This episode was recorded as part of a Centralian Land Management Association project - which they have kindly shared with our listeners

In this episode, we speak with Gaynor Cleary.

Gaynor first travelled to the Northern Territory in 1959 to visit distant relatives who owned Mt Riddock Station. Although the visit was brief, it left a lasting impression.

A few years later, she returned to work on the station, where she met her future husband, Tom — a part-Aboriginal stockman.

Over the next 50 years, Gaynor and Tom worked on several stations in the district. They raised a family, adapted to changes in communication, infrastructure, and the workforce, and even lived through the murder of one of their employers. They worked hard and stayed committed to their dream of one day managing a station — a goal Tom achieved at the age of 60.

It’s a story of steady dedication and a life deeply rooted in the Territory.

To start our conversation, I asked Gaynor to tell me about that first visit to Mt Riddock Station.

Red Centre Reflections is a Centralian Land Management Association project, supported by FRRR through funding from the Australian Government’s Future Drought Fund.

This episode was recorded as part of a Centralian Land Management Association project - which they have kindly shared with our listeners
In this episode, we speak with Gaynor Cleary.
Gaynor first travelled to the Northern Territory in 1959 to visit distant relatives who owned Mt Riddock Station. Although the visit was brief, it left a lasting impression.
A few years later, she returned to work on the station, where she met her future husband, Tom &mdash; a part-Aboriginal stockman.
Over the next 50 years, Gaynor and Tom worked on several stations in the district. They raised a family, adapted to changes in communication, infrastructure, and the workforce, and even lived through the murder of one of their employers. They worked hard and stayed committed to their dream of one day managing a station &mdash; a goal Tom achieved at the age of 60.
It&rsquo;s a story of steady dedication and a life deeply rooted in the Territory.
To start our conversation, I asked Gaynor to tell me about that first visit to Mt Riddock Station.
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Red Centre Reflections is a Centralian Land Management Association project, supported by FRRR through funding from the Australian Government&rsquo;s Future Drought Fund.

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.