Old Delamere

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ALANM
Posts: 96
Joined: Sat Oct 12, 2019 2:57 pm
Location: North Queensland

Old Delamere

Post by ALANM » Mon Jan 06, 2020 10:06 am

Authors note:
Early in 1968 I left NSW for the Northern Territory and got a job in the
stock-camp on Delamere, a huge cattle station south east of the Victoria River.
The station was still being run in much of the old way and it was a real eye opener
for a young bloke from down south.

Old Delamere
(By Alan McCosker August 2019)

Look at that chopper, up there in the sky
he’s bringin’ in cattle, crikey, how time does fly
we used to bring cattle by horseback to yards
months musterin’ in back blocks, it used to be hard

We slept on the ground with our swags in a fold
to keep out the mozzies the rats and the cold
we’d rise before daybreak and saddle our horses
race ‘round in the dark to block up the coaches

We’d muster all mornin’, ‘till dinner camp around noon
then muster ‘till sunset and yard up in the gloom
a small tot of rum and a big feed of beef
then roll out our swags and exhaustedly sleep

Some sundays you’d get off, after your turn had passed
at tailin’ out coaches while they grazed on good grass
then you’d wash out your moleskins and the dust from your hair
spread your swag and your blankets to flap in the air

No way to keep meat cold, on the move in the heat
when a killer was taken, for us ringers to eat
two or three meals of fresh beef, the remainder then salted
we ate thick slabs of corned beef, with damper un-buttered

Old freddy the cook with his toothless wide grin
would cook johnny cakes, served with syrup from tins
play peg knife with the lads or some card gamblin’ game
then next day before daybreak, we’d go musterin’ again

Ride mile after mile in the dust of the coaches
or gallopin’ madly across broken ridges
then wheelin’ the scrubbers and tossin’ the bulls
horseback draftin’ on camp, to cut out the culls

A day in the yards with the cattle all millin’
thick dust risin’ high, chokin’ and swirlin’
cows and calves bawlin’ as with hot iron we’d brand
dodgin’ cranky old mothers that chased us around

Tossin’ a green hide rope on a mickey bull
drag him buckin’ and bawlin’ up to the rail
hold him fast to the panel, slip a noose on his hocks
stretch his legs wide, hold him down when he drops

When he’s let up he seems quite upset
he’s looking to murder anyone he can get
he’s much lighter one end, from the quick job
finally gives up and trots away to the mob

Then it’s pack up the mules, those obstinate bastards
and move the whole camp to the next muster yards
all the gear for twelve men, swags on top of the loads
neither truck nor ute suited out there, weren’t no roads

Move the meat workers on, they’re all going to be sold
all those fat glossy rump steaks, they’re four legged gold
turn back to the bush all the cows and calves branded
next year when we muster, they’ll be quiet and well handled

Sometimes it would be too far for the day
nightfall would come, we’d be still on our way
so we’d stop for the night, get the mob settled down
ring ‘round them with hessian, once they laid down

On nights like this, like the drovers of old
a ringer would mount up, to watch in the cold
and we’d all take a turn to ride slowly around
softly sing tuneless songs, to keep the mob settled down

Paid nine quid a fortnight, all the beef you could eat
before dawn and past dark, work most days of the week
not the place to get rich, in a stock-camp out bush
but far away better, than ‘midst the mad city rush

But I had my last muster way back in the sixties
now faces with no names flick through my memories
and those memories now grow dimmer each year
of those days in the saddle on old Delamere

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Shelley Hansen
Posts: 2224
Joined: Sun May 04, 2014 5:39 pm
Location: Maryborough, Queensland
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Re: Old Delamere

Post by Shelley Hansen » Thu Jan 09, 2020 8:13 pm

Those were the days all right, Alan!
Shelley Hansen
Lady of Lines
http://www.shelleyhansen.com

"Look fer yer profits in the 'earts o' friends,
fer 'atin' never paid no dividends."
(CJ Dennis "The Mooch o' Life")

ALANM
Posts: 96
Joined: Sat Oct 12, 2019 2:57 pm
Location: North Queensland

Re: Old Delamere

Post by ALANM » Sun Jan 12, 2020 1:55 pm

They were Shelley,
I'm glad to have been a small part of them.
Cheers
Alan

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