On July 25, 2024, a tragic helicopter mustering accident claimed the lives of Peter Ritter and Gavin U’Ren. It was a privilege it was to not just know them and work alongside them, but call them mates. Gav, Ritter – you two were bloody good blokes, and funny buggers. The absence of you’re presence will be felt immensely, but I have no doubt you will live on through our memories, which will be traded over cold beers, and around campfires for years to come. Since getting the call about the accident, I’ve started listening to this episode a couple of times, but I couldn’t bring myself to finish it until today. I am so grateful that we had the opportunity to record this conversation. It was such a privilege to hear all of Ritters yarns, told in true Ritter style – the ones that made it into this episode, and the ones we thought best to keep off-air. Anyway that’s enough from me, I’m going to pass it over to you now Ritter – you always did spin a good yarn. This episode was recorded in January 2022, and originally published in March 2022.

Welcome back to our fourth episode with Garry Riggs from Lakefield Station in the Territory. When we last left Garry, he had just wrapped up his time in the stock camp at Blina Station. But the end of one chapter marked the beginning of another. Garry found himself working in mining exploration, and trust us, the adventures only got wilder from there. In this episode, Garry takes us through another round of jaw-dropping stories from teaming up with a Dutch mercenary to the unexpected experience of accidentally smoking weed and being abandoned out bush. And if that’s not enough, he recounts the harrowing day he survived both a helicopter crash and a light aircraft engine failure.

Welcome back to our third episode with Garry Riggs from Lakefield Station in the Territory. In his first two episodes, Garry shared tales from his adventurous childhood, filled with close calls involving snakes, motorbikes, horses, motorcars, deadly fevers, UFOs, and even circus lions! In this episode, we pick up right where we left off—at Calwynyardah Station in the West Kimberley. True to form, Garry has no shortage of unbelievable tales from this chapter of his life. From mishaps during cattle musters resulting in rear-end injuries to ghostly encounters, moonlit cattle musters, and catching his first wild scrub bull, gready for another round of extraordinary adventures with Garry.

When Munro Hardy said he wanted to be a pilot, his year 11 careers advisor shut down the idea pretty quickly. So, Munro filed the idea in the back of his mind and started thinking about other options. Once he finished school, he set off on a gap year that would turn into the adventure of a lifetime, as he spent the next decade trying his hand at various roles in agriculture, mining and tourism.  But, the dream of being a pilot was always there, lingering in back of his mind. And each time he saw helicopters used for mustering cattle, the dream got a little bigger.  In the fourth and final part of our chat with Munro, he shares the story of how he finally got his pilots licence - or, as he says, a license to learn - and fulfilled his dream of flying choppers on cattle stations throughout the top end. 

One moment can change your entire life. Ashley Dowden learnt that lesson at age 11, when he survived an accident that claimed his mothers life and left his father with one arm. Ashley’s childhood was cut short as he stepped up to support his father in running the family sheep station.  In the 4 decades since, Ashley has continued to face his share of challenges, but his commitment to the family property has never wavered. In this episode Ashley shares parts of his journey, and we explore how his deep love of the land he calls home has allowed him to not just persevere through the hard times, but build a life full of joy and love.

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 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

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.

Paddy Heatley had a fairly unconventional childhood. By the time he left home at the age of 9, he’d already dropped out of school – foregoing learning to read and write. At the age of 12, he was smuggling tobacco, alcohol and cattle from South to North Ireland. And, at the age of 16, with his mother’s signature forged, he climbed aboard a ship bound for Australia. In this episode, Paddy share’s yarns for his early days in Ireland, and his first few years in Australia. He speaks about meeting his future bride, the time he was almost charged with attempted murder, his day working with, and sometimes walking on, crocodiles, to settling in the Northern Territory as a cattle truck driver. Paddy sure has lived life to the fullest. As you can imagine, there was no way we could fit his whole story into one episode, so keep your ears out for more in the coming months.

