Up at 5.30am (ugh!) and by 7am we had cut our lunches, had breakfast, had our photos taken on the chosen ‘quiet’ horses and were on the trail after the sheep. It was such a perfect morning riding it was worth rising at that unearthly hour for. We crossed the Paroo River at the crossing and headed for what they called Cobra Water Paddock – I was unable to find out from the jackeroos why it was so named. This was the paddock which contained the sheep we were to muster for lamb marking and in all it was 23,000 acres – 3,000 acres larger than the whole of Goolburra! We were to get approximately 2,000 sheep if we could.

Had a bit of a canter across the clay pan just before we sighted the sheep. I left my camera on one of the gates we were to pass through as it was a nuisance to carry on Paddy, the horse I had been given. I was quite glad I had too, for he was inclined to pull hard and preferred to gallop rather than canter along with the others. We were well out in front any time we cantered which wasn’t very often because we had sheep to keep moving. Dermot (overseer) sent Brian and Hugh (jackeroos) off to round up some straying sheep and we took a short cut through the trees.

When we met again he split us up into 3 pairs (as Mrs Morley had suggested in case we strayed off and got lost! The jackeroos, with gleams in their eyes, thought the pairing off just the shot!) Dermot took Helen, Brian took Marye and I went with Hugh who carried the stockwhip. I was given last minute instructions from Dermot to “stay with him” and “not let him canter off and lose me.” However, Hugh was very patient and browsed around back and forth through the bush with me trailing along after him. We had the middle section and after an hour or so we all came together not far from the River, with a mob the boys estimated around 1500 (on principle I think they all varied slightly in their estimates). Had a welcome drink from muddy billabong out of the tops of our Quart Pots which are strapped to the saddle in a leather case along with the saddle bag containing our lunch.

Then we drove the sheep back through the gate where I had left my camera, keeping more or less to our pairs – Hugh and I taking the left side, Dermot and Helen the centre and Brian and Marye the right, until we approached the gate where Dermot and Helen went on ahead to open it. Took a few feet of film of the mob with the others droving them just after we went through the gate. By this time the lambs were beginning to feel the heat and were slowing up a bit so we took them a short distance to a small water hole where we tied up the horses and had lunch under a coolabah tree – just like the Jolly Swagman. We had an hour or so rest here - mainly for our benefit I’m sure and also because there were no ants! Quite a luxury!

The boys had to nip off in turn to keep the sheep in order, although their dogs did a good job, in spite of the fact that the polite language the boys used when in our presence obviously had them baffled! After lunch we set off for the shearing sheds and at 3pm we reached a beautiful billabong quite close to the sheds where we had another short spell and let the sheep have a drink. Then we set off again after catching our horses which we just left to drink and graze – naturally Paddy was cunning and would have nothing to do with me so Hugh had to do the honours. When we got them away from the water Hugh, Marye and I went ahead to block up an opening near the yards where the sheep might escape. Got them into the yards without much trouble.

Took a few feet of film of the sheep at the billabong and again when they were yarded. Unfortunately my camera had run a couple of times in the case from the jolting on the horse so I lost a bit of film – of course it was my last one! Then we headed for home about three miles away. Helen and Brian went for a canter, but Marye and I decided we would be stiff enough as it was so we four walked quietly home. It had been a wonderful day and after a hot shower and dinner we retired exhausted – that is after we had been over to say farewell to Mr and Mrs Nunn, the Mechanic who had given Alfred the once over for us. The boys had to be up at 3.30am the next day, but between them and Mr and finally Mrs Morley, they persuaded us to stay an extra day.