outback information

• Horses, Mustering & Horse Sports – Brief history of horses in Australia, stock horse breeding, outback health issues, station work and rural horse sports, horse-related organisations and sources of information.
• Bronco Branding– Brief history and sources of information regarding broncoing.
• Sheep – Links to information on Australia's sheep & wool industry.
• Sheep & Cattle Dogs - information regarding the different types of dogs used in the Australian bush, on farms and cattle stations.
• Cattle, Land & Climate Information – Australian cattle breeds, outback landscape & weather, buying cattle stations, rural organisations and other information sources.
• Biosecurity & Quarantine - Sources of information on Australian biosecurity & quarantine.
• Australian Camels – Links to sources of information on Australian wild camels and the Australian camel industry.
• Feral Goats  - The feral goat industry in outback Australia.
• Feral Pigs  - Information on feral pigs in northern Australia.
• Helicopter & Fixed Wing Mustering – Australian helicopter mustering history in brief, and how helicopters & fixed wing aircraft are used on stations at present.
• Australian Utes - The different types of utes used on farms and cattle stations in the bush.
• Windmills, Bores & Artesian Water– Brief history of bores and windmills in Australia, links to windmill manufacturers, artesian water summary and information sources.
• Maps of Inland Australia – Information & links re. topographic, road and station maps.
• Rural Employment – The sorts of jobs available on cattle stations, what is required and how to find rural employment positions & pastoral company links. Voluntary work & rural charity information & links.

There are many differences between agriculture in various parts of the planet however many of the fundamental values and problems are shared by farmers worldwide.  It could be argued that farmers and graziers worldwide have more in common with each other than they have with city residents in their own country.

Australia is the oldest and driest continent on earth and as a result it is the most urbanised country on earth. The majority of the population is concentrated around the coastal fringes where the rainfall is higher and/or more reliable and soils are better quality. The largest cattle stations in the world are found in central and northern Australia. While Australia no longer 'rides on the sheep's back' and is not as dependent on rural exports as it once was, rural exports are still an indispensable contributor to Australia's export income.

Anyone who doubts this needs only to note the correlation between graphs of the balance of trade figures and rainfall graphs during an El Niño period. (A particular weather pattern that causes widespread drought in Australia and flooding rain in western South American countries, the opposite of La Niña, which increases the possibility of average rainfall or even floods here. The U.S. Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration [ NOAA] has a very detailed explanation of El Niño and La Niña.)

Of course, after air then water, food is the most essential element for human beings survival.  Without it, we die within days.  It is too easy to forget this reality and the people producing food, when supermarkets are like magic puddings - with shelves mysteriously refilling overnight.