From the outside looking in, Tammy Kruckow was living her best life. She and her husband were managing a large cattle station for a corporate pastoral company – the perfect place to raise their three beautiful daughters. She had, as she puts it, "ticked all the boxes".  But, behind closed doors, things weren’t all as they seemed. In this episode, Tammy shares her story of coming to the Territory as a shy jillaroo, to becoming a completely different person – the person she thought she had to be not just to fit in, but to progress in her career.  She is incredibly candid about the impact it had on her life, and those around her. Tammy also shares how it all came to a head, and how she changed her life. There were many hard lessons she learnt along the way, and she does not hold back in this episode. Tammy and her team at Top End Leadership are dedicated to 'Setting Leaders and Teams in Agriculture up for Success.' We do this through customised face-to-face and online workshops, self-paced online programs, while offering tailored mentoring and coaching services. With our focus on practical leadership and communication skills across the three key areas of Leading—Self, Others, and Teams—we equip Leaders with the tools to build their confidence in being the leader that they aspire to be, enabling them to build high-functioning teams. Learn more at https://topendleadership.com/

In this episode, Steph travels to the centre of South Australia to Billa Kalina Station, which has been in the Greenfield family since 1938. Pastoralist Col Greenfield shares what it's like running a cattle station that is inside the Woomera Prohibited Area, and outside the dog fence. *This episode was first released in 2021

Felicity Brown is a milliner whose work has been featured at New York Fashion Week not once, but three times. Twenty years before the bright lights of the big apple called her name, Flic was working in a stock camp in the Northern Territory. In this episode Flic reflects on her time working on cattle stations, even though it was never a part of her plan...

Wayne Bean spent his adult life working towards one goal - managing a cattle station. So, when he resigned from his job as the manager at Flora Valley Station after 14 years, for the first time in his life, he didn’t have a plan. This episode is the third and final part of our chat with Wayne, where he discusses how he navigated his first major career change at the age of 42. And, as many listeners have been patiently waiting for, we also discuss Wayne’s journey to becoming an accomplished horseman and campdraft competitor. From a time when he almost walked away from the sport, to how he approaches the mental side of competition, and his future goals, there is something we can all learn from Wayne in this episode.

This episode is part 2 of our chat with Wayne Bean – if you haven’t listened to Part 1, you know the drill, go on, go back and listen to it first. In this episode Wayne recalls the 18 years he spent working for Heytesbury Pastoral, where he progressed from an overseer on the Barkly, to junior manager in the Victoria River District, and finally, his goal of senior manager in the Kimberley.  Throughout those years he saw the end of BTEC, gained his pilots licence, and had a front row seat to the positive changes the Heytesbury Pastoral boss, Janet Holmes à Court, put in place – not least of all the introduction of paid positions for managers wives. 

For the longest time, Wayne Bean just wanted to get ahead. To achieve his career goal of managing a cattle station, to have his own land, and the time to pursue his passion for horses. And, spoiler alert, he has, by all definitions, gotten ahead. After two decades of managing stations for Heytesbury Pastoral, these days he spends his time on his own property, breeding and training horses for the sport of campdrafting, (of which he is a formidable competitor). So, when you see him, it’s easy to focus on the flash horse trailer, beautiful horses, and impressive scores in the campdraft arena. What you don’t see is the 30 plus years of hard work, patience and sacrifice Wayne has put in alongside his wife, Rachel, to get to where he is today. This episode is Part 1 of our chat with Wayne – where he shares stories from the early years of being a stockman with a young family, just trying to get ahead in life.

This is Part 2 of our chat with Willie Cook. If you haven’t listened to Part 1, go back and listen to it first – trust me – you don’t want to listen to these episodes back to front – and yes, I know some of you do that… In this episode, Willie shares what it was really like being filmed for the tv series Outback Ringer, and what he thought about the final product. He also speaks candidly about the challenges he faced in 2023, and how its impacted his plans for 2024.

Willie Cook is known for being the bull-catching, helicopter-flying Kiwi from the ABC tv series “Outback Ringer”. He first came on the podcast in 2022, when he shared the incredible story of how the 2008 Global Financial Crisis saw his family lose absolutely everything they had, resulting in moving to Australia for a fresh start. I caught up with Willie in late 2023, and we yarned for so long that I had to split our chat into 2 parts. In this part, Willie gives us a lesson on catching wild bulls and water buffalo – the logistics, the technique and the psychology involved In Part 2, Willies shares stories from his time being filmed for the television series “Outback Ringer”. He also speaks candidly about the challenges he faced in 2023, and what he’s got planned for 2024.

