One moment can change your entire life. Ashley Dowden learnt that lesson at age 11, when he survived an accident that claimed his mothers life and left his father with one arm. Ashley’s childhood was cut short as he stepped up to support his father in running the family sheep station.  In the 4 decades since, Ashley has continued to face his share of challenges, but his commitment to the family property has never wavered. In this episode Ashley shares parts of his journey, and we explore how his deep love of the land he calls home has allowed him to not just persevere through the hard times, but build a life full of joy and love.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On July 25, 2024, a tragic helicopter mustering accident claimed the lives of Peter Ritter and Gavin U’Ren. It was a privilege it was to not just know them and work alongside them, but call them mates. Gav, Ritter – you two were bloody good blokes, and funny buggers. The absence of you’re presence will be felt immensely, but I have no doubt you will live on through our memories, which will be traded over cold beers, and around campfires for years to come. Since getting the call about the accident, I’ve started listening to this episode a couple of times, but I couldn’t bring myself to finish it until today. I am so grateful that we had the opportunity to record this conversation. It was such a privilege to hear all of Ritters yarns, told in true Ritter style – the ones that made it into this episode, and the ones we thought best to keep off-air. Anyway that’s enough from me, I’m going to pass it over to you now Ritter – you always did spin a good yarn.  This episode was recorded in January 2022, and originally published in March 2022.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In loving memory of Peter Ritter [Repost of Episode 144]

Welcome back to our fourth episode with Garry Riggs from Lakefield Station in the Territory. When we last left Garry, he had just wrapped up his time in the stock camp at Blina Station. But the end of one chapter marked the beginning of another. Garry found himself working in mining exploration, and trust us, the adventures only got wilder from there. In this episode, Garry takes us through another round of jaw-dropping stories from teaming up with a Dutch mercenary to the unexpected experience of accidentally smoking weed and being abandoned out bush. And if that’s not enough, he recounts the harrowing day he survived both a helicopter crash and a light aircraft engine failure.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Garry Riggs (Part 4) - Mercenaries and mid-air emergencies

Welcome back to our third episode with Garry Riggs from Lakefield Station in the Territory. In his first two episodes, Garry shared tales from his adventurous childhood, filled with close calls involving snakes, motorbikes, horses, motorcars, deadly fevers, UFOs, and even circus lions! In this episode, we pick up right where we left off—at Calwynyardah Station in the West Kimberley. True to form, Garry has no shortage of unbelievable tales from this chapter of his life. From mishaps during cattle musters resulting in rear-end injuries to ghostly encounters, moonlit cattle musters, and catching his first wild scrub bull, gready for another round of extraordinary adventures with Garry.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Garry Riggs (Part 3) - Blina and Calwynyardah adventures

When Munro Hardy said he wanted to be a pilot, his year 11 careers advisor shut down the idea pretty quickly. So, Munro filed the idea in the back of his mind and started thinking about other options. Once he finished school, he set off on a gap year that would turn into the adventure of a lifetime, as he spent the next decade trying his hand at various roles in agriculture, mining and tourism.  But, the dream of being a pilot was always there, lingering in back of his mind. And each time he saw helicopters used for mustering cattle, the dream got a little bigger.  In the fourth and final part of our chat with Munro, he shares the story of how he finally got his pilots licence - or, as he says, a license to learn - and fulfilled his dream of flying choppers on cattle stations throughout the top end. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Munro Hardy (Part 4) - A licence to learn

Ashley Dowden - Triumph after tragedy [Repost]

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 on a station getting off to a rocky start, Pip Bain felt like she had finally found her feet only to learn that her mother had passed away by suicide. The profound loss of her mother was only amplified by the shock, as Pip learnt she had been sheltered from her mother’s mental health struggles. In this episode Pip shares her story of how the next decade of her life would be shaped by losing her mother, and how it led her to take the long away around to find her place in this world.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Pip Bain (Part 2) - Taking the long way around [Repost]

The time we spend with people and places doesn’t determine the impact they can have on our lives. That is so very true for todays guest, Pip Bain. Although her family sold Mt Clere Station when she was just 8 years old, those 8 short years shaped Pips life and love of the land. The same goes for her mother, who passed when Pip was just 18 years old. In this episode, Pip recalls memories of her time at Mt Clere and how she found her way back to the land. She also speaks candidly about losing her mother through suicide and how it influenced her views on mental health. For our long term listeners, if any of this sounds familiar, that is because this episode was recorded and published in 2020 when the podcast was fairly new. Pips story is so compelling that I thought it deserved a second run. Be sure to tune in next week for a follow up episode with Pip.  If you are experiencing depression or are suicidal, or know someone who is, help is available. Suicide Call Back Service: 1300 659 467 Lifeline: 13 11 14  www.lifeline.com.au Beyond Blue: 1300 224 636  www.beyondblue.org.au/ Mindspot: 1800 61 44 34  http://mindspot.org.au/ Men’s Shed: www.mensheds.org.auSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Pip Bain (Part 1) - Memories of my mother & Mt Clere Station [Repost]

Nick Ormsby has flipped the script on what it means to be a "high school dropout". Despite leaving school at just 14 and having his teachers tell him he'd never make it, Nick's proved them dead wrong. Now, before he's even hit 40, Nick's running the show with not one, not two, but three companies in horticulture, agriculture, and forestry up in the Northern Territory. But Nick's journey hasn't been all sunshine and rainbows. In this episode, he's taking us back to where it all began. We're talking about the setbacks, the challenges and the opportunities he's had along the way.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nick Ormsby - Self made

Paddy Heatley had a fairly unconventional childhood. By the time he left home at the age of 9, he’d already dropped out of school – foregoing learning to read and write. At the age of 12, he was smuggling tobacco, alcohol and cattle from South to North Ireland. And, at the age of 16, with his mother’s signature forged, he climbed aboard a ship bound for Australia. In this episode, Paddy share’s yarns for his early days in Ireland, and his first few years in Australia. He speaks about meeting his future bride, the time he was almost charged with attempted murder, his day working with, and sometimes walking on, crocodiles, to settling in the Northern Territory as a cattle truck driver. Paddy sure has lived life to the fullest. As you can imagine, there was no way we could fit his whole story into one episode, so keep your ears out for more in the coming months.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Paddy Heatley (Part 1) - A story like no other

From the outside looking in, Tammy Kruckow was living her best life. She and her husband were managing a large cattle station for a corporate pastoral company – the perfect place to raise their three beautiful daughters. She had, as she puts it, "ticked all the boxes".  But, behind closed doors, things weren’t all as they seemed. In this episode, Tammy shares her story of coming to the Territory as a shy jillaroo, to becoming a completely different person – the person she thought she had to be not just to fit in, but to progress in her career.  She is incredibly candid about the impact it had on her life, and those around her. Tammy also shares how it all came to a head, and how she changed her life. There were many hard lessons she learnt along the way, and she does not hold back in this episode.  Tammy and her team at Top End Leadership are dedicated to 'Setting Leaders and Teams in Agriculture up for Success.' We do this through customised face-to-face and online workshops, self-paced online programs, while offering tailored mentoring and coaching services. With our focus on practical leadership and communication skills across the three key areas of Leading—Self, Others, and Teams—we equip Leaders with the tools to build their confidence in being the leader that they aspire to be, enabling them to build high-functioning teams. Learn more at https://topendleadership.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tammy Kruckow - A hard lesson to learn

In this episode, Steph travels to the centre of South Australia to Billa Kalina Station, which has been in the Greenfield family since 1938. Pastoralist Col Greenfield shares what it's like running a cattle station that is inside the Woomera Prohibited Area, and outside the dog fence.   *This episode was first released in 2021See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Col Greenfield - Life inside the Woomera Prohibited Area, and outside the Dog Fence [Repost]

Felicity Brown is a milliner whose work has been featured at New York Fashion Week not once, but three times. Twenty years before the bright lights of the big apple called her name, Flic was working in a stock camp in the Northern Territory. In this episode Flic reflects on her time working on cattle stations, even though it was never a part of her plan...See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Felicity Brown - Tales from a 1990's stockcamp [Repost]

