Bodalla station

I spent 5 eventful weeks with Genine and Robert on their beautiful, 76,000 acre cattle station "Bodalla", 1,5 hours from a small town called Charters towers. My main job was to help out Genine taking care of her 10+ horses, she taught me heaps about horsemanship, and I got to be part of the 10 day ladies' clinic (a horse training camp) she held. 

Apart from riding almost everyday, feeding horses, and cleaning out paddocks, I occasionally went out with Robert and Josh, a full-time worker at Bodalla, to the yards, where the cattle is drafted, branded, castrated, dehorned etc. Having big 500+kg cows and bulls running around you was quite intimidating at first , but I quickly learned to love it. As dusty as it may be, it's great fun! 

I tried mustering, shooting, riding (and crashing) motorbikes and four-wheelers, feeding cattle, and I saw what it's like to live on a remote outback station, like so many Australians do. They definitely managed to toughen me up quite a bit :)  

Bente, a Dutch backpacker who was there with me the last week, coming to replace me

Pregtesting a cow in the yards

Ida, a German aupair for one of the ladies participating in the clinic. This is what we looked like after a day of yard work.

Doggies everywhere (7 in total on the station)

Charly 

The creek behind the house

All the ladies from the clinic, starting off our overnight trail ride

Buddha the pig

Bringing the cattle back out to their paddock

Feeding Alice the poddy

Last ride

I had the best time at Bodalla. Even though it was hard work at times, I'm leaving with great memories and tons of new experiences!

Thank you Robert, Genine and Mack, and everyone else at Bodalla and Myola for making me feel welcome, you guys are just wonderful.