Bill Tapp wanted to be the next Cattle King of Australia, and for a time he was. In this episode, Toni Tapp Coutts shares the story of a man who was a pioneer, a visionary, a dreamer. A man who turned Killarney Station from a bare block to one of several thriving cattle properties. But, as his empire grew, so did Bill’s battle with alcoholism. While the empire he worked so hard to build would eventually crumble, his legacy remains strong.

Caroline Ashby is one of Australia’s toughest athletes. She’s completed 10 Ironman triatholan events, qualifying for the World Championships 4 times, and been ranked in the top 1% of Ironman athletes across the world several times. Caroline has accomplished all of this while raising a family on a livestock and cropping farm in Western Australia – far from any traditional training facilities. Her training regime consists of swimming laps in a dam, riding her bike alongside roadtrains, and literally running around the farms gravel tracks. And this isn’t a story about an athlete who grew up in the city and moved to the country for love – Caroline was raised on a sheep and cattle station 3 hours from Broken Hill, with no regular access to sports lessons or facilities. So, how did this bush kid fall in love with athletics? And, what motivated her to pursue it at the highest level when she was living in the middle of nowhere?

Born and raised in the Northern Territory, Toni Tapp Coutts has had a varied career, from working on cattle stations, to owning a variety store in Borroloola, a dress boutique in Katherine, being a Town Councillor, CEO, Author, and most recently becoming a Real Estate agent. Not to mention, she fought breast cancer and won. As you’ll hear in this episode, Toni is a strong, resilient, Territory woman. She’s also written 2 best selling memoirs; one about her childhood on Killarney Station, and the other about the years she and her husband managed MacArthur River Station in the Gulf. Think of this episode as just scratching the surface on the mountain of amazing stories Toni has to tell, all of which you can find in her books. She’s agreed to come back on the show for a few more episodes, so keep your ears out for them. This episode was recorded a few days before Christmas 2023, so we started off with a Christmas story…

When Connie Wood came off her horse and knocked her head, she initially thought not much of it. She hadn’t been doing anything particularly wild or dangerous in the moments leading up to the fall, it was just like any other day on her quiet, dependable horse. What Connie would go on to experience was no bump on the head – it was, in fact, a significant brain injury. In this episode, Connie recounts what she can remember of her accident, the unexpected aspects of her recovery, and we discuss the age old sticking point – can you wear a helmet in Northern Australia for extended periods of time without risking heat stroke? If her voice sounds familiar, it’s because Connie is no stranger to this podcast – this is actually her 5th time on the show, so make sure you go and check out her other episodes. Earlier in this episode I mentioned a condition that can occur from multiple head knocks and concussions. For anyone who would like to go and read more on it, it’s called Chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) and it is a brain disorder likely caused by repeated head injuries. It causes the death of nerve cells in the brain, known as degeneration. It gets worse over time. The only way to definitively diagnosis CTE is after death during an autopsy of the brain. This episode isn’t intended to advocate for whether or not to wear a helmet – but as always, it’s up to each of us to weigh up the risks, and I hope no one feels socially pressured to avoid using one.

[Reposted episode, recorded in 2021] In December 2010, Jodie and Hamish McTaggart were looking forward to the chance to sit back and relax for a few days. The family property, Bidgemia Station, was in the worst drought on record, and the newlyweds had been working flat out all year to look after their cattle. So, when news of rain in the forecast came through the Bush Telegraph, the sense of relief and joy was palpable. However, those feelings were to be short lived, as floodwaters began to exceed anything experienced in the stations’ 130 years. What happened next was both catastrophic, and the literal definition of a water-shed moment. In this episode, both Jodie and Hamish recount their experience of the flood, 10 years later.

