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.

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.<hr>

True stories from the Australian Outback, told by the people who live them.

Meet the men and women who live and work on some of Australia’s most remote cattle stations.

There are tales of mustering, stock camps, working dogs, rogue cattle and hard bloody yakka, but also the fun of a bush wedding or kicking back at a rodeo.

There’s the simple wonder of living in an amazing landscape, but also the downside: the ravages of flood, fire and drought.

And always there’s the inherent danger of isolation – times when the Flying Doctor came to the rescue, but also times when lives have been tragically cut short.

These compelling true-life stories show what outback life is really like – and why many wouldn’t live anywhere else.

Central Station - True Stories from Outback Australia

Ashley Dowden - A stickybeak into Challa Station

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.

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.

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.au

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.
<hr>
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 <a href="http://www.lifeline.com.au/?fbclid=IwAR1X4bYDpKRzT1Vbog4Dhrs5XIz8oSPkGApvhRza7MbdnlTbhaXz_AFd2nk"> www.lifeline.com.au</a> Beyond Blue: 1300 224 636 <a href="http://www.beyondblue.org.au/?fbclid=IwAR3rDP4AucBLKbAfq7C9qVm8Pjkqho-xMW8Tk3Im2GnxkBZfPU125BGAorw"> www.beyondblue.org.au/</a> Mindspot: 1800 61 44 34 <a href="http://mindspot.org.au/?fbclid=IwAR1Em2BRYF8VOGJ4cwxSl6lw7yj-5bPPoqFA3LxuZREybDyjBiXp2HlOH4Y"> http://mindspot.org.au/</a> Men’s Shed: <a href="https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mensheds.org.au%2F%3Ffbclid%3DIwAR2cbfGzDs_98KBY8TycuqCvdtg8A0IRFRiA--aEhCJ7JmddA-KERyD1kAg&amp;h=AT1z8Pw5AWejET63veDBVgDkUANjNRqKUTEI6HzK8VKNEt1TyngOmbQZYf9FU-U0jMq1ICQ1XiA2d6EaW_xhl3_NPqynzD1AorTqVELYvzGtrRX8GsCIWBoKnWItRO4Uki8zHhdEz24">www.mensheds.org.au</a>

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.

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.

Ashley Dowden - A stickybeak into Challa Station

Central Station - True Stories from Outback Australia

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