Riding on the sheep's back

Over at Getting Stitched on the Farm, Kristin is talking about shearing the sheep.

So, Miss Eagle thought, I will talk about sheep and shearing in Australia.

Somewhere, sometime, during the last fifty years, Australia ceased riding on the sheep's back.

This was the phrase which highlighted Australia's economic dependence on wool.

This was the phrase which highlighted our interest in the price of wool.

To-day, it's sharemarket prices and not the price of wool that captures the nation's attention.

Miss Eagle recently spotted this beautiful merino on a gate in Dunkeld in western Victoria.

Did the owners make their golden pile from the sheep's back?
From beautiful flocks like this one, near Dunkeld.

Grazing sheep near Broken Hill in New South Wales is different from grazing in Victoria.
The desert, the rocky outcrops of the Barrier Range.
These pictures were taken in August 2006 at The Nine Mile.

The above collage shows the homestead.

Greg and Mia, the owners, are drafting sheep prior to sale.
They are assisted by Greg's father, John.


This ancient shearing shed is at Acacia Vale now part of The Nine Mile.


This is the interior...
the shearer's stands...
natural light...
the sorting table...


the pens...
another view of the pens...
the view from the shearing shed...
stencils hanging on the wall waiting for use on a wool pack...
the wool press...

The trough filled with artesian water.

Sunrise : Sunset

The photograph above is of a Sunset

Below are Sunrises



One of the most wonderful things on Miss Eagle's recent visit to The Nine Mile near Broken Hill was the sunrises and sunsets. In Melbourne, there is cloud and great variability in the weather. In the Western Division, there are clear unpolluted skies. Greeting the morning sunrise once again became a morning ritual for Miss Eagle. Here are her remembrances of the sun.
For some really glorious photographs pop across and see Denis's.

Meeting an old friend. Part I

Four weeks ago to-day, Miss Eagle departed Upper Ferntree Gully and headed north and west taking a leisurely trip to Broken Hill, an historic mining and pastoral town in western New South Wales. As has been explained in previous posts, she was off to participate in God Outback, a desert retreat organised by her friend Ian Robinson from Perth.

Now, Miss Eagle had been corresponding - with increasing frequency - with Denis from The Nature of Robertson for many, many months. If you have been a regular reader, you will know that Denis has had quite a battle with lymphoma. It seemed to Miss Eagle, dear Reader, that, after his trials and tribulations, with stem cell transplants etc. a good holiday with a spiritual basis might be a good idea. Denis baulked at what might be involved in the spiritual side of things but your Miss Eagle assured him that there was plenty of room in the desert to go for long walks if it was all a bit much. Anyway, Denis decided to come and as the day of departure - for him this meant by train from Sydney - he was quite excited about the whole idea.

So it was that Miss Eagle turned up at the railway station at Broken Hill sometime just before 7pm on Monday 21 August to meet someone who had become an old friend sight unseen.

The train was late so Miss Eagle had to cool her heels here.

At the front of the station are these wonderful murals.

Here is the train bringing Denis arriving at 7.50pm

And so out to The Nine Mile for God Outback

The Desert blooms

This enamel bowl of fruit was on the table when we arrived.

When it came to Miss Eagle's first turn on the roster, we decided to eat in.

To make things nice and festive Miss Eagle picked wild flowers for table decoration.

She placed gum leaves around the fruit bowl.

Below, she selected a large piece of white quartz,

put it on a large glass plate,

surrounded it with gum leaves, and placed some

tea lights around it.

(She had thrown these in the car, in case....)

Below are a wild species of portulacae which grows

around the homestead at The Nine Mile and it sits

comfortably with what may be a bracken fern in a saucepan

The first day of God Outback - Part 3 - Acacia Vale

Skylights, Shearing Shed, Acacia Vale

View from the Shearing Shed, Acacia Vale

View from the Shearing Shed, Acacia Vale

Wool Press, Shearing Shed, Acacia Vale

Tank (this is what dams are called in The Western Division)

The first day of God Outback - Part 2 - Acacia Vale

Tank Stand, Shearing Shed, Acacia Vale

The Nine Mile

Pens, Shearing Shed, Acacia Vale

Remains of rock garden, Acacia Vale

Sorting/Classing Table, Shearing Shed, Acacia Vale

Interior, Shearing Shed, Acacia Vale

The first day of God Outback - Part 1 - Acacia Vale

Where does one start?

Miss Eagle drove to Broken Hill via Bendigo, Swan Hill, Mildura and Wentworth.

Photographs all the way. The photos en route will come later.

The photos taken at Acacia Vale, a part of The Nine Mile will begin.

Pages, photographs out of history.

Diny at the water trough at Acacia Vale,

The Nine Mile

Shearing stands, Acacia Vale, The Nine Mile

Interior, Shearing Shed, Acacia Vale, The Nine Mile

Shearing Stands, Acacia Vale, The Nine Mile

Wool pack stencils, Acacia Vale, The Nine Mile

Miss Eagle is back

Homestead at The Nine Mile, Broken Hill

Miss Eagle is back - but busy. But to get back into blogging, this is a quick post. The destination was The Nine Mile. The Nine Mile is a sheep station - sheep ranch to those in the USA - just out of Broken Hill and right next door to The Living Desert. It is the property of Greg and Mia. The trip was organized by Spirit Journeys Australia and our leaders were Ian Robinson and Ross Neville.

Below is The Shearers' Quarters where we stayed - a group of nine of us - and looked after ourselves. More later.................

