Central Station - True Stories from Outback Australia

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.

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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

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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.

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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.

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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/

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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

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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...

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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.

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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. 

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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?

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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…

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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.

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[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.

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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…

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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!

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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.

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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!

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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. 

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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!

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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!

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.**

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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.

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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.

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Today is Part 2 of our episode with Peter Rowe, the Outback Postman. Now, if you haven’t listened to Part 1 – stop right here and go back to find it – because in addition to being a cracker yarn, it provides a lot of context about how Rowie came to be the man he is.

In this episode we talk about the 600km round trip he makes twice a week to deliver mail to small towns and remote cattle stations along the Oodnadatta Track, and the tourist business he runs alongside it.

Once again, Rowie not only spins some great stories, but imparts wisdom which can only be acquired from living life to the fullest.

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Central Station [SHORT STORY] episodes bring the stories from our website to life through the authors themselves.

Find the story from this episode here: https://www.centralstation.net.au/woulda-coulda-shoulda/ 

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For the last 19 years, Peter Rowe, or Rowie, as he is known by the locals, has been delivering mail to small towns and cattle stations along the Oodnadatta Track in South Australia.

Rowie is an incredible gentleman who’s story is, well, incredible. I had such a great time yarning with him that we ended up recording for 2 hours, so this episode will be release in 2 parts.

In this first part Rowie shares the story of how he came to Coober Pedy to become a millionaire, and why he swapped Opal Mining for Pottery. It was such a privilege to hear these stories, and holy hatbox this fella drops some gold nuggets of wisdom along the way!

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Most of us have done a first aid course before. It's something you have to do, but don't think you'll ever actually need. We never think that someone else's life will actually be in our hands.

But that was the reality for Jill Greenfield, when a bystander saved her life during a medical emergency. In this episode, we learn about who Jill is and how she came to live at Billa Kalina Station, how a stranger saved her life, and what impact it has had on her life.

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Central Station [SHORT STORY] episodes bring the stories from our website to life through the authors themselves.

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In today's 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.

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The Kempe family’s involvement in the pastoral industry traces back to the 1800’s, when Ernest Courtenay Kempe was in partnership with the Sir Sidney Kidman. His nephew Ernest Ravenscroft Kempe ran away from home at the age of 12, joining him at The Peak station. Between Ernest Ravenscroft Kempe and his son John Kempe they served 100 years with the S. Kidman Pastoral company.

In this episode, the granddaughter of Ernest Ravenscroft Kempe, Helen, shares the story of her grandfather and father.

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Central Station [SHORT STORY] episodes bring the stories from our website to life through the authors themselves. Find the story from this episode here: https://www.centralstation.net.au/the-farmer-wants-a-son-in-law/

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Doug McBean is was raised on a cattle station in the Victoria River District in the Northern Territory. With 30 years under his belt as a helicopter mustering pilot, he’s seen and done a fair bit around the traps.

So, you might think that a podcast episode with Doug would involve all sorts of wild yarns about mustering a helicopter – but that couldn’t be any further from what this episode is about – although don’t worry – we’ve convinced him to come back on the show for one of those episodes!

In this episode, Doug reflects on what he has learnt from his time in the pastoral game, and where he sees an opportunity to strengthen the sustainability of the industry. It’s a really interesting conversation, and similar to one I’ve had with many people across the country – but no one has been willing to speak about it openly… until now. So, be sure to join our Central Station podcast group on facebook and let us know what you think about this episode.  

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Abbro Woolnough was born a 6th generation dairy farmer on the NSW north central coast. However, despite being surrounded by dairy cattle, he developed a passion for the beef industry. After his initial career plans didn’t work out, he moved to Mt Riddock Station in Central Australia as a jackeroo.

But, that’s not the end of Abbro’s story. He then went on to work as a park ranger across Australia, swapping cattle for crocs and endangered marsuipials.

In this episode Abbro shares insights into his story so far, and why he chose to come back to the station.

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Central Station [SHORT STORY] episodes bring the stories from our website to life through the authors themselves. 

Find the story from this episode here: https://www.centralstation.net.au/the-story-of-groom-zilla-and-bride-doe-banger/  

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Campbell Duff came to the Northern Territory thinking he knew it all and was ready to take on the world. Today, he is a completely different person. In this episode we speak about what prompted him to grow up from an overly confident teenager to a settled young man who has been given the responsibility of being head stockman on one of the Territory's most iconic cattle stations.

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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.

