Book captures life in the outback

A book capturing the lives of unique outback characters, their compelling stories and life in the bush launched in Broome last week.

Stories of Australian Country People is a beautifully designed coffee-table hardback written by Helen Kent of Kent Saddlery, featuring a collection of fascinating yarns and accompanying photos from everyday country folk from the Kimberley and Pilbara regions and also from the Northern Territory and Queensland.

Characters profiled in the book include Don and Wendy Bailey from Meda Station, Merv Wortley Sr from Ruby Plains Station, Eddie Shadforth from Mistake Creek and Neville and Jim Dahl from Sophie Downs.

After recently launching in the NT and over east, Stories of Australian Country People was officially unveiled during the two-day Beef Up forum presented by Meat and Livestock Australia and the Kimberley and Pilbara Cattlemen’s Association in Broome by Kent Saddlery representative Sally Courtney.

Special guest Regional Development Minister Terry Redman praised Kent’s work.

“It’s great to see the launch of the book,” he said.

“It profiles true country people and outback Western Australia and these are people who have historically done it very tough, but there’s huge opportunities there as well, and they’re the first ones to embrace opportunities.”

Kent and husband Lyle have spent many years meeting outback characters through their family-owned Queensland business Kent Saddlery, the only saddlery in Australia that covers huge distances across northern Australia, reaching Queensland’s Gulf and Channel Country, the Northern Territory and Western Australia’s Kimberley and Pilbara regions.

Every year since 1991, the Kents have made this extensive trek, taking their travelling shop into the outback, visiting up to 140 cattle stations on each journey.

Through these visits, the pair have formed many friendships and heard countless stories along the way.

But in 2006, Kent felt inspired to put pen to paper after meeting an inspirational couple during a trip and recorded their story about how they overcame obstacles in the aftermath of a tragic event.

From there, Kent went on to interview more station people and began writing their stories over 10 years.

It was later suggested Kent should turn her project into a book after receiving positive feedback about her work.

Speaking to theBroome Advertiser during the book launch, Ms Courtney said Kent’s style of writing had beautifully captured the heart of country people across the board, from station managers to property owners, cooks, bush kids and gardeners, giving readers a true taste of their personalities.

“This book will really appeal to people with a genuine interest in bush history,” she said.

Stories of Australian Country People is available to buy for $45 via www.kentsaddlery.com.au or by calling 1800 651 535.

Below is an extract from the book:

Thirty years at Sophie Downs, dependent on the Bush

Neville Dahl and Jim Craig, Sophie Downs Station, Halls Creek, East Kimberley, Western Australia.

Neville Dahl and Lynette Craig, alias Jim, have spent all their working lives in the bush; 30 of those years at Sophie. Their dependence on the bush for a livelihood has shaped and at times, battered them into shape. It’s a tough yet soft, a questioning yet accepting, a demanding yet loving, a dreaming yet realistic, an outwardly resistant yet, endearing kind of shape.

Neville had always wanted his own place and Sophie was within the couples’ price range.

“I was the sucker that came along,” Neville smiles; a laconic gesture.

“It was a battler’s block, still is. There’s not much fencing — too much fixing flood gates if it was fenced.

“The Fox River Range runs along the country and the cattle do alright along all the creeks coming out of the hills. There are little p..s holes everywhere; the cattle are spread out. It’s hard to muster.”

Jim brings another occasion to light.

“Michael was five and in pre-primary. They were all out fencing on Ruby Plains and I said to Neville, ‘They have to come in, they’ve got school camp in Broome this week’.”

Come Sunday night and they all came in, except Michael.

I asked, “Where’s Michael?”

A nonchalant reply was forthcoming. “Oh, he’s walking cattle from Sturt Creek to Ruby Plains with old Merv.”

Jim recorded yet another score for the ʻschool of the great outdoors.ʼ