Monday, 18 February 2019

Sat, 16th Feb, 2019 10 Mile Outcamp, Tarmoola Station, 60km north of Leonora, WA (4 years 6 months on road)



Not much sleep last night between the kangaroos and the cattle trying to get to our pool water and the cattle moaning. I do a lot of yelling and hand clapping to move them on. Might have to look at putting up a fence!!

6am 25 degrees, clear sky and no breeze. I put water out for the birds, pigeons and happy family groups while Steve defrosted the freezer. Needs doing every 4 days or the fridge doesn’t work well.

Steve did his morning generator jobs. Kym had given me the remainder of the killed beast which included a couple of roasts. I put one in the Ecopot.

Fed the cattle in the yards their hay while the ones outside look on. I keep telling them how to get in but they just stand there staring at me.

The pigeons keep going into Steve’s tank overflow drum and getting caught so after he tipped another 4 out he found a lid and jammed it in so they can’t fly in any more. Everyone is getting desperate for water around here.

Headed off on our bore run. Found another dead roo at St Patricks but he was in another section away from the trough so we left him there. At some of the troughs where I can hear the finches I put some water in holes in the ground so they can have a drink as they can’t drink out of the trough.

Back home to a flooded cattle yard. The outside cattle had pushed the yard panels up to the water trough and had disturbed the float so the water just kept pouring out. We have lost a quarter of our big tank! Luckily we have managed to get the top tank full so we have a backup now. Steve pulled the fence back out then went inside (I stood guard) and fixed the float and moved the concrete cover back over it. The cattle were good – just stood there and watched. My little calf I was worried didn’t have its mother has either found her or found another mother as it was have a great feed while we were there.

Lunch in the van, 40 degrees.

I worked on my blog. Saw on Facebook that it was Gavin’s birthday so sent him a message.

Cooled off in the pool in the afternoon with our coffees.

Rang Mum and Dad to tell them our adventures with the cattle. All good there.

Had another dip in the pool then went to the yard and fed the cattle. They are getting used to us as they walk up to the fence eagerly awaiting the hay I shove through. I open the entrance gate with the outside cattle watching and we put hay and molasses there to encourage them but they won’t go in.

Another dip in the pool – so glad we have it. Dinner in the van, with 3 fans going, as the flies are quite bad and don’t disappear until the sun has well and truly set. The roast was dry and chewy so the goannas will get to enjoy it!

Steve had left the pool pump going as he had put in some chlorine. I heard the cattle and went to shoo them on when I saw the pump hose on the ground. They had knocked it out and the pump had kept pumping so all our lovely pool water was on the ground now!! Will have to refill it with bore water as there are no storms forecast to give us any good rain.

The newer generator decided to have a hissy fit too – what else will go wrong today.

The cattle went back towards the yard. The others ones inside have settled – not moaning as much anymore. I put some water in the goanna bath as the kangaroos are getting desperate too since they can’t get into the trough.

Hopefully we will get a better night’s sleep.

NO PHOTOS TODAY.


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