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Central Station [SHORT STORY] episodes bring the stories from our website to life through the authors themselves. 

Find the story from this episode here: https://www.centralstation.net.au/lessons-from-a-little-cat/ 

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Helen Kempe was born on Macumba Station in 1950, as the fourth generation of her family to be involved in the S Kidman and Co Pastoral empire.

At the age of 16 Helen moved to the Northern Territory and to this day she has never left. 

Everyone knows Miss Helen, and Miss Helen knows everyone. She is a true treasure of the Territory, and in this episode she shares yarns from the early days when her family started working for Sidney Kidman to where she is today – and what she has seen and learnt over the past seven decades.

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What would you do if you knew your life was going to change irrevocably, and there was nothing you could do to stop it?

That’s the predicament Mitch Scott found himself in when he was diagnosed with Usher Syndrome –a rare genetic disorder primarily characterized by deafness and a progressive loss of vision.

In this episode, Mitch speaks about his diagnosis, and the decision to leave the life he had planned behind to head north and work on outback cattle stations.

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Central Station [SHORT STORY] episodes bring the stories from our website to life through the authors themselves. 

Find the story from this episode here: https://www.centralstation.net.au/cowboys-bulls-broncs-and-a-diamond-ring/ 

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After high school, Frances Cooper ticked all the boxes society told her to: go to university, get a great job, land a promotion, and keep climbing the career ladder.

On paper, Fran’s life looked like hard work and success. But… something was missing.

So, in her late 20’s she took off to Africa – a decision that would lead to a series of experiences and choices in her life that would see her settle down on Mt Riddock Station in Central Australia. No, Fran is not a “backpacker”, but a full-time long-term employee of the station.

This is her story.

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Conversations in the agricultural and rural community pertaining to mental health generally don’t go beyond raising awareness of mental health itself and what it is.

We think it’s time for the conversation to move forward from simplying saying “It’s ok not to be ok”, and to discuss what we can do to look after ourselves when we aren’t ok.

We also think that it’s time to acknowledge the spectrum of mental health issues we all face, because the conversation generally tends to sit around the extremes of depression, anxiery and suicicde. We aren’t minimizing these at all, but want to make space for ogther issues too.

In this episode I sit down with Matilda Robinson, who grew up on her family’s cattle station in the Gascoyne region of Western Australia.

Matilda first started experiencing anxiety around the age of 9, but didn’t recognise what it was until her late teens.

We speak about her experience trying to balance seeking help for anxiety and depression, while living in remote parts of Australia, finding the right mental health professional, and what she does on a day to day basis to maintain her mental health.

Please note that this episode may be triggering for some people, so it may be best to listen in the company of support.

**Quick note guys – I’ve had this episode reviewed by a mental health professional, and as such you’re going to hear a couple of edits in this episode where I’m going to add in some commentary after the fact. Matilda and I did the best we could during recording, but upon reflection there’s a few things we’d like to clarify and language we think that needs to be changed. **

If you are experiencing depression or are suicidal, or know someone who is, help is available.

Please help spread this message to help others understand help is just a phone call or text away and they are not alone.

****

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Central Station [SHORT STORY] episodes bring the stories from our website to life through the authors themselves. 

Find the story from this episode here: https://www.centralstation.net.au/it-takes-a-community/ 

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We all know that when you work on a cattle station, you’re bound to come across creatures other than cattle.

If you’re in the desert country, it might be camels and donkeys – and if you’re way up high in the top end, you’ll probably see water buffalo, and if you’re lucky… or … well… unlucky… a crocodile.

Norman Fisher was born and bred in the Top End of the Northern Territory, and his family not only ran cattle, but domesticated their own herd of buffalo.

However, seeing as one of their stations also had its own supply of saltwater crocodiles – Norman thought he’d try his hand working with them too!

In this episode, I ask Norman about what it’s like to work with both livestock and crocs – this is a yarn you don’t want to miss!

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Living so far from town is often one of the perks that draws people to work on a cattle station. When you live out bush you can enjoy wide open spaces and often your neighbours are tens of kilometres away, if not hundreds. But what happens when you need services which are only provided in town – like, access to a hospital? In this episode Steph Coombes sat down with Jodie Grant to discuss her experience not only fighting cancer while living on a cattle station, but the challenges of getting a diagnosis in the first place – and the effect of living remotely impacted her experience.

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Central Station [SHORT STORY] episodes bring the stories from our website to life through the authors themselves. 

