TAROOM TALES Yarns from Back in the Day

VI HAY - Pt1

Sun, 10 May 2026 10:00:00 GMT

Vi Hay, a Taroom local for more than 90 years, grew up on Bradley Farm near Kinnoul Station. She married my great uncle Bill Hay (of the "Palm Tree" Hay family) and spent more than 47 years living at Bedourie Station. Part 1 of "Always a Bush Girl" covers the early years growing up in the Taroom bush with 6 siblings, through the war years, and her move to Bedourie. In the beginning, it was more than 12 hours by vehicle from the nearest town over the roughest tracks, with only her husband for company - when he wasn't out in mustering camps. This was before the age of electricity or refrigeration, and there was no phone or running water. Bush life was never easy, but it was a life Vi loved.

SHOW NOTES:

Music by Steven O'Brien:

"Morning Stroll", "Silent Film Piano - Full", "Acoustic Breeze", "Sorrow and Regret", by Steven O'Brien (CC-BY, www.steven-obrien.net)

Music by Ben Sound:

"Sunny", "Ukulele", "Olde Timey" by Benjamin Tissot (www.BenSound.com)

Music by Kevin MacLeod, Incompetech:

"Starting Out Waltz Vivace", "Olde Timey" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

Sound Effects by FreeSound:

Horse Whinny: 419231__inspectorj__horse-whinny-close-a.wav

Whip Cracking: WHIP CRACK 93140__cgeffex__whip-cracks.wav

Thanks to guests, family, and friends:

Vi Hay

Selma Draper

Lex Smith

Sally Symes

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LAURIE POINTING - Pt2

Mon, 11 Nov 2024 08:59:43 GMT

Ep5 Part 2 of conversations with Laurie Pointing covers events and characters from the 7 years he worked on a host of cattle stations in Taroom, arriving as a 15-year-old before leaving to join the police force as a 21-year-old. In the 1954 floods Laurie witnessed the tragic drowning of a stockman friend, shortly after living through the destruction of Broadmere homestead by fire. Bob McCorry, the other stockman present at the time, had a secret of his own which was discovered and kept quiet by the local Police Sergeant Jim Johnson. Laurie’s good mate Jack Clarris is remembered as a legendary horseman, and the tale of Jack’s near-death accident as a 16-year-old is discussed. Bobby Dunbar, Bill Scantlebury, Charlie Gassman, and many other characters of that remarkable time are mentioned. Following further research and details provided by listeners, some more details are revealed from stories told in Part 1, such as the death of George Marcel, a cook at the Leichhardt Hotel Taroom who was killed in a brawl with a stockman at the New Year’s Eve dance in December 1951. Other guests contributing to this episode are Vaughn Becker, Lex Smith and Mick Ratz.

Laurie is 88 years old at the time of publishing (Nov 2024) and resides with family in Townsville. He has remained friends with all those he knew during his time in Taroom, and he keeps in touch regularly. Laurie has written numerous poems and has published 7 books, including his own memoirs from childhood, and his police career, as well as the biography of Jack Clarris.

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LAURIE POINTING-Pt1

Tue, 06 Aug 2024 04:50:11 GMT

Episode 4 - Part 1 (July 2024) "Top Riders, Fires and Fatalities"

88 year old Laurie Pointing was a ringer in Taroom for 7 years from 1952 to 1958, working on multiple stations such as Nunbank, Gwambegwine, Ghinghinda, Broadmere, Glenhaughton, and The Bend. Laurie was the first of many Ipswich lads to make the journey out west looking for work as a stockman. In 1958 he joined the Queensland Police force with Taroom mate Paul Phipps, where he worked his way up to Assistant Commissioner of Police before his retirement.

In Part 1 of Episode 4, Laurie talks about the top riders he knew during his time in Taroom in the 1950s, notably his lifelong friend Jack Clarris. Many other characters of the district are mentioned in this entertaining episode. Laurie also touches on some sad stories, including the fire at Broadmere when the entire homestead complex burnt to the ground, and the death of a young cook from the Leichhardt Hotel at the new years eve dance on 31 December 1951, just before he arrived in town ahead of his 16th birthday in August 1952.

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NUGGET-BRONC-LEX

Mon, 08 Jul 2024 13:55:34 GMT

Glenhaughton Ringers - Nugget Roser, Bronc Bradshaw and Lex Smith, return to their favourite mustering camp after more than 60 years at the Amphitheatre Tin Hut, Taroom. Reunited at the Ringers and Cooks Reunion 2023, the three old mates talk about the days of catching scrubbers, and some of the many near misses they survived. Cattle management on the 900-square-mile station was a lot different to how things are done today. Everyday the young stockmen risked life and limb doing what they loved in the beautiful Central Queensland bush… and they wouldn’t have it any other way.

