The Barmah Cattle Muster.
australia
BARMAH MUSTER 2009
24TH - 26TH APRIL
Traditionally a weekend of activities are held that the public can attend. The weekend will be jam packed full of entertainment & activities for all to enjoy. Be sure to be there.
FRIDAY 24TH APRIL
Come along to the Muster Yards for the Annual Yarn Spinning Competition.
Camp Oven Tea $-10.00 Bar (Yet to be confirmed) Time: 6.00 /6-30pm
Please Note that in the tradition of story telling, TRUTH can sometimes become casualty if it happens to be in the way of a good story. This is not only accepted, it is expected!
SATURDAY 25TH April
Team Penning
Trail Ride 8-00am- 11.30am with BBQ lunch.
Barmah Muster Country Rock Concert from 6pm
Two great bands in Ruckus &
A Bit on the Side ‘head lining’ the 2009 annual Barmah Muster Dance.
"Ruckus"
is a mix of cover & original work that get the party started & keep it cracking all night. There are five band members including two electric violinists who won two golden fiddles at Tamworth in 2007. While at Tamworth the band also managed to win the "battle of the bands" competition. Look forward to some high energy ‘foot stompin country rockin’SUNDAY 26TH April:
Novelty events
Team Penning
The Barmah Muster, is Proudly run by the Barmah Muster Dance Committee, the Barmah Forest Preservation League and the Barmah Forest Cattlemen's Association.
The hard working Committees running the Barmah Muster Dance Weekend are using the money raised to build a "Barmah Forest Heritage Education Centre" for the community. The Committees would like to thank you for your support and took forward to seeing you at the coming Muster weekend.
Cattle are mustered over a one to two week period in autumn - historically at the full moon. Cattle from the Barmah run are mustered into a holding paddock at Goose Swamp and then moved to a muster yard where selected beasts are drafted and removed from the forest. This routine has changed very little over the years but by the 1950s the final weekend had become a family celebration. Nowadays tourists have the privilege of taking part in the weekend social activities. See link below for Previous Muster reports.
CATERING Excellent catering will be available on both Saturday and Sunday with a licensed bar operating at nominal charge. Saturday: 6.00pm-12.30am. Sunday: Breakfast and Lunch.
CAMPING
You are welcome to camp in the forest. Good water is available at the Barmah Lakes. You MUST follow the Camping Guidelines set by the D.S.E. Please take all rubbish home and no GLASS please.
HORSES AND DOGS
Must be cared for and contained by their owners there won't be any spare yards available. Please use clean horse feed to help prevent the spread of weeds.
For further information contact: Brad Caldwell 0428 570 504 or Marlene Moor 58 662 804
or email: kristan.caldwell@bigpond.com
THE 2009 BARMAH MUSTER WEEKEND IS PROUDLY SPONSORED BY THE FOLLOWING:
P.P. Nevins & Co.
Saddles 'N' Swags Cobram
Elders/VPC
Rodwells
Greg Power Livestock
Nathalia TJ's Supermarket
Mulcahy & Hunt
Robson & Donaldson
Charles Medland & Co
Saddle World
Katunga Lucerne Mill
O'Dea's Saddlery
King Fisher Cruises
Drover's Saddlery
Landmark Numurkah & Echuca
Merial
Nathalia Rural Sales
Wiltshire's Leather Dressing
Graham Byron Seed Supply
Fort Dodge Cydectin
H.W. Greenham Pty. Ltd
Rex James Stockfeed
MON Soft Drinks
Ryan's Wholesale Meats P/L
Barmah Millewa Forum
Muckatah Saddlery
I.K. Caldwell
Swan's Sawmill, Barmah
Ken Theyers Transport
Kevin Swan, Picola
Coprice Feeds
A brief history of Cattle grazing in the Barmah Forest.
Squatter Edward Curr arrived in the Barmah Forest in 1841. Soon after, large grazing leases of the open grass plains and woodlands were taken up.
The forest gradually became an extension to local farms and was used to turn out cattle in the summer when paddocks had dried off. Grazing is now under licence or agistment conditions.
Today grazing is principally carried out in the forests in summer and autumn when the highly prized Moira grass is palatable to the cattle. Sensitive environmental areas are fenced off with a low level of grazing during the rest of the year. Grazing is controlled to ensure adequate regeneration of trees and protection of the Forests Wetlands, flora and Fauna. The Barmah Forest Cattlemens Association, members manage the cattle in the forest and oversee the mustering, in association with DSE and Parks Victoria.
For over twenty years Ken Clee has entertained at the Muster. Below is the words to a song he penned and has sung at the muster.
BARMAH MUSTER
We’re mustering cattle at Barmah one more
It’s
that time of the year once again
Summer
is over and autumn is here
As
we meet for the muster each year
(Chorus)
We
meet at the old cattle yards
The
boys are excited as they all have their say
As
they plan for the muster next day
The
morning is chilly as the sun comes up
As
we saddle our bronks for the day
With
tucker bags full and our stockwhips in hand
We
ride through the tall timber land
But
his spirit will be there this year
As
we meet with the boys for a yarn and a beer
And
we join this great atmosphere
We
muster the cattle these cattle each day for the week
But
when Saturday night it comes round
We
kick up our heels and we all clap our hands
To
the beat of a good country band
That
time has past for the year
But
I bet its for certain we’ll all be back here
When
we’ll meet for the muster next year
The Committees would like to thank you for your support and look forward to seeing you at this year's Muster weekend.
The Barmah Forest Cattlemen's Association
Inc. and the Barmah Forest Preservation
League Inc. take no responsibility for any
loss or injury incurred to any person,
animal or property.
