricultural science degree – I still struggle to understand how it works, and how there’s a market for it. If you’re in the same boat, then you’re in luck – because after […]
This episode discusses mental health and suicide – listener discretion is advised. When Damon Kaylock didn’t have success in landing a job as a jackeroo, he didn’t give up – he just came up with plan B. The plan? To work as a station cook, get on to a station, and work his way into […]
Wooleen Station is not your typical cattle station. And, it’s not so much Wooleen itself that’s different, but the way in which it’s managed. Within months of taking over management of Wooleen, David began implementing a plan to completely destock the station. It was a move he believed was critical to ensure the long-term sustainability […]
When Frances travelled out to a cattle station for work experience, she didn’t think she’d still be there 15 years later. This isn’t your typical city girl goes country story though. Frances didn’t travel to Wooleen Station because she wanted experience in the stockcamp – she wanted to see their tourism operation. However, Wooleen was […]
Picture this – a stockman riding a horse behind a mob of 1000 brahman cattle in the iconic Kimberley region of Western Australia. You’re probably picturing a young man in his twenties, footloose and fancy free, living one heck of an adventure. The first time Dean Maughan drove 2000km to the Kimberley to work on […]
Listeners are advised that this episode discusses suicide, and may not be suitable for all audiences. The first year out of school is equally exciting and terrifying – you’re considered an adult by society, and with that comes both freedoms and responsibilities. With her high school experience not being the best, and her first job […]
Why would a young woman who was raised on sheep and cattle stations, go off to ag college before entering the workforce? Surely, she already had a lifetime of experience, and the station work courses were designed for people who had never set foot on a station before. Well, the answer is, that no matter […]
On today’s episode, I’m sitting down with my friend and former colleague, Clare Atkins. In this episode we chat about Clare’s role as a Stock Inspector and what that actually is – because, really, who knows what that means or what they do. Clare discusses the responsibility of upholding WA’s biosecurity laws, and also the […]
Matt Wood started managing Blina Station in the West Kimberley at the ripe old age of 23. In the past 13 years he has met his wife, become a father, and grown as a manager, friend, and member of the Kimberley community. Matt and Connie recently said a fond farewell to Blina Station, where they […]
At just 11 years old, Imogen Cadzow is the youngest child of Steve and Rebecca Cadzow from Mt Riddock Station, north-east of Alice Springs. In this bonus episode, Immi shares stories about what it’s been like growing up on a cattle station, and how it prepared her to move interstate to attend boarding school. We […]
Dating a co-worker can be tough. But, what about when you’re dating the boss? And the boss is a station manager, and you’re a jillaroo in the stock camp. Ok, before your imagination starts running wild – this is not a tale of some forbidden love affair! When Connie Wood started dating her future husband […]
It’s that time of year again – to catch up on what our podcast host, Steph Coombes, has been up to since leaving her job and hitting the road full-time, visiting cattle stations for the last 18 months! Unlike her last episode (#54) which she recorded solo, in this episode Steph is joined by Pip […]
When I (Steph, podcast host) lived in the United States, I learnt the saying ‘ride for the brand’. It means to be loyal to the ranch and rancher that you work for. It means taking great deal of pride, and giving your all for the brand. Cowboys would ride the extra mile and fight, if necessary, […]
Lamboo Station is unlike any of the other cattle station’s we’ve spoken about on this podcast. Located just south of Halls Creek in the Kimberley region, Lamboo is owned by the Ngunjiwirri Aboriginal Corporation (NAC) on behalf of the Jaru people. The property was purchased in 1994 by the (then) Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander […]
Dave Morrell grew up on cattle stations between Fitzroy Crossing and Halls Creek in the 1960’s, and returned to the Kimberley to set up the first vet practice in Broome. From operating on animals on his kitchen table under the light of a torch, to treating exotic animals from across the globe – there there […]
A young man heads north straight out of school and works in the stockcamp. Over the years he progresses to head stockman, and then manager. This story is fairly common and the norm in the cattle industry. However, that is not the story of Haydn Sale. In this episode Haydn shares his journey from growing […]
John & Annette Henwood owned the iconic Kimberley cattle station Fossil Downs for over 50 years. In this episode, John shares some family history, memories of his childhood growing up on Noonkanbah Station and meeting his wife. John also speaks about how an experience in the early 1980’s led him to change his management style, […]
Ben Smith and Archie Pollard work on Murray Downs Station, just south of Tennant Creek in the Northern Territory. I recently took the 120km detour off the main highway to pop in for a cup of tea, and within minutes of my arrival Ben made a massive faux pas. So, of course I used it […]
John Kirby started catching wild bulls in the East Kimberley in 1969 and by the time he stopped in 1983 he had caught approximately 10,000. However, when he caught his first bull, John had never worked with cattle before. As in, ever. This is the story of a young lad from the city who headed […]
