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Family Information

In the days leading up to the trip to the coast, there was much activity at the farms. The horses had to be shod, the cattle selected and bells put around the necks of some of them. This made them much easier to find once they were on the coast.

 

‘You used to put them in the bails up at the dairy and wrap a bell around them, open the door and let them outside and they used to bellow and buck and carry on. We, as kids thought that was great fun.’

David Dunnet

 

The drovers would pack a change of clothes, their rug rolls and enough food for the journey.

 

‘All the butters and so on had to be put in tins so they didn’t melt. And the meat – there was no fridges. We rolled the lamb up in our rugs for the first two or three days. That kept it cool enough. And after that we’d be nearly there. We’d start to live on kangaroo then.’

Anthony Egerton-Warburton

 

Medical supplies were rarely taken and when they were, they consisted of some ointment for chafe, kerosene to rub on wounds and a bottle of scotch for everything else!

 

‘It was just one of those wonderful things when you were young, to be able to go to the coast. I think I was very lucky to be able to do it…No, it was a real learning experience. You learned to live with the cattle, sleep with the cattle and you knew every cow.’

Anthony Egerton- Warburton