Travelling Vets - 14. TV Chapter 14

“We have spent a few months travelling and working in the UK, getting some experience in different fields of Veterinary practice, including at horse studs and several Zoo parks,” I said. “Well, you are experienced in many areas, and I hear that you have a pilot's license too, Jexon?” James said in response, “Not just him, all three partners have commercial pilot’s licenses, and we currently have two aircraft based in Kununurra for our Pastoral Station work, Marcus informed James.

“We did have four clinics, until very recently, the main one in Kununurra, the original one at Marble Bar, which we still own, one in the west Kimberly in Derby, and the last one was in the East Pilbara at Newman, but we sold the last two businesses, so we can concentrate on the one main area, as well as the original small practice,” I said to James.

“So, I am guessing that you come from a Pastoral Station background yourself?” James asked me, “Yes, I am the third generation in my family, my younger brother and sister work at the home base station just on the east side of the NT / WA border. Mary, my sister is a Vet Nurse, while Rhodes my brother is the Manager of the Livestock Quarantine Station nearby to the border, which is located at our home base station.

After a bit more discussion, James thanked us once again for coming to assist, while he was away at a Cattle station out of town, before heading back into town. After one more day in Longreach, we packed up and prepared to continue our journey west for home, with our next stop to be the town of Winton, which is only a two-hour journey.

We decided to camp at the Showgrounds, as the information we have states that the two caravan parks are quite small, and once we had set up our overnight camp on the far edge of town, we took the jeep out of the trailer, and we all drove into the centre of town, where our first stop was to the Police station to let them know that we are camping at the showgrounds.

“We knew that you were coming and we have some photos of your mobile double-decker bus sent from our colleagues, who informed us of your pending arrival. You will have no problems camping out there. Welcome to Winton and we hope you enjoy your short visit with us,” the officer said to us when we walked into the police station and introduced ourselves.

It didn’t take us that long to see all of the main tourist sites in Winton, as there were only half a dozen of them and they were all in town. With a quick stop at the hotel for a Counter meal for lunch, we headed back to camp, to relax for the rest of the afternoon, as tomorrow, we would have a four-hour drive to Boulia, which is the last town before we reach the gravel road, and the last town until we reach Alice Springs in the Northern Territory.

Just 8 kilometres out of Boulia, we will turn left for the beginning of a long journey west on gravel roads, which will mean slowing down a fair amount to allow for the corrugations and any large road-train trucks that may be on the road, which is known as the Donohue Highway, which is 240 kilometres long to where it reaches the Northern Territory border, where the road becomes the Plenty Highway.

We estimated that it will take two days of long 6-hour drives to get to the border, with our overnight stop to be Glenormiston Station homestead, which is almost the halfway mark, and with a full supply of water and fuel when we leave Boulia, we won't need to refuel again until we reach Tobermory Station, which is less than one kilometre inside the Northern Territory.

There are two cattle stations that we will pass through on the way to our overnight stop, but their homesteads are a fair way off the main road, and I didn’t want to risk getting the bus stuck, so we decided to make no deviations off the main highway. It was a very slow and torturous journey, on our first day on the gravel highway, with Marcus and I taking 1.5-hour shifts driving the bus, and when I saw the signpost telling us to turn left off the highway, I cheered. “Just 6 kilometres to go, and we will be at our overnight stop,” I announced to everyone, which brought cheers of happiness from them all,

“Hello, you must be the travelling Vets, that we have been hearing about, welcome to Glenormiston Station,” a woman aged in her late 40s said as she approached us, coming from what looks like the workshop shed. “Yes, that is us, I am Dr Marcus Sanderson, my partner Dr Jaxon Kendrik and his two wards and cousins, Ryley and Langley,” Marcus said making the introductions.

“That is quite an impressive bus you have here. How did you go on the gravel roads leading in?” the woman said, “It was a little rough, and that is why it took us so long to get here from Boulia. I feel like the whole of my insides has been shaken into new positions,” I replied. “Please forgive me, my name is Elisa, owner and manager of this fine station. My husband is away at the moment, he works FIFO, doing three on and two off to help us pay all the extra bills that seem to come in unexpectedly each month,” the woman said.

