THE AUSTRALIAN Stockman’s Hall of Fame and Outback Heritage Centre is an Australian icon in itself, but under its curving roof and within its grounds are reminders of much of the heritage that formed the backbone of the nation.
Within the centre, a combination of exhibition galleries and audiovisuals commemorate the lives of early pioneers and celebrate all that is great about the bush. The five galleries show the history behind some of Australia’s greatest explorers, stock workers, pastoralists and Aborigines. The exhibits use a mixture of objects, images, touch screens, audiovisual presentations and open displays.
A new display being created this year is ‘Education in the Outback’, showcasing the contribution of agricultural colleges to the bush.
Take home a souvenir from the store situated within the centre, and have a snack at the cafeteria. Outside are extensive gardens, sculptures, windmills and dams.
One of the Australian Stockman’s Hall of Fame’s big attractions from May to October is a show that could be described as livestock theatre.
The Outback Stockman’s Show will run from Monday to Saturday, with shows at 11.00am and 2.00pm.
Performer Luke Thomas – horse breaker, drover, bush poet and one of the country’s last bullockies – brings alive the past and present skills of stockmen for his audience.
His horses are inspiring to see. Anyone who sees the show will tell you those horses can do everything but talk!
This show is also a rare opportunity for people to see bullocks at work, loading logs onto a jinker as they did for many years during Australia’s early settled history. This live theatre is an amazing insight into what man can accomplish with the help of animals. Evening shows at the Cattlemen’s Bar and Grill will also take place as the season progresses.
The Hall of Fame is open from 9.00am to 5.00pm every day except Christmas Day.
Drovers' Reunion
TODAY, the long paddocks are clear, and in many areas you even have a mobile phone to call for help or talk to your girl many miles away.
But it wasn’t always like that, and the 2010 Drovers’ Reunion is a reminder of just how hard the life of a drover was in days gone by, yet still in living memory.
The reunion will be held at the Australian Stockman’s Hall of Fame during the long weekend in May. It’s an opportunity to learn a little about the lifestyle of the drovers. So come along and let them weave their stories of kero lights, open fires, horses and working from daylight to dark, while they drove herds across Australia.
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