Find the story from this episode here: https://www.centralstation.net.au/180km-just-to-check-the-mail/ 

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Since she was knee-high to a grasshopper, Tylah Bonisch knew she wanted to work with cattle and horses.

She didn’t travel to the north for a gap year, but to start her career in the pastoral industry.

In this episode Tylah and I speak about her time in the industry so far, and how she moved into role of Headstockwoman at Victoria River Downs Station in the northern territory.

In particular, we speak about her experience in a leadership as a woman, and how what shes learnt so far.

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Jess Di Pasquale is a born and bred Territory girl. Even though her childhood was colored with living on and visiting cattle stations, she went on the excel in the English equine discipline of Mounted Games, competing overseas 3 times while Representing Australia. In this episode, Jess shares her latests plans to compete in the 2021 Mongol Derby – a 1000km horse race, and we chat about her history of equine pursits in both Australia and overseas put her on the road to Mongolia.

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Central Station [SHORT STORY] episodes bring the stories from our website to life through the authors themselves. 

Find the story from this episode here: https://www.centralstation.net.au/its-on/

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Let’s be honest, we love to judge. It’s second nature to take someone at face value and make assumptions about them.

In social science, this phenomenon is called schema are mental structures that an individual uses to organize knowledge and guide cognitive processes and behaviour. So what that means, is that we use Schema to categorize objects and events based on common elements and characteristics and thus interpret and predict the world. New information is processed according to how it fits into these mental structures, or rules. So, you see a man in a dark alley way holding a knife, and instead of having to stop and think about it, you immediately think “danger”!

Here’s the thing though, while face value assumptions can be helpful, they can also be counter-productive and even destructive.

Take Danyelle Haigh – at first sight, we see this gorgeous blonde woman, beautifully dressed, with nice jewellry, and her hair, makeup and nails done. The kind of woman who stands out in a crowd with her bubbly laugh and unfiltered comments.

This isn’t an act. Danyelle is as authentic as they come. And in this episode, I sat down with her to learn more about the real Danyelle, not the one we predetermine in our minds.

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Luke Hayes was born a 6th generation pastoralist on Deep Well Station in Central Australia. You’d be forgiven if you assumed that Luke was planning to continue in the same line of work as the previous 5 generations of his family – it just makes sense, right? However, that is not Luke’s story. As a consequence of drought, death and the human agency that comes with living in 21st century, Luke has ventured away from the pastoral pathway. In this episode, Luke shares how growing up on a cattle station has shaped his life today, what its like stepping out from the family business, and what he has learnt along the way.

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Central Station [SHORT STORY] episodes bring the stories from our website to life through the authors themselves. 

Find the story from this episode here: https://www.centralstation.net.au/dating-in-the-bush-a-tinderella-story/ 

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Tanya was raised on a cattle station north of Alice Springs during the 1960s and 1970s. The stories from her childhood sound like something out of book – too wild and wonderful to be true. As it turns out – they are so extraordinary Tanya has published them into a memoir called An Alice Girl.

In this episode, we chat about what Tanyas childhood on a remote cattle station was like back in those days, and how it shaped the rest of her life.

Because, as you’ll come to learn in this episode, Tanya went on to become an accomplished lawyer who worked on the Azaria Chamberlain inquiry, she travelled the world and even lived in Prague, and is now the author of 2 books. Not bad for someone who used to go to school for 30 minutes a day over a 2 way radio...

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Today’s episode has been inspired by Lucy Daley, who featured on Episode 52. When asked what message would she put on a billboard, she answered “No matter how far you’ve come in life, someone has helped you get there.” And aint that the truth. I know that my own initiative and drive has played a huge part in getting me to where I am today, and what experiences I’ve had – but I also regularly reflect and experience gratitude for the people who have helped me along the way. So, in today’s episode, I thought I’d pay homage to some of the people who have been instrumental in my life so far.

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Central Station [SHORT STORY] episodes bring the stories from our website to life through the authors themselves. 

Find the story from this episode here: https://www.centralstation.net.au/the-kimberley-chicken-muster-er/ 

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In today’s episode I’m chatting with Lucy Daley, who lives on a property called Katherine Downs in the Northern Territory. Lucy has managed to fit an awful lot into her life so far, including going droving, living overseas, running a cattle station with her husband, obtaining a fixed wing licence and having 4 kids!

She is incredibly humble and didn’t think her story was worth being told, but I think by the end of this episode you’ll agree with me when I say that Lucy is an inspiration who has just rolled up her sleeves and had a crack at life, and I daresay, a little bit of a dark horse!

