SHEEP TO BE MOVED

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 128, 3 June 1927, Page 8

SHEEP TO BE MOVED

19,000 BY MOTOR TRANSPORT

TO ESCAPE QUEENSLAND

DROUGHT

(From "The' Post's'? Representative.)

•~," „ SYDNEY, 27t;» May. Hie pastoialists of Central and Northwestern Queensland have been "up against it during the last two years or so because ot a drought that seems.as if it is never going to end. They don't care to think how long it is since the last solid rain fell, and though great areas of the btate have been relieved, there are still many districts as badly as, ever in the throes of the drought. To save 10,000 sheep last year one squatter paid £1500 to move them 180 miles to good agistment, and the experiment was a success. But that feat. pales into insignificance beside a project that is now maturing. To move 19,000 sheep 300 miles over drought-stricken country is the gigantic scheme oT Mr. Sol Green, owner of Llanrheidol Station, near Wintpn. Mr. Green, a Melbourne bookmaker and racehorse _owner, was,,ever renowned for the magnificent scale on which he did things irom Jaying a wager to backing his own" horses, but no greater gamble has,he tried io'?Kft* i onV ie'is" n® : ; planning; "Tlib: 19,000 sheep that arc to be transported' are air that remain of the Llanrheidol Hock, which for many years numbered about 70,000. For about twelve months these sheen have been roaming the country in search of grass arid water, for Llanheidrol has been drought-stricken. The property has now sufficient feed for the sheeg, .but the difficulty is to get them'from Lake Machattie, near the t South Australian border, to the property, owing to the intervening country still being in the grip of the drought. When they went from Llanheidrol, they passed through country that has since been dried bare by the rainless .'spell, and now they are practically locked in on all sides by drought-stricken country, through which it would be impossible to take them back on ■' foot to Llanheidrol. The droving of the sheep being out of the question, it was once proposed to hand feed the stock en route, and have boring plants ahead to provide water sup-' plies, but this would have cost more than the sheep were worth. Consequently it was decided to engage motor transport at 7s per head for the 300 miles trip, a total cost of £6650. . . ■ But even that price may. be increased. When Mr. Green's manager, Mr. Spenceley, put the proposition before owners of motor-lorries in Winton and Longreach, they were dubious as to whether they could make the work pa"y at 7s per head. Eventually six lorries were procured, and these have set off to Lake Machattie. If the work pays at 7s per head,' it' will be continued. Owners of four-ton.lorries.do-ing'the trip hope to-carry 150. sheep per trip with two tiers of crates, and owners of two-ton lorries propose .carrying 80 head. One optimistic fellow has gene with a one : ton lorry, which will, carry' about 50 sheep at the most. He would have to do the trip, 600' miles there and back, for only £17 10s The lorry men propose rushing, the sheep over the.3oo miles of dry country in.,.30 hours without food and water. The sheep are in fairly good condition; and should be able to stand the "strain. The trip will be a difficult one for the drivers, as the roads in that^back country are very bad. It is said that, some of the worst roads in Queensland are on that route, and that says a.lot. Graziers throughout Australia are watching the unique project with great interest."