He was a character
seemingly larger than life -
Dave –
a cattle-man,
tall and lean,
far seeing eyes,
broad brimmed hat
and a distinctive drawl.
A thousand square miles
of red sand,
spinifex,
desert oak
and mulga scrub
was his kingdom.
Some years before,
he had walked
a herd of cattle
twelve hundred miles
for nine months
to establish it.
We knew Dave
as neighbour,
fifty miles away,
not close
but always there
to provide support
or a talk
or coffee
along the track –
always a true bush friend.
A memory of Dave Fogarty from when we lived at Amata 1970 - 72.
Sunrise at Mulga Park,
Dave's Cattle Station,
on the way to Amata.