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Central Station [SHORT STORY] episodes bring the stories from our website to life through the authors themselves. 

Find the story from this episode here: https://www.centralstation.net.au/lessons-learned-in-the-kimberley/ 

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The government says public education will be free... but then why are so many families paying $50,000 per year on average to put their kids through primary school?

In todays episode, I’m chatting with Sarah Cook, who manages a cattle station in the Northern Territory and is the President of the NT Isolated Children's Parents' Association.

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Central Station [SHORT STORY] episodes bring the stories from our website to life through the authors themselves. 

Find the story from this episode here: https://www.centralstation.net.au/when-a-pregnancy-is-followed-by-a-cancer-diagnosis/ 

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In today’s episode I’m sitting down with Mel Bethel. Chances are, you’ve seen Mel’s photography on Facebook and Instagram – she’s the woman you want at your campdrafts because she’s pretty handy with a camera.

But what we see of Mel online is her work, photos of animals and other people – so I wanted to know who this person behind the camera actually was. So, while I was in the town where Mel currently lives, I reached out to her and asked to meet. And, surprise surprise, I invited her on the podcast. I hope you enjoy hearing some yarns from this incredible woman, and learning that there’s so much more to her than the great photos she takes.

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Today’s episode was hands down one of my all-time favourites to record.

In this episode, we’re going to hear from Jaimie Jenkins, who had some unbelievable experiences before she headed up north. I had absolutely no idea what direction this episode was going to go in, as you’l l hear from my genuine reactions throughout the episode, but I think you’ll agree that it’s an absolute cracker, and really demonstrates how everyone does have a story.

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Central Station [SHORT STORY] episodes bring the stories from our website to life through the authors themselves. 

Find the story from this episode here: https://www.centralstation.net.au/macro-and-micro-isolation-a-bold-contrast/ 

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Becky Klingenberg is the definition of hustle. As you’ll hear in this episode, she doesn’t let anything stand in the way of her dreams, including living and working on remote cattle stations.

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Central Station [SHORT STORY] episodes bring the stories from our website to life through the authors themselves. 

Find the story from this episode here: https://www.centralstation.net.au/has-anyone-got-a-copy-part-three/ 

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Have you ever wanted to know more about the northern beef industry?

Traditional opportunities to learn about the industry include: university, TAFE, short courses, schools, and on-the-job training. For a number of reasons, whether it be time, money, and/or access, not everyone has the same learning opportunities.

The Cattle Station Classroom podcast is a free platform where anyone can learn about different aspects of the Australian cattle station industry and ask questions.

“Every station is different. Different country, cattle, and ways of doing things. Each station has different needs, which means we don’t always learn about the same things”, podcast host Steph Coombes said. “I know how easy it is to be too nervous to ask questions, and let’s be honest – sometimes we don’t even have anyone to ask. So whether you’re a station hand, or you work in any other part of the industry, I hope this podcast is an opportunity for people to be able to learn more, feel empowered and be more involved in our industry.”

If there’s a topic you’d like to learn about, or a question you want answered, email admin@centralstation.net.au. This podcast is brought you by Central Station and hosted by Steph Coombes.

You can find the podcast on the Apple Podcast app by clicking here, on the Spotify app by clicking here, and through your web browser by clicking here.

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Central Station [SHORT STORY] episodes bring the stories from our website to life through the authors themselves. 

Find the story from this episode here: https://www.centralstation.net.au/has-anyone-got-a-copy-part-two/ 

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Imagine this: building a pastoral lease from scratch.

I’m talking about walking onto a piece of land that has never been managed or developed – no fences, no man-made waters, no roads – nothing.

Sounds like something from the 1800’s right? A story of the settlers?

Well, this actually happened in the late 1980s, when Chris Henggeler purchased a new pastoral lease in the east Kimberley.

In this episode we find out how a Swiss backpacker ended up purchasing an Austrlalian cattle station, why there’s still no road access to Kachana over 30 years later, and about one mans mission to bring regenerative agriculture to the Kimberley.

Learn more about Kachana Station here: https://www.kachana-station.com/

Books: Gardeners of Eden: Rediscovering Our Importance to Nature by Dan Daggart, Holistic Management: A New Framework for Decision Making by Allan Savory

Videos: 100,000 beating hearts 

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Central Station [SHORT STORY] episodes bring the stories from our website to life through the authors themselves. 