Wayne Bean spent his adult life working towards one goal - managing a cattle station. So, when he resigned from his job as the manager at Flora Valley Station after 14 years, for the first time in his life, he didn’t have a plan. This episode is the third and final part of our chat with Wayne, where he discusses how he navigated his first major career change at the age of 42. And, as many listeners have been patiently waiting for, we also discuss Wayne’s journey to becoming an accomplished horseman and campdraft competitor. From a time when he almost walked away from the sport, to how he approaches the mental side of competition, and his future goals, there is something we can all learn from Wayne in this episode.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Wayne Bean (Part 3) - A change of career and time for horses

This episode is part 2 of our chat with Wayne Bean – if you haven’t listened to Part 1, you know the drill, go on, go back and listen to it first. In this episode Wayne recalls the 18 years he spent working for Heytesbury Pastoral, where he progressed from an overseer on the Barkly, to junior manager in the Victoria River District, and finally, his goal of senior manager in the Kimberley.  Throughout those years he saw the end of BTEC, gained his pilots licence, and had a front row seat to the positive changes the Heytesbury Pastoral boss, Janet Holmes à Court, put in place – not least of all the introduction of paid positions for managers wives. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Wayne Bean (Part 2) - The Heytesbury years

For the longest time, Wayne Bean just wanted to get ahead. To achieve his career goal of managing a cattle station, to have his own land, and the time to pursue his passion for horses. And, spoiler alert, he has, by all definitions, gotten ahead. After two decades of managing stations for Heytesbury Pastoral, these days he spends his time on his own property, breeding and training horses for the sport of campdrafting, (of which he is a formidable competitor). So, when you see him, it’s easy to focus on the flash horse trailer, beautiful horses, and impressive scores in the campdraft arena. What you don’t see is the 30 plus years of hard work, patience and sacrifice Wayne has put in alongside his wife, Rachel, to get to where he is today. This episode is Part 1 of our chat with Wayne – where he shares stories from the early years of being a stockman with a young family, just trying to get ahead in life.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Wayne Bean (Part 1) - Just trying to get ahead

This is Part 2 of our chat with Willie Cook. If you haven’t listened to Part 1, go back and listen to it first – trust me – you don’t want to listen to these episodes back to front – and yes, I know some of you do that… In this episode, Willie shares what it was really like being filmed for the tv series Outback Ringer, and what he thought about the final product. He also speaks candidly about the challenges he faced in 2023, and how its impacted his plans for 2024.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Willie Cook (Part 2) - Filming "Outback Ringer", and facing an uncertain future head on

Willie Cook is known for being the bull-catching, helicopter-flying Kiwi from the ABC tv series “Outback Ringer”. He first came on the podcast in 2022, when he shared the incredible story of how the 2008 Global Financial Crisis saw his family lose absolutely everything they had, resulting in moving to Australia for a fresh start. I caught up with Willie in late 2023, and we yarned for so long that I had to split our chat into 2 parts. In this part, Willie gives us a lesson on catching wild bulls and water buffalo – the logistics, the technique and the psychology involved In Part 2, Willies shares stories from his time being filmed for the television series “Outback Ringer”. He also speaks candidly about the challenges he faced in 2023, and what he’s got planned for 2024.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Willie Cook  (Part 1) - Catching Wild Bulls & Water Buffalo 101

Bill Tapp wanted to be the next Cattle King of Australia, and for a time he was. In this episode, Toni Tapp Coutts shares the story of a man who was a pioneer, a visionary, a dreamer. A man who turned Killarney Station from a bare block to one of several thriving cattle properties. But, as his empire grew, so did Bill’s battle with alcoholism. While the empire he worked so hard to build would eventually crumble, his legacy remains strong.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Toni Tapp Coutts - Bill Tapp, The Cattle King

Caroline Ashby is one of Australia’s toughest athletes. She’s completed 10 Ironman triatholan events, qualifying for the World Championships 4 times, and been ranked in the top 1% of Ironman athletes across the world several times. Caroline has accomplished all of this while raising a family on a livestock and cropping farm in Western Australia – far from any traditional training facilities. Her training regime consists of swimming laps in a dam, riding her bike alongside roadtrains, and literally running around the farms gravel tracks. And this isn’t a story about an athlete who grew up in the city and moved to the country for love – Caroline was raised on a sheep and cattle station 3 hours from Broken Hill, with no regular access to sports lessons or facilities. So, how did this bush kid fall in love with athletics? And, what motivated her to pursue it at the highest level when she was living in the middle of nowhere?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Caroline Ashby - Training for Ironman Triathlons in the Outback

Welcome to a special bonus episode. For those of you who don’t know, I am due to have my first child in July – so by the time you’re listening to this, I’ll be well and truly knee deep in nappies! Before I go on maternity leave, I decided to make hay while the sun shines, and I teamed up with the legends at Territory Natural Resource Management to produce a podcast series. It’s called Our Territory, Our Future, and you can find it on Apple, Spotify, and wherever you get your podcasts. I’ll be sure to link it in the shownotes below. Today, I’m sharing one of those episodes – and it’s actually Part 1 of 3 episodes. A couple of weeks ago I sat down with two legends by the name of Stu and Brett, and they are experts in all things feral animals, and they run an incredible wildlife and feral animal management business. If you enjoy the episode, make sure you head over to the Our Territory, Our Future podcast to listen to parts 2 and 3, as well as all the other episodes – including Lakefield, Mataranka and Mainoru Stations!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Stu Barker and Brett Otley - Working with feral animals

Munro Hardy's pathway to his current career has not been straight forward. After a gap year around Australia saw him fall in love with agriculture (Episode 190, Part 1), he kept on that path, trying his hand at all he could (Episode 193, Part 2).  But, at some point, Munro decided to step away from the cattle industry and try his hand at all sorts of jobs, including pearling, roadworks, mining, and construction.  It's not a pathway anyone would necessarily advise someone who wants a career in the beef industry, but as you'll see in this episode, it all came together and contributed to the success he is experiencing today.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Munro Hardy (Part 3) - Connecting the dots, looking back

As promised, here is part 2 of our chat with Munro Hardy. While he's only 35 years young, holy hatbox he has managed to fit a lot into a short space of time! In this episode he shares stories from his time working in live export, contract mustering, and a pretty hairy tale from a trip to Egypt... If you haven't listened to Part 1, go back and listen first!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Munro Hardy (Part 2) - Live export, Contract mustering, and THAT Egypt story

Today I’ve got something a bit special for you – as you would have heard in Part 1 – Munro Hardy has had many adventures in his life so far. When we were recording Part 2, Munro shared a story that I was not expecting, and it’s pretty hectic – so much so that I thought it should come out a week early in its own episode. So... enjoy this preview of Part 2, and please, don’t try this at home!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

[SNEAK PEEK] The time Munro Hardy kind of got kidnapped in Egypt...

Starting a family is no longer as simple as meeting a partner and falling in love. I’m not sure if fertility challenges are becoming more common, or just more spoken about – but it certainly feels as though both are true. While stories about fertility challenges are becoming more common, no two are the same. In today’s episode, I sit down with Kim and Gus from Umbearra Station, 4 hours south of Alice Springs. Fertility challenges don’t discriminate, and I don’t think it’s as black and white as saying that someone’s journey is easier or harder than anyone else’s – they all have their unique aspects. For Kim and Gus, their remote location meant that they ended up traveling in excess of 40,000 km to conceive their first two children. To start our conversation, I asked them to take me back to the very start of their journey trying to start a family.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Gus and Kim McKay – Travelling 40,000 km to start a family

Munro Hardy has been a busy man. At just 35 years old, Munro’s career has taken him from fencing croc-infested rivers in the Top End, to mustering cattle from a helicopter, to boardrooms in Sydney, and most recently around the world as a Nuffield Scholar. It took a bit of convincing, but we managed to wrangle Munro to sit down and share his story. In this episode, he tells tales from the gap year that took him around Australia, and all the adventures that came with it. Make sure you keep your eyes peeled for Parts 2 and 3, to hear all about his helicopter mustering escapades, why he chose to leave the Territory for the big smoke, and how it led him right back to where he started.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Munro Hardy (Part 1) - A gap year to remember

Nathan Dyer has found himself in some crazy situations, in the most remote parts of Australia... on assignment. The job? Freelance journalist and photographer. It's a far cry from his humble beginnings as a corporate accountant in the metropolis of Melbourne.  In this episode, Nathan shares the unconventional path he took to land a job so many of us dream of, and some of the life changing experiences he's had so far.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nathan Dyer - The assignment? Adventure!

