The Drover

by Pat Ritter

Droving in outback Queensland was a roaring trade in the late 1940's and 50's. Australia lived off the sheep's back with wool being one pound sterling for one pound of wool. Everyone had money. Sheep and cattle needed to be taken from place to place. It was common to see at least six droving camps taking sheep or cattle across the outback of south-west Queensland from property to property. This book is about the life of Harry Williams, who wanted to be a drover, the same as his father and grandfather before him. At aged ten years he left school and commenced work. By thirteen years he had his own droving plant. By twenty-one he was a fully pledged drover in his own right. At times he overcome many obstacles in his path. One epic trip he was Boss Drover to take 500 bullocks from Bulloo Downs in South West Queensland to Clifton Hills in South Australia, a journey to take twelve months. He was the last of the ole drovers. A huge part in Australian history.

148 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 23, 2011

Reviews

[Diana Hockley · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are many books written about a bygone era and The Drover is one such. Pat Ritter's novel tells the true story of Harry Williams, a drover who hit the road at 13 and followed the life until it eventually faded due to the arrival of road transport for shifting stock.

Harry Williams was a magnificent man who saw his share of tragedy in losing his newborn son and who took on his deceased sister's twelve children without much assistance from his brother-in-law. Altogether Harry and his wife, Rose, raised fifteen children during their life on the road.

I thoroughly enjoyed this account and hope many people read this chronicle of stamina, honesty and a work ethic which would send many of today's youth into shell-shock just thinking about it. The hardy people of our history need to be written about before their deeds are long forgotten. The muster of the long paddock is enacted once a year in northern Australia and it is about to begin right now. It is heartening to see the tradition maintained and writer's such as Pat Ritter are doing their bit.

[Peter · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Drover

As a kid (I was born in 1950) I dreamt of being a drover so this story rally resonated with me, along with the fact that I love stories about Australia in the bush. In a way the prose is a bit rough but that is in keeping with the time and the story. A good read if you are into Australian historical novels.

[Lorraine Price · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fascinating story about a family in the Australian outback that continues the tradition of herding sheep or cattle across the miles of land by horseback and wagons.

It's a relaxing story and an easy read. There is danger, romance, and intrigue.

It describes the lifestyle, the work ethic, and the common chores of an era gone by.

It was interesting to learn what different words meant that I have never heard before like drover, cockies, and wagonettes.

How they camped and what they ate, even how they preserved their food was interesting.

The ending was confusing and came too quick. There are a lot of grammatical errors, but I could still read it in spite of it all. Overall, a great story!

[Roxanne]

The Last of the Drovers

This is a story that tells the life of Harry a driver since he was 13 years over. I was amazed at what an Australian driver did for a living. Being an American I was fascinated to learn about the history of the Australian driver. Truly a five star story.

[Joan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely loved this book. Read it in a day. Had a few places that I have travelled through in southwest Queensland. Having a country background appreciated this book a little more.

[Angie Dokos · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting story. Especially since it's based on true stories.