Drown the Bastard!!

On Saturday just gone I headed back out to Gabyon with a big delivery of troughs and water fittings. I had just got back Friday morning from being called out there Thursday for another fire. Luckily the rain killed it before I got there. It did flare up again Friday but another drenching saw it finished.

Trouble with stations is they are so bloody big. As I arrived to the house Helen came out and told us she'd just been called to say a new fire had started on our eastern boundary. Obviously the rain never reached that far. So Mike and Gemma took off while mysef and her brother Matt got the new fire unit I brought up on Thursday ready.

As we were heading out to the fire we could see the patchy showers coming over. The unknown was whether it would rain over the fire or not.


The country out there was a bit more open, meaning we could get in and too it without waiting for the loaders and graders, which were on their way, plus the grass wasn't as high. This fire was very tame compared to Thursdays and our first one. So it was a good chance to get some video of us in action. I'm driving, and my brother-in-law Matt is on the back. The last 3 minutes or so of the video shows the best way to put a fire out. We just need to work out how to make it happen more often. And not get bogged.

Fire on our Hold!! Fire on our Hold!!! Hey Michael!

Disclaimer: I've tried to remember this as best I can. It all got a bit blurry by the end. Oh, and there may be some course language. Actually, I can guarantee there will be.




While I would be happy if I never fight or see another fire in my life, I will admit to finding a slight thrill in them. Something to do with the sudden rush when you first see the smoke, the panicky hurling everything off the ute as you load up the unit and scream out towards the smoke, wondering whose it is, where it is and what's going to happen, hoping it's only grass and not near a shed or house. The frantic chasing down of the front, the heavy machinery madly trying to cut the blaze off, the way everyone drops everything to come help. It can be a rush. And judging by the way others seem to get what I call "fire crazy", I'm not the only one. Utes which you weren't allowed in without wiping your boots first become scrub bashing, fire chasing water carts from hell, with the normally fastidious owner tearing around with their windows down, sucking plumes of smoke, dust and ash into their once pristine interior.

Turns out the thrill soon wears off when it's your place though.

On the 1st December 2011, after the best season the rangelands had seen for God knows how long, lightning struck Gabyon Station. It also struck Meka Station, Murgoo and Melangata, as well as down near Paynes Find. Now normally, this isn't a problem. Being new to the area, we have been told fires just burn themselves out. Might burn a thousand acres or so. When the paddocks range from 3000 to 20 000 acres, so what? Quite often you won't even know there's been a fire out there until you come across a burnt patch mustering.

Not this time. The fire burned for nine days and by the time the all clear was given it had covered 103 000 hectares and we've been told cost FESA damn near a million dollars.

For those who may have missed it.....

This is a quick little update for those for don't visit the Save Live Export page. Since Thursday Dec 1 Gabyon and surrounding stations have been under seige by bushfire from lightning strikes. All clear was given today, 9th Dec. Our fire area totalled 103 000 hectares burnt, including what Tardie and Yuin station lost. God knows what Meka, Murgoo, Wagga Wagga and others lost. The following is a quick rundown I posted on the SLE page. When I get the chance I'll post the full story. I know I try to keep this blog light hearted but this is some serious shit. I'll get our photos and videos up when I can, but for now, thanks to those who have worried for us and those who have helped us.

My post last night on the SLE page.

A huge big thankyou from Gemma and myself for all the well wishes. The fire started Thursday arvo by lightning. Unfortunately there were also fires on Meka, Murgoo, Paynes Find, and God knows where else, meaning everybody was under resourced, stretched thin with 3 days of howling easterlies. Protecting 30kms of front with 3 units, a grader, a dozer and 2 loaders is not possible. Fire weather warnings for the entire area meant units could not be sent from neighbouring shires until two days ago, by which time some 65000 ha or so had burned.

New Welfare Laws To Be Announced?

In a decisive move, the Government has announced sweeping new reforms designed to improve animal welfare and place responsiblity soley on the traders of animals.

Many animals are sold with no prior knowledge, or apparant care, of the conditions they will face once under the charge of their new owners. Under the new guidelines the purchasers will be required to undergo audits to ensure their facilities are up to standard, before the sellers are granted permission to trade their animals. It is a move expected to be greeted with rounds of applause from the animal welfare movement, who's exposure and documentation into breaches of basic welfare by owners raised alarm nationwide.

But those within the industry claim the activists views are one sided and only represent a small proportion of animal owners.

