Beginning with a humble sheep operation, the McCrabb family of North Bundy station has taken every opportunity to build diversity and expand their ethical farming business.
Story Katrina Weatherly Photo Georgie Mann
Two hours have ticked over since shearing cut out in the North Bundy woolshed and the unmistakable smell of wool hovers. Jack the kelpie enjoys a welcome rest under the shade of a ute. The hectic pace of the shed has eased. But without the constant drone of the shearing machines, the quiet is almost eerie. There’s an emptiness, as if the spirit of the building left with the last mob of shorn sheep.
But there’s no stillness for the owners of North Bundy station, at Booroorban in the south-west of NSW. Peter McCrabb ties protective covers over the woolshed down tubes. His wife Lisa has little time to catch her breath after days cooking for the shearing team. She’s preparing for the imminent arrival of guests to their recently renovated station stay accommodation, a new enterprise in their existing farm business. The sense of teamwork is palpable, with a pragmatic, positive can-do attitude that looks for ways to make opportunities work.
This story excerpt is from Issue #143
Outback Magazine: June/July 2022