Since Annabelle Coppin was a child, she wanted people to eat the beef her family raised on their Pilbara cattle station. But, simply selling cattle to the market wasn’t enough for her - she wanted to be involved in the entire process, and watch as people picked up packets of her beef from the supermarket. She wanted them to know that what they were about to cook wasn’t just any old Aussie beef, but that from Yarrie Station - a property her family had been nuturing for 5 generations. In this episode, Annabelle shares the highs and lows of starting a branded beef business, and how she keeps her dream alive.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Annabelle Coppin - Bringing her Paddock to Plate dream to life

Would you ever take in a child that wasn’t your own? If you’re imagining a relative, or a friend’s child - the answer might be a simple, straightforward, “yes, of course!” But what if you didn’t know the child? And, if, once you get to know them, bond with them, and love them, they could be taken away? That’s the reality of foster parents across the world. In today’s episode, we hear the story of one family who are raising their 5 children, including 2 foster children, on a remote cattle station in Australia. To add an extra layer of complexity to the situation, the foster children are Indigenous and the foster family are not.  As you’ll hear today, it has been one of the hardest, yet most rewarding experiences for our guest.    **Please note, that we have chosen to de-identify all names and locations in this episode, to ensure anonymity. While the family was consulted about doing the episode, this is one person’s story, and we need to respect the privacy of the children involved.**See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Fostering Indigenous children in the outback

When Wave Hill Station was sold in a $104 million dollar deal, Jumbuck Pastoral and its consortium of partners became the 4th ever owner of the iconic station in its 140 year history. It was a sale that said “watch this space”. In this episode, we sit down with Matt and Connie Wood, who we last heard from in episode 123, as they prepared to leave their job as managers at Blina Station in the Kimberley, also owned by Jumbuck Pastoral, to move to Wave Hill Station and take on the mammoth job of managers. In this episode, Matt and Connie fill us in on the busiest 12 months of their life - which included a new baby, lockdowns, a significant amount of capital expenditure on development works, and all the adventures that have come with it.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Matt and Connie Wood - Their first year at Wave Hill Station

The adventure of a lifetime, two best mates, riding side by side in the wild landscape of Mongolia. When Jess and Nat entered the world’s toughest horse race, they knew it would be hard. Finishing the race itself was as big a deal as winning. But, these women were from the Northern Territory - they’d spent their lives working in rugged conditions in remote areas. Surely, they’d be fine? In this episode, they share how no amount of planning can truly prepare anyone for the Mongol Derby.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Natalie Bell & Jess Di Pasquale - The Mongol Derby that didn't go to plan

Born and raised in the Northern Territory, Toni Tapp Coutts has had a varied career, from working on cattle stations, to owning a variety store in Borroloola, a dress boutique in Katherine, being a Town Councillor, CEO, Author, and most recently becoming a Real Estate agent. Not to mention, she fought breast cancer and won. As you’ll hear in this episode, Toni is a strong, resilient, Territory woman. She’s also written 2 best selling memoirs; one about her childhood on Killarney Station, and the other about the years she and her husband managed MacArthur River Station in the Gulf. Think of this episode as just scratching the surface on the mountain of amazing stories Toni has to tell, all of which you can find in her books. She’s agreed to come back on the show for a few more episodes, so keep your ears out for them. This episode was recorded a few days before Christmas 2023, so we started off with a Christmas story…          See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Toni Tapp Coutts - Shaped by the Territory

When Connie Wood came off her horse and knocked her head, she initially thought not much of it. She hadn’t been doing anything particularly wild or dangerous in the moments leading up to the fall, it was just like any other day on her quiet, dependable horse. What Connie would go on to experience was no bump on the head – it was, in fact, a significant brain injury. In this episode, Connie recounts what she can remember of her accident, the unexpected aspects of her recovery, and we discuss the age old sticking point – can you wear a helmet in Northern Australia for extended periods of time without risking heat stroke? If her voice sounds familiar, it’s because Connie is no stranger to this podcast – this is actually her 5th time on the show, so make sure you go and check out her other episodes. Earlier in this episode I mentioned a condition that can occur from multiple head knocks and concussions. For anyone who would like to go and read more on it, it’s called Chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) and it is a brain disorder likely caused by repeated head injuries. It causes the death of nerve cells in the brain, known as degeneration. It gets worse over time. The only way to definitively diagnosis CTE is after death during an autopsy of the brain. This episode isn’t intended to advocate for whether or not to wear a helmet – but as always, it’s up to each of us to weigh up the risks, and I hope no one feels socially pressured to avoid using one.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Connie Wood - When it's not "just a bump on the head"

[Reposted episode, recorded in 2021] 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 the forecast came through the Bush Telegraph, the sense of relief and joy was palpable. However, those feelings were to be short lived, as floodwaters began to exceed anything experienced in the stations’ 130 years. What happened next was both catastrophic, and the literal definition of a water-shed moment. In this episode, both Jodie and Hamish recount their experience of the flood, 10 years later.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hamish & Jodie McTaggart - The catastrophic Christmas flood of 2010 [Repost]

In our last episode, Garry Riggs shared yarns from his early days growing up on cattle stations in the 60’s and 70’s. This episode is the second part of that conversation, and let’s just say I was not expecting to hear about lions, or UFO’s… but, as we heard in part 1 – Garry’s childhood was anything but ordinary. I’ll be heading out to Lakefield Station over the wet season to record more of Garry’s story, so stay tuned for more episodes. To start this episode though, Garry recalled just one of the times he’s been bitten by a snake…See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Garry Riggs (Part 2) - Snakes, Lions, and a UFO in the Kimberley

Station kids aren’t regular kids. What I mean, is that they are, more often than not, fiercely independent and impressively resourceful. And that is a recipe for adventure. Garry Riggs is no exception here. He spent his childhood on remote properties across Northern Australia, with the sort of freedom most of us would lament only occurred “back in the good old days”. He’s had his fair share of adventures, including a number of close calls with snakes, motorbikes, horses, motorcars, and even deadly fevers. Today, Garry owns Lakefield Station in the Northern Territory, where we recorded this episode. His journey from station kid to station owner is absolutely jam-packed with ripper yarns, and this episode is just Part 1 of several we’re going to be recording with Garry.        See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Garry Riggs (Part 1) - The adventures (and misadventures) of a bush kid

When Ned McCord was a little boy, all he wanted to do was be among the stockmen working cattle. And for the most part, that was his reality, until his father experienced a serious and debilitating illness which saw the family separated, and Ned sent to a town school. He eventually made his way to the newly established Emerald Pastoral College in hopes of getting back on the land. Little did he know that the one class he thought to be the least relevant of his studies – first aid – would become his most important skill set. In this episode Ned, he looks back on his early years and tells an incredible story involving a lightning strike on a Northern Territory cattle station.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ned McCord - First aid for a lightning strike

Tony Williams left home at the age of 16 to work on Nilpinna Station for his childhood idol Jimmy Nunn. That was almost 50 years ago. Today, Tony is in his 40th year as the manager of Mt Barry Station, near the town of Coober Pedy in SA. In this episode, he shares yarns from the past 5 decades and what he has learnt along the way about life, love, and loss.      See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tony Williams - Life, love and loss on the Oodnadatta Track [Repost]

