ALISON Atkinson, Durack Droughtmasters, Rockhampton, grew up in the lower gulf country in Far North Queensland on a cattle property, as she put it, in “the middle of nowhere”.
After a career spanning more than 50 years with the Droughtmaster breed, it was fitting she would be awarded a life membership with the society at the national sale – and it was a surprise she said was terrific.
As the crowd chatted before the sale started, it was tough to hear what Droughtmaster chief executive Neil Donaldson was saying – and Alison said until she heard her name, she had no idea he was speaking about her.
“I knew nothing about it and I couldn't hear what Neil was saying, I had no idea he was talking about me and at the end I thought I heard him say my name and then the girls were saying 'Mum, get up there, get up there', and I was saying 'but what for?',” she laughed.
“I got awarded the most unbelievable surprise and amazing thrills in my life.”
After getting married, Alison moved to Valley of Lagoons, west of Ingham, and then came south to Gogango where she had a place by herself, Durack, for three years.
It was Durack that she named her Droughtmaster stud – but after her move saw to Gogango where she purchased Orana on the Dawson River, she changed her stud prefix to Orana – a move she said she came to regret.
“I was completely stupid to do it, and eventually I changed my prefix back to Durack,” she said.
Alison had been running Durack alone when she had an accident on a quad bike ten years ago – which was when she decided it was time to quit.
But she didn’t step too far away from the industry – with three daughters heavily involved in the Droughtmaster breed, she sent her stud breeders to daughter Gayle and her husband Mac Shann, Lamont Droughtmasters, Clermont, and sold her commercial herd.
Now, she has only four breeders left, and she said her time being involved first-hand with the breed will end soon.
“I showed my sister and her husband's cattle back in the 60s, then I married and we had a Droughtmaster stud in the 60s, and I've been with Droughtmaster cattle ever since,” she said.
Alison said she is rarely in Rockhampton – travelling to visit Gayle and her other two daughters, Kylie Graham, Farnham, Taroom, and Sherri Philp, Wyena, Clermont.
With six grandchildren ranging between eight and 16, and plenty of cattle work to be done, Alison said she loves to be out of town.
”I love it - I'm not a town person so I really look forward to getting out of town to help with the grandchildren and the cattle,” she said.
The Droughtmaster National Sale was a hit this year, and Alison said it was extra special for the family – who purchased two of the top priced bulls.
“It's absolutely wonderful, Kylie my eldest daughter bought the top priced bull this morning until Gayle, my second eldest, bought the top price this afternoon,” she said.
“They liked the same bull but when Kylie bought two this morning she had what she needed, so Gayle and Mac were left to buy what they needed.”
Gayle and Mac went home with the sale’s top priced bull – Oasis Dundee, which they purchased for $135,000.
Alison said despite only having four of her own stud cows left, she won’t be being left behind at sale time.
“I'll still be involved with all my daughters' cattle, helping them with cattle work and preparing bulls for sale,” she said.
Kelly Butterworth
Rockhampton-based journalist covering all things ag.
Rockhampton-based journalist covering all things ag.
