I may have mentioned the many animals we have seen along the highways and byways of this trek but they fade into insignificance when compared to the cattle drives...
Between Ilfracombe and Longreach (check your atlas) we encountered a herd of cattle being moved down 'the long paddock' (aka stock route, aka The Matilda Highway). There were two Jackaroos (cowboys of the male persuasion) on motorbikes/dirtbikes and two Jillaroos (you get my meaning) on horseback accompanied by a few cattle dogs.
The travel was slow going as we 'nudged' our way through the throng of cattle and horses. We were most impressed by this large mob totally under the control of these 4 drovers and their dogs. Ol' Have a Chat (Eric) chatted up one of the Jillaroos through the car window to be told that the herd consisted of 1700 cattle and a number of spare horses. 1700 cattle. 4 drovers. 3 cattle dogs. You do the maths!
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