Aticia Grey is best known for her team of working dogs and their adventures on her family’s cattle station in the Pilbara region of WA. Given her cult following on social media, appearance on the ABC’s tv show “Muster Dogs” and release of a book by the same name, you’d be forgiven for thinking she’s been working with dogs her whole life. But, that’s not the case. In this episode Aticia tells the story of how she became the first person in her family, and local region, to use a team of working dogs on a cattle station. A few months ago, Aticia and I had our first children just a week apart, and we recorded this episode while nursing our bubs, so you’ll notice there’s a few ad breaks and sound effects!    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Aticia Grey - The road to Pilbara Working Dogs

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 Commission (ATSIC) through the WA Aboriginal Lands Trust (ALT) and handed over to the local people in the same year. At the time of the purchase of Lamboo Station, the primary focus of the WA Government was to provide land for the Jaru people on which to live, rather than as a business enterprise. Little attention was paid to the standard of infrastructure or the number and quality of the cattle that were included in the sale. For almost 30 years the Ngunjiwirri Aboriginal Corporation has been trying to turn Lamboo into a viable pastoral enterprise, and it hasn’t been smooth sailing. In today’s episode I am speaking with Darrylin Gordon, who, quite frankly, is one of the most admirable, inspiring people that I know. Every time I catch up with Darrylin I find myself sitting in awe at her resilient nature, and the strength and conviction with which she speaks. Darrylin is a Jaru woman who grew up on Lamboo and is the current station manager. Darrylin came on the podcast to share some of her personal story, the story of Lamboo, and the challenges and triumphs that lay ahead.     See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Darrylin Gordon - The long road to Lamboo [Repost]

In our last episode, Danny Hayes shredd yarns from his childhood on cattle stations and some of the things he's learned from his 30 year career as a mustering pilot. In this episode, Danny recounts some of the hairy situations he's found himself in while flying - situations that only experience and nothing short of good luck has allowed him to be here and speak about them. I want to take a moment and acknowledge that our community has lost too many people through helicopter mustering accidents, and safety while flying is something that both Danny and I take very seriously. So while he recounts these stories with a laugh, we want you to know that we are not trying to ignore the seriousness of each incident. At the time of recording, I'm 34 weeks pregnant and my partner is also a helicopter mustering pilot, so you can imagine the anxiety these yarns gave me. I hope you enjoy this episode, and if you take anything away, it's that safety is everything.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Danny Hayes (Part 2) - The luckiest man alive?

You can’t live and work in the Northern Territory and not have a story or two to tell. So, imagine how many stories Danny Hayes must have, having flown as a helicopter mustering pilot for over 30 years. I think it’s safe to say that he has seen and done a lot of things, and got the experience to back up his opinions. So, at 8 months pregnant, I headed out to Mainoru Station, north-east of Katherine, to sit down with Danny and hear some of his yarns. This episode is the first of two episodes with Danny. In this episode he shares yarns from his childhood and early days as a pilot. In the second episode Danny recounts his history of finding himself in some hairy situations while flying, and how experience and a bit of good luck prevailed so he could live to tell the tale.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Danny Hayes (Part 1) – Yarns from a long-time Chopper Pilot

With two cattle stations in the Northern Territory, a cattle property in Queensland, and a helicopter business, Rebecca and Steven Cadzow were in the perfect position to continue expanding their business interests and develop a pastoral empire that so many dream of. But, instead they made the decision to downsize to just one cattle station. In this episode Rebecca discusses their decision, the concept of a “Life Audit” and the impact their choices have had on their life, family, and business.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Rebecca Cadzow - The decision to downsize  [Repost]

Tracey Hayes is best known for her role as the first female CEO of the Northern Territory Cattleman’s Association. But, it was a role she never intended on holding -  in fact, it wasn’t in her career plan at all. Born and bred on a cattle station in the far north of South Australia, staying on the land was all Tracey ever wanted to do. But, sometimes life throws curveballs and when that happens you have two choices - resist change, or adapt. And, as you’ll hear in this episode, adapting to the unexpected is something Tracey does very well. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tracey Hayes - Adapting to change to thrive, not just survive

Khory Hancock knows what it's like to live in two different worlds at the same time. An environmental scientist by trade, Khory was born and raised on a large cattle property in Queensland. It was his belief that agriculture, in particular cattle farming, was a part of the solution to environmental problems, not the cause, that led him down the path of advocacy. Khory knew it wouldn’t be easy to draw a crowd talking about the environment, so he created an online alter ego called The Environmental Cowboy. By his own admission, the Environmental Cowboy was an oversexualised, self-deprecating character, who used humour and sex appeal to draw an audience. But, it worked. It really did – and he was reaching millions of people around the world each week. So, why did he walk away from the Environmental Cowboy and leave his advocacy mission behind? In this episode, for the first time ever, Khory shares the tale of the birth and death of the Environmental Cowboy. It was an absolute privilege to be the first platform he has shared this story with, and I think you’ll be surprised throughout our chat.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Khory Hancock - No longer the "Environmental Cowboy"

Apologies for not posting an episode for so long! As the count down to the podcast baby gets shorter and shorter, I have been "making hay while the sun shines" and doing lots of contract work!  So, here is an oldie but a goodie, and one we get requested all the time!  This episode is based on one of the most popular stories on the Central Station website, called “Tips for station newbies”. From advice when applying for a job, to what to pack and how to behave once you’ve got the job – we cover a lot in this episode! We even cover … sex! So, if you have little ones around, it might be best to plug in some headphones. Whether you’re heading out to a station for the first time, or you’ve been around for a while, there’s something for everything in this episode. If you have any advice you think we should include on our website, send us a message through our website or any of our social media accounts. Ok, here is the mandatory disclaimer… The views reflected in this episode are those of the author and podcast host, and do not necessarily represent the views of Central Station staff, people who contribute to our website or our wonderful sponsors. The original blog was written in good humor and that is the same for this episode – we don’t take ourselves too seriously, and you shouldn’t either – we encourage you to take the following with a grain of salt and make up your own mind.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tips for station newbies (let's talk about sex) [Repost]

Shane “Lochy” O’Loughlin arrived in the Kimberley at the age of 16. He’d already left both home and school at the age of 12, and now he had something to prove.   However, Lochy’s start in the Kimberley was anything but smooth sailing.   Over the past 40 years, Lochy has lived a life full of adventure and learning. There’s not many places in the Kimberley he hasn’t set foot on, either as a stockman, or running his own bull catching business.   For our final episode of 2022, Lochy shares stories that only a few people have heard while sitting around a campfire, and it’s a true privilege to have him on the show.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Shane "Lochy" O'Loughlin - How the Kimberley turned a boy into a man

In 1987 a mechanic found a baby boy abandoned on the streets in Brazil.    Today, that baby boy is a grown man living and working on a cattle station in the Northern Territory, Australia.    “Blessed”, is how Chico Shaw describes his life. A life that could have turned out so differently.   In this episode Chico shares the story of his adoption into a family from Bondi beach, how he ended up working on a cattle station in the Gulf of Queensland, and the challenges and adventures that that experience entailed.   Make sure you tune in next week for part two to hear Chico share more yarns about his time working up north, why he left the industry for almost a decade, his challenges with anxiety and depression, and how he’s come full circle to find love and build a life that truly makes him happy.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chico Shaw - From an orphanage in Brazil to Bondi Beach and the Outback (Part 1)

