Up until now we had seen what we thought was alot of red sand but we knew nothing!!!! As we turned east onto the Roper Hwy the bitumen narrows but we mainly stay off the red sand/dirt on the side unless of course we have a road train or over zealous 4WD hurtling towards us and we nervoulsy make way onto the dirt. This somewhat prepares us for the final 30kms towards our destination which leaves the bitumen and we travel along a heavily corregated red dirt road at 5-10kms an hour.

Not having any expectation on what a cattle station would actually look or be like we were pleasantly surprised as we drove up to the homestead surrounded by lush green grass, it was truely an oasis in the middle of the red dry land.

We are the guests of Dan and Jane Cahill who own the station (with his brother Mick) and Mark, Brad and Mel the station managers. With the annual muster due to begin in a couple of days there was lots of activity (not that it ever really stops I imagine) and more people coming up to work the muster the boys were super excited to be a part of the action. The biggest excitment however was catching up with Thomas's mate Reuben and his brother and sister Albert and Amelia, especially as it seemed to be forever since they had seen anyone from home (1 1/2 weeks in total)!!!!

It is hard to put down how much we enjoyed our stay that ended up being 6 nights in total, or hard to put a finger on what it was about the station that made it so enjoyable. The station covers 809 square kilometres and has room enough for 4000 head of cattle. Arhnam land borders the north, cattle stations on the other boundaries and the magnificent Roper river cutting its passage through it doesn't take long to get a sense of how remote and wild this place is. Over a cuppa with Mel who runs the homestead as well as her 3 children, Charlie (5), Riley (3) and Clancy who turned 1 during our visit, we also get a picture of day to day life of the day to day running of the station. It's fever pitch at the moment due to the muster but outside of that there is still so much to do with fencing, maintaining internal roads/tracks, managing stock, getting feed out, managing pests such as pig and buffalo and the occasional salty. Charlie has just started prep through school of the air and is well and truely a country girl as she came up to greet us cowboy boots, long sleeve checked shirt and cowboy hat, her and Riley spend the day either with their dad and Uncle Ben who is up to help out and work for a few months where its safe for them or with Mel doing school or running around the lush green grass which is constantly being watered by sprinkler ... what more could a kid want!!!

Our first full day takes us onto Polaris 4WD rangers, boys in one with Dan driving and Jane driving us girls and Dean gets to hoon around on the quad bike. A gorgeous waterfall where it was safe to swim in the upper pool we splash around and Thomas and Ben get to have there first fish for Barramundi, oh and Dean as well! Days are hot now which means that the call of beer o'clock is made not long after our return which as farm life dictates takes longer than planned after Dan's ranger stalls during a river crossing, us girls made it through fine (just saying). So after Dean on the quad winched the ranger out we returned back to the homestead via a beautiful look out over the ranges ... WOW. A couple of helicopter pilots fly in for the next day's muster, as well as a couple of blokes to work. A night of stories, food, many drinks and laughter followed and I'm not sure I can buy fresh mint again without smiling (long story where you had to be there!) It was also out first night spent outside the van and away from the kids since we left.

According to my step counter on my phone the next day saw me reach 16000+ steps! A mighty task considering how hung over I was feeling but my guess is the trip around the station in a 4WD on a range of different corregated tracks heading out to check on cattle and do the 'lick' run took us far and wide checking for wild pig and buffalo along the way. I had thought I had seen my fair share of cattle after living and working in the dairy country out in Colac or even around the outskirts of Sunbury and in the surrounds of Woodend, but I don't think you could get any wilder cattle than you find here. Monster beasts were many and certainly not the dow-eyed cows you see on the front of milk cartons and in the cartoons! The boys were learning very quickly how to spot a Mickey bull, which is a wild bull that has not been tagged and has made its way into the herd, and were busy and keen to spot a pig or a buffalo. The other thing I noted very quickly that on most outings that either involved heading out to check on cattle or go fishing or down to the river a shotgun was also on hand. After transversing the countryside it seemed we weren't going to spot anything but cattle until we arrived at a waterhole and a rather large buffalo was spotted across the waterhole, even at such a distance it was a mighty beast. The bonus for us (not the pig) was almost under our feet was a wild pig snoozing away. The guys had brought along their pig dog and needless to say without much more of the details except it was quick and clean, the pig was no more ... all alittle too much for me to get close with a dodgy head and not really the stomach for that sort of thing I was happy to stand back with little Charlie who had come along for a ride.

The kids were having a blast. They would rise in the morning and head straight to meet up with Reuben, Albert and Amelia and run around the yard, maybe a splash in the pool, a movie in the heat of the day and more running through sprinklers. This allowed Dean and I to actually go out fishing together, without children and the fact that Jane generously watched the kids for us!! We went out a couple of times over our stay with Dan (and the shotgun) and in the boat saw the beautifully crystal clear waters of the Roper in all its glory. We did disturb one croc lying out on some branches but it was obviously spooked by us as it quickly darted and dove over branches into the water ... I don't know how big it was I just saw a bit of its body and I would say it was big enough! Dean caught a brim too small to keep on our first outing and the next day I also caught a brim and almost landed a barramundi!! Yes I know the one that got away, but Dan did spot it chasing the lure but it spat it out pretty quickly, dang it!!

I love fishing, not necessarily for the act of catching the fish but for the places you get to go and spend time in ... trawling up and down this river without the interference of anything but the sound of surrounding birds and the splash of lures in the water was magical and time just seemed to melt away.

Mustering continued and the boys spent hours watching the cattle being sorted in the yards which were located next to the homestead. Dean put his hand up to help out with guiding these amazing beasts into the yards and had his fair share of activity being chased out of the pen by one angry cow. The cattle were being sorted and counted, calves separated, some picked to go onto the cattle truck others checked to ensure they were healthy and sent back out in the yonder for more growing and breeding over 2 days which also meant that there were cattle in the yards overnight. Initially my thoughts were of sleepless nights but the 'mooing' which does go on all night was strangely hypnotic and nobody seemed to have a problem heading off to sleep ... the fun filled days of constant playing and exploring in the heat probably helped as well!!

Our last day brought the biggest bonus. With Dan's helicopter in for its big service it seemed we weren't going to be able to see the station from the air, but as luck would have it the choppers from the first day of mustering had returned the night before to do another muster through the high country and muster the remaining cattle into the yards that were further into the property where many of the workers were heading out to camp out for the night to be ready to work the next day. After the muster when one of the pilots returned he was able to take Dean, myself and Thomas on individual flights over the station ... another WOW! When he spotted some crocs in the water below he flew in low for a closer look ... my gosh I thought I was going to fall out at one stage, it was amazing how close these muster helicopters can go ... they even nudge cattle! Thomas's expression as he took off was wonderful as you could not take the smile off his face!!

Our last night ended with a dinner around a camp fire with Dan, Jane and the kids as well as with Brad and Mel and their kids. Toasting marshmellows and introducing them all to the world of smores ... toasted marshmellows squished between 2 chocolate wheaton biscuits ... we were sad to be leaving the next day but we would like to think that we would return again ... if the Cahill's allow ... we will bring frest mint!