"These people care and respect for the animals we provide them. It's a small number giving the rest of us a bad name," commented one spokesperson. "We already take steps to provide our customers with the skills and resources they require to properly look after the animals we provide. There is a real risk if we impose too many restrictions on them the trade will go underground, or cease all together. Which at the end of the day, that is the activists real intentions."

But a spokesperson for the movement behind the documented welfare breaches denies this is their goal.

"Our evidence speaks for itself. Time after time we have raised the alarm over this issue, and finally the Government has taken action."

The documented cases of abuse can be found here. Not what you may be expecting....

It was this evidence that has led to the new requirements for pet stores and breeders. Prior to any sale going ahead, the purchaser must be audited, their house inspected and receive training to ensure they are capable of adequately caring for a cat, dog, rabbit, goldfish or any other pet they may wish to own. The animal must be tracked from the point of sale to it's ultimate passing, to ensure the best welfare outcomes for the animal. Any breaches of these requirements by the new owners will see the person or store who sold them the animal held accountable and face closure.

However, Fellows Uniting to Raise Rights Involving Every Species (FURRIES) is pushing for stronger changes.

"We at FURRIES believe the government has missed a real opportunity to push for an end to the live pet trade. This country has an extensive manufacturing industry, there is no reason why we cannot increase our stuffed toy production. And given advances in the digital realm, virtual pets can provide children with the joys of raising an animal without any animals being involved."


It's a this point I think you've all realised I'm taking the proverbial. While I'd like to point out the new reforms for live export are fine by me, and seem to be accepted by industry, I wonder if the same standards were applied more broadly whether they would be as welcomed.

You Know You're a Farmer When.....

These were posted on the WA Country Hour Facebook page. The original author is unknown, but whoever they are, they're a genius.

• Your dog rides in the farm ute more than your wife.

• You convince your wife that an overnight trip for machinery parts is a vacation.

 • You wear specific hats for farm sales, livestock auctions and holidays.

 • Your best dog rides in the front of the ute with you.

• If you see a bit of string in a paddock you pick it up and put it in your pocket.

 • You’ve had to wash off with a garden hose before your wife would let you in the house.

 • Your ideal holiday is to visit other peoples farms and stop at every machinery dealer on the way.

 • Your hands look like they are made from the same material as your boots.

Golden Rules of Farming Part 6

I was stuck on the last ten for a while, but the last few days have given me inspiration.

126. The seed cleaner that has run just fine for the last four hours while you carefully watched it, blocks up and spills grain everywhere when you duck behind the tractor for a quick leak.

127. Never put too many oversize signs or amber lights on your wide load, otherwise it's hard to plead ignorant cocky when the cops pull you over.

128. PTO shaft guards are excellent at preventing things getting caught in the shaft. They are also excellent at preventing the grease gun from reaching the multitude of grease nipples on them.

129. If your stock carter starts puffing just from climbing down from the cab of his truck, you're in for a long day.

130. When recieving stock into the depot, no trucks will appear all morning, then when you decide to have lunch, six roll in at the same time.

Silent but Steadily

We have more than a few dogs here. We need them. When we first started the depot we had just two. The first day they thought it was great, chasing sheep all day. The second day they were still keen. The third day they stepped out of their cage half heartedly. The fourth day we had to coax them out with roo tails, and by the fifth day they flat out refused, mentioning something about the AWU. Thankfully they didn't know about Red Dog being a signed up member already, something I'm not keen to tell any of them, actually.

So we've gradually built our fleet of working dogs up over the last few years. We have paddock dogs, yard dogs, a truck dog, a couple of P platers, a few younger L platers and one poor bugger I'm not sure what to do with. But he seems happy staring at the horses all day, though I have warned him if he gets kicked in the head, thats it.

I took this video last week using Gemma's phone thingamy. This is why I don't have one myself, nothing would get done. This is Indy, one of our first dogs. She's going on nine, and we've got two litters out of here. Pure kelpie, they assure us, no dingo at all. Needless to say, when we take her out to the station she wears a bright collar, a muzzle, and if I could work out how to get one on her, a Hi-Vis vest. The dogging group is pretty on the ball out there, and the last thing we would need is for her to get lost while mustering.

These are a handfull of freshly shorn wethers. Mad as hatters, more likely to go over the fence than through the gate. From me opening the gate I gave one command "Back" which usually means left. (I say usually because when it comes to ballsing up lefts and rights, me and the dogs are on an even par.)