Brahman breeders record almost 50 years of diaries

Nebo Brahman breeder Sharon Atkinson has more than 47 years of records about their operation, thanks to her father Sam's collection of ABBA cattleman's diaries.

The first one dates back to 1977, the year she was born.

Sam Atkinson wrote daily entries in the diaries, recording everything from rain figures to daily tasks and births.

The family are well-known for the Wairuna Brahman stud, the first to be registered with the society that began in 1946.

Sharon took over the stud in 1999, after her Dad passed suddenly, along with writing in the diaries.

She recalled being 21 at the time and later married her husband Wade in 2002.

Wade took over writing the daily entries more than 20 years ago, recording the highs and lows of their life.

Ms Atkinson remembers seeing her father sit down every night to write in the diary.

"I always knew as a kid that he kept his old ones in his office," she said.

"He and I often sat down and looked back over the yearly rainfall from previous years to compare how wet or dry it was. And they are all ABBA diaries."

Among the interesting points in the diaries is an entry on October 10 1979 that mentions the sale of Wairuna bulls at Rockhampton.

"All our bulls sold before lunch," it read.

"Average $1550 top $1900. Very hot.

"General meeting Leichhardt 8pm to 11pm. Telegrammed results."

Ms Atkinson hoped the tradition of the diaries would be carried on by her children, and generations to come.