The OutBack Packers Course

Monday 25th October started off at a gentle pace with a leisurely 1015 departure from Big4 at Tewantin for the short haul to OutBack Packers headquarters at Eumundi. We were greeted by Judy and Gay and then awaited the arrival of the rest of our fellow course members who were travelling up from Brisbane. Then we got down to the paperwork, signing our lives away on the indemnity forms and providing more details for potential future employers.

Our course mates turned out to be all in their very early twenties, Kirstine from Denmark, Myrna from Holland, Robin from England and Roman from Germany. I’m not sure what they thought when introduced to “the 2 old crusties” that were at least twice their age.

After a buffet lunch we set off for the place that was to be our home for the next few days – back up through Gympie and Kilkivan to Cinnabar. On arrival we were met by the Head Trainer and Operations Manager, Matt Finegan, and the other trainer, Jules, who showed the youngsters to the bunk house and us where to park the caravan. Once settled, it was into the minibus for a trip into the Goomeri Emporium so that the younger element, most of who had only been in Australia for a couple of days, could purchase any work clothing and boots that they would need. After everyone had got what they needed, Matt took us off to show us the Training Farm where we would be learning all the new skills, and then it was back to the accommodation for a feed, courtesy of Matt, Jules and the BBQ.

Tuesday morning, and is that really 0500 I see on my watch?? Oh, my god!! A quick wash and breakfast and then it was into the bus at 0630 to head out to the farm for the first days adventures.

Matt informed us that today was to be Motorbike Riding and Horse Riding!! Most of us had at least ridden a motorbike of some description before but, only Kirsty had any horse riding experience and even then, not that much. We were split into two groups of three, Sheila, Kirsty and Myrna and Robin, Roman and me. The girls headed off with Jules for a mornings intro to horse riding whilst the guys followed Matt to grab some 100cc Ag-bikes from the shed. We would swap over after a BBQ lunch at Matt’s other place, a magnificent old Queenslander with the most spectacular views and wild life.

What ensued was so much fun, not to mention a few scrapes, cut and bruises all round. After a few introductory lessons and practises, Matt had both groups all over the place on the bikes. We were through paddocks, along cattle tracks, through creeks, over contour banks, through woods, up and down some pretty steep hills and rock lined tracks not to mention being grabbed by Matts favourite, the invisible “grass monkey” who grabs your wheel or leg when you’re least expecting it. Sheila was in her element!! Me? I was having great fun, only coming a real cropper on three occasions, a lot less than when we did the dirt bike adventure in Cairns several years back. Some of the bruises were pretty spectacular though!!

What about the horse riding you say?

Jules allocated horses according to the individual and their riding ability. Sheila was given a horse called Quey for the morning. Quey was a small gelding with the patience of a saint! Bridles, blankets and saddles were collected for the horses and Jules explained the process. Soon enough though the time for climbing into the saddle had arrived, the girls did well all getting in to the saddle without too much problem, and facing the right way, which is always a bonus. The next hurdle was getting the horse to do what you wanted, go forward, left, right, stop, not an easy feat! That achieved it was onto a rising trot, you know standing up in your stirrups in time with your horse, oh boy. Soon enough though it was time to leave the safety of the stock yard and head out into the paddocks and those steep hills. A rising trot in the stock yard was hard enough, but to be out in the paddock trotting up hill and try and keep in time with the horse was challenging. The mixed messages though the bridle I am sure is the only reason why Sheila was nearly unhorse by Quey as he went though the low hung trees which were only wide enough for him, but not the legs which were either side of him. Anyway with only one foot in the stirrups trotting up a steep climb, Sheila hung on, whilst Jules watched on with a huge smile. An hour and a half later the girls returned to the yards, all with huge grins and sore behinds. What a great morning, seasoned with several adrenaline rushes and a great big sense of achievement.

In the afternoon I was allocated Pete, Pistol Pete to give him his full title. All I can say is poor Jules and poor Pete! Roman and Robin and I were equally matched. We managed to get saddled up easily enough under Jules’ expert tuition but, all our horses wanted to do was get together for a chat in the yard. Pete even got a couple of parking tickets for stopping too long on the rails. We faired a bit better when we got out into the paddocks; although Roman’s horse kept disappearing off on his own on several occasions. Still we all managed to stay in the saddle which was in itself a major achievement. So we could all now add sore bums and other bits to our list of aches. Good job we don’t want kids!! We did laugh a lot though!!

