Tuesday 4th June –day 22
Time to move some animals…. Started the morning by mustering the 7 horses and 4 camels living in house paddock and moving them into Ram Paddock. It’s so much faster mustering horses and camels. The horses pretty much knew where they were going; the Camels were a little more difficult to steer but it didn’t take much effort to get them moving in the right direction. Whilst mustering Nena found a baby Kangaroo out on the road …. So meet baby Jack.
Time to move some animals…. Started the morning by mustering the 7 horses and 4 camels living in house paddock and moving them into Ram Paddock. It’s so much faster mustering horses and camels. The horses pretty much knew where they were going; the Camels were a little more difficult to steer but it didn’t take much effort to get them moving in the right direction. Whilst mustering Nena found a baby Kangaroo out on the road …. So meet baby Jack.
Turns out Jack is actually a girl, although we didn’t know it at the time of naming and the name has sort of stuck. She is a little bit ugly, buggy alien eyes with the body of Dr Evils cat, Mr Bigglesworth. Ugly but in a cute, helpless way. We think she is about a month old, and because she has no hair she needs to be kept warm, wrapped up in lots of fluffy towels and then put in a Coles ‘chilly’ bag with a silver thermal lining. We have to keep blasting hot air from my hairdryer in the bag, and Nena feeds her every two hours. One of the ladies from a ‘nearby’ station has rescued several kangaroos and wallabies and so she gave us some special baby kangaroo food to feed Jack. She is very skinny and still quite dehydrated. Hopefully she will pull through and grow up to be a healthy Roo.
This afternoon we mustered Nulgara Paddock which seemed HUGE! In a way it was a bit easier to muster as there are lots of wide open spaces so easier to spot the cattle, but the place was covered in damn Mitchell grass (otherwise know as mountain grass!) This stuff grows in tufts that seems to form small mounds of earth around the tuft…. It is a nightmare to ride a motorbike or quadbike over. Hours of mustering over that stuff and I felt like one of Bond’s Martinis, very well shaken. I still have not mastered riding a motorbike so I stuck to tearing around on a quakbike; lots of fun and less chance of falling off when riding over the mountain grass, however it’s not as good as the motorbikes when it comes to getting across steep banked riverbeds… I had a bit of a paddy at one point when I got stuck on one side and couldn't for the life of me get over to the other side where the bloody cows were hiding out. Oh well hopefully I will be able to find some time to get practicing on the motorbike.
Wednesday 5th June - day 23
Today we drafted the cattle, sorting them out into what ones would be sent off for sale and what ones would go back out into the paddock. For some reason these cows were VERY moody, maybe it was because it was a hot day; or maybe it was because as Luke sorted them he kindly identified them as FAT cows (who were in good condition and to be sent off for sale) and POOR cows (who were a little bit skinny and would be sent back out to the paddock to graze another day). I am sure the cows took some offence to being called fat. He also called lots of them heffers, although apparently that’s a term used for young cows, and not meant to be a dig at their weight and bone density! Anyway as a result of Lukes insults the ladies were very huffy and I think we all had to dodge a few charge downs and kicks, I even saw one literally paw at the ground. Although in hindsight that one did have a right to be a bit annoyed at me. I was counting them through the gate and she was going to be one too many so I closed the gate on her … Sorry!
Thursday 6th June – day 24
Packed the first lot of cattle off for sale in Winton today. These cows were looking pretty good so hopefully they will get a good price. They were still rather moody so it took a bit of effort to get these ones down the run and up onto the truck.
The Harrison’s have been here for about two weeks now, helping out with all the mustering. Its been great having other people around, and today it was Breanna’s birthday so we had a bit of a party to celebrate. Marie (the mum) cooked LOADS of delicious cakes; cinnamon scrolls, cupcakes, super chocolate brownie, cheesecake … the list goes on. I have definitely put back on any weight I lost in the first couple of weeks all thanks to Marie’s cooking (not that I can complain really!)
Heidi the cow also got to join in with the party ..
This afternoon we mustered Nulgara Paddock which seemed HUGE! In a way it was a bit easier to muster as there are lots of wide open spaces so easier to spot the cattle, but the place was covered in damn Mitchell grass (otherwise know as mountain grass!) This stuff grows in tufts that seems to form small mounds of earth around the tuft…. It is a nightmare to ride a motorbike or quadbike over. Hours of mustering over that stuff and I felt like one of Bond’s Martinis, very well shaken. I still have not mastered riding a motorbike so I stuck to tearing around on a quakbike; lots of fun and less chance of falling off when riding over the mountain grass, however it’s not as good as the motorbikes when it comes to getting across steep banked riverbeds… I had a bit of a paddy at one point when I got stuck on one side and couldn't for the life of me get over to the other side where the bloody cows were hiding out. Oh well hopefully I will be able to find some time to get practicing on the motorbike.
