Course itinerary
Build your Aussie cowboy / cowgirl skills fast on this 14 day Jackaroo / Jillaroo course. Get amongst the action and immerse yourself in all the work in progress on this fully working sheep and cattle farm.
This 13 night / 14 day Boots’n all package takes care of transport for you as it includes return transport from Sydney as well as pre and post course accommodation in Bingara.
If you are a new rider, then ‘no worries mate’ as you’ll start off nice and easy at your own pace and all horses are ‘bombproof’ to ensure you get familiarised with all of the animals and machinery in no time at all. If you are an experienced rider, there are plenty of zippy horses to suit all riders.
You'll be welcomed on the farm just like one of the family as you learn the skills of a real life Jackaroo / Jillaroo. You'll get lashings of country cooked meals and sleep soundly in station style comfort as well as experiencing sleeping out under the stars one evening.
Go learn to muster sheep, cattle and horses, get involved in yard work, fencing and whip crack away on this learning holiday experience with a difference.
Suitability
- Suitable for all
- If you have no horse riding experience, you’ll receive private tuition to quickly build your riding skills
- Minimum age 18
Course Start Dates
- All cowboy / cowgirl activities start on Sunday mornings throughout the year
Detailed Itinerary
Please note that ‘Garawilla’ where you’ll be taking your holiday course is a fully working farm and that no week is ever the same as the other. While the core of the program is always covered, the activities and experiences on each course day change subject to jobs needing to be done on the farm so please be prepared to be flexible during your holiday course.
Day 1 - Transfer from Sydney
- On Saturday, you’ll transfer from Sydney to Bingara where you’ll spend your first night in a basic hotel in town
Day 2
- 8.30am: Arrival day and introduction to the farm and horses
- Pick up from the Fossickers Way Motel in Bingara by your host John, time for some last minute shopping before heading to the farm
- On arrival at the farm, you’ll have a brief announcement by the farm staff, welcoming all new Jackaroos & Jillaroos, you’ll get an overview of the property, preview the week’s Jackaroo /Jillaroo program, an introduction to Aussie horsemanship, Australian stock saddle, whip, saddle bag, quad pot and other Stockman gear (Stockman = the Aussie word for cowboy)
- 11am: Break for Smoko (morning tea) followed by a shoeing demonstration before you meet your horse and saddle up
- 12.30pm: Break for lunch
- 2pm: This afternoon you’ll go for your first ride along the river checking the foals and mares in the paddocks
Note:
- Beginners will have one-on-one instruction to make them feel safe on the horse and to build their horse riding skills quickly
- Experienced riders will enjoy an exhilarating ride with plenty of cantering through the river and learning the Australian way of riding
- 5.00pm: Your first day ends as you transfer to homestead where you’ll kickback after a shower and a good meal to enjoy the country sunset on the wide veranda of the Homestead
Day 3
- 7.30am: Up early to enjoy a traditional Aussie breakfast
- 8.30am: Today is all about sheep
- You’ll have a sheep skills demonstration and will participate in sheep shearing with a shearer (shearing is seasonal)
- Learn how to shed, fly blown sheep, to sex sheep, learn general sheep maintenance ‘Roustabout’ in the woolshed
- Learn how to pickup fleece, throw the fleece, skirt the fleece, roll the wool, sweep up the locks and all other general duties.
- Learn how to crutch sheep, woolshed roustabouting, pressing wool, gear maintenance
- You’ll end with a general explanation of wool, the industry, the different roles and a day in the life of the shearing team
- 10.00am: break for Smoko which is some billy tea & baked damper
- 10.30am: More sheep skills
- Demonstration of working dogs rounding up and penning sheep
- Learn basic livestock handling duties including how to handle sheep in the yards & race
- Learn how to draft & count sheep (don’t fall asleep!)
