Station Life

Our time out in the Pilbara has come to an end and north bound we move.  It is with sadness to leave special friendships, excitement for what’s ahead and thankfulness for the wonderful experiences we had out on a real outback cattle station.

It’s been a while since my last blog as life is BUSY on a station, especially while homeschooling three children and a preschooler too – but what a terrific backdrop to be teaching our kids in!  The people that live on stations full time are real troopers, working extremely hard everyday plus organising the education of their kids, well being of the staff, accounts and running of the business not to mention the normal everyday tasks of family life.  Yet it comes with its rewards of a stunning peaceful location, plenty of outdoor fun, horse riding, motor bike riding, bushwalking, camp fires with plenty of fun, laughs and cultural exchanges with the amazing staff that come from various parts of the world.

During our stay we were able to take part in mustering the cattle.  Stephen enjoyed the buggy driving and chasing bulls while the horse riders showed such dedication in getting up way before dawn to feed their horses, warm them up to be ready for sunrise.  Listening to the chopper warm up, the buggies buzz around and the clatter of everyone getting ready gave off an air of excitement for the first few musters …. as the days and week progressed I amazingly learnt to sleep through the buggies driving around and the chopper warming up and even taking off!  I did get to join them all one afternoon which was exciting for me to be out there, see what goes one, help keep the mob going, all while getting some great photographic moments hoping the boss in the chopper didn’t catch me too often – I promise I was still concentrating on the job!

Some of the basics of station life are quite interesting for people that live in cities.  The first major difference is electricity.  The station is run by a diesel generator.  It hums away in the background all day and into the evening.  It’s a sound you get used to and a sound you’re grateful for as it provides the power we so readily like to use.  Every evening the generator is turned off and before the sun is up it’s back on again.  The off part was given to Stephen as he prefers evenings the the on part remained the station owners job as he loved the mornings – so all were happy.  Water is another basic item.  Water is supplied from a bore which has to be pumped into various tanks.  Making sure these pumps worked and that the tanks didn’t run dry is vital to smooth running.  The water is pretty good but to be suitable as drinking water it must be filtered.  A reverse osmosis filter is required to make the water drinkable.  This is a slow filtration and again something we city folk take for granted is an important part of keeping the station functioning.  Shopping and food supplies is another consideration with town being two hours away.  The weekly shops as per one of my previous posts is always and eventful day.

It was a pleasure to have my parents join us for our last two weeks on the station.  Our kids loved having their grandparents with them and showing them the horses, Dan’s little motor bike and the beautiful spring wildflowers.  It was great to have someone a-signed to tip runs again and I think Dad quite enjoyed taking the buggies for a spin.  I’m sure all the dogs on the station loved the extra attention and walks they had too.

Farewell Ashburton, farewell friends.  We have another place that will forever be in our hearts and new found friends.  I hope some of these photos will give a picture of our station life ….

Cooking camp oven meals for the station was always fun.

Dan on his bike I found at the tip!

This is what you look like after a days mustering in the Pilbara

Stephen off to grade some tracks

Every day we had a treat for morning tea! Now to shed those extra kgs

Mum and Dad out to get wildflower photos with me.

Mulla Mulla

Kit – the station pet

Looking out towards the “quarters” – where the other workers lived.

Looking over towards where our home was

Calf feeding time after a long day. One feeds from a bucket the other still a bottle.

Camp Draft – a day out in Tom Price.

“Water Rat” the most groomed stock horse in the Pilbara thanks to Lily

Wild flowers everywhere 🙂

Feeding calves

Buggies done for the day and re-fueling for next muster.

Job well done … they’re all in

You looking at me!?

Leading the cattle past the river to the yards

The chopper gives them all the hurry up!

Keep them moving!

Moving the mob on

Stephen in his buggy

End of a horse riding lesson

Beautiful days ….

One of the biggest perks of staying on this station – it has TWO washing machines. I’ve gone from a tiny twin tub to two full size machines … and loving it 🙂

The weather in the Pilbara has been amazing the last few days.  Warm sunny days and just a slight breeze.  When it’s so beautiful I’m always enticed to take the dogs for walks, get washing done, cook and clean!  I don’t generally like housework, but the gorgeous days just lifts your spirit and I seem to achieve so much more in a day as it gives you a spring in your step!

Yesterday morning while walking Jim (Ted was offered a walk first, but wouldn’t sit and kept jumping at me – so he got left behind – do you think he’ll behave next time? …. we’ll see).  Down at the lagoon was this eagle.  They are always such a brilliant sight and watching them soar through the air amazing.

The eagle keeping a close eye on me and Jim

Heading off …

The wild flowers here are coming out in force.  I love it when I find them and they seem to be around most corners lately.

