Australia Farmstay

The Ultimate Outback Experience

A 5,000 acre property located in outback New South Wales, Australia. It offers eager workers the opportunity to learn how an outback farm in Australia is run.

Our family has operated the farm throughout four generations (since 1914) and now the farm is in the hands of our son Tim. Tim is a man who has grown up on a horse stud and cattle stud, has been breaking in horses since he was 17, spent time breaking in and training horses for a living and has been studying Parelli Natural Horsemanship for five years. He is a talented farmer who has happily opened his home to the public and is willing to share his knowledge and experiences by providing a five day training program.   

During the five day Aussie Cowboy or Cowgirl (better known in Australia as a Jackaroo or Jillaroo) program, , students will master the task of learning to ride a horse, mustering both cattle and sheep (rounding up and moving livestock), calf wrestling, roping and lassoing as well as natural horsemanship (learning how to calmly communicate and bond with a horse), whip cracking, sheep shearing and work dog training (teaching the dog to work quickly, efficiently and to behave when herding or handling stock).

Students will also learn about the upkeep requited to keep a farm running smoothly. This involves horse shoeing (removing and replacing the shoes on a horse), fencing and yard building and because students will be spending time in the outback Timothy and his staff provide essential bush survival and local bush tucker lessons on the very first day (these lessons may include how to treat a spider or snake bite, learning which plants or berries are edible and which are poisonous as well as how to survive in the Australian bush should a student find themselves stranded).   

The school itinerary is jam-packed with things to see and learn even allowing time for those who are keen to be present at the slaughtering of a sheep then learning how to butcher it the following day. Students can all rest assured that the program isn’t all hard work. The itinerary also allows time for picnics by the creek, games on horseback, a lassoing competition and, in the warmer months, a swim with the horses in a swimming hole.   

The school runs at different dates throughout the year (visit the website for available school dates) and once the course is completed Timothy has many farming contacts in which he can call upon to help interested students find employment. Timothy will also provide references for those who want to continue their work as a cowboy/cowgirl.   

So, whether it’s to discover what life is like on a working outback farm or whether it’s to enhance employment opportunities taking on the challenge of the Jackaroo/Jillaroo program is definitely an experience of a lifetime!   

Application

For further information and to register interest please contact our staff.