- Learn how to drench sheep
- Learn how to identify sheep sexes, breeds, age and health
- Learn all general sheep maintenance & care including woolshed roustabouting, pressing wool, back lining and treating fly blown sheep
- 12.30pm: A well earned lunch break
- 2.00pm: After lunch you’ll help out with the sheep
- You’ll help out at the farm station woolshed & do some yard work
- You’ll learn to pen & drench sheep in race (a substitute water for drench)
- Participate in drafting sheep with a shearer
- Check for fly blown sheep with a shearer
- Learn how to muster sheep back into paddocks
- 5.00pm: After a full day you’ll go back to the homestead and enjoy some free time before dinner and some evening entertainment
Day 4
- 7.30am: Up early again today for an Aussie breakfast
- 8.30am: Today you’ll learn all about cattle mustering
- Learn how to work cattle on horseback
- 10.00am: Smoko break for some billy tea & baked damper
- 10.30am: Learn to muster cattle into yards
- 12.30pm: Lunch
- 1.30pm: After lunch you’ll take part in some cattle yard work
- Learn how to work with cattle in the yards including drafting cattle and how to force cattle up the race
- Learn safety & precautions when working with cattle in yards including gates, movements around yards and cattle temperaments
- Check cattle tags and cattle records
- You may have a chance to do some cattle pregnancy testing, recording weights, drenching, inoculating and cutting out cattle on horseback
- At the end of your day you’ll muster the cattle into a new paddock
- 6.30pm: Return to the homestead for some free time before tonight’s dinner and evening entertainment
Day 5
- 7.30am: Aussie breakfast
- 8.30am: Today you’ll learn a stockman's skills
- Learn about horse health care, maintenance, diet, behavior, history, farriering, dental and more
- Feed and check on the horses
- You’ll help out with farriering, drenching horses, caring for sick or injured horses, replacing any lost shoes, dentistry, horse gentler
- 10.00am: Take a well earned Smoko break
- 10.30am: Ride around the farm station checking fences, clear and repair “pop holes” and damage caused by kangaroos, pigs and vermin
- 12.30pm: Take a break from riding for lunch
- 2.00pm: Learn fencing skills this afternoon
- Learn how to build a stock proof fence
- Learn how to dig holes and position posts, strainers, stays
- Learn how to spin wire and strain a fence
- Learn use of fencing equipment including spinner, fencing pliers, drill and strainers
- Learn how to repair a fence including damaged “pop holed” fence
- Learn how to hang a gate and how to repair a flood block
- At the end of the day you’ll pick up firewood and build a campfire
- 6.30pm: Again you have some free time before dinner and this evening’s entertainment
Day 6
- 7.30am: Aussie breakfast
- 8.30am: Today you’ll learn more about handling the horses
- Learn how to approach young horses, their behaviour and thinking patterns and safety aspects in handling a young horse
- 10.00am: A Smoko break with billy tea & baked damper
- 10.30am: You’ll learn how to break and start a young horse as you get a horse to trust you through the use of games
- You’ll then introduce your horse to gear and tack
- 12.30pm: Take a well earned break for lunch
- 2.00pm: This afternoon have some fun as you ride and swim with the horses in the river
- 5.00pm: Join your fellow Jackaroo / Jillaroo’s for some well earned beers at the pub in Bingara
Day 7 and 8 – Weekend
- Relax at the weekend and either stay at the farm joining in with the farm duties
- Alternatively, you could choose to spend the weekend in Bingara at a local hotel and try fishing, swimming, golf or just relax
Day 9
- 7.30am: Aussie breakfast
- 8am: Today you’ll focus on working with young horses
- Learn how to approach young horses, their behaviour and thinking patterns and safety aspects in handling a young horse
- 11.00am: A Smoko break with billy tea & baked damper
- 11.30am: After Smoko, you’ll have a shoeing demonstration followed by an intensive lesson on how to trimm a horses foot, use farrier tools, safety and more
- 12.30pm: Lunch
- 2.00pm: This afternoon you’ll ride along the river checking the foals and mares in the paddock finishing the day with a swim in the river
- 5.00pm: Again you have some free time before dinner and this evening’s entertainment
Day 10
- 7.30am: Aussie breakfast
- 8am: Today you’ll work with the sheep and horses
- You’ll join in with some general farm work and will also learn more skills on how to start a young horse
- 10.00am: A Smoko break with billy tea & baked damper
- 10.30am: After Smoko, you’ll continue with the general farm work as you work with the sheep to practice your sheep skills
- 12.30pm: Lunch
- 2.00pm: This afternoon you’ll pen and drench the sheep in race (substitute water for drench)
- You’ll help the shearer draft sheep and check for fly blown sheep
- At the end of the day, you’ll muster the sheep back into the paddocks
- 5.00pm: Again you have some free time before dinner and this evening’s entertainment
Day 11
- 7.30am: Aussie breakfast
- 8am: The morning will be spent working more with a young horse
- 11.00am: A Smoko break with billy tea & baked damper
- 11.30am: After Smoko, you’ll muster the cattle into the yards
- 12.30pm: Lunch
- 2.00pm: This afternoon you’ll take part in an exciting team penning activity
- Team penning requires exceptional teamwork, well trained horses and a love of speed
- This is a well practiced tecnique out in the bush and on big cattle stations
- Learn this great skill and have lots of fun ending the afternoon with a competition which is one of the highlights of the course!
