The Knudsen family weaves through a paddock on stockhorses,
among hayed-off grass that’s brittle after a cold winter and glimmering
like a sea of gold. They’re tailing weaner heifers - training them how to
behave in a muster - and the occasional “whoop” echoes across the
flat as the mob slips into a steady rhythm. It’s not only an education
for the young cattle.
The Knudsen family weaves through a paddock on stockhorses, among hayed-off grass that’s brittle after a cold winter and glimmering like a sea of gold. They’re tailing weaner heifers - training them how to behave in a muster - and the occasional “whoop” echoes across the flat as the mob slips into a steady rhythm. It’s not only an education for the young cattle.
“I enjoy working with my boys,” Darcy Knudsen says. “It gives me the opportunity to teach them what I know and show them what I believe to be the right way to do things.
“I enjoy working with my boys,” Darcy Knudsen says. “It gives me the opportunity to teach them what I know and show them what I believe to be the right way to do things.
“I enjoy working with my boys,” Darcy Knudsen says. “It gives me the opportunity to teach them what I know and show them what I believe to be the right way to do things.
Darcy and his wife Kara own 150,000 acres across southern and north-western Queensland, where they run 10,000 head of mostly Santa Gertrudis cattle. Rosehall - 80 kilometres from Mundubbera in the North Burnett region - is where the family calls home. “The boys have been away at boarding school and that was good for them,” Darcy says, “but now it's nice to have them home.”
Darcy and his wife Kara own 150,000 acres across southern and north-western
Queensland, where they run 10,000 head of mostly Santa Gertrudis cattle.
Rosehall - 80 kilometres from Mundubbera in the North Burnett region - is
where the family calls home. “The boys have been away at boarding school
and that was good for them,” Darcy says, “but now it's nice to have them home.”
Tom (18) and Jack (15) have worked alongside their parents for as long as they can remember - absorbing wisdom that was sometimes opaque until viewed through the rear-view mirror. When Jack was in primary school he was part of a muster involving particularly unruly cattle that Darcy deemed too dangerous for his young son, so he tied Jack’s pony to a tree and rode off. “I was sitting there for about an hour or so before he came back,” Jack laughs.
Tom (18) and Jack (15) have worked alongside their parents for as long as they can remember - absorbing wisdom that was sometimes opaque until viewed through the rear-view mirror. When Jack was in primary school he was part of a muster involving particularly unruly cattle that Darcy deemed too dangerous for his young son, so he tied Jack’s pony to a tree and rode off. “I was sitting there for about an hour or so before he came back,” Jack laughs.
Tom (18) and Jack (15) have worked alongside their parents for as long as they can remember - absorbing wisdom that was sometimes opaque until viewed through the rear-view mirror. When Jack was in primary school he was part of a muster involving particularly unruly cattle that Darcy deemed too dangerous for his young son, so he tied Jack’s pony to a tree and rode off. “I was sitting there for about an hour or so before he came back,” Jack laughs.
When we arrive at Rosehall, Darcy and the boys are making fittings to hold spare tyres on the back of their utes.
When we arrive at Rosehall, Darcy and the boys are making fittings to hold spare tyres on the back of their utes.
When we arrive at Rosehall, Darcy and the boys are making fittings to hold spare tyres on the back of their utes.
“Mark it with a small hammer,” Darcy instructs Tom, before wheeling out the
oxy torch they use to cut a gentle curve in the steel. Sparks explode from the
workbench, lighting up the shed like a Christmas tree. “My grandfather was
a sawmiller and cut all the timber on his property and built all the buildings",
Darcy says, “so there's a streak of resourcefulness in me.” He maintains a
"good dump” at Rosehall - a place for materials that have no use now, but
might in the future. “It's really about ingenuity and adaptability, ”Kara says,
“and that's what comes through the generations.”
“Mark it with a small hammer,” Darcy instructs Tom, before wheeling out the oxy torch they use to cut a gentle curve in the steel. Sparks explode from the workbench, lighting up the shed like a Christmas tree. “My grandfather was a sawmiller and cut all the timber on his property and built all the buildings,” Darcy says, “so there's a streak of resourcefulness in me.” He maintains a good dump” at Rosehall - a place for materials that have no use now, but might in the future. “It's really about ingenuity and adaptability, ”Kara says, and that's what comes through the generations.”
While tradition runs deep through their operation, the Knudsens are a modern farming family. Kara runs the business side of things, while Darcy has a leading role in operations which means plenty of one-on-one time with their sons. “I'd absolutely say he has a certain way that things have to be done,” Tom says, “and generally he makes sure that it works out the right way". The boys both have plans to leave Rosehall: Tom to study for his pilot’s license and Jack to head north and work on a remote cattle station.
All their parents can do is hope they’ll boomerang home afterwards.
While tradition runs deep through their operation, the Knudsens are a modern farming family. Kara runs the business side of things, while Darcy has a leading role in operations which means plenty of one-on-one time with their sons. “I'd absolutely say he has a certain way that things have to be done,” Tom says, “and generally he makes sure that it works out the right way". The boys both have plans to leave Rosehall: Tom to study for his pilot’s license and Jack to head north and work on a remote cattle station.
All their parents can do is hope they’ll boomerang home afterwards.
While tradition runs deep through their operation, the Knudsens are a modern farming family. Kara runs the business side of things, while Darcy has a leading role in operations which means plenty of one-on-one time with their sons. “I'd absolutely say he has a certain way that things have to be done,” Tom says, “and generally he makes sure that it works out the right way". The boys both have plans to leave Rosehall: Tom to study for his pilot’s license and Jack to head north and work on a remote cattle station. All their parents can do is hope they’ll boomerang home afterwards.
“I don't think they have to feel that they are bound
to the property,” Darcy says, “but I would like them
to think it’s a greater life here - that ‘why would you
want to go anywhere else?'”
“I don't think they have to feel that they are bound to the property,” Darcy says, “but I would like them to think it’s a greater life here - that ‘why would you want to go anywhere else?'”
Succession is a loaded word in agriculture, but the Knudsens say
they’re doing far more than preparing to hand over their assets.
“We’re focused on the transfer of knowledge which starts much
sooner,” Kara says. “It's about making good leaders and then
whatever [the boys] choose to do - whether it's farming or
something else - they can make good quality decisions.”
With work finished for the day, Tom and Jack unsaddle the horses and load them onto the truck, ready to return them to the house paddock where they’ll rug them up for the night. The family stops for some afternoon smoko on a hill that hasn’t yet been swallowed by the cool afternoon shadows.
With work finished for the day, Tom and Jack unsaddle the horses and load them onto the truck, ready to return them to the house paddock where they’ll rug them up for the night. The family stops for some afternoon smoko on a hill that hasn’t yet been swallowed by the cool afternoon shadows.
With work finished for the day, Tom and Jack unsaddle the horses and load them onto the truck, ready to return them to the house paddock where they’ll rug them up for the night. The family stops for some afternoon smoko on a hill that hasn’t yet been swallowed by the cool afternoon shadows.
“It's nice to see the boys grow and develop
and learn things,” Darcy reflects.
“It's nice to see them just be a part of the world.”
“It's nice to see the boys grow and develop and learn things,” Darcy reflects. “It's nice to see them just be a part of the world.”
