Hello from Blina 2014
Host: Blina Station
Written by Connie Gray – Manager, Blina.
Hello Again, Central Station!!
I survived my first year at Blina!! Pats on the back for me. It wasn’t easy, but very well worth it. I look back on last year with pride.
The crew all go home for the season in November, and we go down to skeleton crew. It was just Matt and I, along with the boreman and his partner, and of course the Hallen family at Ellendale.
Blina in the Wet Season.
The cattle work is well and truly on hold, the swamp slowly starts to fill up from the all the rain (we hope!!) and the station basically goes in to care and maintenance, fixing up the trucks and station vehicles, and doing all of the odd jobs. It is usually this time that Matt and I can get away down south for a bit of a holiday and well-earned break.
Matt and I.
The crew all arrive around Easter time, and so it goes around again, another season at Blina, with a new headstock – lady and a brand new crew. We have some familiar faces and some new – but the job is still the same.
We usually try to fit in a Horsemanship School with Heath Stewart from Salt River Performance Horses before the season kicks off. It is a wonderful three days, I’ve been to the school three times now, and every time I learn something new and expand my knowledge base.
Meda and Blina Crews at the Horse School.
Louie and Brandon Horsing Around.
Once we were all savvy with the soft feel and being at one with our ponies the crew hit the ground running . . . not stopping for a proper break until the Inaugural Matrons and Stockmans Ball in June, where the crew got very jazzed up. They really did look an absolute treat!!
Blina Crew at the ball.
It really is a very special life that we life and although we live far from what most people would consider ‘civilisation’ we have such a wonderful community and fantastic support. It takes a special kind of person to give this life a go and I admire everyone who packs their car up, leaves their home to join us on the station, even if it is just for a month or two, or an entire season . . . in some cases many years. Every person has a valuable contribution to make and significant life lessons to be learned.
I hope you enjoy reading about Blina again, as much as I have enjoyed writing these pieces.
Loz (our headstock-lady), Sarah, and Katie Perry.
Toni and her mad acrobatic skill!!