Yes, as the cattle stations are remote it is only practical that you live on the station with us. In your own room, and depending on the station, it will either be shared bathroom or if you are lucky you will have your own.
NO! It gives you more Independence if you have, however it’s not a necessity you can always work in with other people on the station. It is also an advantage to have a manual driver’s license.
Enthusiasm and eagerness to learn. It definitely can be challenging, in a rewarding way to look back on. We will teach you. However, depending on the jobs, and task at hand you will be suited to your experience.
Less experience people to be helpers, E.g., if a second person is needed to help out with a job, e.g. fixing pipe fittings, in the shed. From Cleaning jobs. Feeding pody calves, gardening. Odds and ends! So, lots of random things depending on how enthusiastic you are and keen to get involved.
Less experienced people- first years and backpackers- will be giving the chance to learn and expand there knowledge whilst being an offsider to someone with more experience. You will start off from the bottom so do not be afraid to get down and dirty, cleaning jobs, gardening, feeding poddies are all a start. But remember jobs will be given depending on how enthusiastic and keen to get involved you are, which will mean you will be able to climb the job ladder to bigger and more co-depenant jobs.
It’s not a necessity to have to be able to ride a horse, however it defiently is a bonus and a different view. Stations will hopefully have a quiet horse that you can ride and maybe you will have the opportunity to learn whilst working there. If you are a confident rider it means you will be more versatile when it comes to horse use, however do not panic as there are still other forms of transport that you will use instead. we have a quite one if we are walking cattle out. handy if you are confident means you’re more versatile but …
Depending which station you go and work on, some are close to a town others are a good day outing (one way!) …. they will all have their advantages and disadvantages, you just need to find them.
Some of the bright sides to the job:
living out of town – not influenced by city life living – the wild life bird life – the quietness – getting back to nature
Distance from town depends on what station you are on, so defiently do some research about the location before you set yourself on a station- if you are a party person that goes to town every weekend then either this job isnt for you or you could learn to adjust yourself.
Some of the bright sides to a remote station job is living out of town, not being influenced by city life and the constraints that come with it, being able to find yourself and your true passions. Wild life is a big plus- so if you are a photography then remember to bring your camera!
YES! – like we say in the website, “if you are willing to learn – we are willing to teach!” It can be tricky for some, but if you have ridden a push bike or a scooter that’s a good start. You don’t need to be motor cross riders, because they a a common form of transport on station when mustering and fencing.
Great question! Now every station has different rulse. But I stumbled across this great article written by the crew at Aileron Pastoral Holdings – Aileron Station. And they NAILED IT! This is why some stations are sceptical on you bringing a DOG! PLEASE READ ALL OF IT.
“NO DOGS ALLOWED.”
Lets talk about dogs. Everyone loves them, and so do we. The ‘no dogs’ condition is very common on cattle stations and every time we advertise a position vacant, we come up against the old dilemma “No dogs?? But I have a dog, can I bring him, he’s a good dog…”.
No, you cant.
But why – isn’t that a little unfair. Doesn’t every man have a dog? Every family have a dog? Every country girl love her dog?
Well, here’s some of our reason’s why.
1. We’ll start with barking, because that’s the one that pisses everyone off the most.
I know your dog hardly barks, that’s what we all think. But full moon, dark moon, half moon, full shadow, little shadow, windy night, still night, dogs bark at things. Sometimes the owners sleep right through, sometimes the owners have to get up and stop their dog from barking. Either way, someone is pissed off.
They wont bark if they’re in your room. But you are not keeping your dog in your room, because we provide your accommodation, and no, dogs do not live in the room we supply for you. *Memories of scrubbing the floor after that one bloke let his dog sleep under his bed on a painted concrete floor for a whole year. Ticks. Fleas. Yuck*
2. Chooks, poddy calves, horses, other peoples dogs.
Read: dead chooks, bitten calves, chasing horses, fighting with other peoples dogs.
3. Dingoes.
Them on heat. Your female dog on heat. Them prowling around, making your dog bark (see # 1).
4. 1080 baits.
No, you cant take your dog to work all day everyday, this is why. We have a wild dog problem, and we treat that problem. And no, you are not leaving your dog at the homestead all day for someone else to look after (see #1 & 2).
