A FOURTH-generation beef producer in the heart of the Gulf Country has taken out a national photography prize for her stunning mustering shot.
Charli Gallagher, 17, was on a routine muster with her cousins at one of her family's Normanton properties, Woodview Station, when she captured the Brahman herd at just the right moment.
Charli entered a series of three mustering photos into the Cattle Council of Australia's Stories from the Station video and photo competition, with the winners announced this week.
Almost 100 entries were received and Charli said she was shocked to have won.
"We were just on a routine muster, I always take photos of the cattle and turned around and saw a good opportunity so I took out my phone," Charli said.
The winning photo titled 'steading the herd' was taken at the end of 2018, just before the family suffered great loss during the 2019 monsoon.
As my poppy always says, 'it is good to document cattle, they can't do it themselves'.
- Charli Gallagher
Charli said the property she took the photo on has been in her family for four generations and she had grown up around cattle.
She particularly enjoys documenting their Brahman herd.
"They're tough, not many breeds can stand the heat up here."
Charli said she would continue photographing cattle, but only as a hobby, and instead has plans to study nursing at JCU after taking a gap year working at her family's butcher shop in Normanton.
"As my poppy always says, 'it is good to document cattle, they can't do it themselves'."
For Sandie Read, Golden Acres, Mundubbera, her camera and trusty working dogs are constant as she runs her mixed-breed backgrounding operation in the Burnett River region.
Running her small photo business on the side, Ms Read said she was thrilled to be named runner-up in both the photography and videography sections of the competition.
Her still image was of Brahman bull 'Sir LickaLot' - bought as a steer from the Biggenden saleyards about 18 months ago.
"He was bought in a mob of Brahmans, and they were the wildest bunch, not very friendly," Ms Read said.
"Then this little steer got very inquisitive with the camera, he got quieter and allowed us to pat him and then he'd lick us.
"He's now a big bullock with a ticket to a long life on the farm."
Ms Read said he would lick anyone, with Gail Hamilton on the receiving end of the kisses for the stunning photo.
"I take the camera every time I go up the paddock for water runs, or to move from paddock to paddock and I've always got my working dogs with me."
Ms Read's video entry, entitled 'Kelpie' documents her working dogs on the farm.
"They are fantastic, our working dogs are Australian Kelpies and I can pretty much muster all the cattle with just my dogs."
Cattle Council CEO Travis Tobin said the competition was run so producers could show the rest of the nation the important work they do and give them a taste of life on the land.
"Stories from the Station was run to give a candid snapshot of how we raise cattle across Australia," Mr Tobin said.
"The entries all show beef producers who are dedicated to their work and the wellbeing of their animals.
"In total, we had nearly 100 entries which were shortlisted down to 12 finalists.
"There were so many great snaps. We looked for photos that told a story to narrow the judging process down. Our photo competition winner, Charli Gallagher from Normanton, sent in a sequence of shots showing her cattle being rounded up on horseback."
"Judging in the photo competition took place in part by online voting, with the final decision made by a panel at Cattle Council," Mr Tobin said.
"We thank everyone who entered the competition, and their shots will be showcased... over the Christmas and New Year period through our social media channels."
