I have written something about my recent trip from Brisbane to Rockhampton in Central Queensland, here. There is a lot to write!! Rockhampton, the so called “beef capital of Australia” lies some 600 kms north of Brisbane – and is easily accessed my road, rail and air. I have always driven or been driven there – as our daughter lived there after she abandoned her university studies when she was about 18 years old.
We have done many of the touristy things – the beautiful Botanical Gardens, the Fitzroy River, Yeppoon, Rosslyn Bay, Great Keppel Island, the Crocodile Farm and so on, but there were somethings on my “bucket list” that I wanted to see, so I planned to tick a few off – which I did.
I stayed with friends, who were quite happy to chauffer me around. There were two things on my list that I had hope to see – one of them was the Graceville Cattle Sales. My friends had been in the butchery business and had in the past visited the old cattle sale yards, but since their retirement they had not visited so were looking forward to it.
It is a big complex with cattle sales on most Fridays so we knew we would see some action. There is a path for visitors and those folk wanting to buy cattle, to walk between the cattle yards, with the auctioneers and staff on a walkway above the yards.
The Main Action Ring – used on special occasions.
Looking across one section of the yards
Awaiting their fate
This scrawny cow sold for $20. Someone must have felt sorry for it.
The auctioneer and other staff.
Looking along the pulblic walkway between the cattle yards.
Dusty, smelly, noisy – cattle yards.
It was of course dusty, smelly (I was told I would smell of cattle for a long time, but didn’t think that was right – I was ok after we left). We watched a number of auctions, my friends caught up with cattlemen they knew from their butchery days, and we saw quite a bit of action, including when the sales where finished the cattle were quickly herded away by folk on horseback and sent through a special area, where I think was a dip (ticks are prevelant around these parts and the cattle need to be dipped before they move on), and into trucks.
There’s action everywhere!!! I’d go again – it was interesting. We walked through the main area where special auctions are held. They have a cafeteria on the ground floor – and we sat in air conditioned comfort with our coffee and cake, before heading off to see more of Rockhampton.
