Voices of the Gascoyne

Chris & Tim D'Arcy - The Lyndon Legacy

In this episode, we speak to Tim and Chris D’Arcy from Lyndon Station. Tim D’Arcy’s childhood on Lyndon Station was full of adventure and freedom. Accompanied by friends and mentors from the local Aboriginal community, he developed a love of the land and a dream to own his own station one day. And, with the help of his wife, Tim would make that dream come true several times over. Today, Lyndon Station has been under the care of the D’Arcy family for over 90 years. To start our conversation, I asked Tim to share the story of how his father came to be on Lyndon.

Jos & Jenny - From Wandina to Williambury

Jos Percy’s childhood on Yoothapina Station was cut short by drought and war. Instead of making mudcakes and mustering sheep, he changed schools 12 times in 3 years, as the threat of invasion dictated his father’s postings in the army. After the war, the Percy family found their way to Wandina Station in the southern Rangelands - initially as managers, then as owners. It didnt take long for Jos to adapt to station life again, as he worked on properties around the country before coming home as manager. It was during this time he met his future bride, Jenny, and together they embarked upon the management of Williambury Station in the Gascoyne for the next 30 years, before achieving their goal of purchasing the property. At the time of this recording, Jos and Jenny were ages 89 and 82. To start our conversation, I asked Jos to tell me about his earliest memories.

Jane & Lochy McTaggart - A big life at Bidgemia

In this episode, we speak to Lochy and Jane McTaggart, who called Bidgemia Station home for over four decades. They say they’ve lived a big life — and they mean it. Together they endured the challenges of life in the bush - the ones that were part and parcel of working in agriculture, like drought and death, and those they could never have seen coming - a catastrophic flood which almost destroyed everything they spent their lives working for. Throughout it all, Lochy and Jane have raised a family, built a community, and created a legacy that runs strong today. To start our conversation, I asked Lochy to take me back to where it all began.

Mick & Winsome - Treasured Memories from Middalya

In this episode, we speak to Mick and Winsome Hearman, whose family called Middayla Station home for 120 years. For four generations, the Hearmans poured their blood, sweat, and tears into the land, building a thriving sheep station and enduring the highs and lows of life in the bush. They’ve seen it all—from facing the devastation caused by fires, cyclones, and droughts, to the introduction of aerial mustering and motorbikes. In fact - Mick played a key role in the design off the first off-road motorbike developed for mustering in Australia. In this episode, Mick recalls the golden age of pastoralism, a time when the wool industry flourished and the outback was alive with opportunity. But he also shares the heartbreak of the wool market crash that changed everything. And if that’s not enough, we’ve got a love story woven into this incredible journey—a testament to resilience, partnership, and the unbreakable bond between two people who’ve weathered it all. It was an absolute privilege to sit down with Mick and Winesome, who at the time of this recording, were both 89 years young. So, let’s dive into the lives and legacy of the Hearmans.

Margot Steadman - Sliding Doors led me to Dalgety Downs

In this episode, we speak to Margot Steadman. Upon finishing school, Margot had the ultimate “sliding doors moment” which led to a life she could never have imagined as a child. Raised in suburban Perth, she helped a friend apply for a Governess position on Landor Station in the Gascoyne, and thought nothing more of it. When her friend backed out of the interview on the day due to nerves, Margot stepped in so the employers wouldn’t be stood up. And then, she got the job she’d never intended to apply for. Margot ended up falling in love with the boy next door on Dalgety Downs Station, where they would spend two decades managing, then owning the property, and raising their children, before moving to Wooramel Station on the coast for another two decades. From fixing windmills to mustering sheep, cattle and goats, dealing with death (both human and animal), to droughts and floods - with a healthy dose of laughter and good times in amongst it all, there’s not much she hasn’t seen or done. Margot’s story is incredible, and a shining example of how you never know where life will take you, and that you don’t know what you’re capable of until you try. To start our conversation, I asked Margot to share the story of that fateful moment that led her to Landor Station