The kids are enjoying the weather too.  Craft was had this morning for the youngsters and they made trains – they even got to paint them.

A train!

Kit – having a cool off as we return from our walk

I even baked bread! Been meaning to do this for over a week.

An old shed on the Station

Kindness ….

Kite surfer at Point Quobba

Once again I’m so touched by people’s kindness.  It began last week on the weekly shopping day.  If you’ve missed what these days can entail, I blogged about it a few posts back.  After a couple of hours drive the first stop is always the toilet.  Have you seen those automatic toilets that talk and play music to you?  Be warned they can be dangerous when visiting with small children.  A few weeks back I had my first lesson at Tom Price.  The little one went first, then myself.  As a good mother I’ve taught my child to wash his hands after he uses the toilet ….. this automated contraption flushes the toilet when you wash your hands … and YES I was having my turn and sitting on the loo while the youngster washed his hands!  But I must be grateful that the next automatic action did not include the door opening!  So with this stress of sharing the toilet with my young one again and saying DO NOT wash your hands … DO NOT press the open door button etc I left picking up my purse and shopping lists but leaving my iPhone on the shelf.

I realised my mistake about 10 minutes or more later, returned and of course it was gone.  I stayed hopeful, praying that someone like myself would have found it but the reality of my error was in the front of my mind also, as I dreaded the consequences and the cost it would have on us.  It reminds me only now as I write this of what happened in May.  While at Point Quobba we were admiring some kite surfers.  They were totally amazing, jumping, riding right up to the rocks as I held my breath then suddenly pulling up and going the other direction.  We got talking with them as the wife cut her foot on some coral and we were chatting with her while she bathed it in disinfectant and her husband packed up their belongings to take her into town to get it medically looked at.  Anyway … they left behind one of their harnesses they use for kite surfing.  We took it knowing we were both heading the same direction, we actually had a lot in common and some mutual acquaintances and thought we ‘d be able to track them down with ease.  It turned out our connections couldn’t track them down so easily.

While we were staying in Exmouth – doing our formal police statements for the drowning incident at Warroora and in a total devastated state our look out for the kite surfers wained, we had lost our energy to make lots of inquiries and look hard.  On our last day there I knew it was our last chance to find them.  I prayed and felt hopeful to see them that day.  Low and behold while having coffee with a new friend she stated there was a couple in town looking for us.  They wanted to let me know the wife’s foot was fine and were thankful I’d prayed for her, they also had heard what had happened to us and our friends and wanted to offer their support.  They didn’t even know as yet they were missing their harness!  It was great to catch up with them that evening, return their harness, to chat and share a meal together.  This is not a story to gloat on our part – we did nothing really.  It is a story that shows goodness.  In the midst of dark times, good can still happen.  You don’t always notice these things at the time, but upon reflection I can see it now.

Back to the phone missing in Tom Price …. A couple of policemen were wondering around and I asked if anyone had handed it in.  No, but I could give my details at the station they suggested.  I asked if they could please ring the phone and we stepped outside to listen to see if we could hear it.  As we were are doing this a lady excuses herself and mentioned she’s just found a phone and handed it into the Coles front desk – THANK YOU!!!!!!  I was so so grateful, so happy and relieved.  Yay, to goodness and kindness again.  People being kind and thoughtful really do make such a difference to others.  It’s not just the phone.  Yes getting the phone back is hugely important and made a massive difference to me but having someone show honesty and thoughtfulness also is very meaningful and touches you in a deeper way.

The other day I was also taken back watching generosity and kindness take place.  WIthout going into too much detail someone here on the station from no fault of their own found out that they owed a lot of money.  It was very distressing for them as they are travelling from another country, alone and didn’t have much money.  Straight away Christine (Station owner) offers her help and assistance with no hesitation.   Seeing this kind of generosity always moves me.  It wasn’t the distress of the traveller but the genuine kindness that brought tears to my eyes.  I hope to live remembering always relationships and people matter more than things.  Life is fragile, sometimes life is short – I want to fill it with generosity, kindness and love.  And thankfully it was all a mistake and no one owed anything and all was resolved 🙂

Here is a photo I want to share from last week.  The weather has been quite unpredictable lately with some amazing clouds.  This picture reminds me – even in darkness, pain and anguish there is light and beauty.  As you watch a storm roll in you may only notice the darkness and the potential damage it may hold but if you stop and look closely there is amazing light and beauty.

Crazy winter clouds over the station …. not the norm here in winter.

Today: The High Court – to – Moo Choruses

What a day!  Who would have thought way out in the Pilbara I’d be listening in on some high court proceedings?  Well, today I did!

