2015 Cattle Station Trip – Week 12
Legune, Waterloo, Rosewood, Auvergne, Argyle Downs, Spring Creek and Mistake Creek
Week 12 and Lyle and Helen are nearly at the 3 month mark on the road with the Kent Saddlery Mobile Store. First stop was Legune then Waterloo, Rosewood, Auvergne, Argyle Downs, Spring Creek and finishing at Mistake Creek.
Legune, NT
Sunday 07 June 2015
The approach to Legune Station crosses a vast wetlands, where cattle share the environment with a host of wetland birds. Quite spectacular.
The workers’ rec room at Legune Station.
Manager of Legune Station, Cameron Rasheed’s wife, Belinda, created this striking and very sharp light shade
which is a feature of the Rec Club area. She organised numbers of them to be made for the Centenary celebrations of the Brunette Races at Brunette Downs Racecourse, NT in 2010.
Legune Station homestead garden.
Legune Station grazing land.
Extensive and developing crop growing ventures are a part of the land usage around Kununurra, WA. These
huge acres of farming land are serviced by a massive flood irrigation system using the waters from the Ord River.
Waterloo, NT
Monday 08 June 2015
Tragically, a few days after Lyle and Helen’s visit to Waterloo Station, Dougal Brett, owner of Waterloo, was killed while flying his helicopter at the station. This amazing Waterloo sign taking pride of place near the kitchen/dining room, was a gift from Dougal’s wife Emily to her husband for his 40th birthday. We will forever cherish the Waterloo group photo taken at the sign. It is a fitting memorial to Dougal, who worked tirelessly and enthusiastically for the benefit of the Northern cattle industry and who passionately loved his family and Waterloo.
Waterloo sign taking pride of place near the kitchen/dining room as talked about in the paragraph above.
Waterloo Station sign at the entrance to the station.
Kitchen and Homestead at Waterloo Station.
Waterloo Station’s recreation room.
The Kent Saddlery truck shop at Waterloo Station.
Garden and horse yards at Waterloo Station.
Rosewood, NT
Tuesday 09 June 2015
The impressive Rosewood sign made and placed on the Duncan Road, WA for Rosewood Station’s 125th Anniversary.
Manager Doug Struber’s avid interest in the history at Rosewood Station prompted him to reassemble the bronco panel at the station complex.
Rosewood’s flag pole and sheds.
Main gate into Rosewood Station.
Rosewood Station’s cattle brand on gate to the station.
Rosewood Station homestead.
Guest quarters and kitchen at Rosewood Station.
Grazing country on Rosewood Station.
Auvergne, NT
Wednesday 10 June 2015
Auvergne Station sign on the Victoria Highway, NT.
A “Grandad” Boab on the road to Auvergne Station, Victoria Highway, NT.
The road into Auvergne is a Boab tree haven – each one distinctly different.
The kitchen/dining room at Auvergne Station.
Auvergne Station’s rec room.
Night shopping at Auvergne Station.
Manager of Auvergne, Glen Brooker… proud Dad with daughter Freya behind Auvergne station workers checking out Kent Saddlery’s previous years’ station photos.
Argyle Downs, WA
Thursday 11 June 2015
Argyle Downs Station sign on the Duncan Road, WA, which crisscrosses the NT-WA border from the Victoria Highway to the Buntine Highway, WA.
Argyle Downs homestead.
Older buildings at Argyle Downs with the picturesque escarpment behind.
Kent Saddlery truck parked near Argyle Downs kitchen and dining room.
The meat house at Argyle Downs. A meat house is a common and necessary part of any station complex.
The carcass of a ‘killer’ (an animal butchered in the paddock for meat) is brought to the meat house
and the meat is hung in the cool room of the meat house for tendering and further cutting-up.
This homemade heater is a practical feature in the outdoor eating area at Argyle Downs.
Spring Creek, WA
Friday 12 June 2015
Spring Creek Station Sign on Duncan Road, WA.
Spring Creek Station homestead.
Hats and boots outside the kitchen/dining room at Spring Creek Station. Their owners are inside having a feed!
Two Aussie stone masons at Mike’s rock saddle shed – Spring Creek Station.
Mike Shaw, owner of Spring Creek Station, stands proud and happily contented at the entry to his newly completed rock saddle shed which has been his dedicated labour of love during the ‘Wet Season’ for the last four years. In an interview with the ABC’s Country Hour he made mention of ‘his old mate Lyle Kent who built a rock saddlery work shop at Amiens, near Stanthorpe’ and Mike’s rock stables are truely magnificent!
In 2010, Lyle and Helen sat down with Mike Shaw and shared a yarn. To read the story “The old fashioned way” click here.
Weaners in the station yards at Spring Creek Station.
The Australian and Western Australian flags flying proudly at the entrance to Mike and Jane Shaw’s Spring Creek Station, Duncan Road, WA.
Lyle and Helen enjoy the drive along Duncan Road, WA. It’s usually rough, but always a delight for the eyes.
Mistake Creek, NT
Saturday 13 June 2015
For the inspiring story about Mistake Creek’s managers, Steve and Joanne Craig, click here.
Mistake Creek Station Homestead
The kitchen/dining room at Mistake Creek.
Mistake Creek Station, NT – Buildings
Quarters, Mistake Creek Station, NT
Horse yards at Mistake Creek Station, NT