These were the days of hard-working and hard-riding stockman, of wild cattle, packhorses and mustering camps. It was a simple but satisfying life, and those good times will never be forgotten by the ones who lived them. Join Nugget, Bronc, and Lex as they take a trip down memory lane, reliving the thrills and spills on Glenhaughton Station, way back in the day..

CREDITS

VIDEO: Leesa Bongers

PHOTOGRAPHY: Leesa Bongers | Kate Bradshaw | Tracey Mutch

SOUND RECORDINGS: Leesa Bongers

SOUND EFFECTS:

Freesound.org

Small Aircraft Overhead: Aeroplane kilnsea wetlands Yorkshire wildlife trust by Sonic-ranger -- https://freesound.org/s/220024/--License: Attribution 4.0
Morning Birds Crickets Rd 3 - Leesa Bongers
Birds tree Tilly walking morning Rd4 - Leesa Bongers
Cows Mooing: 401636 Mystikum Cows-mooing-mono-4824.wav cows_mooing_mono_4824.wav by Mystikuum -- https://freesound.org/s/401636/
Gunshot: Gunshot Sound identify weapon by jjcunning--https://freesound.org/s/578189/--License: Creative Commons 0
Horse Whinny: Horse Whinny, Close, A.wav by InspectorJ -- https://freesound.org/s/419231/--License: Attribution 4.0
Bull Bellow: ANMLFarm_Kuh-Bulle-Agressiv 05_IOKA_NONE_Hofefeld.wav by JakobGille -- https://freesound.org/s/610784/
Landrover: 332501_rambler52_pickup_ford_62_driveup1
Car Door Slam: 450225_kyles_truck-pickup-door-open-close-real-nice-slam

MUSIC:

Steven O'Brien Music Tracks: CC-BY www.steven-obrien.net

Family Reunion - Steven O'Brien
Comical Theme - Steven O'Brien
Happy Days - Steven O'Brien
Happy Stories - Steven O'Brien
Fight to the Death - Steven O'Brien
Lazy Day - Steven O'Brien
Morning Stroll - Steven O'Brien

Ben Sound Music Tracks: CC-BY www.Bensound.com

A New Beginning - Ben Sound (Licence code: 6LHG8B50K66SC5Q1
Country Boy - Ben Sound

Graphics: by Leesa Bongers using CANVA

GLOSSARY:

Ringer = Australian Stockman

Head Stockman = Foreman of the Ringers, reports to Station Manager

Camp Cook = Bush cook, prepares meals for stockmen in mustering camps on open fires

Cowboy = General hand at homestead, gardening, milking cows, handyman

Scrubber = Wild cattle, unbranded

Cleanskin = unbranded cattle

Mickey = young cleanskin bull

Bullock = older castrated male cattle

Cow = female cattle

Heifer = young female cattle

Calf = young cattle

Weaner = young cattle, of age to be removed from cow/heifer

Knee-Strung = method of controlling wild cattle, cutting tendon at knee in front leg of cattle to keep them with the mob when mustering

Collar-Rope = method of controlling untamed horses, tying a rope from back leg to neck to hold foot up.

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LEX SMITH Ipswich Lad to Taroom Local (Pt2)

Wed, 10 Apr 2024 04:47:12 GMT

In PART 2 (An Ipswich Lad to Taroom Local), LEX SMITH continues his recollections from 1957 when he first arrived in Taroom, working as a ringer on Glenhaughton Station, until he moved into Taroom in 1961. He paints a rich picture of the social life of a young ringer coming to town on rare days off, enjoying the pictures, the town dances, the races, and the week-long festivities of the Taroom Show. The stories are honest, raw, and entertaining, an informal history plucked from the precious memories of an 86-year-old Taroom local. Lex’s stories capture the spirit of the times, the characters and the events that shaped his life, and the reasons he made Taroom his home.

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LEX SMITH Ipswich Lad to Taroom Local (Pt1)

Sun, 04 Feb 2024 02:36:33 GMT

In 1957, Lex Smith, his younger brother Trevor, and his mates from Ipswich embarked on a journey to Taroom, seeking a new life in the bush. This journey marked the beginning of a rich tapestry of stories and memories. Lex shares tales of the welcoming locals, colourful characters, and the enduring spirit of the times. Listen to his captivating recollections in Episode 1 (Part 1) as he reminisces about the old days, encapsulating the essence of Taroom's history and the endearing community spirit. Stay tuned for Part 2 as his narrative unfolds further.

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TRAILER Lex001 - First Podcast Coming Soon (Jan2024)

Mon, 20 Nov 2023 09:56:17 GMT

TRAILER - Episode 1 "Ipswich Lad to Taroom Local" COMING SOON! Leesa Bongers' first guest, her 85-year-old father Lex Smith, a Taroom local for more than 66 years, chats about his earliest memories of the town and some legendary characters he has known since 1957. Colourful tales mixed with nostalgic memories are guaranteed to put a smile on your face and sometimes bring a tear in your eye as Lex reminisces about the good old days.

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