Preparations began yesterday with baking 80 pumpkin scones and continued into this morning with helping put together baked mince jacket potatoes.  We were preparing for our 45 morning tea guests.  These guest were people from the court system plus a large indigenous family who are having hearings about native land titles in this area.  A little panic hit at about 10am when the lady that was to arrive at 8am with cakes, cups, tables etc still had not turned up, was not answering her satellite phone nor was seen by anyone else that had arrived.  A quick freezer raid for a cake, defrosting it, whipping cream, spreading jam and another platter was made in amongst concern for this lady …. all went well, the food went down a treat and thankfully the lady turned up after a long morning of being rather lost and not being able to work the phone.

But the day really began at 4am.  The horse riders of the station were up and feeding horses at 4am.  Stephen was up at 5:30am with Daniel, the chopper warmed up just before daylight and day two of a muster began.  Maybe just before lunch we were expecting them, and then maybe 12:30 or maybe 1pm …. 3pm they arrived back!  This time I grabbed a few shots from the house yard with my zoom lens.  It was exciting to first see the dust arising in the distance, then the cows, the chopper and finally the horse riders and buggies.  It wasn’t actually as smooth as that as twice the lead cows decided to turn around the have all their mob follow them back out but swift work of the chopper and buggies and they finally got them in and the gate closed behind them.  I now sit here and write to the sound of the moo chorus, although I’m sure everyone is sufficiently exhausted that the racket from the yards won’t keep anyone awake for long.

They are in … shut the gate! Stephen is in the white ute at the front.

For anyone curious for the pumpkin scone recipe ….

1 Tbs butter
1/2 cup sugar (can use less – this makes quite a sweet scone)
1 Tbs hot water
Cream the above ingredients together then add
1 egg
1 cup mashed pumpkin
Mix together then add
2 cups self raising flour
mix together, dust flat area with flour, press out dough and cut out scones
bake in a hot oven for approx 15 min or until the top goes slightly brown.

Now if you want to make 80 – times the above amounts by 5!!!

The Lagoon

When we arrived the lagoon in the house paddock was not much more than a rather largish puddle.  A few weeks later it was huge offering water views from our accommodation.  I would often stand outside and marvel at our own water views.  It has now receded and doesn’t quite give us the water views we were growing accustomed to but it is now hosting wildlife and always worth a walk down to.

Over the last week we have watched a pelican glide into the property to enjoy the lagoon and tonight I watched two black swans gliding around below the beautiful glow of the full moon.  The day was ending and I was just about to make someone a coffee when I glanced outside and saw the colours of the sky and the full moon rising.  Thankfully Stephen appeared, I delegated him to coffee making duties, ran up to get my camera and headed down to the lagoon.  As I’m briskly walking down, the helicopter is coming in from a full days muster.  I try to grab a shot but have hassles with the focus, he’s getting near and thankfully I’d given up on that shot and walked on as the helicopter stirred up the red earth making quite a whirl wind of dust – not great for a camera!

The lagoon offeres a peaceful oasis where you barely hear the noises of the station or the hum of the generator.  It’s a two minute walk away and something I never expected out here in the Pilbara.  I hope you enjoy tonights shots and get a feel for the beauty and peace it offers.

Shopping days

Just trying out my new app where I can blog from my mobile phone …. :-)!!

Yesterday was shopping day. It was a rather eventful day ….

Firstly, let me say that shopping day is a LONG day of a 350km round trip. Roughly 100km of that is dirt driving which always requires that extra bit of concentration.

I started a little late due to strange noises coming from the ute which turned out to be how items had been strapped down. Then something rarely seen out here …. Random breath tests. The road was blocked and all had to stop, show licenses and be breath tested. Obviously all went fine for me! We picked up lounged plus a kids motor bike from the tip, ran our many errands and ventured off home again in the afternoon. Not too long in the journey we were ushered off the road again – this time for a 7 metre wide load. It was a long enough wait to start eating some of the groceries and have a drink (of water!). The photo above is the mine truck that finally appeared. Apparently he was stuck for a while on a bend. Off we go again …. Now it’s a HUGE bull in the middle of the road! We come to a stop, he looks at me and I have to admit even in the safety of the ute I hope like crazy he will walk off and not charge at me. He walks off. Next is a station wagon fully on my side of the road! He thankfully returns to his side of the road in time and my German shopping companion for the day casually states “oh they must be German”. Almost home now and we are on a dirt road that is quite remote with not much through traffic and in the distance I see a figure … It turned out to be a lady with two blond plats riding a bike! She didn’t seem to have a pack of gear or anything? I slow down, she waves and rides on – oh well she must be ok I presume. The sun has now set and we arrive home. Just wandering …. How does that compare with other people’s shopping days?