Reid and Robyn Russell greeted us as we drove into the station. We were keen to experience a farm stay and the thought of staying on a 30,000 hectare property was exciting. The drive from Charters Towers had been through a variety of Australian outback country but we had only seen a handful of other cars on the 200 kilometre trek. The 200 kilometres are sealed but narrow in parts. The station homestead is only five kilometres from the road along a gravel track. It was nice to see two friendly faces.
We were shown our accommodation in an air-conditioned cottage. The room could not be called luxurious but then nothing about the property fitted this description. This was a genuine working cattle station and life can be tough for those who chose this lifestyle.
Reid suggested that we join other guests on a walk to one of the station dams. This was a welcome relief after hours in the car so we happily walked the half a kilometre though the late afternoon heat. The dam was an oasis of cool. Reid pulled on a rope and brought a yabby trap to the bank complete with its captured occupant. The Japanese visitors were intrigued. Then we feed and held the resident turtles. This really was a hands-on experience.
Dinner was a happy affair. Homemade vegetable soup and roast beef seemed the appropriate dishes, washed down with cold beer. The conversation flowed freely as Reid and Robyn talked about station life, the ups and downs of the cattle industry and the pleasures and dangers of the Australian bush. We slept well in the unusual quietness of the outback.
Life on a cattle station starts early and when the family joined us for breakfast, their day was well underway. Ours started by helping to feed some young carves. Cattle had been brought to the homestead yard so we quickly joined the action. Some were been loaded for transportation to another location, others were being branded. We were invited to participate. Several Japanese visitors tried their hand at branding. We all helped with transferring the cattle from pen to pen. We had a break and enjoyed damper and billy tea, then unfortunately we had to leave to return to Charters Towers.
Staying on a remote cattle station is probably not for everyone but we thoroughly enjoyed it. We came away with a much better appreciation of the pioneering spirit that is necessary to work long hours in a harsh environment remote from many of the comforts enjoyed by city dwellers. Improved communications, electricity, sealed roads and modern transport has helped improve conditions in recent years but it is not the life for me.
For further information email: plaincrk@cqhinet.net.au or look at the web site www.charterstowers.qld.gov.au/plaincreek