Louise and Burnett Joyce have spent two years writing the Gyranda sale history

This 240 page, hard covered, glossy album titled, Sale-O and Smokos, contains hundreds of colour photographs, articles, anecdotes, interesting stories and poetry.

The family will launch Sale-O and Smokos at Beef 2018 at the Santa Gertrudis marquee site C208 on Monday, May 7 at 4.30pm.

This limited coffee table edition is beautifully written and compiled by Louise Joyce, who has captured the feel and mood of life on Gyranda, and includes the past 50 bull sales.

“We feel this captures the essence of our life, the Queensland cattle industry and living in the outback over the past half century and before,” Louise said

“It depicts the people, the history and the way of life we have experienced throughout this half century…. done with a touch of humour, all supported by a photographic record we are proud of.”

Louise started to research her book two years ago, and luckily had collected scrapbooks with old newspaper cuttings. She is an avid photographer so had hundreds of photographs to weave throughout her story.

“Also I am very lucky that Burnett has a wonderful memory, and he would do the editing, and together we would invariably think of other stories to be included,” she said. 

Louise said she always thought she had a story to tell but struck a stale mate about writing her story until daughter Nikki and son-in-law Peter suggested she write the Gyranda sale history. 

“I came from the very south of Victoria to outback Queensland, to marry a man (Burnett) I had only been in the company of for a mere 14 days, albeit over eighteen months,” she said

Louise said she could ride a horse and loved living in the country but described her new way of life this way. 

“This was a far cry from what I was accustomed to,” she said.

“We had owned 240 acres at Pearcedale, on the Mornington Peninsular, and I remember thinking that if I rode over the hill on Gyranda, a 23,000 acre station, that I would get lost and not know my way home!”

“There were adjustments required and humorous incidents are all part of a life lived to the full.” 

Now the book is finished Louise reflects back with pride as she looks over Sale-O and Smokos and thinks how lucky she was to meet and marry Burnett and have the life they’ve had.

“If anyone had foreseen that I would live in a remote area of Queensland, (with very marginal telephone, postal and internet reception), home school our four children, become involved in Distance Education, learn Spanish, become a foreign correspondent for the US Tribune, and have to deal with staff in those early years, I would have thought they had rocks in their head,” she said.

Journalist and Landline Presenter, Pip Courtney has kindly agreed to officiate at the book launch.

Louise said she would like to thank Click On Prints, and Colour World (the printer and publisher) to enable her to produce an attractive, affordable coffee table book that the families are excited about.

“Many thanks also to our major sponsor GDL, and other sponsors including Queensland Country Life, Elders Ltd, ABRI, the University of Queensland Veterinary School, Thynne & Macartney, UHY Haines Norton, Rabobank, Holmes Enterprises and FM studios. 

Anyone interesteded in Sale-O and Smokos is invited to the book launch at Beef Australia.

The book will be available for purchase for the duration of Beef 2018, at this site.

For those not able to attend, but wishing to purchase “Sale-O and Smokos”, should contact Louise and Burnett Joyce.at email aljyranda@bigpond.com.