Station working with Keith
Host: Yeeda Pastoral
Written by Keith – Cook, Yeeda Pastoral Company.
Keith, the Kilto Station Cook.
What a challenging work experience, you step in as a station cook at Kilto Station which is part of the large Yeeda Pastoral Co’s group of cattle stations spread out from Broome in the North West Kimberley to Springvale in the North East Kimberley, heading towards Katherine.
My work Station.
My first challenge was to know your team of workers who come in all shapes, sizes, nationalities, with different backgrounds, mixed personalities, and various taste buds that can vary daily.
Now set about feeding them bloody good wholesome grub and plenty of volume – this buggers up the whingers, cuts out all the table bullshit, and they eat like contented cattle – a successful herd. They have three courses two nights per week – soup, main, and sweets. The other five nights is soup and mains.
Homemade pies for tea.
During the cooler nights – don’t let anyone tell you it is perfect weather from June onwards – the days are just great but you need a bloody good fire at night and plenty of blankets and jumpers.
I encountered a few early teething problems – Lost my dog through excessive heat – Filled my car fuel tank with diesel instead of petrol (bloody idiot) – Was gored by the male pig who stabbed my arm with his tusk! And it’s taken me some time to realise I am a not a fisherman – no success with the “Barras” (barramundi).
The highlights – I love my work and enjoy the satisfaction of seeing contented, well fed, happy campers.
Surprise birthday cake for Ben one of the ringers.
It’s a bloody long way from home (the far south coast of NSW) but I am not freezing my cobblers off which home is experiencing. I am about to purchase a new dog and it will have a ripper time on the station.