In our last episode, Garry Riggs shared yarns from his early days growing up on cattle stations in the 60’s and 70’s. This episode is the second part of that conversation, and let’s just say I was not expecting to hear about lions, or UFO’s… but, as we heard in part 1 – Garry’s childhood was anything but ordinary. I’ll be heading out to Lakefield Station over the wet season to record more of Garry’s story, so stay tuned for more episodes. To start this episode though, Garry recalled just one of the times he’s been bitten by a snake…

Station kids aren’t regular kids. What I mean, is that they are, more often than not, fiercely independent and impressively resourceful. And that is a recipe for adventure. Garry Riggs is no exception here. He spent his childhood on remote properties across Northern Australia, with the sort of freedom most of us would lament only occurred “back in the good old days”. He’s had his fair share of adventures, including a number of close calls with snakes, motorbikes, horses, motorcars, and even deadly fevers. Today, Garry owns Lakefield Station in the Northern Territory, where we recorded this episode. His journey from station kid to station owner is absolutely jam-packed with ripper yarns, and this episode is just Part 1 of several we’re going to be recording with Garry.

When Ned McCord was a little boy, all he wanted to do was be among the stockmen working cattle. And for the most part, that was his reality, until his father experienced a serious and debilitating illness which saw the family separated, and Ned sent to a town school. He eventually made his way to the newly established Emerald Pastoral College in hopes of getting back on the land. Little did he know that the one class he thought to be the least relevant of his studies – first aid – would become his most important skill set. In this episode Ned, he looks back on his early years and tells an incredible story involving a lightning strike on a Northern Territory cattle station.

Tony Williams left home at the age of 16 to work on Nilpinna Station for his childhood idol Jimmy Nunn. That was almost 50 years ago. Today, Tony is in his 40th year as the manager of Mt Barry Station, near the town of Coober Pedy in SA. In this episode, he shares yarns from the past 5 decades and what he has learnt along the way about life, love, and loss.

Aticia Grey is best known for her team of working dogs and their adventures on her family’s cattle station in the Pilbara region of WA. Given her cult following on social media, appearance on the ABC’s tv show “Muster Dogs” and release of a book by the same name, you’d be forgiven for thinking she’s been working with dogs her whole life. But, that’s not the case. In this episode Aticia tells the story of how she became the first person in her family, and local region, to use a team of working dogs on a cattle station. A few months ago, Aticia and I had our first children just a week apart, and we recorded this episode while nursing our bubs, so you’ll notice there’s a few ad breaks and sound effects!

Lamboo Station is unlike any of the other cattle station’s we’ve spoken about on this podcast. Located just south of Halls Creek in the Kimberley region, Lamboo is owned by the Ngunjiwirri Aboriginal Corporation (NAC) on behalf of the Jaru people. The property was purchased in 1994 by the (then) Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission (ATSIC) through the WA Aboriginal Lands Trust (ALT) and handed over to the local people in the same year. At the time of the purchase of Lamboo Station, the primary focus of the WA Government was to provide land for the Jaru people on which to live, rather than as a business enterprise. Little attention was paid to the standard of infrastructure or the number and quality of the cattle that were included in the sale. For almost 30 years the Ngunjiwirri Aboriginal Corporation has been trying to turn Lamboo into a viable pastoral enterprise, and it hasn’t been smooth sailing. In today’s episode I am speaking with Darrylin Gordon, who, quite frankly, is one of the most admirable, inspiring people that I know. Every time I catch up with Darrylin I find myself sitting in awe at her resilient nature, and the strength and conviction with which she speaks. Darrylin is a Jaru woman who grew up on Lamboo and is the current station manager. Darrylin came on the podcast to share some of her personal story, the story of Lamboo, and the challenges and triumphs that lay ahead.

Welcome to a special bonus episode. For those of you who don’t know, I am due to have my first child in July – so by the time you’re listening to this, I’ll be well and truly knee deep in nappies! Before I go on maternity leave, I decided to make hay while the sun shines, and I teamed up with the legends at Territory Natural Resource Management to produce a podcast series. It’s called Our Territory, Our Future, and you can find it on Apple, Spotify, and wherever you get your podcasts. I’ll be sure to link it in the shownotes below. Today, I’m sharing one of those episodes – and it’s actually Part 1 of 3 episodes. A couple of weeks ago I sat down with two legends by the name of Stu and Brett, and they are experts in all things feral animals, and they run an incredible wildlife and feral animal management business. If you enjoy the episode, make sure you head over to the Our Territory, Our Future podcast to listen to parts 2 and 3, as well as all the other episodes – including Lakefield, Mataranka and Mainoru Stations!

