Here is how we straightened up this particular fence line. Each steel standard, not sure what they call them in Aus but we in NZ call them waratahs, is pulled a little past vertical and the ground rammed by hand to set the fence post upright.
When the soil is wet after a flood, the soil depth is up to 1 meter deep. The photo below of the tractor stuck just after the last flood, shows just how soft the ground can get.
It becomes very soft and this is why the fences fold, plus the debris of branches and dead trees builds up on the fences and pushes them flat.
Christine attached the chain then signalled when the post was past vertical by sighting the line, while the third person rammed each individual post.
I think we cleared and straightened around 5km of fence in this manner.
Here I am driving the station John Deere...this was fun...fun...fun!
Pete, the boss, using the rammer to set that waratah.
Pete, the boss, using the rammer to set that waratah.
While we were at Nardoo Station there was a partial eclipse of the moon. The stars at night with the full fantastic spread of the Milky Way, were something I never tired of, so now I’m considering getting a swag (for those who don’t know what that is, it’s a roll out tent with mattress for sleeping out completely out under the stars).
One of the major jobs on any station is keeping the water and salt and mineral licks up to the cattle.
Peter has several pumps pulling water out of the river to several huge tanks.
Then solar power is used to pump from those tanks out to lines of troughs.
I see a beautiful plant, Peter sees a weed with all its problems.
The Leichhardt river, a major river in Queensland, flows through the station towards the Gulf of Carpentaria. In last February’s flood it was 80 kilometres wide where it flowed into the sea!
I see a beautiful plant, Peter sees a weed with all its problems.
The Leichhardt river, a major river in Queensland, flows through the station towards the Gulf of Carpentaria. In last February’s flood it was 80 kilometres wide where it flowed into the sea!
We took a day off to explore Boodjamulla National Park.
Lawn Hills Gorge is also called Boodjamulla National Park. It’s north of Mt Isa and very near the Northern Territory border, and therefore quite isolated.
Surrounded by the outback with its dryness, BNP is a haven with water flowing through, with turtles, fish and freshwater crocodiles.
Many people were swimming and I didn’t bring togs...lucky I had underpants on...nobody complained!
I sat under the waterfall and got a neck massage...happy to report nothing missing from freshies!
This is spinifex country, and special to this area.
This (below) is a Ring Tailed Dragon that had no fear of me, and posed in the sun for photos.
On the way back to Nardoo on the major road State Highway 84 we spotted this sign.
The highway becomes a temporary landing strip for planes in emergencies and other such natural disasters.
Back at Nardoo Station Peter had some cattle to pick up on a neighbours property (over an hours’ drive) and we were invited (treated) to ride his cattle road train to go pick them up.
On an outback road...heading outback....
Peter is a storyteller of note!
I took this from inside the yards...Peter followed them up to drive them through the race to the truck.
One of the older cows seized its opportunity to give Peter a rark up and tossed him in the air like he was a matchstick.
She also had a go at him on the ground. Luckily not too much damage was done, it could have been a lot worse, but still he had a swollen face, bruised ribs, sore shoulder, a knee stomped on and various other grazes. In common with the self reliant hardy people of the outback Peter knew to get out into safety and assess the situation. He managed to complete the job of loading the stock and getting back into the driving seat of the truck.
I’m wearing the Geraldine Ukulele festival T shirt (2018) because at the time this photo was taken the 2019 Geraldine Festival was running in NZ.
Last photos of the Nardoo kitchen.
On my right is Jacqui the cook, on my left is Ann the Station owner.
Last photos of the Nardoo kitchen.
On my right is Jacqui the cook, on my left is Ann the Station owner.
Scotty’s dog just gets in the picture ...amazing how dogs are so like their owners!
So our time at Nardoo Station has come to a close. It was truly a great experience, a real snapshot of Outback station life, wonderful friendly people with an amazing lifestyle.
Off we headed North towards Normanton, Karumba and Croydon, where more adventures lay!
Till then stay safe, be creative and have fun.
Cheers
Jimu & Christine
No comments:
Post a Comment