This episode contains discussions about anxiety, depression, eating disorders and self-harm. It may be best to listen in the support of company, or skip this episode. If you need help, a range of services are available. Please see the show notes for more details.   Claudia Hiscox has spent the last three years living and working on cattle stations in remote parts of the Northern Territory. The days are long, and the work is tough. It’s a physically and mentally demanding job at the best of times.      In amongst mustering cattle and fixing fences, Claudia has been handling another challenge: managing her mental health after experiencing anxiety, depression and an eating disorder in her teenage years.   It’s no easy task, especially when the nearest medical professional is hundreds of kilometers away, and internet service isn’t always reliable. In this special episode, Claudia shares her story with immense candor.   Make sure you find and subscribe to the Pieces of the Mind podcast.   Please note that this episode may be triggering for some people, so it may be best to listen in the company of support.   If you are experiencing depression or are suicidal, or know someone who is, help is available.  Suicide Call Back Service: 1300 659 467 Lifeline: 13 11 14 www.lifeline.com.au Beyond Blue: 1300 224 636 www.beyondblue.org.au/ Mindspot: 1800 61 44 34 http://mindspot.org.au/ Men’s Shed: www.mensheds.org.au Virtual Psychologist is a free service that offers qualified and experienced counselling via phone, chat, email and text. It is available 24/7. Contact this service via PHONE on 1300 665 234 or TEXT on 0488 807 266. http://virtualpsychologist.com.au/home/     Please help spread this message to help others understand help is just a phone call or text away and they are not alone.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Claudia Hiscox - Managing my mental health in the middle of nowhere

In 2002, Ian ‘Rocky’ Rockwell took a group of year 11 students from Sydney to Alice Springs for an “adventure”. The kids were to trek the Larapinta Trail, ride camels, cook on campfires, and experience the “outback”.That trip changed not only the trajectory of Rocky’s life, but some of the students as well. Rob Mann was one of those students.In this episode, Rocky and Rob share the story about the trip that took place 20 years ago, how it impacted their lives, and how they went from student and teacher to mates and colleagues all these years later. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ian 'Rocky' Rockwell and Rob Mann - The trip that changed our lives

In 2022, Olivia Thompson sold 3 cattle stations in the Northern Territory. Those 3 properties exceeded 1 million hectares combined. It’s a world away from the 1000m2 block of land that was her first sale as a real estate agent some 20 years ago in the coastal town of Cairns.   Olivia is a prime example of the old saying, “Don’t judge a book by it's cover”. Beyond her beautiful smile and polished look that you’ll see on “For Sale” signs is one of the grittiest, hardworking people I have had the fortune of meeting and calling a friend.   In this episode I sat down with Liv to learn about the incredibly diverse range of experiences she has had so far, from growing up on cattle stations, winning a kick boxing title, training cutting horses in America, and having to learn to walk again.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Olivia Thompson - The kickboxing, cattle station selling, cowgirl who learnt to walk again

Haydn Sale manages one the largest aggregations of cattle and land in northern Australia – but chances are, you’ve never heard of him.    Unlike others in his position, Haydn wasn’t born into the northern cattle industry. Nor did he do a gap year up north straight out of boarding school for one of the big corporates. He also wasn’t a General Manager or CEO of some other company in some other industry in a previous life.   Haydn’s journey is unlike any other I have come across. It is uniquely his.    In this episode, I managed to pin this incredibly busy man down to learn how he got to where he is, what he considers important and non-negotiable in life, and what keeps him going.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Haydn Sale - Opportunity knocks but once [Repost]

Anika Molesworth is a farmer, scientist, and storyteller. And she's on a mission to cultivate climate courage. In an incredibly short period of time, Anika has amassed a number of accolades including: Young Farmer of the Year, Young Australian of the Year finalist, and a Masters and PhD.   She has also released a best-selling book, 'Our sunburnt country', and co-founded the Farmers for Climate Action movement.   The incredible thing is that Anika has achieved all of this from her geographically and technologically isolated home of Rupee Station in far, far west New South Wales.   I sat down with Anika on the weekend to learn more about what makes her tick, what keeps her going, and how she stays grounded while fighting for climate action.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Anika Molesworth - Electric cars in the outback, and cultivating climate courage

Golden-guitar winning Tom Curtain and his incredible wife and business partner, Annabel, were our guests on the very first episode of this podcast way back in June 2019. Way back when I had never recorded a podcast, and didn’t know what sound quality was.So, last night I sat down with Tom and Annabel for take two.My plan was to rerecord just our first episode in better sound quality, but plans changed. So, in this episode you will hear some condensed versions of stories that were covered in episode one, including Tom’s childhood, how Tom and Annabel met, and the Katherine Outback Experience origin story. There’s also a few new stories from those times, and then we catch up on what’s been happening since Tom and Annabel last appeared on the show – including the birth of two children, a number of national tours, and the new album which is released in a couple of weeks. Sometimes you can’t connect the dots looking forward – you can only do that while looking back. And looking back on this episode, and the experiences that Tom and Annabel have had, it’s clear that these two have given everything in their path a good crack, and when times have been tough their resilience and sense of adventure shines through. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tom & Annabel Curtain - Turning the hard times into adventures

Back in episodes 150, 151 and 156, we heard the stories of Debbie and Ashley Dowden from Challa Station in the southern rangelands of WA.Now, two of those episodes were recorded with Debbie, and Ashley only recorded one... or did he?For those of you who don't know, we actually have two podcast series. Central Station, the one you're listening to right now, and the other one is called Cattle Station Classroom. Within that podcast, I launched a mini series called "Station Stickybeak", where I sit down with station owners and managers across the country to... well... have a massive stickybeak into their station and business. And so today, I invite you to join me in having a stickybeak into Challa Station. For more episodes, make sure you search Cattle Station Classroom wherever you get your podcasts, or you can find it on our website. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ashley Dowden - A stickybeak into Challa Station

TouristsWhere do I begin? Tourists are part and parcel of life in the outback. And, while some are worth their weight in gold, others make life just that little bit harder...In this [best of] episode, I’ve pulled together a few yarns about tourists from previous episodes. And to any tourists listening... we do love you... sort of… but please, plan ahead, have back ups of everything, and let someone know where you’re going!  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tourists do the darnedest things [Best Of]

Robbie Schmidt is a self-confessed ratbag.  The Alice Springs identity spent his formative years traveling between large properties in South Australia and the Northern Territory, so it’s not surprising that he ended up working as a station manager.But, then Robbie and his partner chose to step away from working in agriculture for 5 long years. In this episode, Robbie shares yarns about the experiences which have shaped his life and why he came back to life on the land. He also speaks about his passion for nurturing a community around the sport of bronco branding, and why he has chosen to leave Alice Springs after all these years. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Robbie Schmidt - The people and places who have shaped my life

So often, stories about outback Australia revolve around people working on the land. But, not everyone who lives in the outback wears a big hat and cowboy boots.Renee McBryde lives in Alice Springs, Australia’s red centre.It’s a world away from the housing commission in Sydney where she spent her childhood.Renee’s story is unlike any we have ever come across. At the age of 6 she learnt that her father, who has been absent her entire life, wasn’t working away, but indeed serving a prison sentence for murder.Her relationship with her young mother was turbulent at times, which she was yet to realise was a part of a cycle within her family.It’s easy to imagine how Renee’s life could have turned out.What’s harder to wrap your mind around is how it did turn out. Today Renee is the author of two best selling memoirs, “House of Lies”, and “Unravelling Us”, and by day she works in the Child Protection unit as a social worker.In this episode Renee shares the path that led her to this role, and what working in child protection is really like. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Renee McBryde - Working in Child Protection to break the cycle

Everything in Willie Cook’s life was going to plan – he’d met the love of his life, he split his time between flying helicopters and working on his family’s station in the high country of New Zealand, and together with his partner and parents, he’d branched out into his own lease country.And then it all came crashing down.In this episode, Willie shares the story of how the Global Financial Crisis in 2008 saw he and his family lose absolutely everything they had, and how he came to Australia for a fresh start.Willie, his wife Liz, and their two young sons have been in Australia for less than a decade, and they’ve already made serious headway in rebuilding their lives, as well as capturing the hearts of the nation through their time on the ABC tv series Outback Ringer. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Willie Cook - Before 'Outback Ringer' (Part 2)

Willie Cook is known as the bull-catching, helicopter-flying Kiwi from the ABC tv series “Outback Ringer”. I caught up with Willie at his home in the Adelaide River region of the Northern Territory to hear the incredible story of how he and his young family came to be in Australia. However, that story is coming next week. Today, I’m sharing the very beginning of our chat, where Willie told me about his early years in New Zealand.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Willie Cook - Before 'Outback Ringer' (Part 1)

