Cattlemen of the High Country - secondhand

The lives of the hardy mountain cattlemen of Victoria's alpine country revolve around the annual muster held before the first snowfall of autumn, when they bring their cattle down to lower pastures for winter feeding, or consign them for auction at the annual calf sales in Omeo or Myrtleford.

The close-knit communities of cattlemen share the common hazards of this mountainous region, enduring the snow and freezing conditions of winter and the threat of ravaging bushfires in summer, finding shelter from the harshness of the environment in little huts which they built from the rough materials available.  But the dangers of steep slopes and rocky terrain, in which more than one drover has lost his life, hold no terrors for them.  These tough and resourceful cattlemen are self-sufficient and skilful in everything they do, whether it is bushmanship, horseriding, or telling tall tales.  In this book their yarns and reminiscences about their mates, their horses and Hereford cattle and their indispensable dogs, reveal a characteristic courage and endurance, and an indomitable sense of humour.