After four months traversing some 600 kilometres of the long paddock, boss drover Bill Little delivered 1600 heifers to the Dalby Saleyards on Tuesday.
The Hughes family, Georgina Pastoral Company, will sell the heifers at the sale on Wednesday.
The No.8 Ultrablack-cross heifers were bred at Lake Nash on the Barkly Tableland and were trucked to Mitchell to be placed in Mr Little's care last November.
Mr Little delivered the heifers in a manner which can only be described as poetry in motion.
With his 'caution stock on the road' signs clearly visible for the rumbling traffic on the busy Moonie Highway adjacent to the saleyards, Mr Little relayed instructions to his stockmen by a two way radio in a calm voice, barely louder than a whisper.
Back in November the heifers were bound for Georgina Pastoral's Caldavale Station, near Tambo, which was awaiting rain.
When the rain did not eventuate, Mr Little travelled them through the stock route from Roma, did a circle through Wandoan and Taroom and back to Roma, before heading east to Chinchilla and into the Western Downs.
"The best of the feed was from Chinchilla east," he said.
While local producers have walked smaller lines of cattle to the Dalby Saleyards, it is understood this is the first time in 50 years a drover has entered the gates with this number of cattle.
Joint selling agent Peter Daniel, GDL, Dalby, said the interest in the line of one-brand of heifers was very positive with inquiry coming from the Darling Downs, the south west and north west Queensland," Mr Daniel said.
"More recently, central Queensland producers were also showing interest," Mr Daniel said.
"A month ago we had zero interest to significant interest due to some good falls."
"Georgina Pastoral has invested heavily in genetics, and it is the first time these heifers have been presented, as in a normal season they would be held for their own use."
GDL is offering the heifers in conjunction with Peter Ryan of Northern Livestock and Property.
Caldervale Station manager Angus Rains arrived at camp on Monday with a team of stockmen to help with the final walk.
He said the staff at Western Downs Regional Council at Dalby and the general public could not have been more accommodating.
"To access the saleyards we pretty much traveled down the busy highway and got pretty close into town," Mr Rains said.
"Both the WDRC logistics coordinator was outstanding and the general public were very understanding of the cattle traffic."
Since the decision to sell the Georgina Pastoral heifers, Lake Nash had received 90 millimetres of rain while neighbouring Argadargada received 230mm. Caldavale Station had received 50mm and it was still raining on Tuesday.
Mr Little will return to north west Queensland in the coming weeks to take delivery of a second mob from Georgina Pastoral as they continue to off-load their cattle from the Barkly Tableland.
The heifers will be offered and penned in deck lots and sold on Wednesday.
Helen Walker
Helen is the Toowoomba-based journalist who loves nothing better than covering anything horse sport related, however she covers all commodities and personality yarns. Over the years she has lived in Brisbane, Rockhampton, Longreach and Roma filing stories for the 'bible of the bush'. Contact 0459 827414.
Helen is the Toowoomba-based journalist who loves nothing better than covering anything horse sport related, however she covers all commodities and personality yarns. Over the years she has lived in Brisbane, Rockhampton, Longreach and Roma filing stories for the 'bible of the bush'. Contact 0459 827414.