Nikita Morris doesn’t like being called an influencer. But there are tens of thousands of people who avidly follow her every move on social media - captivated by her candid stories about station life and her stunning good looks. But she’s so much more than a pretty face. In this episode, Nikita opens up about love of history, tradition and growing up on ‘Undoolya Station’ - the Northern Territory’s oldest pastoral lease.She talks about hitting the road droving with her future husband Luke, becoming a new mother to her son Wylie - and why opening up on social media about her experiences helps her deal with the highs and lows. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nikita Morris - In real life

What happens when we are faced with our own mortality, and that of the ones we love?Today’s story is just that, and so much more. It’s a story of trauma, courage, resilience, and vulnerability.It’s the story of Jane and Haydn Sale, who’s lives were changed irrevocably one July morning in 2010, and the road to recovery they walked together. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jane & Haydn Sale - Facing your own mortality [Repost]

Dave Morrell is a Kimberley icon. In addition to being a brilliant veterinarian, Dave is a brilliant bush poet. He recently released his first, and long awaited book, titled Johnny James and other verses. In this short episode he recites the poem "Walmajarrie Jimmy".  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Walmajarrie Jimmy - Recited by Dr Dave Morrell [Poem]

What could a hitchhiker and a flying doctor have in common?Well, as it turns out, a lot – because in this case, they are one and the same people.Our guest today is Dr Gregory Winterflood – an esteemed doctor who began his medical career in Alice Springs. Even though he was born and raised in Queensland, and practiced medicine around Australia and overseas, he always seemed to find his way back to the red centre.In this episode, Gregory shares stories from his days as a young fella hitchhiking through New Zealand and Australia, his unconventional pathway into a medical degree, and memories from his time working as a District Medical Officer in Central Australia, including working as a flying doctor. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dr Gregory Winterflood - The hitchhiker who became a Flying Doctor

As a child, Jimmy McGlynn’s mother said he had “a lot of character”, but his aunt said he needed a flogging. He wasn’t a naughty kid though, just full of energy that couldn’t be contained within a classroom. So, even though he excelled at school, at the end of year 10 he headed up north to start working on cattle stations. In the years that followed Jimmy progressed through the ranks to leadership roles, even winning the Territory’s Best Ringer competition. But, ultimately his journey would be marked by 2 significant accidents – a traumatic brain injury, and a broken back. In this episode, Jimmy shares the stories of those two accidents which occurred almost exactly 10 years apart. We also discuss the cattle industry’s attitude towards work health and safety, the culture around alcohol, and taking on responsibility at a young age. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jimmy McGlynn - A Traumatic Brain Injury, Broken Back, and giving up alcohol

“When I grow up, I want to be a veterinarian”, said almost every kid, ever.Campbell ‘Cozy’ Costello didn’t think he had what it took to get into veterinary medicine, but life has a funny way of working out.In just over a decade, Cozy has built a career which sees him treating animals across the world. In this episode, he shares the pivotal moments that took him down the path of being a nomad, shares stories of some unbelievable adventures, and discusses what his future looks like. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dr Campbell 'Cozy' Costello - The nomadic flying vet

Warning:  This episode discusses suicide and may be triggering for some people, so it may be best to listen in the company of support.Veterinarian’s are one of the most loved professionals in Australia – they’re the superhumans who keep our best mates and fur babies healthy, and step up to save them if the unbearable occurs.So, why is it that veterinarians have almost four times the suicide rate of the Australian population? This equates to a veterinarian taking their own life on average every 12 weeks in Australia.In this episode, Dr Campbell Costello, who you’ll remember from last week’s episode, discusses his perspective on the retention, renumeration, and mental health crises plaguing the Australian veterinary industry. Make sure you stick around as Cozy also shares insights into the major biosecurity threats Australia is currently facing, and why we needs our vets now more than ever.If you are experiencing depression or are suicidal, or know someone who is, help is available.Suicide Call Back Service: 1300 659 467Lifeline: 13 11 14 www.lifeline.com.auBeyond Blue: 1300 224 636 www.beyondblue.org.au/Mindspot: 1800 61 44 34 http://mindspot.org.au/Men’s Shed: www.mensheds.org.auVirtual Psychologist is a free service that offers qualified and experienced counselling via phone, chat, email and text. It is available 24/7. Contact this service via PHONE on 1300 665 234 or TEXT on 0488 807 266. http://virtualpsychologist.com.au/home/ Please help spread this message to help others understand help is just a phone call or text away and they are not alone.**** See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dr Campbell Costello -  The crises plaguing the Australian veterinary industry

Dr Campbell Costello, aka ‘Cozy’, is a jet-setting veterinarian who has practiced not only throughout Australia, but all over the world.In this episode, Cozy reflects on the time he spent 9 months in Kazakhstan, managing a cattle ranch that was being built from scratch.From language barriers and cultural differences, to finding workers drunk on the job before lunch and trying to keep the cattle healthy and safe from freezing snow and wild wolves – Cozy sure had one hell of a challenge ahead of him.So, sit back and enjoy this episode full of yarns that will put Kazakhstan on your travel bucket list! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dr Campbell 'Cozy' Costello - Training cowboys in Kazakhstan

We all have that one friend who is a total larrikin – and for the people of Central Australia, that friend is Ben Hayes.Ben is the fifth generation of the Hayes family on ‘Undoolya Station’, the oldest pastoral lease in the Northern Territory. And while being a steward of the land  and active member of his local community comes with countless responsibilities, Ben doesn’t let them weigh him down or get in the way of having a bit of fun.In this episode, Ben shares yarns from throughout his life and as you’ll come to see, while his heart is made of pure gold, there’s always room for a little mischief to be made! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ben Hayes - The mischief maker with a heart of gold

Traveling vast distances to access services is second nature for Raine Holcombe – it’s part and parcel with living in the Northern Territory. Raised on a crocodile farm in the Victoria River district, Raine developed a love for life on the land which eventually saw her running a contracting business with that took her and her husband to cattle stations across the territory. They spent years living out of a portable set-up, with no fixed address, and trips to town were not only few and far between, but often half a day’s drive away.So, when Raine and her husband Potter found themselves struggling to conceive their first child, the idea of traveling to Darwin for medical assistance wasn’t ideal, but also not incomprehensible. Little did the pair know that they would end up traveling across Australia in search of answers about their infertility.In this episode, Raine speaks candidly about her experience with infertility, and how it took years of persistence, tens of thousands of kilometres, and backing herself each step of the way, to finally get the answers she needed. **We actually recorded this episode sitting in the back of Raine’s horse truck while she was at a campdraft, so you will be hearing some very authentic background noises from time to time during this recording.** See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Raine Holcombe - The long road to a DQ Alpha diagnosis

Undoolya Station was the first cattle station in the Northern Territory, and in 2022 it celebrates its 150th birthday.In this episode we sit down with Ben Hayes, who’s family have been at the helm for most of that time. Ben shares insights into life at Undoolya throughout the decades, which the family have learnt about through a collection of detailed diaries and memorabilia. We also discuss the impact of urban sprawl and other events which have seen Undoolya’s size decline in recent years, and what it means for the future of the station. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ben Hayes - Undoolya is the oldest cattle station in the Northern Territory

Tanya Heaslip’s childhood on an outback cattle station in Central Australia was full of adventures and extremes, so it’s no surprise that her first job as a lawyer was the same.The job? Junior Instructing Solicitor for the Crown on the Lindy Chamberlain Inquiry – the inquiry which ultimately saw all convictions against Lindy Chamberlain quashed. In this episode, Tanya speaks about her experience working on the Chamberlain inquiry and how it shaped her career as a lawyer. We explore how Tanya’s upbring in the 1960s led her to choose a sensible career over her passions, and how she found the courage to follow her heart later on in life. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tanya Heaslip - My first job was the Lindy Chamberlain inquiry 