In our last episode, Danny Hayes shredd yarns from his childhood on cattle stations and some of the things he's learned from his 30 year career as a mustering pilot. In this episode, Danny recounts some of the hairy situations he's found himself in while flying - situations that only experience and nothing short of good luck has allowed him to be here and speak about them. I want to take a moment and acknowledge that our community has lost too many people through helicopter mustering accidents, and safety while flying is something that both Danny and I take very seriously. So while he recounts these stories with a laugh, we want you to know that we are not trying to ignore the seriousness of each incident. At the time of recording, I'm 34 weeks pregnant and my partner is also a helicopter mustering pilot, so you can imagine the anxiety these yarns gave me. I hope you enjoy this episode, and if you take anything away, it's that safety is everything.

You can’t live and work in the Northern Territory and not have a story or two to tell. So, imagine how many stories Danny Hayes must have, having flown as a helicopter mustering pilot for over 30 years. I think it’s safe to say that he has seen and done a lot of things, and got the experience to back up his opinions. So, at 8 months pregnant, I headed out to Mainoru Station, north-east of Katherine, to sit down with Danny and hear some of his yarns. This episode is the first of two episodes with Danny. In this episode he shares yarns from his childhood and early days as a pilot. In the second episode Danny recounts his history of finding himself in some hairy situations while flying, and how experience and a bit of good luck prevailed so he could live to tell the tale.

With two cattle stations in the Northern Territory, a cattle property in Queensland, and a helicopter business, Rebecca and Steven Cadzow were in the perfect position to continue expanding their business interests and develop a pastoral empire that so many dream of. But, instead they made the decision to downsize to just one cattle station. In this episode Rebecca discusses their decision, the concept of a “Life Audit” and the impact their choices have had on their life, family, and business.

Tracey Hayes is best known for her role as the first female CEO of the Northern Territory Cattleman’s Association. But, it was a role she never intended on holding -  in fact, it wasn’t in her career plan at all. Born and bred on a cattle station in the far north of South Australia, staying on the land was all Tracey ever wanted to do. But, sometimes life throws curveballs and when that happens you have two choices - resist change, or adapt. And, as you’ll hear in this episode, adapting to the unexpected is something Tracey does very well. 

Khory Hancock knows what it's like to live in two different worlds at the same time. An environmental scientist by trade, Khory was born and raised on a large cattle property in Queensland. It was his belief that agriculture, in particular cattle farming, was a part of the solution to environmental problems, not the cause, that led him down the path of advocacy. Khory knew it wouldn’t be easy to draw a crowd talking about the environment, so he created an online alter ego called The Environmental Cowboy. By his own admission, the Environmental Cowboy was an oversexualised, self-deprecating character, who used humour and sex appeal to draw an audience. But, it worked. It really did – and he was reaching millions of people around the world each week. So, why did he walk away from the Environmental Cowboy and leave his advocacy mission behind? In this episode, for the first time ever, Khory shares the tale of the birth and death of the Environmental Cowboy. It was an absolute privilege to be the first platform he has shared this story with, and I think you’ll be surprised throughout our chat.

Apologies for not posting an episode for so long! As the count down to the podcast baby gets shorter and shorter, I have been "making hay while the sun shines" and doing lots of contract work!  So, here is an oldie but a goodie, and one we get requested all the time! This episode is based on one of the most popular stories on the Central Station website, called “Tips for station newbies”. From advice when applying for a job, to what to pack and how to behave once you’ve got the job – we cover a lot in this episode! We even cover … sex! So, if you have little ones around, it might be best to plug in some headphones. Whether you’re heading out to a station for the first time, or you’ve been around for a while, there’s something for everything in this episode. If you have any advice you think we should include on our website, send us a message through our website or any of our social media accounts. Ok, here is the mandatory disclaimer… The views reflected in this episode are those of the author and podcast host, and do not necessarily represent the views of Central Station staff, people who contribute to our website or our wonderful sponsors. The original blog was written in good humor and that is the same for this episode – we don’t take ourselves too seriously, and you shouldn’t either – we encourage you to take the following with a grain of salt and make up your own mind.