5. Cages, chains & crap.
Yes, dogs crap. Every station has seen a lot of dogs live in their
own crap because their loving owner couldn’t give a crap about the crap. And yes, dogs on the property will be chained or caged (see #2 & 3 & 4).
6. Exercise. (See #5).
Yes, your dogs need exercise. Some people do exercise their dogs, some people don’t. We don’t allow ‘donts’ because ‘don’ts dogs bark & crap (see#1 & 5), but you’ll be offended if I tell you when you need to exercise your dog because guess what,
– its your dog. See # 8.
7. Dogs at work.
Chasing cattle. Being tied up on a hot Toyota in the sun (or taking up a front seat where staff are meant to sit?).
8. Arguments. We all live here.
Sometimes people don’t love dogs or your dog as much as you do. Yes, we do have dogs here. They live in cages and are let out for exercise morning & night. Some of them have their very own job, and they are all educated to living here and they all follow the rules.
We have staff who have lived on the property for a long time, who have bought a dog here – those staff have our blessing. Until you know us, know the job, know the environment, know the responsibilities of living on our property, you can not bring a dog. I know your dog is amazing. Bring them later, when we know you are amazing. 
“
️WRITTEN by the amazing group at Aileron Pastoral Holdings – Aileron Station
YES! – There will always be some sort of arrangement available depending where you go for a job.
If you land a job on a large cattle station there will be food and accommodation provided as you are far from town.
You’ll have your own room and usually shared amenities block.
NO! – It’s not a necessary to be able to ride a horse, but once again depends where you land your first cattle station job. Sometimes stations might have a quite one if they are walking cattle out with beginners. It’s handy if you are confident, because that means that you are more variable, but like we said if you have the right attitude we are always eager to learn you things, such as ridding a horse.
WORDS/Slang USED ON A CATTLE STATION
Big smoke
Another word for town
Billy can
A tin used over a camp fire to boil water for tea or coffee
Bore runner
Someone who drives around the station checking water points for the cattle regularly
Bronco
The old traditional way for branding calves (we are grateful these days for calf cradles!)
Bullock
Mature steer
There are many meanings for “bush”; like when drafting cattle someone calls bush, this means sending the wet cows “bush” going back to there paddock. another one could mean your going bush (outback).
Calf cradle
It’s a metal frame where we can safely (for calf and human) tag and treat the calf.
Another word you can use in different sentences, from going camping (sleeping outdoors), having a camp. (sleep in the middle of the day, old fashioned under a shady tree)
Helicopter
Unbranded and un tagged cow
slang for cockatoo , or a farmer
A wire gate
Slang for an easy job
Cup of hot drink, or any drink
Poor quality not to trust (something that may need redoing properly!)
Hot water system
Separating cattle into different groups.
Is formed when driving on dirt roads, can be dangerous if driving in it because you can’t see, so you need to keep a safe distance wait til it’s settled so you can see.
Maintaining and fixing an existing fence to keep the cattle in the right paddocks.
another word with different meanings, it’s a ball in a water trough to stop it from overflowing. Or it could also be a slang word, that you are ready to go (float)!
Old fashioned way of keeping horses close by when having a camp, with a belt that goes around there front legs.
A male worker
A female worker
An animal that is going to be eaten
Finish work for the day
Cleanskin bull. It’s a male, that has missed being processed and when found (depending how it’s handled) can be quite quick and a bit scared/angry.
“I do say there just a big weaner…”
or slang word for a group of “anything”
Wet Season / dry season can vary depending on which part of Australia you land a job.
People also talk in “doing a season” (referring as a time)
That 5 minute break that takes half an hour lol
it’s just a slang word aussies use for an informal food break.
A term used to describe when walking cattle.
Another word for dinner.
A small dam, that holds water, but is filled by pumping water.
Is an animal taken off it’s mother “weaning it from milk.” It’s a very important process because it is setting the animal up for life, in health and temperament.
Whirly bird
Is another description for helicopter
Somewhere to sort and segregate cattle into there groups
Poison for wild dog and pig control
Please if there are any other words or terms, that you would like to know, please ask us, so we can update this page.