BAYULU - No 3
Since arriving here in Fitzroy Crossing I have got to know an 81 year old man living over the road. His name is Dave. He came to this area as a young man in 1962. He was the first person to conduct aerial mustering in this area. This was in a light fixed wing aircraft before small helicopters suitable for mustering were developed. He then went onto run/own a air charter business here at Fitzroy Crossing for much of his life. Naturally the topic of our conversations may have been aviation related on the odd ocassion.
Anyway, former managers of Bayulu Store Ed and Raylene who are also good friends of Dave's invited us to visit them at Liveringa Station. They manage the store at the nearby community of Looma and also are caretakers of the heritage listed original Liveringa Station homestead. Last Sunday we accepted the invitation. We were on the road by 6am to drive around 200 kms west back towards Broome. Below is the old Riveringa Homestead on its elevated site.
The homestead with the Fitzroy River flood plains in the background.
This aerial photos was taken some years ago and shows the homestead and out buildings. The main channel of the river can just be seen in the top right hand corner of the photo. In flood the river breaks its banks with the water spreading out and coming to within 50 metres of the homestead.
This part of the homestead is the original part built in1888.
The southern side provides great views over the Fitzroy River flood plains.
From the homestead the newly roofed shearing quarters, shearing shed and other out buildings can be seen. Liveringa was settled by Europeans in 1881.
For ninety years the station was stock with mainly sheep. In 1911, 98000 sheep were shorn producing 1419 bales of wool. The last sheep left Liveringa in 1972. The photo below is the old shearing/workers quarters. Now days the station is stocked with a brahman cross cattle.
The photo below shows what remains of the now silent 17 stand shearing shed.
The large pantry next to the kitchen had to stock supplies to feed the station staff all through the wet season while they were completely cut off from the rest of the world.
Around this Boab tree are about 10 graves of early staff or travellers. Four of them died of malaria, an unknown disease these days.
Ed and Raylene took us for a drive over to Camballin and then onto new Leveringa homestead. It is a huge setup with its centre pivot irrigation, feedlot operation as well as all the usual station operations.
Here they were moving a mob of weaners out of the yards.
In the distance you can see the centre pivot irrigating improved pasture which will be made into hay.
The channel to the left of the vehicle connects the irrigation pumps to Urella Creek which in turn joins the Fitzroy River. A weir or barrage on the Fitzroy directs water up Urella Creek and then through the channel to the irrigation site.
On the way back we took a different road back to the homestead via the flood plains. Normally they would be still well grassed but not this year. The old plough in the foreground is a reminder of the huge grain and rice growing operation that started here in the 1970s but failed some years later. The grain crops were feasted on by the bird life and the cotton was not suitable for the tropical environment. Dave told us about when he flew Sir Charles Court (the WA premier at the time) over the irrigation areas. He particularly wanted to see a large flood levy bank that had been designed by his nephew. During the flight Dave suggested that a big flood would breach the bank. Sir Charles strongly rejected that suggested. The next wet season Dave's prediction eventuated, in the process destroying a lot of farm machinery including five large four wheel drive tractors.
Back at the homestead the photo below shows where Ed and Raylene (and any fortunate guests) enjoy the sunsets and the cloudless, star filled night dry season skies.
Until the next blog, stay warm if you are in south eastern Australia. Cheers Bryan
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