Arriving in Roma to see a big gas rig in the sky which is part of the Information Centre, then head to Roma Gun Club where we are staying for 3 nights. What a fabulous sunset the clouds look incredible.
Late start today and we decide to some sightseeing, we visit the Big Bottle tree, the largest in the Australia, systemic to Roma
Then onto some metal sculptures wow! They were mainly all for sale and I can believe how much work is involved for the price. Unbelievable the artistry and talent involved, as you can imagine there were many photos taken.
Found a car wash and gave the car a bath then headed to Woollies to buy some food and unfortunately we were backed into while parking the car. Thank goodness not much damage and door still opens.! Put dampener on the day.
The day has arrived that Cameron has been waiting for, the Roma Cattle Sales. We have passed through Roma a few times over but years and the sales never seemed to match up with our visits. Up early for us and meeting at the yards 8am for a 8:30 tour.
50 Acres of cattle yards, ramps for unloading and loading, wash down bays and truck, trucks and more trucks.
Bill was our guide and he gave a run down on the origins of the sales and where the cattle come from sometimes as far as Northern Territory and where the cattle mainly go after sold. He also gave a talk on the different breeds sold and where they come from, very different from Tasmania and Victoria. He also touched on the compulsory tagging of the animals and how they can be traced all over Australia. Then came the exciting part of watching the cattle being penned and then sold and shifted to be loaded to go to their destination.
How they keep track of who has bought what and then to make sure they are loaded and sent to the correct buyer. Saw a pen of cows shift from the yard by a horse rider (horse rider ducking the overhead metal bars and controlling where the cattle had to go, women are used as they are gentler.) and then re penned to being weighed and out the gate. Amazing! Looked up and here it is recorded a pen number 29, 408.20kg per live weight, 345.58 average kilo and the average price for each cow $1410.66. I tried to count how many cows there were but I would think about 15 so that particular pen sold for $21159.90, just goes to show how much money cattle are going for.
This particular sale 8500 beast were being sold and 500 pens were being auctioned in one day. There are 5 companies running the auctions consecutively ( a draw at the beginning of the year to who starts first and then rotate each auction. These teams consists of 5 people, Auctioneer, a bid taker, 2 pencillers( recording the sale and the buyer) & recorder for the sale yards. So can you imagine that over the year the sales sell 5000 average each sale and last year 250,000 beasts sold. This sale yard is the largest in Australia with Dalby being the second. Wow the mind boggles.
If you look at the photos, you will see shade cloth, and that is where the buyers are and the teams with auctioneer actually move along a metal walkway and they come off one walkway and immediately go to the next row and don’t get in the way, they are near running.
Well a lot to take in as I know but we were very impressed and I think if Cameron would have stayed all day if I had let him.
Coffee and I bought a rugby top from Golders. We see their ads all the time on TV, met the girl in the ad and we felt we knew her, a bit of a laugh with her when she knew we were from Tassie. After a perusal of their store tried to buy a long sleeve top but none in my size Cameron cheering in the background. Ran into a couple who are in the caravan park so planned to met for drink tonight at the Club.
What a town, loved Roma and hopefully come back another time. Packed and ready to move on to Carnarvon Gorge.
Bought fuel $1.655 a litre pity we were half full but a lovely surprise for the pocket. Passing through Injune a lovely little town topping up yet again as there is no fuel at Carnarvon Gorge $1.969 a litre. Moving on arriving at Carnarvon Gorge 3:30pm.
Bullhaven Antics 