NT Pastoral Industry Employment Program

Employment Program Update, May 2008.

Indigenous Trainee Scheme (ITS)

The NTCA has supported the ITS with the employment of over 20 Indigenous employees during April and May, 2008. Employees are currently working in the Barkly, VRD, Katherine and Daly regions.

The recruitment and training of the employees is the responsibility of the Northern Land Council (NLC). Over the last 18 months Mick Armstrong, the NLC pastoral industry employment manager has successfully recruited over 30 employees specifically to work in the NT pastoral industry. One of Micks recruits Levi Ferrell from Scott Creek Station recently won an encouragement award in the NT apprenticeship awards.

Mick has decided to move on and will finish up at the NLC on Friday 30th of May. NTCA members have benefited from Micks hard work and will continue to employ Micks well trained recruits in the future. Thank you, Mick for your commitment and hard work, we wish you well with your new endeavours and hope to catch up
with you soon.

NEW PROJECT - Rural Indigenous Engagement Pilot Project, funded by the Department of Agriculture Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF), managed by the NTCA. June 2008 - June 2009.

The project aims to assist employers and employees develop an effective workplace relationship within the pastoral sector. The DAFF project includes support for cross cultural awareness training, mapping career pathways, mentoring approaches and pre-vocational preparation.

FEEDBACK

Recently a volunteer from Victoria joined an NTCA representative on a trip around the Barkly. Below is his account of what eventuated during his travels. In the letter to NTCA members the volunteer quotes “ The first night out was fairly uneventful accept from a visit from a min-min light just after dark that scared the 3 of us”. The NTCA has a more reliable, different version of events from the night in question, the quote should read “ The first night out was fairly uneventful accept from a visit from a min-min light just after dark that scared the s#@% out of the bloke from Victoria”.

Dear NTCA members

My name is Graeme Higgs from Melbourne, Victoria currently on a Career break from the ANZ bank. My family and I have recently moved to Alice to take up 12 months on a life style change.

The following letter is basically a quick letter to thank NTCA members on the Barkly properties who I recently visited whilst volunteering with the NTCA.

What follows below is a brief outline and some photos of what turned out to be a great experience that should be embraced by those in the cities.

Thanks to the station managers and staff for their hospitality and making me feel welcome. Hope to catch up with them at a rodeo in the future.

Day 1 (28 th April)

Traveled by car from Alice Springs to Tennant Creek with the NTCA representative from Central Australia at the wheel. Gareth Anderson a young fella from Tennant Creek joined us for a trip to a creek just before Eva Downs on the Barkly Stock Route. Gareth was on his way to Gallipoli Station to start his first job as a ringer, I know at sixteen, I would have been a little nervous leaving home but Gareth seemed happy as we headed north up the Stuart Highway then east to our creeky camping spot. The first night out was fairly uneventful accept from a visit from a min-min light just after dark that scared the 3 of us.

Day 2 (29 th April)

After a brisk early start we headed into Eva Downs Station and met up with the Station Manager, Mick. He gave us directions to the Cattle Yards to meet the Head Stockman Tom and his team, where Nathan another young fella from Tennant Creek is working. We gave Tom and his team a hand in the yards for an hour or so, then after a well earned “smoko break” and a bit more cattle work we left Tom and his crew in the dust.

Leaving Eva Downs we then headed of back east for Anthony Lagoon. We met some great people that day such as Dusty the Grader Driver, Barry the cook who made a splendid Chocolate cake and also the Bore Mechanic. We later caught up with the Station Manager Dave who made us welcome to stay the night.

That evening saw the return of Kyle a ringer from Anthony’s and Lloyd a ringer from Gallipoli. They had come from Borroloola after some time off. I had previously met Lloyd at the Charles-Darwin University in Katherine where he attended training; it was great to see a familiar face.

Day 3 (30 th April)

We left Anthony Lagoon fairly early after a great breakfast, for Alexandria which would be Gareth’s new home, Lloyd came too
as he was catching a lift back to work at Gallipoli. Kyle stayed on at Anthonys, later that morning he was going to the stock camp at Eva Downs where I’m sure Cate, Nathan, Jack and Tom would have been happy to see his face once again.

Arriving at Alexandria I could see Gareth starting to come out of his shell. As he suggested we play his “Ultimate Santana “CD. The 4 of us singing along the Ranken Road to “Black Magic Woman” was quiet a sight to have seen. I’m sure the cattle along the road had a laugh.

Ross the Station Manager met with the NTCA bloke, this gave Lloyd, Gareth and I time to admire some of the history at the station. Some of the old equipment was amazing. We had a cuppa in the kitchen where I was quickly reminded to remove my CAP.

We headed out to the stock camp where we caught up with the Head Stockman “Aussie”. This was also the chance for Gareth to meet Donny a young fella working on Alexandria from Hodgson Downs in the Top End. It was at this point that Gareth parted ways to join his team. After two and a half days it felt a little strange to see him go.

We headed out along a bore road to Gallipoli where we then met Ray the Station Manager and Richard the Head Stockman. Again the message to see the return of a hard worker, Lloyd was welcomed. With Lloyd back home we went on to Camooweal for the night.

Day 4 (1 st May)

Leaving our brief stay in Queensland we headed along the Barkly Highway turning south into Austral Downs. It was here I had a chance to assist in the action again. The small roll I played in the cattle yards actually started to get the blood pumping. I met a calm and steady Aborginal man, Carl Manfong from Tennant Creek who was working the cattle in the round yard. As we all contributed to the drafting process, I enjoyed the hands on work with Carl.

Leaving Austral Downs we headed west along the Barkly Highway and dropped in on Bruce the Station Manager at Rockhampton Downs. Although there are know Indigenous ringers there at present, Bruce was keen to take on a couple of extra helping hands when the time was right.

We headed in to Tennant Creek in the arvo and stayed at the Elderado for the night before heading back to Alice the next day.

Conclusion

I met some great people through the week and opened my City Slicker eyes. There is no question it is hard physical work and it may be weeks before you see family but the rewards are definitely there. For the seven Aboriginal young men I met over the 4 days, I got an understanding of how difficult for the younger one’s living and working on a cattle station.

It was great to see everyone treated well and got along on the stations, there is no time or purpose for building barriers, these young men and women should be proud of their work in the bush.

For further information, contact Tony on the details below:

Tony Freshwater
Project Manager
NT Cattlemen’s Association

PO Box 2288
Alice Springs NT 0871

Ph: 08-89518107
Fax: 08-89518112
Mobile : 0428 580 060

Email: tony.freshwater@ntca.org.au

Relevant website links to the NTCA Employment Program and Projects:

Indigenous Pastoral Program (NT Government) or read more here
Memorandum of Understanding (between the Indigenous Land Corporation, Central Land Council, Northern Land Council, NT Cattlemen's Association, NT Government and Commonwealth Department of Employment and Workplace Relations)
Group Training Northern Territory