The Shearers' Quarters at The Nine Mile, Broken Hill

Trippin' on out

Miss Eagle is signing off for a few weeks. She departs at the weekend for The Nine Mile where Mad Max and Priscilla, Queen of the Desert were filmed. For more details of Miss Eagle's destination see here. The focus at this time is not on blogging but on preparations. Miss Eagle is getting the desk cleared at work; getting the Mitsubishi in order (it has new tyres, it has been detailed, and to-day the mechanic comes); and organising the gear.

And, dear Reader, your correspondent does not travel light. She has tried it and it doesn't work. She wishes she could say differently. So the spare bed has two small suitcases on it (one for undies - it already has the thermal underwear in it, one for the rest); an old Persil box full of writing materials - journals, coloured pencils and markers and calligraphy stuff; and camping and camera gear and a stack of CDs. To this will be added a box of books but a lot of those are still in her bedroom on the bedside table. Miss Eagle will be camping in her Mitsubishi wagon.

After The Nine Mile, it is over to Robertson to check out all that stuff that Denis and Anni blog about. Then down the south coast of New South Wales and across Gippsland to Upper Gully. So a few ks will get notched up as well as lots of good times.

So, blogging friends, see you in a while.

From the desert prophets come - A.D. Hope

Sculptors Hill (left) Stephens Creek on Nine Mile Station (right)

Broken Hill, New South Wales

Into Miss Eagle's email to-night came some wonderful information from her good friend, Ian Robinson, who now lives in Perth but will be known to many in Sydney from his time as Minister of Chatswood Uniting Church. Ian, together with Ross Neville, is planning a wonderful desert journey under the heading of God Outback which will run from 21-29 August next. You will need to go the aforelinked website for registration but here is the info.

Based on a remote station property north of Broken Hill, we will be exploring the spirit of the land - aboriginal and caucasian - as well as the country, and the difference a person can make. Participants can be accommodated in shearers’ quarters; park a caravan next to the quarters; or camp in the creek - journeying and reflection will take place from the quarters.

We will encounter station life as well as the indigenous peoples of the Mutawindji National Park. Opportunities will be given to explore semi-arid country and the big skies. Time alone, time around the campfire, and hopefully one overnight campout. Things to see and do include: landcare by the pastoralist; regular operations of station life; visit deserted mine shafts, cabin sites etc of early settlers and miners; look at a mine on Nine Mile; understand western vegetation and animals; the unique hills, geology and plains of the area; study the stars; aboriginal culture sites and feedstuffs; quiet, spaciousness, unique scenery, sunsets, stars and colours; no rush…..

Ian Robinson has seen most of Australia’s outback, and led many groups on retreat. An ordained minister, he is presently engaged in research into the spirituality of the Australian deserts. He is married with three adult children and lives in Perth.

Ross Neville has lived in the central and western part of NSW as a farmer, counselor and Rural TAFE teacher. He has led and arranged camps all his life. He is married and has 4 adult children and is currently the Evangelism and Mission consultant with the UCA NSW Synod Board of Mission.

~~~~~~

Possible general program: The program will be flexible according to the nature and interests of the group

Monday Arriving: Sydney Train arrives 7:10pm Dubbo/Sydney Plane 11 am. Driving 15km Tibooburra Nine Mile on left. Settle in: Walk around creek area homestead area. BBQ dinner in creek with owner

Tuesday Tour around station with owner

Wednesday Party investigates particular part of the station

Thursday Friday Short walking trails on edge of property Sculptor Hill, Sundown trail, or station walks, Star watching night

Saturday Trip to Mutawintji National Park: aboriginal food, culture, overnight Sunday Monday Free time possibility to investigate parts of Broken Hill mines, art galleries…

Tuesday Train leaves 7:45 am Plane 11am

What to bring: Tent, if you want to camp. Day backpack, water bottle, walking boots, Sheets, pillow, blankets, if staying in shearing quarters, (or sleeping bag) bathroom items, warm and hot clothes, coat for cool winds, evenings. temperatures expected for late August 8-18 degrees (Can be 0-30) Optional (Folding chair), ground sheet, Binoculars/telescope, torch, Bible, notebook, camera, paints, crayons and musical instrument if you can.

Total cost $560 Reduced fee for camping. $40 Registration fee Includes 4WD hire, all food plus entry fees park, mine.

Problem with the cost?

Contact us - Ross Neville 02 6366 9698

Ian Robinson 08 8236 4236

Registrations close 7 August

Spirit Journeys

Carolyn Robertson

0425314863 or spiritjourneys@pnc.com.au

Vale, Pro Hart

The Three Horse Race by Pro Hart

One of Australia's greatest brushmen of the bush is dead. Pro Hart, a commited Christian, has gone to another place.

Pro Hart was born in Broken Hill, NSW, Australia in 1928. He grew up on the family sheep station "Larloona" situated near Broken Hill, and he was educated by correspondence with this brother Bob, and their mother as tutor. In his early twenties, Pro moved to Broken Hill and worked underground as a miner. In 1960 he married Raylee June Tonkin and they had five children, three boys and two girls. To develop his gift, Pro attended a few local art classes but he was mainly self-taught. He was discovered in 1962 by a gallery director in Adelaide. From there his success as an artist began to flourish.

Pro was nothing if not prolific. This together with his longevity has meant that the prices of his paintings were not governed by exclusivity. Even working class Australians could stretch things a bit to own a Pro Hart, even if it was only a small one.People who loved the Australian bush and the lifestyle and the mystique of The Outback loved Pro Hart's work. He brought life and love to the depiction of our country. In fact, like his Maker with whom he now rests, he is truly a creative spirit.