Dedicated to the land
The trials and tribulations of a Wimmera man working on the land across Australia in a career spanning more than a century is the focus of new book ‘Strike Me Roan!’.
Retired stockman Richard Morphett, of Nhill, spent more than 28 years documenting his life and recalling stories from when he worked on sheep and cattle properties in South Australia, the Northern Territory and Victoria to write the book.
Morphett uses tales of mateship combined with humour to encapsulate the Australian ‘can do’ spirit and recall a way of life that has changed significantly.
In 1950 as a teenager, Morphett spent his formative years working on his father’s cattle station in Australia’s ‘Red Centre’ or Alice Springs.
In his working life, he met some great outback characters and larrikins, and many other pioneering men and women.
The book further expands on a time when Aboriginal stockmen taught him the art of the outback, their lingo and how to survive off the land and bushfoods.
Morphett said he particularly enjoyed the process of making the book, when memories came flooding back to him while he sat down to write it all down.
“I’m in my 70s and nearly 80 now, and I astounded myself writing this book,” he said.
“Once my brain clicked into gear I absolutely amazed myself being able to remember things that happened 65 years ago.”
Morphett is planning an official book launch at Horsham’s Redrock Books and Gallery in August.
He said he was forced to postpone the launch earlier this month due to Victoria’s fifth COVID-19 lockdown.