This episode is titled “10 life lessons learnt from living remotely”, and while the author wrote it about their time living on a remote cattle station, we think that after living similar kind of isolation during COVID, all of us can relate to this episode!The first time Meg lived on a cattle station when she was 18. She didn't work on another station until 10 years later - and realised she saw things quite differently as a 28 year old.In this episode Meg discusses some of the important things she has learnt over the years living remote which may help people that have been remote for a while, people looking to make the move to remote parts of Australia, or anyone who’s been through a lockdown during COVID-19. Ironically we recorded this episode just weeks before COVID-19 hit! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

10 lessons learnt from living in remote parts of Australia [Repost]

Ashley Dowden - Triumph after tragedy

Graduating high-school is possibly the greatest pressure faced by young Australians. It's an un-challenged belief that without achieving this milestone you'll be stuck in a dead-end job with no career prospects.But, did you know that the education system hasn't undergone significant changes since before the industrial revolution? We know that everyone learns differently, and there's different ways to demonstrate knowledge - but our education system is incredibly rigid. If you cant sit in a classroom for 8 hours and demonstrate your knowledge through essays and exams, then... well.... bad luck.In today's episode we hear the story of Evan Casey, who, after leaving high school in year 11, has gone on to build an incredible life and career, filled with opportunities and experiences that many of us dream about.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Evan Casey - Learning outside the classroom

Of all the jobs Libby Finlayson imagined herself doing, "Divorce coach" was not on the list.Growing up on a sheep station in the isolated Goldfields region of Western Australia, Libby developed an affinity for horses, livestock, and all things to do with the bush. It's no surprise that she ended up running a farming business with her husband and young family.But, sometimes life has other plans."I want a divorce". Those four words spoken by her husband changed Libby's life irrevocably, and in this episode we are truly privileged to hear Libby speak about it with such candor.We explore the differences between urban and rural divorces, how Libby's upbringing influenced her recovery, and how she rebuilt her life and found a whole new career.We recommend tuning into the Courage Unravelled podcast where we first heard Libby's story. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Libby Finlayson - Rebuilding after a shock divorce

In episode 138 we heard the story of the catastrophic flood that saw Bidgemia Station engulfed by floodwater for the first time in it's history. In this episode we are again joined by Hamish &amp; Jodie McTaggart as they share insights into the 1.4 million acre pastoral property which has been in the family for 75 years. We'll hear stories about the early days of Bidgemia and how life has changed throughout the generations of McTaggarts at the helm. Jodie and Hamish also share their thoughts about the future of the station. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hamish & Jodie McTaggart - The Past, Present & Future of Bidgemia Station

Central Station [SHORT STORY] episodes bring the stories from our website to life through the authors themselves. Find the story from this episode here: https://www.centralstation.net.au/the-challa-mustering-ndp/  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Challa Mustering NDP [Short Story]

In last week’s episode Debbie Dowden shared the story of how she found herself living a life she’d never planned on, but at the same time it seemed like everything in her life had been leading her there. That life was centred around her new husband’s family sheep station in Outback WA. A vast property that had been in the family for over a century, where everyone knew their roles, and had the skills to do the job. Everyone, but Debbie.So, Debbie began to navigate her new life, trying to find her place within her new family, home, and business. And, find her place she did – Debbie is a seasoned professional when it comes to running that same vast family property, and in 2022 she was named as a State Finalist for the Rural Woman of the Year award.In this episode Debbie shares how she found her not just her place, but also her purpose.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Debbie Dowden - A series of serendipities (Part 2)

When the term ‘Serendipity' was coined way back in 1754, it was described as “the accident of finding something good without looking”.Debbie Dowden’s life has been shaped by a series serendipitous moments. The fixed-wing pilot was working as a flight theory instructor when her future husband enrolled in her class. In what can only be described as a whirlwind romance, Debbie soon found herself living 600km away on a sheep station in Mount Magnet, WA. This is part one of a two part chat with Debbie, where she tells the story of how she found herself living a life she’d never planned on, but at the same time it seemed like everything in her life had been leading her there. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Debbie Dowden - A series of serendipities (Part 1)

Central Station [SHORT STORY] episodes bring the stories from our website to life through the authors themselves. Find the story from this episode here: https://www.centralstation.net.au/till-the-cows-come-home/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Till the cows come home [Short Story]

They say that "Australia rode to prosperity on the sheep's back". And for more than a century the Gascoyne region of Western Australia was sheep country, running millions of animals and generating the kind of wealth that literally built Australia.But with the introduction of synthetic fibres the industry gradually lost its shine, and when the wool market crashed in 1991 most stations started transitioning to cattle.Sean D’Arcy of Lyndon Station was in the first wave of cattlemen in the region. Sean is a truly progressive pastoralist, and has been incredibly proactive when it comes to all things natural resource management.In this episode we explore the unique challenges of managing country in the Upper Gascoyne from both social and economic perspectives. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sean D'Arcy - The Progressive Pastoralist

It’s a warm summer’s day – you’re standing at a sheep market in a Middle Eastern country as tens of thousands of people descend upon the city in preparation for the upcoming celebration of Eid. The atmosphere is palpable – excitement, joy, and stress – picture your local shopping centre on Christmas eve. Your job? To communicate the significant rules changes as to how these people can transport their sheep from the market to their home – namely, that sheep cannot be transported in a car boot. You’re in another country, where you don’t speak the language or share the culture, and your job is communicate these changes that have been imposed by another country. So, what do you do? Well, this is the situation today’s guest Blythe Calnan found herself in the very first time she worked in the live export industry. An industry that is highly contentious and known by its failures rather than its successes. But there have been successes, and Australia has achieved things that no other country in the world has. That is in part due to people like Blythe, who have invested significant amounts of their time and energy to build relationships and drive change in countries where Australian livestock are sold to.  In this episode Blythe speaks candidly about the 5 years she spent working overseas in the live export industry, her decision to move on, and how she found her new normal after such an all-consuming, challenging, and rewarding job. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Blythe Calnan - The Changemaker

Central Station [SHORT STORY] episodes bring the stories from our website to life through the authors themselves. Find the story from this episode here: https://www.centralstation.net.au/doggone-kangaroos/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Doggone Kangaroos [Short Story]

Grief takes many forms — and Lara Jensen’s has crystallised into anger.Just over 20 years ago, her brother Christian’s Toyota was hit by a train at a passive crossing, killing him and his two young passengers. This wasn’t a case of drink driving, speeding or being distracted. The findings from coronial inquest showed countless safety issues at both the crossing and the train itself.On that fateful Saturday night, those kids did not stand a chance.Since then, Lara hasn’t stopped fighting to make rail crossings safe – and she now represents a dozen families across Australia who have lost loved ones in similar circumstances.This is an episode about grief, public safety and holding authorities to account.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Lara Jensen - Fighting for Christian

A young Peter Ritter stood in the paddock of his family farm in Moree, and watched as a gigantic Hercules aircraft roared overhead. It was locked in war training exercises — oblivious to the kid standing underneath in awe - a kid whose obsession with aircraft had begun. It took a stint in a Territory stock camp for Peter's fixation to take shape: by then he knew he wanted to become a helicopter mustering pilot, but the road to get there wouldn’t be straight forward. In this episode Peter shares his story, from coming off second-best against a bull to spending several years working away from helicopters - all while never taking his eyes off the sky. He reveals exactly what it took to get behind the controls of a chopper, land his career as a mustering pilot, and all the lessons and adventures that have come with it ever since.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Peter Ritter - Eyes on the sky

Central Station [SHORT STORY] episodes bring the stories from our website to life through the authors themselves. Find the story from this episode here: https://www.centralstation.net.au/welcome-to-wooleen/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The crash of wool and birth of tourism [Short Story]

30 years after first working on a sheep station, Spencer Robinson finally purchased one of his own. So, in 1976 the family sold their small farm in Victoria and travelled across the country to Mooloo Downs in the Gascoyne region of Western Australia. And, the Robinsons are still in the region almost 50 years later.In this episode, I speak with Waddi Robinson – son of Spencer, and father of Matilda from Episode 66 and Kristy from Episode 126.Needless to say, Waddi has seen and done a fair bit over the past 50 years; from being a mustering pilot, taking over the family station and purchasing more country, and of course raising a family.And, let’s not forget the crash of the wool market, the tuberculosis eradication campaign, a flood which wiped out their homestead, and of course the live export ban – just to name a few. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Waddi Robinson - A lifetime in the Gascoyne

