Life on a remote cattle ranch in the Kimberley Desert of Western Australia.
House Roof Hill, a distinguishing landmark situated West of Carlton Hill Station homestead. Carlton Hill is 3,675 square kilometers of wild alluvial flats and black-soil plains situated 50 km north-east of Kununurra in Western Australia. A grazing ground for 50,000 head of brahman cattle.
Andrew Alexander, acting manager of Carlton Hill Station, along side his wife and co-manager, Karla Alexander, moved their family of three boys from Queensland out to the Kimberley Desert. Andrew hopes to give his children a similar experience to his own childhood; growing up with a father who managed livestock properties in the Northern Territory.
Ned Alexander (9) kneels in a feeding trough with a cattle-dog pup. Ned is the youngest Alexander and the only one of the three sons who live year round on the station. The two older boys are in Queensland bordering schools most of the year and return on school holidays. Ned is the youngest person within 50 kilometers. He studies remotely out of a small school house with the help of a governess.
In Australia, lots of livestock handling and management is overseen by young Australians gaining their first work experience out of high school. Traditional job titles of Jackaroo and Jillaroo are given to the young workforce, who spend the whole season (9 months) working alongside livestock in remote corners of the continent.
Working the main “yard” at the CHS homestead.
Cameron Butt and Henry Logan repair a dirt-bike tire while the rest of the stock camp, including young Ned Alexander, wind down at the end of the working day.
A long term family project, the Alexander & Sons Cattle Station. A miniature property equipped with all the standard features of a large scale property. Here Ned works some cattle in the “yard”.
After moving the stock camp to “Mick’s yard”, north of the homestead, Cameron Butt (left) and Jamie “ Mulga” Mackenzie take a break while waiting for the rest of the crew.
Jamie “Mulga” Mackenzie (19), concussed and on his way to the Kununurra Hospital. After losing control of his horse while on a cattle drive he was knocked off by a tree branch. He returned to work two days later.
Taking a break during a cattle drive. After completing her secondary education at a Gold Coast boarding school, Sophie Donaldson (19) wanted to return to the country life. This is her second year working on the Carlton Hill stock camp.
Ashleigh Bielenberg stokes the fire on an over-night backpacking trip to summit House Roof Hill. Bielenberg had transferred from another remote Western Australian livestock property to become Ned’s governess and aid him with his long distance learning.
Cattleman, Zac Mooney (20)
Cameron Butts (20) preparing a recently killed bull. Once bulls become too old to mate, or have begun to slow down the heard, they are sometimes killed and butchered to feed the station staff.
Recently de-horned juvenile cattle.
A network of diversion dams and the construction of Lake Argyll, Australia’s largest man-made lake, allow the Ord River to flow year-round. The Ord provides properties like Carlton Hill with enough water to sustain it’s large number of livestock and help sustain the regions agriculture based economy during the dry months.
Ned Alexander soaking in the terrain that has become his home. A view from House Roof Hill looking over a bend in the Ord River. After their season managing Carlton Hill Station, the Alexanders returned to Queensland to manage a new business and keep the family closer together.
On opposing sides of the Sikhote-Alin Mountain range in the Russian Far East province of Primorsky-Krai; Udege Legend National Park (Удэгейская легенда) and Sikhote-Alin Nature Reserve (Сихотэ-Алинский заповедник) are both home to the endangered Amur tiger.
Terney, Russia
Udege Legend National Park, Russia
Ranger housing at the entrance of Udege Legend NP, Russia
Ussuri river, Russia
Udege Legend National Park, Russia
Udege Legend National Park, Russia
Sikhote-Alin Nature Reserve, Russia
Sikhote-Alin Wildlife Reserve, Russia
Sikhote-Alin Wildlife Reserve, Russia
Sikhote-Alin Wildlife Reserve, Russia
Sikhote-Alin Wildlife Reserve, Russia
Sinkhole-Alin Wildlife Reserve, Russia
Sikhote-Alin Wildlife Reserve, Russia
Sikhote-Alin Wildlife Reserve, Russia
Sikhote-Alin Wildlife Reserve, Russia
Traveling through Grand Canyon National Park.