Find the story from this episode here: https://www.centralstation.net.au/has-anyone-got-a-copy-part-one/ 

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When Ben Mills landed his first job managing a cattle station in the Kimberley, he didn't expect it to be easy. And, when the wet season storms brought just the right amount of rain, he knew there would be one less thing to worry about. But then the rain didn't stop... and what followed was a record-breaking flood. In a classic case of "too much of a good thing", the flood then caused a drought - throwing the a massive curveball into his first 2 years as a station manager.

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Central Station [SHORT STORY] episodes bring the stories from our website to life through the authors themselves. 

Find the story from this episode here: https://www.centralstation.net.au/an-easter-calamity/ 

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After 36 episodes talking about cattle, we thought we’d mix it up and talk about another four-legged herbivore that is also found on many cattle stations… camels!

Our guest today is an incredible woman named Hannah, who, as you’re about to learn, knows an awful lot about camels and has no shortage of yarns about them.

Hannah has managed to fit an incredible amount into her life so far, and in this episode shares stories about living all over the world; falling in love in the Northern Territory, and; finding her purpose working with camels.

In this episode Hannah mentions the short film "Judas Collar" - learn more here: https://judascollar.com 

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Central Station [SHORT STORY] episodes bring the stories from our website to life through the authors themselves. 

Find the story from this episode here: https://www.centralstation.net.au/low-stress-wife-handling/ 

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What's it like growing up on a cattle station?

In this episode we chat with Pip Bain, who grew up on Mt Clere station in Western Australia in the early 90s. Pip talks about her love for rural Australia, and how she followed in her family's footsteps to pursue a career in the pastoral industry.

Pip also speaks candidly about losing her mother through suicide when Pip was just 18, and how important it is to keep the conversation about mental health going in the bush.

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

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Central Station [SHORT STORY] episodes bring the stories from our website to life through the authors themselves. 

Find the story from this episode here: https://www.centralstation.net.au/the-humble-water-run/ 

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They say that "Good things come in threes", but as it turns out, so do the not-so-good things.

In this episode I caught up with Caitlin Mills to hear about her initiation into station management by fire, flood and drought (literally!).

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Central Station [SHORT STORY] episodes bring the stories from our website to life through the authors themselves. 

Find the story from this episode here: https://www.centralstation.net.au/stepping-up-during-a-crisis/ 

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Katie works at Mandora Station which is situated on the 80 mile beach between Port Hedland and Broome in Western Australia. That’s right, Mandora is on the beach!

Anyway, Katie has a very unusual story – I don’t want to give too much away – but let’s just say she didn’t set foot on a cattle station until the year of her 30th birthday, and now she’s one of the handiest people I know.

But what I really wanted to pick Katie’s brains about in this episode is how she stays grounded and manages to appreciate where she is right now, instead of focussing on where she wants to be, or thinks she should be.

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Central Station [SHORT STORY] episodes bring the stories from our website to life through the authors themselves. 

Find the story from this episode here: https://www.centralstation.net.au/not-better-not-worse-just-different/ 

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Caitlin Mills has spent the past decade working on cattle stations in the Pilbara and Kimberley regions of Western Australia.

In this episode we chat about Caitlin's early days in the Pilbara, the different versions of how she supposedly met her future husband, and the day she had to call the Royal Flying Doctor Service.

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Central Station [SHORT STORY] episodes bring the stories from our website to life through the authors themselves. 

Find the story from this episode here: https://www.centralstation.net.au/the-incident/ 

Narrated by Hugo Rickard-Bell

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Danielle Doyle has become an iconic character of outback Australia over the past 7 years through her insightful (and hilarious) blog and "Miss Chardy".

Labelled by her husband as an "indoor cat", Dan Doyle is not your typical cattle station manager’s wife. She doesn’t ride horses, and you won’t catch her out on a muster or in the cattle yards.

She’s unapologetically authentic and has built a family and life she loves in the middle of “bum-truck-nowhere” despite not "fitting in".

In this episode Dan and Steph have a yarn about Dan’s experience of marching to the beat of her own drum, and the launch of the “most effed cookbook ever”. 

Want to hear more from Dan? Head on over to the "Wild Spark" podcast to follow her adventures and have a good laugh.

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Central Station [SHORT STORY] episodes bring the stories from our website to life through the authors themselves. 

Find the story from this episode here: https://www.centralstation.net.au/things-i-miss-about-northern-australia-and-some-things-i-dont/ 

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