Team Penning
Step 1: Build a team of three riders and three horses
Step 2: Count 30 head of cattle in a herd, each cow is numbered 0 to 9 on its back, there are three cows of each number
Step 3: Start at one end of the arena, when the timer is ready, all three riders will ride toward the herd at the opposite end of the arena
Step 4: Pass the start line and the announcer will call out a number, 0 to 9
Step 5: The idea is to take three cows with the number called out by the announcer, then separate them from the rest of the herd and move them into a pen at the other end of the arena
Step 6: Get all three cows with that number and bring them back to the pen within a previous agreed time
Step 7: Don't let more than five cows of other numbers cross the start line or your team will be disqualified
Step 8: If you get any cows in the pen other than those with the called number, you'll have to remove them and send them back to the other side of the start line before time stops
Step 9: Receive a time for penning only two cows, but any team penning three cows, even with a slower time, will be ahead of you
- 5.30pm: At the end of the team penning competition, you’ll finish the day by mustering the cattle into the paddocks
- 6.30pm: Again you have some free time before dinner and this evening’s entertainment
Day 12
- 7.30am: Aussie breakfast
- 8.30am: Today you’ll work with the horses and will also build on the fencing skills you gained in your first week
- You’ll continue to work on your young horse skills as well as general work around the farm
- 10.00am: A Smoko break with billy tea & baked damper
- 10.30am: After Smoko, you’ll start working on your fencing skills as you learn to maintain fences and yards on a farm
- Learn how to dig holes and position posts, strainers and stays
- Learn how to spin wire and strain a fence and how to use all fence building equipment
- Learn how to repair a fence, hang a gate and repair a flood block and pop holes
- 12.30pm: Lunch
- 2.00pm: This afternoon you’ll build on your stockman skills, building a campfire and checking the pastures
- 6.30pm: Again you have some free time before dinner and this evening’s entertainment
Day 13
- 7.30am: Aussie breakfast
- 8.30am: On your last day, you’ll work with your young horse before trying barrel racing
- 10.00am: A Smoko break with billy tea & baked damper
- 10.30am: After Smoko, you’ll continue to work with the horses and take part in some general farm work
- 12.30pm: Lunch
- 2.00pm: Indulge your need for adrenaline with some barrel racing
- Barrel racing is a timed rodeo event, where the fastest time is what matters most and Cowgirls compete in the arena against each other and the clock
- Barrel racing is about cooperation between horse and rider, because of the competition and money involved, finding a good horse is very important to the competitors, a top of the line barrel horse can cost up to $50,000
- For the barrel racing event, the arena is cleared and three barrels are set up at different marked locations
- The riders then enter the arena at full speed, quickly rounding each barrel in a cloverleaf pattern and then exiting where they entered
- A stopwatch or timer is used registering down to a hundredth of a second as speed is what it is all about in this event
- The riders steer their horses as close as they can to the barrels trying to shave precious seconds off the clock
- 5pm: After an exciting end to your time as a Jackaroo / Jillaroo you’ll head to Bingara for a few well earned beers with other local Stockmen
Day 14 - Friday transfer to Sydney
What Will I Learn?
- Mustering sheep, cattle and horses
- Yard work
- Fencing & yard building
- Whip cracking & roping
- Handling foals
- Working dogs in action
- Aussie style horse riding
- Working with young horses
- Work in progress
- Swimming with the horses
- Sheep shearing (seasonal)
- Barrel racing
- Team penning
Accommodation on the Farm
- Accommodation is included for 11 nights
- All Jackaroo and Jillaroos will have the run of the place
- You’ll stay in an authentic farmhouse with kitchen, separate showers and toilets, lounge room with TV, three bedrooms and wide open verandas
- Check-in on Sunday morning and check-out Thursday afternoon
Pre and Post Jackaroo/Jillaroo Course Accommodation
- This package includes Saturday and Thursday night in a basic hotel in Bingara
- You’ll stay in a dorm room with shared facilities
- Breakfast is included
Meals on the Farm
- All meals are included and are home cooked by your hosts
- Vegetarians are catered for, please put any special dietary requirements into the special request box at the time of booking
- Water is provided but we recommend you bring soft drinks/beer/wine if you would like to drink this during the week
Pick-Up And Drop Off Information
- This course includes return transport from Sydney by train and bus, full details will be printed on your course voucher
- Your train leaves Sydney at 10.05am and arrives into Bingara at around 6.30pm on Saturday
- You will return to Sydney at 8.23am, arriving at Sydney train station at around 5pm on Friday
What To Bring
- Towel
- Sun Hat
- Swimmers (yes people can swim with their horse in the river!)
- Sunblock
- An old cloth (this can be purchased at Second Hand Store in Bingara on Mon morning)
- Phone card (there is a phone available in Homestead)
- Camera to capture your cowboy / cowgirl adventures
Please note that most things including drinks can be purchased in Bingara on Mon morning. Your host John will take everyone around for last minute shopping when you meet Sunday.
Certification
- Upon completion of the 12 Day Jackaroo Jillaroo program you will receive a certificate
- This certificate recognises your participation in our program
Post Course Jobs
- If you fall in love with Jackroo / Jillaroo life the school offers job guidance and will advise what jobs may be available to you
- You can apply for a job after your first day on the course
- You are not guaranteed employment but the school will help introduce you to potential employers
- You may also be invited to stay on and work at the farm in return for board and lodgings with typical compensation around $100 per week
Get more from your holiday, have fun and experience life as a Jackaroo / Jillaroo on a real working farm in Australia. Take home your cowboy / cowgirl skills that will stay with you long after your holiday is over and who knows, you may end up putting them into practice with a job on the farm.