Page 242 - Mit dem Wohnwagen durch Australien

On the other hand, nature offers us many surprises. During a hike in the Warrumbungles we have seen our second
Koala in free nature. He slept peacefully on his gum tree and just blinked at the camera with one eye. Barely 200 m
further had we encountered a large Goanna crossing our path. Shortly thereafter we disturbed two herds of Kangaroos
who were munching grass together with two Emus. A young Kangaroo, a Joey, still in mama’s pouch, mustered us
interestedly and will soon hop around on its own little feet. A few days earlier, we were so lucky to see an Echidna
cross the road just before us. They resemble a hedgehog but have longer snouts, lay eggs but then give milk to their
young, an animal which exists only in Australia. So far we have spotted over 60 different, sometimes colourful,
birds. I think the Rainbow Lorikeets are the most beautiful.

There are lots of dogs on the campground and we got to know some very special breeds. One of them is the
spoodle a cross between spaniel and poodle, or the Cavoodle a cross between a Cavalier King Charles and a
Poodle. The most common is the Bitser. When I looked questioningly at the owner she smiled and said: You know,
a bit of this, a bit of that...

GOONDIWINDI
The quite magical name has lured us to Goondiwindi. The Touri info told us, that there was hardly anything worth
visiting in the neighbourhood, but that was the understatement of the year. Gundy was home to Gunsynd, the
legendary gray race horse in the 1970s. He got the name from the Goondiwindi Syndicate which bought it of AUD
1500. Not only has Gunsynd won just about everything there was to be won, but he was a horse with a rare
personality. When he heard the crowds on the stand applauding his success, he bowed once or twice in the direction
of the spectators. He showed himself to all the photographers and pranced and preened himself until he was led
away. He was the darling of the masses and even got a song which was a long time leading the top ten, he
Goondiwindi Gray. Now there is a large statue in the middle of the village. Gundy is a cotton centre with two cotton
gins and lots of cotton fields, next to farming, wool and cattle. Our visit came at the most convenient time, it was
Gundy Show time. Of course we went to the opening of the Art show with Champagne and warm and cold nibbles.
The real show started the next day with Horse performances, cattle and sheep shows, and competitions in all
agricultural categories. One of the wool judges showed us for what he looked in a Champion Merino fleece. The
wool has to be very fine, finely crimped, strong, reasonably clean and long. In the afternoon we went to the shearing
competition.. The shearers gave their best and were not only judged by the time per sheep, about 2 min, but also on
the amount of cuts they inflicted on the wrinkled skin of the sheep. In between the rouseabouts or “razzers” as they
are lovingly called, the wool handler, were also judged. A razzer has to take the freshly s cut fleece by its hind legs
and throw it in one flow flat on a table, headpiece at the far end, outside wool upside. Then the razzer takes away the
dirty and felted pieces all around the fleece in a jiffy, throws these pieces on different piles, then the yellowish wool
has to be eliminated and goes to a separate pile, the remaining white fleece is folded and put on yet another pile. In
between the razzer has to make sure, that the workplace of the shearer is clean of wool and sweeps the remnants
under the table. A razzer serves two to three shearer.

A good shearer manages about 130 sheep a day. They are paid be sheep. All in all, pretty hard work. We know this
firsthand. We got to know a farmer at the show who invited us for a visit to his farm.

SHEEP STATION
Right after our arrival on Sunday afternoon, one hours drive away from Gundy over some dusty gravel roads, and
even before we placed our caravan, we were on the way with Sue and Ian on their quads to muster sheep and bring
them to the woolshed. Then they 407 yearlings got counted and separated by sex. Pedro, the sheepdog puppy has
supported us enthusiastically. The first group of sheep was stabled in the woolshed for the night, so they would have
dry wool in the morning. After tea/dinner we went hunting foxes. The sheep are in lambing season and there is
nothing so tempting to a fox as a little lamb. Ian is a first rate marksman, he was a professional hunter in his younger
days. Early next morning, before first light, our alarm clock woke us just after 6 o clock. The two hired shearers Tony
and Todd wanted to start shearing at 730 and before the pens had to be filled with a first lot of sheep. Beat and I got
taught the work of a razzer from scratch. I was even able to have a go at shearing part of a sheep. After one and a
half hours of sweat producing work it was smoko time with tea, sandwiches and homemade cake. The work was
again interrupted by lunch and afternoon smoko. We have managed 220 sheep on the first day and we were
knackered. Next day, same time, same program, only a bit faster. We wanted to be finished after lunch and did it.
We pressed wool into bales; the shorn sheep were wormed and marked with a non-poisonous colour. Meanwhile
black rain clouds threatened on the sky and again we were on the way on the quads like lightning to get another
herd of sheep in. Sue drives a mean quad at all times, but this time she surpassed herself. These widders were