Learning a new language

There's plenty of things I anticipated learning when we accepted the positions at Avon Downs.  I thought I'd learn a lot about cooking for groups, about different cuts of beef and how to prepare them.  Maybe some stuff around the logistics of running a community which is 260km from the closest centre, and even then, its still Mt Isa...

But I didn't really expect to learn a new language.  To be fair, I haven't spent a lot of time in the Territory.  But they really do speak their own dialect here.  Much different from costal Queensland, which is a slower, relaxed kind of Australian drawl.  Here it's fast, brief and usually mumbled.  I think I spent the first month constantly asking people to repeat themselves, answering the phone is always a diabolical risk.  And trying to understand the radio chat, impossible!

Then there is all the slang and local shorthand.  To be fair some of the slang I suspect has been created by the Ringers themselves, as they are on their own little island here.  But there is plenty of Station slang.

Ringer = cattle worker, usually young, wears a uniform consisting of broad brimmed hat, long sleeved cotton shirt, jeans, which must be in a state of disrepair and boots, all with a good coating of red dust.

Killer = the steer or cow to be slaughtered and butchered to feed the Station.  As in "we're gonna' do the killer on Tuesday", meaning don't worry Louise we will shoot a cow for you and refill the freezer.

Muster = to use a collection of vehicles to bring a large group of cattle into the 'yard'.  Vehicles commonly consist of a combination of helicopter, dirt bike, horse and/or ute.  

Deck = a single level on a cattle truck.  As in "we have six decks to load", which means a road train with three trailers, each having two decks each.  Have a listen to the song 'Six decks to Darwin' by Dean Perrett.

Yard = stations will have multiple of these, spread out across the station.  A series of "small", interconnected fenced yards to which cattle are mustered and then sorted into groups.

House Yards

Landin' the bird = parking your helicopter, if you don't want to piss off the cook, don't park so close to the kitchen that you fill it with dust.

Pulling bores = still haven't quite figured this one out.  Some job to do with making sure the cattle have access to water.

Fuel dip = checking the fuel levels in the onsite storage tanks.

Bark Hut = The Barkley Homestead.  Combined pub, fuel station and accommodation, 190kms east of the Station.

The Wet = the wet season, usually runs from November to March.

Av gas = aviation fuel which is driven out to certain spots for the pilots to refuel.

Bronco branding = the old school Northern Australian way of catching and branding young cattle.  It involves greenhide roping from astride your horse, then pushing the 'weaner' up against a set of rails, to which two of its feet are roped, then pushing it over.  So that it can be branded and 'cut'.  Nowdays this is done in the yards with the aid of pain relief.

Weaner = a cow or bull old enough to live without its mother, but not yet fully grown.

Cut = castration

Lick truck = The truck which goes from station to station delivering 'licks', which are mineral supplements for the cattle.

Breaking in = When young horses are taught how to work with humans, and young humans are taught to work with horses.

Territory formal = putting on your best jeans, shirt, hat, belt and boots.

Shit Shirt Fridays = Ah Friday, you probably still have to work the weekend, but why not celebrate by donning your most loud, outrageous or ridiculous work shirt.

Strip Report = given to the local Aviation Authority every Friday before 06:30am, a report of the current conditions on the airstrip.  Mainly, can you make sure there aren't any cattle on it?  And/or that it isn't under water or a mud puddle.

The Air Strip, ready for mail

Strangers = The cattle you muster that don't belong to your Station.  The Strangers at Avon are easy to pick, because they are all the ones that aren't Wagyu, usually Brahman.  Which the Ringers tell me are often "crazy", as in more aggressive and unpredictable than the Wagyu.  These cattle are then trucked back to where they belong.  On less ethical stations, a Stranger or two are usually turned into Killers.  But why would we want to eat a Stranger, when we can have Wagyu instead?

Poddy calf = orphaned calves, who often end up being hand raised.  The current poddys name's are Sandy and Dani.  As tribute to Olivia Newton John.  If we collect another one I guess it's going to have to be Elizabeth!

Sophie feeding Sandy

RTA = Road Trains Australia.  People who REALLY know how to drive.

Bogie = to have a shower.  Well, when we have water anyway.  The keep draining the tank trying to keep the garden alive.

Feather bang = A particular style of tail haircut given to cattle as they progress through vaccination, pregnancy testing and/or tagging in the yards.  So that you can tell at a distance which have been tested/treated and which not.

On the tail = bringing up the rear of the group of cattle you have mustered, to ensure no cattle are left behind.  Just like the Sag Wagon for endurance events.