30.05.2026

Another very hot day is coming to an end, geckos are chattering, cicadas are still chirping. The full moon is already visible, but this full starry sky of the desert is missing. What does one do on a Saturday in Katherine? We took a short stroll through the town in the morning and had some 'animal' experiences. The dog looked great in the glasses, and as you can see, even birds visit McDonald's. We found a special outfitter for cowboys and cowgirls very interesting. They had everything for humans and horses, from hats to shoe cream for the boots, as well as equipment for bridles and saddles. The selection of boots for kids was fantastic! Many people here walk around dressed this way, not tourists, but the farmers or their employees. We could see this in the afternoon during the presentation of the 'Katherine Outback Experience' on a farm nearby. The owner and ideator is Tom Curtain, himself a good rider, singer, and multiple Golden Guitar winner who is currently on tour. You can also find him on a popular music platform (Spotify). Only a few women work on this farm, training the horses and dogs for work in the fields. They demonstrated and explained this in specially set-up arenas. For this, goats were also needed to show how the herding dogs work. Horses must not be startled, for example, when the whip is cracked. They need to be capable of accelerating from a standstill, making sharp turns, and stopping abruptly to catch runaway cattle. To train 'nerve strength', dogs or goats sometimes 'ride' on the horses. This requires a long teaching phase. It's a typical women's job on the farms! Huge respect from the spectators! The kids were allowed to feed and pet the animals...! Two breeds of cattle were also shown, which cope well with the dryness and warmth here. The breed with the hump and 'slobber neck', similar to zebus, is particularly well-adapted. We learned a lot again and experienced real woman power!