Life as a stockman in the Kimberley a dream job for Michael

It turned out that losing his mining job was the best thing that ever happened to Michael Ford.

Originally from country Victoria, Michael moved to the Kimberley in Western Australia to work in the mines but lost his job in the mining downturn. Then he saw advertised an Indigenous pastoral industry skills programme and now works at El Questro cattle station, building his stockman skills and living his dream life.  

“I grew up on a farm in Victoria so I’m used to hard labour,” Michael said.

“The programme covers how to saddle a horse, run cattle, service motorbikes and ride quad bikes. It’s tough being away from my family but I have found my true home here and fell in love with the Kimberley.”

The five week skills programme is run by East Kimberley Job Pathways and involves mustering about 6,000 head of cattle, including trucking, yarding, drafting and sorting, at the giant El Questro cattle station.

The programme aims to provide job seekers with work ready skills in the pastoral industry. Local elders are keeping a watchful eye on the trainees as many fondly remember Aboriginal stockmen working at cattle stations throughout the Kimberley and hope to see their return.

While Michael has a farming background, many novice stockmen come to the programme with no experience and, with their new Akubra, ride a horse for the first time. The programme allows for these greenhorns by introducing them to quiet horses until their riding skills improve and there has also been interest in running an Indigenous women's only programme at El Questro.

With any luck these trainees will become as skilled as Michael, who seems like he was born to be a stockman.

“I’m giving it my all and I hope I can keep doing this for the rest of my life,” Michael said.

“At the end of the day not many people get to do this. It’s like I’m in a movie.”