MUSTERING & DRAFTING CATTLE PLUS THE BEST CAMP SITE EVERRRR !!

Ashton & Bobby in action ..... they're almost as good as me at mustering cattle !!!???

I suppose you have all been wondering what the boss & I have been up to lately ?? Well .... I am happy to report we are both still alive with no broken bones, despite the boss trying to write me off plus write himself off on several occasions !!?? But before I get into that, photo below is of a charcoal griller that the boss knocked up in his spare time, to use up some of the charcoal he is making !!

The boss has used it twice .... first time was OK, but the second time, the steaks were a bit on the rare side .... even for me !!?? Bet Nanna would have said "That steak is still alive & bleeding ..... cook it next time !!!!! " I reckon he needs to get Darryl's advice on how to get the charcoal really hot ??

Introducing my mates Bobby (Ashton's horse) & George, the black & white cattle dog. Bobby is always looking for something to eat .... pinching my dog biscuits from outside the cavavan .... lifting the lid off the chook feed bin & eating the lot !! But he's a good guy .... let's me run between his legs to beat George to the ball .... incidentally, I taught George how to chase & catch a ball but he's no match for me !!??

The bank told Greg that he has to muster every head of cattle on the Station & ear tag every one of them so we have an accurate number. So the boss made a seat for me on the back of the quad bike so I can ride to the site & then do my stuff on the ground rounding up cattle !! The boss was going to ride a horse with me sitting behind the saddle but I said "No bloody way pal !!?? "

Besides, he has to break in a brumby first .... no way I'm going to ride on a wild brumby unless he's been quietened down a bit first ????

Over several days, we mustered about 2500 cattle (supposed to be about 5000 so we need to keep looking !!?? ) & started to draft them through the drafting yards separating them into bulls & cows, calves, weaners, & fat cows for marketing.

You can't see me but I'm standing alongside that white cow with the horns !! Usually, I run across their backs but I must have slipped when the boss took this photo ??

This cow had been drafted through the yards & came back looking for her calf. Someone yelled out "Jack .... get that cow away from the yards !! " I replied " No bloody way am I getting between that cow with the sharp pointy things & her calf !!?? "

Later on the boss had a close encounter with a big Brahman bull ( taller than him !! ) I forgot to tell him that cattle kick sideways !!?? He told me later that he was easing this big bull into the drafting pen, patting him on the rump ..... then BANG !! .... the bull lashed out with a rear leg .... the boss saw it coming & turned sideways to protect you know what .... the hoof slammed into the boss's leg like a sledgehammer !!!! I told him he should have moved quicker !!??

The guys taking a break from mustering & having lunch .... I was having a rest in the box on back of quad bike so I missed out on lunch .... told the boss he should have woken me up !!??

L - R are Anthony, Greg, Lucy, Dimitry (back to camera) Jema ( in donkey), Joe & Bobby & Ashton.

After many days hard work ( for me that is .... everyone else was riding horses or bikes !! ) the manager Rodger decided at 5pm Friday that we would drove 100 fat cows & weaners to a separate paddock ..... will only take us about 1 hour he said !!?? Me & the boss were out in the lead with Ashton ..... at 7pm I was still sitting on the quad with the boss driving .... I couldn't see Bobby any more & could only see the white cattle .... too dark to see the dark coloured ones . Told the boss to turn on the lights ..... he said, " Can't .... no lights !!?? " Well this is a fine state of affairs I said, " No bloody lights .... it's pitch black ..... were driving through scrub in unknown country .... & where are all the other guys & Bobby ?????? "

Soon after, in the distance we saw 2 bikes driving down a road with a quad behind them lighting up the road so they could see where they were going .... no lights on those bikes either, I said !!!! They had obviously given up & were headed home.

So I told the boss to calm down .... I would get us out of this mess !! So I said, head towards the road .... there must be a fence along there !! We found the fence, but had to drive another 1 km along it before we found a gate .... thru creek crossings, trees across the ground ??

Next thing .... BANG !! .... we stopped dead ..... I went flying over the boss's head & hit the ground about 3 metres in front of the quad !!! Told the boss he should look where he is going !!??

After we got thru the gate, we drove along the road about 3 kms back to the station !!! Marvellous how much you can see with a bit of moon light !!??

The boss has been raving about this fantastic camp site that Rodger took him to see soon after we arrived. So he took me there today & took some pictures .... it's called the Junction .... of the Wyandote creek & the Dry river. But he told me he would share it with me but not to tell anyone else about it & especially not to show anyone the photos. He said that if anyone wants to see this they will have to come here & see it with their own eyes !!??

But Kirsty, I know how much you love this type of scenery ...... so these photos are just for you !! .... but don't tell the boss I showed them to you !!!!!!!!!!

Above is the view from your rear window ......

Above is view from your caravan door ........

Above is view from rear caravan window ......

Plus there is a shelter for your caravan overlooking everything ..... plus your own pizza oven !!!!

Greg told the boss that he needs to take a break & go to Townsville for a few days. The boss said, " What the heck would I do in Townsville !!?? " He told Greg that he will take some time off later & camp down at the Junction for a few days .... just in a tent with a stretcher bed for me & him !!!

REMEMBER KIRSTY ...... don't tell the boss I showed you these photos !!!!!!!!!

BYE FOR NOW FANS ...... LOVE JACK !!