Wednesday 5th June - day 23
Today we drafted the cattle, sorting them out into what ones would be sent off for sale and what ones would go back out into the paddock. For some reason these cows were VERY moody, maybe it was because it was a hot day; or maybe it was because as Luke sorted them he kindly identified them as FAT cows (who were in good condition and to be sent off for sale) and POOR cows (who were a little bit skinny and would be sent back out to the paddock to graze another day). I am sure the cows took some offence to being called fat. He also called lots of them heffers, although apparently that’s a term used for young cows, and not meant to be a dig at their weight and bone density! Anyway as a result of Lukes insults the ladies were very huffy and I think we all had to dodge a few charge downs and kicks, I even saw one literally paw at the ground. Although in hindsight that one did have a right to be a bit annoyed at me. I was counting them through the gate and she was going to be one too many so I closed the gate on her … Sorry!
Thursday 6th June – day 24
Packed the first lot of cattle off for sale in Winton today. These cows were looking pretty good so hopefully they will get a good price. They were still rather moody so it took a bit of effort to get these ones down the run and up onto the truck.
The Harrison’s have been here for about two weeks now, helping out with all the mustering. Its been great having other people around, and today it was Breanna’s birthday so we had a bit of a party to celebrate. Marie (the mum) cooked LOADS of delicious cakes; cinnamon scrolls, cupcakes, super chocolate brownie, cheesecake … the list goes on. I have definitely put back on any weight I lost in the first couple of weeks all thanks to Marie’s cooking (not that I can complain really!)
Heidi the cow also got to join in with the party ..
Friday 7th June- day 25
The family left early this morning, so said our goodbyes. Its going to be so quiet here now! As you all know I am horrible at goodbyes so I was sad they had to go home. Made me think about my family back home and how much I miss them. No time to dwell on any feeling of homesickness however as we headed off to load the last of the cows onto the truck. They seemed to be in better spirits today, maybe it is because we gave them some hay to munch on last night. Anyway we got them all loaded up in record time (just under 45 minutes). I headed back home in the truck with the quadbike and a motorbike on the back whilst Nena and Luke drove back on the leftover motorbikes. No sooner did I leave the highway than I got a flat rear tyre. I managed to get all the equipment out and had just started to jack the car up when the others caught up with me… and then proceeded to watch me change the tyre! It was pretty hard work jacking up the truck, wasn’t made easier due to the heavy load on the back. Never mind I managed to get it changed, all with a little extra motivation from Luke with the jigger (electric cattle prodder!)
Once the tyre was on we headed home for an early smoko (equivalent to elevenses) and then spent the afternoon doing odd jobs. Fixing the tyre and then headed out on a water run, checking all the water tanks and troughs. We were home in plenty of time to get back, have a shower and I even had time to dry my hair before heading out to McKinlay town for Friday night drinks and tennis.
Here are some photos of the last few days ...
The family left early this morning, so said our goodbyes. Its going to be so quiet here now! As you all know I am horrible at goodbyes so I was sad they had to go home. Made me think about my family back home and how much I miss them. No time to dwell on any feeling of homesickness however as we headed off to load the last of the cows onto the truck. They seemed to be in better spirits today, maybe it is because we gave them some hay to munch on last night. Anyway we got them all loaded up in record time (just under 45 minutes). I headed back home in the truck with the quadbike and a motorbike on the back whilst Nena and Luke drove back on the leftover motorbikes. No sooner did I leave the highway than I got a flat rear tyre. I managed to get all the equipment out and had just started to jack the car up when the others caught up with me… and then proceeded to watch me change the tyre! It was pretty hard work jacking up the truck, wasn’t made easier due to the heavy load on the back. Never mind I managed to get it changed, all with a little extra motivation from Luke with the jigger (electric cattle prodder!)
Once the tyre was on we headed home for an early smoko (equivalent to elevenses) and then spent the afternoon doing odd jobs. Fixing the tyre and then headed out on a water run, checking all the water tanks and troughs. We were home in plenty of time to get back, have a shower and I even had time to dry my hair before heading out to McKinlay town for Friday night drinks and tennis.
Here are some photos of the last few days ...
Saturday 8th June – day 26
DAY OFF J so had a lie in and have spent most of the morning catching up on emails/facebook and my blog. Had some sad news today as little Jack passed away. She wasn’t eating much and was struggling to keep warm despite Nena’s best efforts. Sad news, and I know Nena was very upset, however she really did do all she could for Jack. Joeys are raised in such a specific environment in their mothers pouches it is very difficult to recreate that for them, and when they are so tiny the odds of their survival are pretty low. Sleep well little Jack.
DAY OFF J so had a lie in and have spent most of the morning catching up on emails/facebook and my blog. Had some sad news today as little Jack passed away. She wasn’t eating much and was struggling to keep warm despite Nena’s best efforts. Sad news, and I know Nena was very upset, however she really did do all she could for Jack. Joeys are raised in such a specific environment in their mothers pouches it is very difficult to recreate that for them, and when they are so tiny the odds of their survival are pretty low. Sleep well little Jack.
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