Blogs from Boulia, Queensland, Australia, Oceania

We filled up at Jervois Station and continued on the Plenty Highway. We however made a near fatal mistake as we were approaching a turnoff a caravan pulled in front of us. Luckily they saw us and let us pass, however their mate was someway down the road creating a dust cloud that basically made it impossible to overtake. As you got close you it was a complete whiteout, but I now realise the benefit of VHF radio. We had to back off away from there dust and just hang in there until we got to Tobermorey. By the side of the road there were two 20 year Holden Commodore wagons. We stopped thinking that it was probably our American mates again and we could do the towtruck routine. It was in fact two car loads ... read more

We are back in Kerikeri for a couple of weeks, on-route to Dunedin. Well, the couple of days work at the station turned into 8, 12-hr days of grading, checking water lines, mustering, drafting, loading, de-horning, castrating and fire-branding cattle, and a continuous stream of meals to prepare and laundry to assist with, along with joining an evening kangaroo/wild pig hunt with Kim the roo shooter. The largest paddock required a chopper to assist with the muster. Sadly, the weather cut our visit short by a day or two as 10mm of rain turned the 20km trip to the bitumen into a slidey glug of red mud. Murray had the grader on the back of the road train, but the truck wouldn't budge. Our trustworthy landcruiser proved its worth and we threw it into four wheel ... read more

Off to Mt Isa again! This time for Rehersals for the Rock Pop Mime Competition between all the schools. Clancy and all the kids from school of the air did a great performance called 'Destination unknown'. Clancy was an alien. We picked Donette, Kim ,Lil, and Tessa up from the airport and set off back to Westward Ho. Quite a contrast for them in comparison to Manjimup. We had a great week with them here and then all drove to Longreach to finally visit the Stockmens Hall of fame. We were all a tad disappointed in it, especially Kris and he was expecting to see a large photo of himself displayed in the main foyer. Sadly we said goodbye to the Edwards family in Longreach and we made the long drive back. Next into Boulia for ... read more

Time is going by quickly and already it is the middle of July. We have visited Coorabulka Station for a school of the air activity day. Coorabulka is 120kms west of us and Unbelivable the manager worked with Kris 25 years ago. Jim and Fiona and thier 3 kids stayed with us at Westward Ho for a few days on thier way through to Willeroo Stn in N.T. Last weekend we went on a fishing trip to the Diamentina for a couple of days, a beautiful spot about 2 hours from Westward Ho. We caught soooooo many fish, Yellow bellies, great eating. Even Kris caught some!! Jake is here with us for the school hols, and we are picking Jess up in Mt Isa on Wednesday. The Boulia camel races are on next weekend. Jake and ... read more

We went to the Qantas museum in Longreach Where we got to go in an old 60-70s plane there was first class and your alLowed to smoke Yuk!!!!! it is one of the first planes named after bunbUry.We left longreach to go to Winton.There we went to the Waltzing Matilda center and saw some dinosawr bones they dug up there in Winton (a whole body no missing peices).We left winton and headed straight to Boulia.Now we are working so much with the cows, shifting them, yarding them putting them on trucks.I got to nuRse a baby cow for 2 hours in the back of a ute cause it had no mum it made my back sore.It is hot here but in the after noons there is a bit of a breeze. Clancy Westward Ho Station is ... read more