Tour Itinerary
Please note that "Garawilla" is a "Working Farm" and that no week is ever the same as the other. While the core of the program is always covered, the activities on each course day change subject to jobs needing to be done on the farm.
Please refer to the program below as an example program. Stockwork on horses will be done every day.
Sunday
The Country Link Train leaves Sydney at 10.05am. Sit back and enjoy meeting your fellow Jackaroos and Jillaroos while travelling through the beautiful Hunter Valley. The train will be met by a Country Link Coach in Tamworth, -the coach will drop you off 50 meters away from the Sportsman's Hotel where you will be met by John your Host for the week.
Monday
8.30am Pick up from accommodation by Jackaroo Jillaroo Host John.
Brief announcement by the Farm staff, welcoming new Jackeroos & Jillaroos,
providing overview of property, preview Jackaroo Jillaroo program.
Introduction to Aussie Horsemanship, Australian Stock saddle, Whip,Saddle bag and Quad pot and other Stockman (Aussie word for cowboy)gear.
11.00am Smoko (morning tea)
Shoeing demonstration.
Meet your horse, saddling Horse,
12.30pm lunch,
2.00pm ride along the River checking Foals
and Mares in Paddocks. Beginners get one on one instruction to make them feel safe and build their skills fast. Riders will enjoy an exhilarating ride with plenty of cantering through the river and learning the Australian way of riding.
5.00pm transfer to Homestead. Kickback after a shower and a good meal and enjoy the country sunset on the wide veranda of the Homestead.
Tuesday
7.30am Aussie Breakfast
8.30am Sheep Skills. Demonstration & participation in sheep shearing with a shearer.(Seasonal!)
Learn how to shed, Fly Blown Sheep, to sex sheep. Learn general sheep maintenance “Roustabout” in the Woolshed. Learn how to pickup fleece, throw the fleece, skirt the fleece, roll the wool, sweep up the locks and all other general duties.
General explanation of wool, the industry, the different roles of the shearing team & a “day in the life of a shearing shed”hearers life lass the wool. Explanation of wool industry, air a fence including Shearer provides comprehensive commentary during demonstration.
10.00am Smoko Smoko: Billy tea & baked damper
10.30am Sheep Skills (cont): Demonstration of working dogs rounding up and penning sheep.
Learn basic “Livestock Handling” duties including how to handle sheep in the yards & race. Learn how to draft & count sheep. Learn how to drench sheep. 12.30pm Lunch The Farm Station Woolshed & Yards Packed Lunch
2.00pm Sheep Skills (cont)
"Work in Progress"
The Farm Station Woolshed & Yards Yard Work. Pen & Drench Sheep in Race.
(Substitute water for drench)
Participation in Drafting Sheep with a shearer.
Participation in Checking for Fly Blown Sheep with a shearer.
Muster Sheep back into paddocks.
5.00pm Free Time, Dinner, Evening entertainment.
Wednesday
7.30am Aussie Breakfast
8.30am Cattle muster. Learn how to work cattle on horseback.
11.00am Smoko
11.30h Cattle muster continued. Muster cattle into yards.
1.00am lunch
1.30am Cattle Yard work.
Check cattle tags and cattle records. May include AI, pregnancy testing, recording weights, drenching, inoculating, cutting out cattle on horseback.
"Work in Progress"
Muster Cattle into new paddock.
6.30pm Free time, Dinner, Evening entertainment.
Thursday
7.30am Aussie Breakfast
8.30am Stockman's Skills. Learn about horse health care, maintenance, diet, behavior, history, farriering, dental etc. Feed and check horses.
“Work in Progress”
Farriering, drenching horses, caring for sick or injured horses, replace lost shoe, dentist, horse gentler.
10.00am Smoko Smoko: Billy tea & baked damper
10.30am Horse Skills
The Farm Station Boundary Ride. Check fences, clear and repair “pop holes” and damage caused by kangaroos, pigs and vermin
“Work in Progress”
12.30pm Lunch
2.00pm Stockman Skills
The Farm Station Fencing. Learn how to build a stock proof fence.