We’ve all heard the stories of city girls who end up in the bush – what about a boy from the 'burbs? Glenn 'Stixy' O'Byrne hails from the surfy coastal town of Bussleton in Western Australia. Despite not having grown up with or even being particularly interested in cattle he managed to find himself working on outback cattle stations and has since worked on properties across Australia, on live export vessels, and in Russia! In this episode Stixy shares a bit of his story so far, and what’s next. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Glenn "Stixy" O'Byrne - From Busselton to Russia

Felicity Brown - Adventures from a 1990's stockcamp

Central Station [SHORT STORY] episodes bring the stories from our website to life through the authors themselves. Find the story from this episode here: https://www.centralstation.net.au/the-crash-of-wool-and-birth-of-tourism/The LIVEXchange conference is your chance to find out what’s happening in the livestock export industry, with a program that features thought-provoking and informative speakers. Open to all members of the supply chain, you can network with around 400 delegates from across the country, with several social events and a variety of trade exhibits. LIVEXchange is being held the 9th and 10th of November 2022. Visit www.LIVEXchange.com.au to get your tickets. This podcast is brought to you by Ariat Australia: the perfect choice for the tough jobs. Ariat boots and clothing work hard, look good and are so comfortable there’s never a need to slow down. Visit ariat.com.au today. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to Wooleen [Short Story]

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 the forecast came through the Bush Telegraph, the sense of relief and joy was palpable. However, those feelings were to be short lived, as floodwaters began to exceed anything experienced in the stations’ 130 years. What happened next was both catastrophic, and the literal definition of a water-shed moment. In this episode, both Jodie and Hamish recount their experience of the flood, 10 years later.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hamish & Jodie McTaggart - The catastrophic Christmas flood of 2010

This episode is the first in a new sub-series we are launching on our other Podcast (CATTLE STATION CLASSROOM) called “Station Stickybeak”, because it is exactly that – a stickybeak.No two cattle stations are the same, and as such, neither are management strategies.I wanted to create this series to share an insight into why pastoralists do what they do, given their circumstances – whether it be location, country type, rainfall zone, infrastructure, ownership model, market, or any of the many other factors influencing management decisions.In each Station Stickybeak episode I’ll chat to Station owners and managers about a range of topics, broadly covering country, infrastructure, cattle, and people. Now, as this was the first episode, I didn’t realise until partway through that the order of topics I had planned for didn’t really make sense, so we did a bit of a shuffle.The purpose of this sub-series is not to demonstrate the best or only way of doing things – it’s quite the opposite. To share the who, what, where, when and why of different pastoral enterprises around the country, and show that there are many ways to achieve positive outcomes for people, livestock, the land and business.For our first episode, I sat down with Col Greenfield from Billa Kalina Station in South Australia. If you enjoy listening, be sure to find the Cattle Station Classroom and subscribe! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Introducing "Station Stickybeak"

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 listening to today’s episode, your understanding of carbon farming will have definitely improved!  In this episode I’m sitting down with Dave McQuie from Bulga Downs Station in the Goldfields region of WA.  Dave has a carbon project on his station, and in our chat he explains how it works, and what the benefits have been to the landscape, business, and people involved.   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dave McQuie - Carbon farming on a cattle station

Central Station [SHORT STORY] episodes bring the stories from our website to life through the authors themselves. Find the story from this episode here: https://www.centralstation.net.au/we-shouldnt-be-here/ The team you know and love from Landmark Broome are now operating as Northern Rural Supplies. Its business as usual with the same team, same phone number and same location - the only thing they’ve changed is the colour of their shirts (which is blue, if you were wondering!) Northern Rural Supplies proudly service the Kimberley and Pilbara regions specializing in livestock sales, real estate, animal health and management, fencing, fertilizer, water and all other requirements. They stock your everyday needs to feed your dogs, cats, horses, chooks, camels and even goats. The whole team is based in Broome so make sure you give them a call for all of your agricultural and semi-rural needs.This podcast is brought to you by Ariat Australia: the perfect choice for the tough jobs. Ariat boots and clothing work hard, look good and are so comfortable there’s never a need to slow down. Visit ariat.com.au today. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We shouldn't be here [Short Story]

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 the stock camp. Spoiler alert – it worked. Damon has worked for the same company in the NT for 8 years now, and has been a station cook, jackeroo, and bore runner. In this episode, Damon reflects on his experiences so far – both good, and the not-so-good. Our conversation took an unexpected turn, with Damon choosing to be very candid about his mental health, and I am incredibly grateful to him for this. We’ve had a few people share their mental health experiences on this podcast, and afterwards I receive messages of appreciation through our Facebook, Instagram and email. So, Damo – thank you for sharing your story, and letting others know they aren’t alone. If you are experiencing depression or are suicidal, or know someone who is, help is available.  Suicide Call Back Service: 1300 659 467 Lifeline: 13 11 14 www.lifeline.com.au Beyond Blue: 1300 224 636 www.beyondblue.org.au/ Mindspot: 1800 61 44 34 http://mindspot.org.au/ Men’s Shed: www.mensheds.org.au Virtual Psychologist is a free service that offers qualified and experienced counselling via phone, chat, email and text. It is available 24/7. Contact this service via PHONE on 1300 665 234 or TEXT on 0488 807 266. http://virtualpsychologist.com.au/home/   Please help spread this message to help others understand help is just a phone call or text away and they are not alone.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Damon Kaylock - The station cook turned Jackeroo

This episode is part 2 of our chat with David Pollock from Wooleen Station. Make sure you go and listen to Part 1 first, otherwise you’ll miss the context of this episode! In this episode, David discusses his thoughts on the “Dingos vs Wild Dogs” debate, and why he has chosen to stop killing all dogs.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

David Pollock (Part 2) - Dingoes, destocking, and disrupting pastoral paradigms

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 of the station. Over the past 15 years David has implemented a number of management techniques which have drawn both praise and criticism, been featured on two episodes of the television show Australian Story, and resulted in a book. In part 1 of my chat with David, he takes us along the journey as to how and why he made these decisions.       See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

David Pollock (Part 1) - Dingoes, destocking, and disrupting pastoral paradigms

Central Station [SHORT STORY] episodes bring the stories from our website to life through the authors themselves. Find the story from this episode here:  https://www.centralstation.net.au/when-it-all-goes-wrong-call-the-flying-doctors/ The team you know and love from Landmark Broome are now operating as Northern Rural Supplies. Its business as usual with the same team, same phone number and same location - the only thing they’ve changed is the colour of their shirts (which is blue, if you were wondering!) Northern Rural Supplies proudly service the Kimberley and Pilbara regions specializing in livestock sales, real estate, animal health and management, fencing, fertilizer, water and all other requirements. They stock your everyday needs to feed your dogs, cats, horses, chooks, camels and even goats. The whole team is based in Broome so make sure you give them a call for all of your agricultural and semi-rural needs.This podcast is brought to you by Ariat Australia: the perfect choice for the tough jobs. Ariat boots and clothing work hard, look good and are so comfortable there’s never a need to slow down. Visit ariat.com.au today. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

PTSD in the bush [Short Story]

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 so much more than she expected, and she began to bond with the station manager over his focus on environmental conservation.  You may have seen Frances on the tv show Australian Story, which has aired two episodes on Wooleen, but in this episode I wanted to go beyond the usual Wooleen story, and learn more about Frances and her experiences. To start our episode, I asked Frances to tell me about life before Wooleen.   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Frances Pollock - Conservation and Tourism on a cattle station

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 a cattle station, he was 45 years old, with a wife, three children, a mortgage and working full-time in the dairy industry. In this episode, Dean shares the story of how his dream to be a ringer on a cattle station took almost 30 years to become reality, and how you just never know where life will take you.     See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Ashley Dowden - Triumph after tragedy [Repost]

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