The beasts kept coming, a line of black figures marching on the horizon of the savannah.

On the horizon

They moved unusually fast, trotting through the paddock and stirring up dust. We pulled over for photos. The herd was stretched out as far as we could see.

In line

Minutes passed while we admired the orderly procession of cattle. Were they on their way to the waterhole, we wondered. We’d passed one a kilometre back on the road from Karumba. There’s no winter in Gulf Country, just the dry season. The temperature would be close to 30C in an hour or so and the trees in the distance didn’t look like they’d provide much shade. Is that why they’re in a hurry?

kicking up the dust

Then we saw the motorbike.

It was a muster.

Outback cattle stations can cover thousands and thousands of acres and the cattle roam at will, kept somewhat in place by the occasional fence and grid over the road.  At times it’s necessary to round up the herd, perhaps for drenching or to separate the calves or cattle for sale. Musters were once done on horseback, but are now the work of motorbikes and helicopters.

Over the herd

Given the size of the stations and lack of roads in this part of the country, the odds of witnessing a muster are slim. But this was taking place in the paddocks alongside the only road between Karumba to Normanton, two small towns on the Gulf of Carpentaria in Queensland. It was a rare snapshot into life in the outback.

Herd through the water

Chasing up the stragglers

Muster

Waiting by the waterhole

For more than an hour we sat parked on the side of the road, moving every now and then to keep up with the action. Watching a thousand cattle march by is an impressive sight, but it was the helicopters that kept us there.

Helicopter flying low

Hovering above the cattle isn’t always enough to keep them moving in the right direction. A few break away and try heading back where they came from or hide among the trees and the pilots have to chase them down. The helicopter pilots looked like stuntmen as they swooped and dived to corral the stragglers or a wayward beast. Often flying ridiculously close to the ground, the pilots dodged overhead power lines, water tanks, trees and each other as they worked.  We were listening on the UHF, but there was no chatter between them or the guy on the motorbike. They had a job to do.

One last one

Daredevil helicopter

Rounding up the herd

everyone at work

After some confusion at the waterhole where the herd congregated and then dispersed in several directions, the cattle were eventually directed across the road.

Road crossing

On their way

They weren’t the only ones moved on by the roar of the helicopters.

Wild pig crossing the road

Pelicans flee the waterhole

The cattle initially went into a paddock, but a few rebels seemed to miss the turn off and led the rest up the side the road. We started to hear some talk on the UHF channel. The word “moron” was used.

Running away

The job wasn’t over yet.

Author

Pegs on the Line is a collection of stories about places, people and experiences around the world. It's written by Megan Dingwall, an Australian journalist with an insatiable curiosity. Available to answer questions such as is Tasmania a real place (yes) and do Tassie devils spin (no).

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