Drover (Australian)

Drover
Drover
Occupation(s)	Stockman, Livestock mover
Known for	Moving livestock "on the hoof" across large distances in Australia

A drover in Australia refers to a seasoned stockman responsible for moving livestock, commonly sheep, cattle, and horses, "on the hoof" across extensive distances. Droving fulfills commercial purposes such as transferring animals to new properties, taking stock to market, or relocating during drought conditions to access better feed or water supplies. Those undertaking lengthy journeys to explore and settle new territories were known as "overlanders".

Method

While managing small groups of calm cattle is relatively straightforward, guiding hundreds or thousands of untamed station cattle over long distances demands expert skills.^[1] Historically, these tasks were handled by contract drovers. A boss drover led a team equipped with a plant—including horses, dogs, and cooking equipment—hired to move livestock from one location to another at an agreed rate. The primary concerns were the health of the animals, followed by the welfare of the horses, and lastly the needs of the men, since payment was based on the number of animals delivered. These droving journeys could extend up to two years.

Horses played a crucial role; each drover typically rode four or five horses during the expedition, including workhorses, night-horses, and packhorses. The horse tailer was responsible for feeding and watering the horses and bringing them back to camp each morning. Night-horses were prized for their excellent night vision and their ability to manage cattle during nocturnal "rushes" (stampedes).^[2]

A typical crew driving approximately 1,200 cattle consisted of seven men: the boss drover, four stockmen, a cook, and a horse-tailer. Larger mobs of store cattle could number up to 1,500 head; fat bullocks destined for slaughterhouses moved in groups around 650 (roughly equivalent to three train loads). Stockmen positioned themselves strategically around the herd until it settled into a steady rhythm. On average, cattle covered about 10 miles daily; sheep approximately 15 miles, spreading out as far as 800 metres on either side of the route. Occasionally, groups of horses were driven in a similar manner. Camps were established for midday meals and overnight stops with the cook and horse-tailer preparing for the next stage.^[2]

Nighttime patrols involved at least one rider circling the herd; two riders if the cattle were agitated.^[2] Rushes could be triggered by noises such as dingo howls or lightning strikes. These incidents caused considerable disorder; drovers often climbed trees to avoid being crushed. Experienced night-horses assisted in controlling these rushes by gradually encircling the cattle until they calmed down.

During prolonged droughts, additional precautions were taken—sometimes moving stock at night to conserve their strength. When approaching waterholes, animals were held back and watered in small groups to avoid injury or drowning.^[2]

A "cattle train drover" travels with mobs transported by rail in specially designed guard's vans. Queensland remains the sole state still operating cattle trains.^[3]

Heyday

The earliest significant long-distance cattle drive took place in 1836 when Joseph Hawdon transported 300 head of cattle over approximately 480 km from the Murrumbidgee River to Melbourne in 26 days. That same year, Edward John Eyre moved livestock from New South Wales to the Port Phillip area. As expertise in droving improved, more arduous journeys were undertaken.

During the late 1830s, as settlement expanded around Adelaide, efforts were made to bring sheep and cattle from New South Wales. In December 1837, Eyre led an expedition following the Murray–Darling River system, accompanied by eight stockmen and driving 1000 sheep and 600 cattle from Monaro. They reached Adelaide by July 1838. This route soon saw heavy traffic with a steady flow of livestock and bullock drays.

The pathway traversed territories inhabited by numerous Aboriginal Australians, which led to tensions due to mistreatment by European settlers, including acts of violence and abuse. These conditions sparked increasing hostilities; for example, drover Henry Inman suffered a loss of 5000 sheep in an attack in April 1841. Later that year, in August, drover William Robinson along with a police contingent killed at least 30 Aboriginal people during the Rufus River massacre.

In 1863, chief drover George Gregory managed a seven-month journey driving 8,000 sheep over 2,100 km from near Rockhampton to the Northern Territory border. The early 1870s witnessed Robert Christison overlanding 7,000 sheep across 2,500 km from Queensland to Adelaide.

