Life on the Wild Lands

In the course of her career Nicole Alexander has worked both in Australia and Singapore in financial services, fashion, corporate publishing and agriculture. A fourth-generation grazier, Nicole returned to her family's property in the late 1990s. She is currently the business manager there and has a hands-on role in the running of the property. She is also the author of several novels, including 2015’s epic novel of bravery, loyalty and impossible love, Wild Lands.

Nicole takes us through what an average day on the farm is like, and shares some wonderful photos.

My day starts with a twenty minute drive to the main homestead. The road’s pretty busy, usually, with kangaroos, wild pigs and foxes and the odd sheep or cattle that have escaped onto the stock route along the side of the road.

This morning it’s pretty quiet.

We mustered cattle in yesterday from our western boundary, so I call in at the homestead for a quick coffee and to discuss the day’s work with my Dad, then it’s straight to the cattle-yards...

We’re going through some mobs of cattle and drafting out cull cows for sale – that is older cows and those cows that are not pregnant. It’s a good day’s work and after a 6 am start, I’m ready for a break by the end of the day.

It’s getting late, so I head home to my cottage and feed the new kelpie pups. Then it’s writing time...