Blog Archive
Episode 15: Pip Grossmith – what happens when you’re open to life’s opportunities
As the daughter of a Coastal Sciences Professor who grew up on the northern beaches of Sydney, working with pastoralists in rangelands of Western Australia is the last place anyone expected Pip Grossmith to end up – including herself. With a “have a go” attitude and unparalleled authenticity in everything she does, it hasn’t taken […]
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Pastoralists to the rescue – Part 2
Host: Kachana Station Written by Chris Henggeler, Owner – Kachana Station Part 1. New Millennium, New Challenges Part 2. When Alarm Bells Ring A nurse or doctor can hand out medication and check up on a patient on their own, but when alarms begin to go off in a hospital ward, it is useful to […]
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Episode 13: Dionne Walsh – the Paddock Power project
Many breeder paddocks in northern Australia are too big and under-watered to achieve optimum productivity. In the Barkly Tableland region, for example, average paddock area is 218 km² (21,800 hectares) and some are more than 1000 km². These large, poorly watered paddocks impact on reproduction and profitability: there’s over-and under-utilised feed (depending on distance from water), […]
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Don’t spend too much time looking in the rear-view mirror
When learning to drive we’re constantly reminded about the importance of checking our rear-view mirror, not just when reversing or changing lanes but for general awareness of our surroundings and enhancing our peripheral vision. However, spending too much time looking in the rear-view mirror can be hazardous as it distracts us from what’s happening in […]
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Ground control to Major Tom – a boarding school oddity
Host: Yougawalla Pastoral Co. Written by Jane Sale – Manager, Yougawalla Pastoral Company This blog is a follow up to a story published in 2018 called “Learning to let go” where I wrote about my son Gus’ last year at home before going to boarding school. “Ground Control to Major Tom” “10, 9” Take your […]
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Episode 12: Kate Everett – Life as a contract musterer, Dolly’s Dream, and making the world a kinder place
The Everett family are like many others in the Northern Territory – they live and breathe horses, cattle, and station life. However, their lives changed irrevocably in January 2018 when Dolly Everett, 14, took her own life after being the target of relentless bullying at boarding school. In this episode we sit down with Kate Everett […]
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Remaining vigilant of the Brazilian threat
Host: Yougawalla Pastoral Co. Written by Haydn Sale – Manager, Yougawalla Pastoral Company I am writing this blog at 41,000 feet passing over Africa on the way to Perth via Dubai from Brazil. Total travel time 35 hours. My wife Jane (the founder of this website) tells me to use the time and write my […]
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Episode 11: Tom and Annabel Curtain – the “We’re still here campaign”, a #1 single, new album and tour
You may remember Tom and Annabel Curtain from Episode … Tom is a long-time horse trainer, Golden Guitar winning musician, and founder of Katherine Outback Experience. Annabel’s dad picked Tom up while he was hitchhiking one day, and these days she calls the Northern Territory home, where she runs Katherine Outback Experience alongside her now-husband […]
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Pastoralists to the rescue – Part 1
Host: Kachana Station Written by Chris Henggeler, Owner – Kachana Station It was in early 1979 that I arrived in Australia. Most of my time since then has been spent somewhere in the north, living and working in the bush. Good fortune offered me the opportunity to do some travelling before and during that time […]
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Episode 10: Dr Jillian Kelly – CSI for cattle, drought smokos, and painting in the bush
Dr Jillian Kelly is the District Vet in Coonamble, New South Wales. You know the show CSI – Crime Scene Investigation? Well, Jill is basically a detective for diseases in farm animals. She discovered the first case of Ichthyosis fetails, or Fish Scale Disease, in Australia! Jill is also the founder of the “Drought Smoko”, and has […]
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Kachana sterek
Host: Kachana Station Written by Fettes Falconer Note: Fettes Falconer is a Perth based retired geography teacher who visited Kachana some time ago and has been a loyal supporter ever since. As word got around that we needed another story for Central Station, people began ducking for cover. We thank Fettes for obliging in the […]
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Episode 9: Mark Bettini – managing drought and Cyclone Veronica in the same week
Mark Bettini is the co-owner and manager of Bettini Beef – a family business which manages 5 cattle stations across 1 million hectares in the Pilbara region of Western Australia. In this episode Mark shares his experience of going from managing drought conditions after a poor season in 2018, to managing for flood and the […]
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Dreamtime – feeling safe when you sleep helps
Host: Kachana Station Written by Jacqueline Henggeler, Owner. When we moved to Kachana Station to set up our home in 1991, there was hardly any vegetation and we saw native animals on rare occasions only. Once we had established some vegetation and electric light, we attracted insects, especially during the wet. This brought along other animals […]
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Reinventing landscape management through regenerative pastoral practices
Host: Kachana Station Written by Chris Henggeler, Owner. Caveat: Whilst composing this message I remain painfully aware that there are many people doing it really tough all over Australia. When your livelihood is on the line, and everything you own is at stake you do not need others telling you how to prioritise. The landscape vision […]
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Episode 8: Hayley Goad – overcoming discrimination in the ag industry
Hayley Goad is the Office Administrator for Bettini Beef – a family owned business which manages 1 million hectares in the Pilbara region of Western Australia. Don’t let her job title fool you though – she spends as much time out on the station as she does in the office! In this episode, we sit […]
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Things you should know before applying for a station job
Written by Steph Coombes, Central Station Editor So, you’ve decided to take the leap and head “up north” for a year of cattle work, dusty days, and memories that will last a lifetime. You’re about to be one of tens of thousands of people who have walked onto a cattle station, chasing adventure and opportunity. […]
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Episode 7: The story behind our Ariana Grande parody video
In July 2019 we released a parody video on our Facebook page of the Ariana Grande song “Breathin’” called “Breedin’”. The song features pastoralists from cattle stations in the Pilbara and Kimberley regions of Western Australia dancing in their paddocks, cattle yards, and on trucks, while singing about early weaning, segregation, pregnancy testing and supplementation. […]
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He’ll fly a bullock up your arse
Host: De Grey Station Written by Mark Bettini, Owner – De Grey Station Mustering pilots get to see many funny things – bike riders are always good for a laugh. When they stack it they quickly look around to see if anyone saw them. Once you have determined if the rider is ok I think […]
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A meeting with a wild horse
Host: Yarrie Station Written by Martha Lindstad, Stationhand, Yarrie Station It had been one of those perfect days. We weren’t far out in September, and were getting closer to the end of mustering. As many times previously this year, a team of us were sent to our leased block, Coongan. Coongan had more rainfall than […]
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25% off our 2020 calendars!
Central Station has released 2 calendars to support the Royal Flying Doctors Service and the Isolated Children’s Parents’ Association. As a thank you to our blog subscribers, we’re offering 25% off our calendars. Just use the code “thankyou25” at checkout to claim your savings! You can find the calendars in our shop by clicking here. […]
