The population of Brooweena in the Fraser Coast region only just eclipses 100 people, but everybody knows Brian Bargenquast.
He's a regular face at the Biggenden cattle sale or helping locals to muster cattle and spray weeds.
But the 57-year-old does it all without the full use of his legs.
"There is no good sulking about it," he said.
"I enjoy chasing cattle and the first thing I wanted to do [after the illness] was ride a horse."
Brian was 14 when his life changed forever.
It was just an ordinary Saturday in September when Brian went to help on his grandparent's property, Hillview.
He returned home at about 2pm, went to go to the toilet and slowly lost the ability to stand up.
"By 4pm that afternoon they took me to the hospital and I can't remember much more for a couple of days - I just blanked out," he said.
The cause - chickenpox.
"I remember when I was getting sick or spewing and I said, 'I'm sorry' and I turned the light switch off and never came back around until Monday afternoon," he said.
"I had no feeling from here (waist down) at all. You could stick a needle in, I couldn't feel it. I couldn't move them (legs), I couldn't do nothing."
Brian stayed in hospital for several months, and while he regained feeling in his legs - his movement was impacted.
He never went back to school and instead was able to help a local producer milking on his dairy and mustering cattle on horses.
Time has been the biggest prohibitor and 43 years later Brian's balance isn't strong enough for horses anymore. Instead he relies on his quad bikes and, more recently, his 'Zoomer' segway to get around.
There are gaps in his sheds and his different sized motorbikes are perfectly positioned around his property so he can lift himself from one to the other.
Ramps have replaced steps on sheds and every gate on Hillview is an iron one so Brian can open and close them without the need to stand.
Alongside his parents, they run a Charolais and Simmental breeding operation on 360 acres, turning off weaners.
But to stay busy, he also gives up his time to work for some local friends.
For several decades he has helped muster cattle for the Geritz family and even without the strength of his legs, he still manages to capture calves in the head bail.
"He is so inspirational," Margaret Geritz said.
"He knows his cattle and my cattle. He really shows us able body, two legged people up. He is always there, always helping and always wants to."
For Brian, agriculture and farming has been a passion that nothing could stop him from pursuing.
"When I help people, it's just for something to do," he said.
"Without these things, I would go mad."
- Over the coming week, ACM Agriculture will be sharing stories of people succeeding in agriculture with disabilities, as we lead up to International Day of People with Disability on December 3.
Lucy Kinbacher
Raised on a cattle property at Biggenden, Lucy Kinbacher has spent 10 years working across metropolitan, regional and rural publications in both Queensland and NSW. Lucy has been the editor of the Queensland Country Life and North Queensland Register since 2021.
Raised on a cattle property at Biggenden, Lucy Kinbacher has spent 10 years working across metropolitan, regional and rural publications in both Queensland and NSW. Lucy has been the editor of the Queensland Country Life and North Queensland Register since 2021.
