Nine years after it last hit the stock routes of western Queensland, the authentic tourism experience that followed in the tracks of Australia's most notorious cattle duffer is set to rustle up a whole new set of visitors to the Aramac region.
When the organisers of the Harry Redford Cattle Drive first had to cancel the popular droving experience in 2015, thanks to drought conditions that took away the feed and water necessary for it to be successful, they didn't imagine that the event would be off the calendar for nearly a decade.
Boss drover David Hay, who also holds the presidency reins these days, said it had been so well regarded in the past that it was decided to try and start it up again now that the route around Aramac has plenty of feed, if they could muster up enough horses, helpers and interest from the public.
"In 2014 we had places for 104 people and they booked out in 14 minutes," he said.
"In the eight years that my family was involved, we took over 1000 people, even bank managers from Hong Kong.
"I'd ride along and ask them what they liked about it, and it was always the quietness, the birds singing and the sunrises.
"That's why we did it - so people could have the experience of a lifetime."
Mr Hay hasn't heard what the response has been since the promotional flyers went out a day or two ago but said he'd been told by the people taking bookings that people had been ringing up prior to the announcement, asking if it was on.
"It won't be as long as it once was - 19 days - but we're all a bit older and there aren't as many horses around," he said.
The plan is to start as usual from the Ballyneety rodeo grounds near the picturesque Lake Dunn and walk 500 head of cattle in to Aramac, where it's hoped a night of horse sports and entertainment can be arranged, before walking the cattle back to the Hay's property, Kismet.
There will be spaces for 15 'guest drovers' each day.
"In the eight years my family was involved, only three people did the whole 19 days," Mr Hay recalled.
"Most booked in for three or four days, but said they would have stayed for longer if they'd known how good it was."
'Good' includes all meals cooked over an open fire, just as in an authentic droving camp, and the occasional dry bath, consisting of face and armpits washed.
The dates for this year's event are May 6-19, and further details are on the event's webpage.
One of those is that people are capable riders.
Barcaldine Regional Council mayor Sean Dillon said it was great to see the event being revived.
"It's the closest thing we've got to adventure tourism out here," he said. "It would be so easy to just drop it - it's not easy to organise - so it's really good to see it going again."
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Sally Gall
Based at Blackall, CW Qld, where I've raised a family, run Merino sheep and beef cattle, and helped develop a region - its history, tourism, education and communications. Get in touch at 0427 575 955 if you've got a story idea for me.
Based at Blackall, CW Qld, where I've raised a family, run Merino sheep and beef cattle, and helped develop a region - its history, tourism, education and communications. Get in touch at 0427 575 955 if you've got a story idea for me.
