Down here on the farm

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Life on the farm was good. I found out all about how a rotary dairy works with a herd of 550 cows. I helped install a new 350kg water tank and I explored the surrounding fields and woodlands on a Trail Bike.

The Trail bike bike was great fun, there were a lot of tracks through the surrounding woodlands, certainly not as dense as the bush I had been in previously but the bike obviously allowed me to cover a much larger area in a much shorter time.

It was while I was riding through the woodland that I did startle something which promptly ran off into the deeper forest where I would not have been able to follow. The tops of the trees are much thicker and join together forming a canopy which blocks out most of the light so all I could really make out was its silhouette, it was shaped like a dog, with a thick set tail and it ran off on all fours dog like, I know what your thinking...it was a dog! Well maybe, but it could have also been a Tasmanian Tiger unfortunately I didn't get a good enough look to be sure.

Note; A Trail bike is not the best option when tracking an animal which is by nature secretive and solitary. The noise of the engine tends to scare them off as you come tearing towards them. To be fair I didn't go out it with the intention of tracking anything down, I just went out on it for fun to race through the woods and jump over things.

Well I managed to cram a lot into my short stay at the farm and I learnt many things whilst there, but it was now time to leave.

Helen made me a huge food parcel to take with me on my journey including about eight sandwiches more home made muffins and a bag full of apples picked fresh from the tree.

When they weren't looking I stole their dog (Helix), threw him in the back of the Ute, said goodbye and off I went.

Helix is a very experienced hunter in these parts, he will be of great use to me on my quest!

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Photos

Milking it
This is what 550 cows moooving through a rotary dairy looks like. (Sorry)

Working hard for my keep
You might just be able to see behind the tractor forks there doing the preperation for the water tank installation.

Trail Biking through the woods
Great fun, these bikes will go over pretty much anything

Darkness
It is actually bright and sunny but you wouldn't know it once you enter the forrest due to the dense tree tops.