The Cattle That Vanished

In the starving early days of the colony, they were the most valuable creatures in New South Wales. The precious cattle brought out with the First Fleet were meant to secure the future of the settlement. Milk. Breeding stock. Survival.

And then they disappeared.

Wandered off. Lost. Presumed dead.

For years, the struggling colony believed its last hope of self-sufficiency had simply vanished into the bush. But beyond the edge of the settlement, past the thick scrub and sandstone ridges of what we now call the Nepean River region, something extraordinary was happening.

The cattle weren’t gone.

They were multiplying.

When they were rediscovered, wild and thriving, they had become the foundation of Australia’s cattle industry. A mistake. A mystery. And one of the most fortunate accidents in Australian history.

Tonight, we tell the story of the herd that disappeared… and quietly built a nation.



The Nightline Australian Bedtime Story, weeknights 11:10pm

The Nightline with Cheralyn Darcey from 2HD Newcastle and across Australia on the Super Radio Network live weeknights from 8pm to midnight - news, views and a bit of fun

The Cattle That Vanished
In the starving early days of the colony, they were the most valuable creatures in New South Wales. The precious cattle brought out with the&nbsp;First Fleet&nbsp;were meant to secure the future of the settlement. Milk. Breeding stock. Survival.
And then they disappeared.
Wandered off. Lost. Presumed dead.
For years, the struggling colony believed its last hope of self-sufficiency had simply vanished into the bush. But beyond the edge of the settlement, past the thick scrub and sandstone ridges of what we now call the&nbsp;Nepean River&nbsp;region, something extraordinary was happening.
The cattle weren&rsquo;t gone.
They were multiplying.
When they were rediscovered, wild and thriving, they had become the foundation of Australia&rsquo;s cattle industry. A mistake. A mystery. And one of the most fortunate accidents in Australian history.
Tonight, we tell the story of the herd that disappeared&hellip; and quietly built a nation. 
The Nightline Australian Bedtime Story, weeknights 11:10pm
The Nightline with Cheralyn Darcey from 2HD Newcastle and across Australia on the Super Radio Network live weeknights from 8pm to midnight - news, views and a bit of fun

This is a catch-up podcast of an interviews with Cheralyn Darcey. Find your local station or stream live https://2sm.com.au

This is a catch-up podcast of an interviews with Cheralyn Darcey. Find your local station or stream live&nbsp;<a href="https://2sm.com.au">https://2sm.com.au</a>

Cheralyn Darcey

Cheralyn is a radio broadcaster with a passion for community, music, and gardening. She is also a best-selling botanical history author and illustrator of twenty-one internationally published titles.

Cheralyn is a radio broadcaster with a passion for community, music, and gardening. She is also a best-selling botanical history author and illustrator of twenty-one internationally published titles.