Working on the big cattle stations in the 1950s
A compelling portrait of the life of drovers and stockmen working on the big cattle stations in the 1950s, from a first-time author who spent most of his working life in the Australian Outback.
"Banjo didn't get it quite right, but then again, Banjo probably had never been a drover . . . "
So begins this gritty account of one of the most demanding jobs in the outback - that of a drover. The average working day was eighteen hours, and they worked seven days a week, often for up to eight months at a time. These men were out in all sorts of weather, with no shelter, and as the swags needed to be kept small, they would sleep on the ground with only a blanket or two to protect them. By day they were plagued by flies, at night the mozzies would take over. Nutrition was poor, and drovers often suffered from 'Barcoo rot' - wounds that would not heal.
'What Do You Do With Them On Sundays?' is a fascinating window into a world that no longer exists, and an important part of Australia's cultural history.
