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Meet the MacDonnell’s from “Wallaroo” – Deportment classes

Justin & Pauline MacDonnell and their young family are the owners of “Wallaroo”, a 71,000 acre cattle station nestled in the Carnarvon Ranges in Outback Queensland.  The property is part of BOOBOOK’s Ecotours, where guests in small intimate groups enjoy private access to this diverse property with local ecologist, Craig Eddie as one of the guides.   Located approximately 1.75 hours north of Roma, Queensland, our guests either partake in a day trip or stay longer to really experience and soak up the atmosphere in the outback and country way of life.  There is so much to do on “Wallaroo”, so our recommendation should you have time is to gather a group of friends and come stay with us for at least three or four nights.

The MacDonnell family work and live on “Wallaroo”.  Their farm produces beef for the domestic Australian market as well as food for their own family. Here are some notes from Pauline about her every day normal life as a mum in the Australian bush:

“Raising a family is with no doubt the hardest job there is.  The endless washing, cooking, cleaning, picking up of toys, refereeing arguments – it goes on and on and on.  But at some point every day you receive either a genuine thank you, an enormous smile, a bear hug or a one liner that makes you laugh so hard, you know it’s all worthwhile.

Our little MacDonnell clan consists of Isla aged 6, Struan 4 and Angus 8 months old.  They are all great mates and despite the arguments get along really well.

Our little Miss Isla Mac is quite the bush kid, making the most of her surroundings. Nothing much fazes her.  Our farm produces beef for the domestic Australian market as well as food for our own family. Not long ago we butchered 3 pigs and Isla was most interested in the whole process.  She also enjoys watching the preg testing of our cows.  I don’t think I’ll have to bother with the “birds and the bees” talk as she seems to be completely across it at the tender age of 6.  She’s very aware that there is a big wide world out there and takes a lot of interest in the many international visitors we have here at Wallaroo.

My Mother, Nan, was visiting the other day and thought it about time we introduced Isla to some deportment lessons.  We all found a book and in order to develop our posture, we practised walking in a straight line with the book balancing delicately on our head.  Isla and Stru thought this was a great game which was enjoyed for several weeks to come.

Sometime later while visiting Nan and my father Wal, Isla thought it appropriate to show off her new found skills.  She removed her empty lunch plate from the dining room table and balancing it carefully on her head, proceeded to sashay around the table.

Wal was full of praise.  “Oh Isla, you do look like a little lady walking with such beautiful posture.”

Isla replied, “I’m not a lady Wal.  I’m pretending to be African!”

Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha!!!  It makes it all worthwhile………”

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