Kilcowera is a Queensland cattle station with a thriving ecotourism business.
Story Bruce McMahon Photo David Kelly
Down the Dowling Track, in the midst of the mulga south of Thargomindah, sits a cattle property with welcoming old gates, wide open to accommodating outsiders through the winter months. Here is a land of genuine outback experiences – from birdwatching to stargazing, yabbying to four-wheel-drive expeditions. Visitors can also head out for a day’s work with station cattle over some of the 80,000 hectares or help check 200 kilometres of fencing or a dozen watering spots.
Kilcowera Station is a no-frills pastoral holding in the mulga rangelands of south-western Queensland owned by Greg and Toni Sherwin and family since 1980; the neighbouring property Zenonie has been with the Sherwin family since 1940.
Before the millennial drought began to bite in 2001, the Sherwins also ran sheep. “We got rid of most of the sheep and from there on in it just degenerated,” says Greg with a wry laugh. Yet this destocking of the properties was the catalyst that saw Greg and Toni add ‘tourism operators’ to their extensive rural resume. It has been, the pair agrees, a big learning curve.
This story excerpt is from Issue #119
Outback Magazine: June/July 2018