Pastoral pioneers such as Patrick Durack embarked on enormous drives to grow their enterprises. In 1879, Patrick and Michael Durack moved 7,250 breeding cattle and 200 horses across northern Australia to Western Australia's Kimberley region near Kununurra, arriving in 1882 after what remains the longest recorded cattle drive of its kind. Similarly, Charles and William MacDonald departed near Tuena in 1883 with 700 cattle and 60 horses amid drought conditions to establish Fossil Downs Station in Kimberley, reaching their destination in June 1886 with diminished stock numbers.

Prominent Outback stock routes included the Murranji Track, Birdsville Track, Strzelecki Track, and the Canning Stock Route, with the latter regarded as the most isolated and demanding.

Decline

The expansion of railways beginning in the 1860s diminished reliance on droving; however, it was not until the widespread adoption of trucking in the 1960s that the profession sharply declined. Presently, rural and Outback livestock transport is dominated by Road trains capable of hauling large numbers of animals. Nonetheless, during periods of drought, moving stock along "long paddock" routes—fenced travelling stock routes adjacent to public roads—still necessitates droving expertise. Today’s drovers utilize modern tools such as motorcycles, all-terrain vehicles, trucks, and horse trailers. Comfort is enhanced by caravans equipped with generators, while temporary electric fences are erected to secure livestock overnight.

Localized droving continued in regions like Kosciuszko National Park, Alpine National Park, and the High Plains until these areas were designated as National Parks. Drovers would shift cattle from lower elevations to fresh summer grazing grounds, frequently residing in mountain huts including Daveys Hut, Whites River Hut, and Mawsons Hut.

Distinguished drovers

In 1881, Nat Buchanan, regarded as one of the foremost drovers in Australian history, undertook an extraordinary journey moving 20,000 head of cattle from St George to the Daly River, near Darwin, spanning a distance of 3,200 km.

Remarkable droving accomplishments were also driven by cattle theft. A prominent example is Harry Redford, who in 1870 absconded with 1,000 cattle from Bowen Downs Station near Longreach, Queensland and navigated them across difficult landscapes following the courses of the Thomson, Barcoo, Cooper, and Strezlecki rivers, effectively opening up what became known as the Strzelecki Track.

Women have likewise made significant contributions as drovers. Edna Zigenbine, better known as Edna Jessop, assumed control of a droving expedition after her father was incapacitated and emerged as a leading boss drover at just 23 years old. Together with her brother Andy and a team of four ringers, she successfully drove 1,550 bullocks over 2,240 kilometres across the Barkly Tableland to reach Dajarra, near Mount Isa, Queensland.

Droving in cultural expression

Droving has served as inspiration for numerous artistic and cultural creations, including ballads and cinema. The poem Clancy of the Overflow offers a romanticized portrayal of droving life, whereas the movie The Overlanders provides a more authentic representation.

Noteworthy literary and musical contributions related to droving encompass:

Henry Lawson
- "The Ballad of the Drover"
- "Andy's Gone with the Cattle"
- "The Drover's Wife"
Will H. Ogilvie
- 'From the Gulf'
- 'The Overlander'
- 'A Leaf from Macquarie'
Banjo Paterson
- "Clancy of the Overflow"
- "The Travelling Post Office"
Judith Wright – "South of My Days"
Kev Carmody – "Droving Woman"
Adam Lindsay Gordon – "The Sick Stock Rider"
Rolf Harris – "Tie Me Kangaroo Down, Sport!"
Traditional folk songs: "The Overlander," "Wrap me up in my Stockwhip and Blanket," "The Three Drovers"
Saul Mendelsohn – "Brisbane Ladies"
Hugh McDonald (of Redgum) – "Diamantina Drover," also interpreted by John Williamson
Bill Callahan – "Drover"
Bill "Swampy" Marsh – Great Australian Droving Stories
Bok, Tricket, & Muir – "Johnny Stewart, Drover"
Ralph Vaughan Williams – opera Hugh the Drover
Ted Egan — The Drover's Boy, also performed by John Williamson
Louis Esson – play The Drovers
Film: The movie Australia, starring Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman, depicts a droving expedition through the Northern Territory.
Television: The series McLeod's Daughters focuses on cattle droving at the fictional station Drovers Run, emphasizing its significance in maintaining rural economic activities.

External links

A video from September 2013 highlights one of the most extensive Australian cattle drives in a century: moving 18,000 cattle across 1,500 kilometres, with the herd spanning 80 kilometres.

Historic droving journey