Walking on the Stock Route

A recent discussion on the Everyday Matters group has been around sketching our place, meaning the area around where we live. I live in a small country town in south west Queensland in Australia. My home is on the outskirts of town so I can walk out along a country, gravel road and be in the endless plains in a matter of five minutes.

The road is part of the stock route. Australia is a very dry continent and at the moment we are in desperate need of substantial rains. Coming out of winter the grasses are grey and yellow and there is little sign of green anywhere. I walked along the stock route this morning and the grass, such as it was, crunched underfoot, was dusty and by the time I got home I was sneezing as if I had hayfever.

I will explain the stock route. Because the country goes through such frequent dry spells there is an area of government owned land along roads and between private land that is reserved for stock. In very dry times it is normal practice to come across stock being driven along the stock routes and feeding from the grass there. Cattle graziers whose paddocks are eaten out will pack up, sometimes their whole families, and drive their cattle where they can find feed. The well prepared might have a caravan but others will camp in a swag under the stars, protecting their cattle. Temporary fencing is erected to keep the cattle close by. It is not unusual to drive along the roads in dry times and have to contend with herds of cattle on the roads.

Back to my sketch /walk this morning. There is a new estate being developed just outside of town where Louis and I walked this morning. Louis is my fox terrier and was most upset with me when I stopped and started sketching this scene.

Pipes have been laid awaiting burial for the new estate. It will be interesting to watch the work as it progresses. Three of the blocks, approximately 3 - 4 acres in size have been sold and no doubt the owners are anxious to begin building as soon as they can.