Russell Adcock

[Russell Adcock]

Lucky enough today to be on my property on Barapa Country. My name's Russell Adcock. I'm Wamba Barap, with ties to Yorta Yorta, Ngarrindjeri and Ngiyampaa Country.

Yeah, I got this place, I’ve got a few cattle and you know, going back doing a bit of droving. Some great kids also that are very keen in the agriculture space and some good people working for me.

I’m, you know, luckiest man in the world, I reckon. Fortunate enough to have a couple hundred acres on my own traditional Country, Barap.

You know I've got some of the best cultural sites on this property also. You know, beautiful canoe tree here just behind us and to be able to show kids that, and then explain, you know, I wonder how they got up so high like that, and get them thinking that blackfulla way, you know

and learning to respect that, learning to respect themselves and their, you know, and their background, and where they come from and you know, look how great, you know, what a great bunch of people we are.

My grandfather, he was manager of the place called Yanga Station. That’s who I learnt a lot of stuff off is my Pop. Fantastic man, Bez Murray his name was. Great bareback rider, good whip cracker, good boxer.

Being out the bush with Pop riding horses and that really a lot was distilled into me. You know, I started to respect the bush. You know, respect that and read the bush. Once that comes, well you started to respect yourself.

But yeah, to see my kids out learning the trade, and it’s something that their great grandfather done.

Yeah, so a lot of our mob were drovers and they actually pathed the way for all stock routes right across Australia. That’s because we knew the niche water spots: because they knew the bush, they knew how to read the bush, they knew where the water points were.

To educating farmers around the importance of caring for Country, if you're not caring for that mate, you’re not going to have a decent farm plan.

Not flogging your Country out too much, so them native grasses have disappeared. Dry as anything it is, the native grasses that are actually keeping the cattle fat, but you got to be able to farm it accordingly.

Caring for Country and the agricultural space is a significant part of farming. It’s at the forefront of my mind, everyday, but a lot of other people out here, non-Aboriginal people in particular, it’s not.

I say it to my kids all the time how spoilt they are. You know, they’ve got a couple hundred acres here, of their own Country, and horses so,

every kid needs that opportunity to connect back to Country, and walk their own Country.

[Russell Adcock]

There's nothing like working cattle with a horse. We've been drovers for a long time and relied upon by non-Aboriginal drovers too, because of the water and reading the seasons, and that.

But yeah, there's a big knack in it, breaking your stock in. Also, you know, good quality of dogs too, you want a good team of dogs, you know, your dogs that you can cast a bit, then you also want your hard biting dogs that will push the slow moving ones up too, so.

Yeah, a lot goes into it. Your cattle are out on a stock route. You know, that’s through your council you’ve got to get permits. Some councils have a quota, like, a cutoff limit on the amount of cattle or sheep you can have in a mob.

Once you get them out on like on, your stock route, you know there’s a lot of management around how far you walk your cattle.

You get your cattle out on the road, you get their bellies full, but you don’t want to walk them 20km to water because it's a waste of time feeding them.

You know setting up your camp too; making sure you set up in a decent spot where limbs won’t blow down on you on your camp and plenty of shade for your dogs too, because you don't want to cook them.

As I said, the knack around it is making sure your cattle are settled, and they're actually putting condition on.

Now the last mob of cattle we put out here, I walked them straight past property up at Malul and it's where, like, my family originated from. Pretty good and for my kids to be involved in that too.

[Russell Adcock]

What motivates me, is trying to make a better tomorrow for all the young Aboriginal people, in particular my kids. That's what really motivates me, that's where my passion is.

I'd like to see a lot more programs and opportunities coming out of the city, with agricultural stuff. It's just being able to get out and reconnect with your horse, reconnect with the bush.

Oh, I'm extremely proud. Seeing my kids ride, you know, handle a mob of cattle on their own, and yeah, that’s the most proudest moment as a father.