Outback Photography - John Rickertt - Brisbane custom framing and quality prints.


Bronco Branding In the past, many calves were branded using this method. It was very nearly a lost skill, until it was revived and became a recreational and competitive sport.	Channel Country The scattered red sandhills that provide refuge during floods, contrast vividly with the lush green pastures of the naturally irrigated floodplains of the Channel Country.	Combined Effort Horseman and helicopters combine their efforts to yard this mob of cattle.

Coming to Life John considers it a privilege to have been able to witness and photograph the beginning of new life.	Coolibah Waterhole In the Channel Country, leafy coolibah trees line the banks of the magnificent waterholes of Coopers Creek providing shade for animals and refuge for wildlife.	Coopers Creek Channel Country Following heavy rains in the upper catchment areas of Coopers Creek, the channels fill and flood out. It is sometimes necessary to move cattle to higher ground. This work is usually carried out with the use of helicopters.

Corellas Corellas gather in large noisy flocks throughout south west Queensland, sometimes in their thousands. As they rise from the ground, it remains a mystery how they avoid in-flight collisions.	Crossing Talpi Waterhole Sometimes during mustering, cattle have to cross waterholes to get to the yards for drafting or transporting from the property.	Dust and Mud Rain on the unsealed roads of the Australian Outback creates difficult and sometimes hazardous conditions for the drivers of these heavy and multi-tyred road trains which are used for transporting cattle to various destinations.

Dusty During mustering, dust from the hooves of hundreds of cattle rises into the air as they weave their way across the landscape towards the yard where they will be drafted into required weight ranges.	End of a Day The sunset reflects the end of a day as well as the passing of a previous era.	Final Light As it slowly disappears behind the clouds, the lowering sun casts a final pencil glow across the rippling floodwaters in a futile attempt to lengthen the inevitable end of another day.

Flood Mustering During the course of flood mustering in the Channel Country, it is often necessary for cattle to be swum over or driven across flooded waterholes and channels in the move towards safer ground.	Flood Peak - Jundah Thomson River - 1st March 2000 The slow movement of water down Australia's inland river systems is shown in this image as the small township of Jundah is encircled with water.	Forty Decks Fleets of road trains have revolutionised the pastoral industry with their capacity to move quickly and efficiently large mobs of cattle to various markets, from property to property, and away from drought stricken areas. This particular lift involved the movement of 1200 head of cattle.

Glistening Waters In the early morning sunlight, Coopers Creek floodwaters glisten as they meander across a Channel Country floodplain on their long and winding journey towards Lake Eyre.	Heading for Greener Pastures In the Channel Country of south west Queensland, beef production is a major industry. Following seasonal rains and floods, cattle are moved in large numbers to take advantage of the lush and varied pastures.	Heading for Home For the mustering pilot, the low setting sun signals the end of the day and a well earned rest after spending long hours inside the bubble.

Kurrajong Creek After rain, there are many idyllic rock pools like this hidden amongst the hard run off areas of the Queensland Channel Country.	Long Shadows In the soft early morning light, cattle quietly stringing out along the fence, cast long shadows as they are mustered from the holding paddock for transportation to the feedlot.	Lush Pastures In the swamps of the Channel Country, natural lush green pastures result from the rich silt, deposited over the years by floodwaters from the upper catchment areas of Coopers Creek.

Man's Best Friend	Mills and Tanks Precious stockwater is pumped by windmills from beneath the ground into supply tanks of various shapes and sizes. This stone tank was built in 1934 using a rarely seen construction technique. The two round tanks built in later years of corrugated iron rusted out and have been lined with cement and externally mounded up with dirt for support. (turkey nested)	Movin' Em Out The steady rise and spread of the floodwaters in the Channel Country often necessitates the movement of cattle to higher and safer ground.

Moyen Station Moyen Station Thomson River - April 2000	Mustering On the larger Australian outback properties, the area of paddocks is huge with some being 600 sq km and greater. Helicopters, in radio communication with horsemen and motorbike riders on the ground with the cattle, are used extensively for their ability to muster these large areas quickly, efficiently and economically.	Mustering Candue Swamp The movement of cattle is always a significant activity on a pastoral property and here we see such a movement captured.

Paper Daisy Wildflowers Wildflowers are abundant in south west Queensland following winter rains.	Pelicans In the Queensland Channel Country, on rare occasions, after flooding, pelicans gather in large numbers to build their nests and rear their young.	Rebel Whirlywind On what is known as spinifex country in south west Queensland, lightning strikes cause large bushfires during the summer months. Once established, they create their own environment, from which huge whirlywinds can be formed.

Rebel Whirlywind 2 When Rebel Whirlywind is framed, this photograph in a 150 x 100mm size is inserted into the matt-board as a second image.	Road Trains Road trains are a principal source of transport to move cattle around the outback of Australia. The vastness of the Australian Outback is a vivid contrast as these large vehicles create a dusty change to the environment.	Seeking the Higher Ground As the cattle lead out towards drier ground and better pastures, the movement of the mob through the slow moving floodwater disturbs and suspends the nutrient rich silt of the floodplain.

The Big Splash Heavy rains in the hard upper catchments of the Channel Country can quickly turn the normally dry creeks into vast areas of slow moving floodwater.	The Bronco Panel Before the advent of the modern day branding cradle, bronco panels were built so calves could be caught and pulled up to the panel for branding. Was it good old bush ingenuity; was there a shortage of timber or maybe the digging was just too hard when this gum tree was utilised as a post in the construction of this bronco panel?	The Bronco Panel 2 When The Bronco Panel is framed, this photograph in a 150 x 100mm size is inserted into the matt-board as a second image.

The Long Lonely Haul The majority of cattle in the Australian Outback are transported quickly over the long lonely dusty tracks by modern day road trains, whereas in the past, cattle were walked for months along designated stock routes.	The Old Sheep Yards These two photographs of old sheep yards in a remote area of south west Queensland are both framed in the one frame unit.	The Old Sheep Yards 2 The yards were built with the sweat of the pioneer and probably abandoned due to the harsh conditions and the devastating effect the dingo had on the sheep herds.

The Reds Red Santa Gertrudis steers are transported from the Barkly Tableland to the Channel Country for growing out to target weights. They then move to feedlots to be grain finished for specific markets. Strong yards, plentiful water, holding paddocks and coolers adjoining the yard make the handling of large mobs of cattle easier and less stressful.	Time to Go As the sound of the approaching helicopter grows louder, the cattle decide as one that it's time to go. Dust begins to rise as the mob moves off briskly in a futile attempt to escape another muster.	Western Sunset This image reflects the many colours seen in a sunset in south west Queensland.

Whirlywind On what is known as the spinifex country, lightning strikes cause large bushfires during the summer months. Once established, they create their own environment, which can produce huge whirlywinds.	Whirlywind in Spinifex Burn This huge whirlwind lifting large quantities of dust and cinders into the air creates an awesome spectacle as it moves uncontrollably across the landscape.	Wild Lilies These colourful lilies carpet the low-lying areas following rain and floods in south west Queensland.

Yarding up 3576 Head Large numbers of cattle are mustered to No 1 Yard, South Galway for drafting. Once drafted, some are transported from the property while others are moved to different paddocks to improve productivity.	Yarding the Mob Sometimes helicopters assist with the yarding of large mobs of cattle.

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