Munro Hardy's pathway to his current career has not been straight forward. After a gap year around Australia saw him fall in love with agriculture (Episode 190, Part 1), he kept on that path, trying his hand at all he could (Episode 193, Part 2).  But, at some point, Munro decided to step away from the cattle industry and try his hand at all sorts of jobs, including pearling, roadworks, mining, and construction.  It's not a pathway anyone would necessarily advise someone who wants a career in the beef industry, but as you'll see in this episode, it all came together and contributed to the success he is experiencing today.

As promised, here is part 2 of our chat with Munro Hardy. While he's only 35 years young, holy hatbox he has managed to fit a lot into a short space of time! In this episode he shares stories from his time working in live export, contract mustering, and a pretty hairy tale from a trip to Egypt... If you haven't listened to Part 1, go back and listen first!

Today I’ve got something a bit special for you – as you would have heard in Part 1 – Munro Hardy has had many adventures in his life so far. When we were recording Part 2, Munro shared a story that I was not expecting, and it’s pretty hectic – so much so that I thought it should come out a week early in its own episode. So... enjoy this preview of Part 2, and please, don’t try this at home!

Starting a family is no longer as simple as meeting a partner and falling in love. I’m not sure if fertility challenges are becoming more common, or just more spoken about – but it certainly feels as though both are true. While stories about fertility challenges are becoming more common, no two are the same. In today’s episode, I sit down with Kim and Gus from Umbearra Station, 4 hours south of Alice Springs. Fertility challenges don’t discriminate, and I don’t think it’s as black and white as saying that someone’s journey is easier or harder than anyone else’s – they all have their unique aspects. For Kim and Gus, their remote location meant that they ended up traveling in excess of 40,000 km to conceive their first two children. To start our conversation, I asked them to take me back to the very start of their journey trying to start a family.

Munro Hardy has been a busy man. At just 35 years old, Munro’s career has taken him from fencing croc-infested rivers in the Top End, to mustering cattle from a helicopter, to boardrooms in Sydney, and most recently around the world as a Nuffield Scholar. It took a bit of convincing, but we managed to wrangle Munro to sit down and share his story. In this episode, he tells tales from the gap year that took him around Australia, and all the adventures that came with it. Make sure you keep your eyes peeled for Parts 2 and 3, to hear all about his helicopter mustering escapades, why he chose to leave the Territory for the big smoke, and how it led him right back to where he started.

Nathan Dyer has found himself in some crazy situations, in the most remote parts of Australia... on assignment. The job? Freelance journalist and photographer. It's a far cry from his humble beginnings as a corporate accountant in the metropolis of Melbourne.  In this episode, Nathan shares the unconventional path he took to land a job so many of us dream of, and some of the life changing experiences he's had so far.

Since Annabelle Coppin was a child, she wanted people to eat the beef her family raised on their Pilbara cattle station. But, simply selling cattle to the market wasn’t enough for her - she wanted to be involved in the entire process, and watch as people picked up packets of her beef from the supermarket. She wanted them to know that what they were about to cook wasn’t just any old Aussie beef, but that from Yarrie Station - a property her family had been nuturing for 5 generations. In this episode, Annabelle shares the highs and lows of starting a branded beef business, and how she keeps her dream alive.

Would you ever take in a child that wasn’t your own? If you’re imagining a relative, or a friend’s child - the answer might be a simple, straightforward, “yes, of course!” But what if you didn’t know the child? And, if, once you get to know them, bond with them, and love them, they could be taken away? That’s the reality of foster parents across the world. In today’s episode, we hear the story of one family who are raising their 5 children, including 2 foster children, on a remote cattle station in Australia. To add an extra layer of complexity to the situation, the foster children are Indigenous and the foster family are not.  As you’ll hear today, it has been one of the hardest, yet most rewarding experiences for our guest.    **Please note, that we have chosen to de-identify all names and locations in this episode, to ensure anonymity. While the family was consulted about doing the episode, this is one person’s story, and we need to respect the privacy of the children involved.**

When Wave Hill Station was sold in a $104 million dollar deal, Jumbuck Pastoral and its consortium of partners became the 4th ever owner of the iconic station in its 140 year history. It was a sale that said “watch this space”. In this episode, we sit down with Matt and Connie Wood, who we last heard from in episode 123, as they prepared to leave their job as managers at Blina Station in the Kimberley, also owned by Jumbuck Pastoral, to move to Wave Hill Station and take on the mammoth job of managers. In this episode, Matt and Connie fill us in on the busiest 12 months of their life - which included a new baby, lockdowns, a significant amount of capital expenditure on development works, and all the adventures that have come with it.