“So you are all alone here?” Marcus asked sounding a little concerned, “Oh, heavens no. We have four full-time staff, a Bore Runner/Mechanic - David, a stockwoman – Gloria, a stockman - Norm, and his wife Trisha, who is the cook/governess, plus two part-time staff, Mike and Helen who are retired couple that lives here 6 months of the year, so there is always at least one or two of them around the homestead on most days.

Plus there is our son Alby, who is the Head stockman, who will be back before dark. Our daughter, Beatrice is currently attending University, where she is studying accounting, and she is home during the semester breaks,” Elisa said. “Where would you like us to park the bus and trailer, somewhere so it is not in the way of the station vehicles,” Marcus asked.

“Drive around the back of this machinery shed, and park between the shed and the cottage, that way you will have some shade, and be well out of the way of everyone. You are all invited to have dinner with us in the homestead tonight, we sit down at 7 pm sharp,” Elisa responded. “Thank you, that would be very much appreciated after the long drive we had today, and what we have ahead of us too,” I answered.

“Oh, please stay for more than just one night, it will be nice to have some new people to talk to for two days or more,” Elisa asked, “Very well, we will stay an extra night, thank you,” Marcus replied. The following day, the boys were invited to join the other three children at the station, to attend school, which they agreed to, and Marcus and I were invited to join Alby on a day of doing stock checks, letting us know that we would be out until mid-afternoon.

Just on a whim, I grabbed my Vet bag, while Marcus was making us both some packed lunches and snacks for the journey, including water bottles and also a thermos of hot tea. After checking our second mob of cattle, we stopped near a grove of shady trees to have some morning tea, with Alby having his food and drink supplies with him. Once back on the track and entering a new paddock, I soon spotted a mob of cattle, which we headed towards.

“Alby, stop a distance away, something isn’t right with this mob,” Marcus asked, and once stopped, Marcus climbed out and slowly walked towards the mob of cattle, stopping a few hundred metres away, where he squatted down and watched. After a few minutes, he gave me a hand signal, one of a few that we had developed while working in the UK when we needed to get each other's attention from a distance.

“Oh, that’s not good,” I commented to Alby, “What? Did Marcus notice something and what did he just signal?” Alby replied, “He signalled trouble, bring the kit,” I replied, as I climbed out and grabbed my vet bag, and slowly headed towards Marcus on foot, with Alby following a distance behind. “Hey, what do you see?” I asked when I reached my husband and squatted down beside him.

After a few moments of silent observation, I was starting to wonder what Marcus could see, until one cow urinated, and right away I realised what he was guessing the problem was. “Red Tick Fever?” I asked about a possible illness that the cattle may have, “Yes, that is my guess, we need to get a blood and urine sample to double-check,” Marcus replied. “Red Tick Fever here? On my station? I have heard about it, but I don’t know much about it,” Alby said in response to what he had just heard.

“Just as well you have an observant visiting veterinarian here with you,” I commented, and Marcus chuckled at this, while Alby nodded his head in agreement. “So what do we do now? How do we tackle this?” Alby asked, “Let's get back to the vehicle and make a few calls,” Marcus suggested which is what we did. “Mobile one to Homestead, do you copy Mum, over,” Alby said into the radio.

“This is Trisha speaking, receiving you Alby, over,” came a response, “Can you get Mum please, I need to speak to her urgently, over,” Alby said over the radio, “Hey son, I just walked in and heard you say urgently. What is the problem, over,” Elisa said soon after, and Marcus motioned for the radio. “Elisa, this is Marus speak, we may have a stock problem, can you please round up all of your staff, and prepare for a long day ahead, over,” Marcus said, “Do you have a set of portable yards?” I asked Alby, “Yes we do, we have 48 sections in total, not much for a big mob thou,” Alby replied.