A trip through the ‘Long Paddock’

The Long Paddock is a very old name given to the roadside where it is used to graze sheep or cattle in Australia when the stock owner doesn’t have enough feed on his own property. The animals fed in this way are known as being ‘on agistment’ and the term is also used where they are agisted to a property which is not drought affected and has feed. There should be signs warning you about the stock on the road as they are not fenced off and may wander across as they like. This is when you can get up quite close and personal to a Poll Hereford, or a big woolly Merino. You also need to keep your eyes open for kangaroos and emus, not to mention wedge-tailed eagles, rabbits and hares, echidnas, snakes and goannas.