The adventure of a lifetime, two best mates, riding side by side in the wild landscape of Mongolia. When Jess and Nat entered the world’s toughest horse race, they knew it would be hard. Finishing the race itself was as big a deal as winning. But, these women were from the Northern Territory - they’d spent their lives working in rugged conditions in remote areas. Surely, they’d be fine? In this episode, they share how no amount of planning can truly prepare anyone for the Mongol Derby.

Shane “Lochy” O’Loughlin arrived in the Kimberley at the age of 16. He’d already left both home and school at the age of 12, and now he had something to prove. However, Lochy’s start in the Kimberley was anything but smooth sailing. Over the past 40 years, Lochy has lived a life full of adventure and learning. There’s not many places in the Kimberley he hasn’t set foot on, either as a stockman, or running his own bull catching business. For our final episode of 2022, Lochy shares stories that only a few people have heard while sitting around a campfire, and it’s a true privilege to have him on the show.

This episode is Part 2 of our chat with Chico Shaw. If you haven't listened to Part 1, stop now and go back. In Part 1, Chico shared the story of his adoption from Brazil into a family from Bondi Beach, and how he ended up working on a cattle station in the Gulf of Queensland. In this episode, Chico shares stories from his time working in the Northern Territory, why he left the industry for almost 10 years, his battles with mental health, and what it's like working not just with your partner, but for them. Please note that this episode may be triggering for some people, so it may be best to listen in the company of support. 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 Virtual Psychologist is a free service that offers qualified and experienced counselling via phone, chat, email and text. It is available 24/7. Contact this service via PHONE on 1300 665 234 or TEXT on 0488 807 266. http://virtualpsychologist.com.au/home/  Please help spread this message to help others understand help is just a phone call or text away and they are not alone.

In 1987 a mechanic found a baby boy abandoned on the streets in Brazil.  Today, that baby boy is a grown man living and working on a cattle station in the Northern Territory, Australia.  “Blessed”, is how Chico Shaw describes his life. A life that could have turned out so differently. In this episode Chico shares the story of his adoption into a family from Bondi beach, how he ended up working on a cattle station in the Gulf of Queensland, and the challenges and adventures that that experience entailed. Make sure you tune in next week for part two to hear Chico share more yarns about his time working up north, why he left the industry for almost a decade, his challenges with anxiety and depression, and how he’s come full circle to find love and build a life that truly makes him happy.

This episode contains discussions about anxiety, depression, eating disorders and self-harm. It may be best to listen in the support of company, or skip this episode. If you need help, a range of services are available. Please see the show notes for more details. Claudia Hiscox has spent the last three years living and working on cattle stations in remote parts of the Northern Territory. The days are long, and the work is tough. It’s a physically and mentally demanding job at the best of times.    In amongst mustering cattle and fixing fences, Claudia has been handling another challenge: managing her mental health after experiencing anxiety, depression and an eating disorder in her teenage years. It’s no easy task, especially when the nearest medical professional is hundreds of kilometers away, and internet service isn’t always reliable. In this special episode, Claudia shares her story with immense candor. Make sure you find and subscribe to the Pieces of the Mind podcast. Please note that this episode may be triggering for some people, so it may be best to listen in the company of support. 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 Virtual Psychologist is a free service that offers qualified and experienced counselling via phone, chat, email and text. It is available 24/7. Contact this service via PHONE on 1300 665 234 or TEXT on 0488 807 266. http://virtualpsychologist.com.au/home/  Please help spread this message to help others understand help is just a phone call or text away and they are not alone.

In 2002, Ian ‘Rocky’ Rockwell took a group of year 11 students from Sydney to Alice Springs for an “adventure”. The kids were to trek the Larapinta Trail, ride camels, cook on campfires, and experience the “outback”. That trip changed not only the trajectory of Rocky’s life, but some of the students as well. Rob Mann was one of those students. In this episode, Rocky and Rob share the story about the trip that took place 20 years ago, how it impacted their lives, and how they went from student and teacher to mates and colleagues all these years later.