It was 1800 when we headed back through Goomeri on our way back to the bunk house. Where did the time go? A quick stop on the way at the bottle shop to grab a few beers for a well deserved wet of the whistle before another of Matt and Jules’s dinners. Then it was a well-needed shower and an early night ready for tomorrow.

Another beautiful morning saw six somewhat stiff would-be cowboys and girls climb back into the bus and head back out to the farm for another day’s thrills and spills. This morning it was to be Quad bikes!! These things are also great fun, although they do have a great tendency to roll over on slopes if one is a bit too adventurous or tries to cut a corner a bit fine on the way into or out of a depression. Oh bugger that will be another big bruise then, Sandy!! Basically a repeat of all the routes around the property we’d covered on two wheels saw us all knackered by 1130 and ready for lunch.

On arrival at Matt’s Queenslander we were treated to the sight of a large wedge-tailed eagle perched on one of his water tanks. There were obviously nesting birds around as the parents were trying to get the eagle to leave the area. When he did take flight he must have had a wingspan of over 2 metres – amazing!

The afternoon was spent taking turns 4WD in Matt’s Land Cruiser Ute. Whoopee! No bruises!! Jules led the remainder on a mixture of quads and motorbikes on several new and challenging routes round the property. Again it was 1800 when we climbed into the bus for the drive home, dusty, sweaty and tired but still with big smiles on our faces. Then it was the now common routine of beer, food, shower and bed. You get the picture?

Thursday saw us again let loose on the two and four wheeled bikes whilst Matt took us in turn driving and shifting piles of soil with his John Deere 5410 medium tractor. Again, great fun and once more no bruises.

In the afternoon, Matt instructed us in fencing techniques before showing and then letting us practise a few knots with  fencing wire. We all jumped up into the back of the Ute, along with two of the dogs, and headed out to several  areas on the property to repair and re-tension some areas of fencing.

Then you’ve guessed it – beer, food, shower, bed.

Friday 29th was our last day out on the farm. Today we were off to muster some of Matt’s herd back to the stock yard. After a lecture on the required techniques, the paddock we were to muster and the dangers involved we were told to select a horse, a quad or a motor bike for the operation. Jules and Kirsty opted for horses, Matt, Myrna and Roman chose quads whilst Sheila, Robin and I went for the two wheeled option. The two dogs decided that four legs were good enough for them and that they could run rings around the rest of us.

What a blast! With the cattle being driven down the tracks it meant that we couldn’t be on them therefore there were many “grass monkeys” to dodge, or not as the case may be, as we headed out through the scrub. I think we all found our fair share, but generally survived without too much grief. After rounding them up we drove them to various water points, where we held them before finally driving them into the Stock Yard.

After another of Matt’s BBQ lunches it was all hands on deck, into the stock yard to learn how to draught them from one yard into another as well as cutting out individual beasts. It certainly concentrates the mind when you’re in a confined space with 50 head of essentially wild cattle (Matt’s are probably more used to humans than some as they’re mustered more regularly because of the courses- you still can’t take your eyes off them for a second though.) After we’d draughted them once we got more practice doing it again, filtering them through so that we could apply anti-tick treatment to their backs before releasing them from the yard into one of the adjacent holding paddocks. Our final task was to drive them, without Matt or Jules, back out to the paddock. So it was back onto bikes and quad and off we set ably assisted by Boss and Bungy.

Then guess what? Yep you’ve got it.

Matt and Jules produced some finger food, whilst waiting for the BBQ, after which it was certificate presentation time followed by shots of sambucca. Then more beer, games of pool, laughter and chatting until the wee small hours.

Saturday morning brought with it a long lie – 0700. The bus driver pitched up to ferry our young mates Back to Brisbane so that they could make their onward connection to whatever job they’d managed to get or to chase further employer leads. So with our farewells said, Sheila and I jumped in the car and dashed back to Gympie to collect a new Hema Navigator from ARB before returning to Cinnabar, hitching up the Kedron and heading the short distance back to Barambah Bush Caravan Park.