6.30pm Free time, Dinner, Evening entertainment
Friday
7.30am Aussie Breakfast
8.30am Handling young Horses. Learn how to approach young horses, their behavior patterns, thinking patterns and safety aspects in handling a young horse.
10.00am Smoko
"Work in Progress"
10.30am Horse Skills (cont.)breaking/starting a young horse. Ground work, getting the horse to trust you through games. Introducing horse to gear and tack.
12.30pm Lunch
2.00pm Horse Skills (cont.) Ride and swim with the horses in the River.
Saturday/Sunday
There are three options of activities for the weekend:
1.Stay at the farm and enjoy a mix of relaxing,participate in farm duties and kajaking.
2.Spend the weekend in Bingara, staying at the 'Sportsman's Hotel' and enjoy activities such as kajaking, fishing, golfing, swimming etc.
Monday
"Garrawilla" has over 200 hundred horses and about 70 Foals are born each year. We start up (traditional word used: 'break in') a horse per week. So at any one time there will be a young horse 'started up', 'broken in' and 'finished off'
Over the course of next week you will work intensively with young horses and be rewarded by the finished product, a young soft, trusting, horse that can be ridden and worked from and taken further to it's full potential.
"With a base of trust and respect, the horse will enjoy learning and its spirit will work with us not against us.
7.30am Aussie Breakfast
8.00am Working with a young horse.
11.00am Smoko (morning tea)
Shoeing demonstration followed by an intensive lesson on how to trimm a horses foot, farrier tools, safety, positioning of the body,etc.
12.30pm lunch,
2.00pm Ride along the River checking Foals and Mares in Paddocks.
Finnishing the day with a nice swimm with the horses in the river.
5.00pm Free Time, Dinner, Evening entertainment.
Tuesday
7.30am Aussie Breakfast
8.30am Sheep Skills.
“Work in Progress”
Starting up a young horse.
10.00am Smoko
10.30am Sheep Skills (cont.)
12.30pm Lunch
2.00pm Sheep Skills (cont)
5.00pm Free Time, Dinner, Evening entertainment.
Wednesday
7.30am Aussie Breakfast
8.30am Working on a young horse.
11.00am Smoko
11.30h Cattle muster. Muster cattle into yards.
1.00am lunch
1.30am
Team Penning
Team Penning requires great teamwork, well trained horses and a love of speed.
This is a well practiced tecnique out in the bush and on big cattle stations.
Learn this great skill and have a tonn of fun while you are doing it!
Muster Cattle into new paddock.
6.30pm Free time, Dinner, Evening entertainment.
Thursday
7.30am Aussie Breakfast
8.30am Working on a young horse
“Work in Progress”
10.00am Smoko
10.30am
Fencing
Learn the skills that are needed to maintain Fences and yards on a property.
12.30pm Lunch
2.00pm Stockman Skills (cont.)
Smoko
Pasture Improvement: Pick up firewood. Build Campfire.
6.30pm Free time, Dinner, Evening entertainment
Friday
7.30am Aussie Breakfast
8.30am Working on a young Horse.
10.00am Smoko
"Work in Progress"
10.30am Horse Skills (cont.)
12.30pm Lunch
2.00pm Barrel Racing Competition.
Barrel racing is a timed rodeo event, where the fastest time is what matters most. Cowgirls compete in the arena against each other and the clock.
Barrel racing is about cooperation between horse and rider. Because of the competition and money involved, finding a good horse is very important to the competitors. A top of the line barrel horse can cost up to $50,000.
5.00pm Farewell
Enjoy a few fare well beers and re-live the great times with your fellow Jackaroos and Jillaroos and local Stockman at The Sportsman's Bar. At the end of the night you can snug into bed in your room upstairs.
Saturday
The Country Link Coach leaves Bingara at 8.26am and will meet the Country Link train in Tamworth. Everyone gets into Sydney Central ststion at 5.10pm.