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00:30This time on back roads, I'm heading to the hills where there'll be sheep thrills and sheer excitement.
00:41Got any tips? Keep practising.
00:47The hilltops region of south-west New South Wales takes in the towns of Boorawa, Young and Hardin.
00:57The locals here are proud of their heritage.
00:59Here we go.
01:00And there's much worth preserving.
01:02They're away, they're racy.
01:04From strange traditions.
01:06The blessing of the fleece.
01:07To priceless lives.
01:09Parrot paradise.
01:10Parrot paradise.
01:11It's amazing.
01:12These hilltoppers are making sure the next generations will share the good stuff.
01:18Oh, we've got one.
01:19Aww.
01:20I want to discover how this region manages to celebrate the roots of its past while sowing seeds for its future.
01:28I'm here for the most iconic event on Boorawa's calendar, the annual Irish Wool Festival.
01:43Good morning.
01:44Good morning.
01:45Good morning.
01:46Good morning.
01:47This is the main street of Boorawa.
01:50It might seem a bit quiet at the moment, but believe me, tomorrow it is going to be heaving with visitors.
01:56And the thing they're most excited about, the main event, the running of the sheep.
02:09With its stable climate and rolling green hills, this region is suitable for all sorts of agriculture.
02:16But make no mistake, at heart, this is sheep country.
02:26And where there's sheep, there's mustard dogs.
02:34Ashley Corkheal and his brother run a farm on the outskirts of town.
02:38Come on, come on, come on.
02:39Here, here, here.
02:40And while he wouldn't say so himself.
02:41Here, here.
02:42Here, here.
02:43Come on, mate.
02:44Here, here.
02:45Ashley's earned a reputation as the dog father in these parts.
02:50He and his dogs have even been entrusted with Boorawa's premier event.
02:55So, Ashley, they tell me you're the man to talk to about this infamous running of the sheep.
02:59I've been doing it for about 20 years now, behind the sheep.
03:02They've got 150 sheep there.
03:04They've all got an ear tag.
03:0512 o'clock comes round, gates open, sheep are out.
03:10The sheep race down the main street, past thousands of excited fans holding tickets that match the ear tag numbers.
03:18I try and control the sheep and the dogs and keep them moving.
03:21I've got to do my best to get them around the roundabout, which I don't think sheep know how to go around the roundabout, but we'll see how that goes.
03:28Once the roundabout's been negotiated, it's on to the home stretch.
03:33The first sheep past the post is the winner.
03:36150 sheep, what could go wrong?
03:39Oh, I don't know.
03:40150 sheep, a heap of screaming children, everyone trying to work the dogs.
03:43It can be quite complicated, but it's good fun.
03:46It's quite an iconic thing for Boorawa.
03:48Something's been going for a long time and hopefully it goes on for a lot longer yet.
03:51Sounds like I should meet these dogs.
03:53Let's do it.
03:58Come here, come here, come here, come here.
03:59Who have we got here?
04:00That's Dugan.
04:01He's eight.
04:02Yeah.
04:03This is Boss.
04:04He's about 15.
04:05G'day, Boss.
04:06And this is the youth.
04:08This is the young gun coming through, hopefully.
04:10I think it's about time this poor awful retired.
04:12I think it's about time he has a bit of a vacation on the veranda and we bring in the youth.
04:17So you're retiring, Boss.
04:19What about yourself?
04:20It won't be too far away, I don't think.
04:23My eldest fellow now, he keeps telling me every year, he said,
04:25just hang in there for a few more years, Dad, and I'll get some dogs going and I'll take it over.
04:29So we've got the next generation on both fronts.
04:31Hopefully, hopefully.
04:32So I'm hoping I can sit back at the pub and have a beer and watch him do it.
04:35Watch him there.
04:38At just 14, Billy is already training up his dog to take over the reins.
04:43Good boy, get around, get around.
04:45Good boy.
04:46Why is it so important to keep the tradition going?
04:49Through a small town community that does so much for you and your family.
04:52It's just a good way to get involved and give back to them.
04:54Watch him there.
04:55Good boy, get around.
04:56And it's just in the family now, you sort of don't want to let it go.
04:59Something you dreamt about since you were five.
05:02So, yeah, just really want to keep it going.
05:04Volunteering is the lifeblood of rural Australia.
05:08So it's great to see the younger generation so keen to get involved.
05:14I reckon Billy's not too far off running the sheep himself.
05:17Stop, mate. Stop, please.
05:19But the jury's still out on young Clancy.
05:22Right.
05:23He's never been off the farm.
05:25And at just 12 months, he's still an excited pup.
05:30All it needs is one rogue sheep and it can go pear-shaped.
05:33Absolutely, absolutely.
05:34Ah, ah, Clancy, Clancy, Clancy.
05:36And small communities have long memories.
05:40Still nervous about that.
05:41A lot of people watching.
05:42And if something goes wrong, they'll never let it down.
05:45Well, good luck for tomorrow.
05:47We're going to need it, I think.
05:48Is it wrong that I'd like to just see a bit of chaos?
05:51Everyone hopes for that, I think, but we'll see how we go.
05:54All right.
05:55Let's get into it.
06:10Hello.
06:11Ah, good morning, ladies and gentlemen.
06:13Welcome to the Borough Community Irish War Fest 2024.
06:18And it's a wonderful day.
06:20It's Borough's big day.
06:22And the town is abuzz.
06:24And what better way to get the party started than a blessing of the fleece.
06:29The blessing of the fleece.
06:30Almighty God, as we symbolically dedicate this fleece to our collective memories,
06:36let us also reflect on the fact that your beloved son, Jesus Christ,
06:41was sent as the good shepherd of the sheep, both human and animal.
06:47Amen.
06:49With the good shepherd well supplicated, it's on to more secular pursuits.
06:55Here we go.
06:56So we've got James the middle of driving the truck.
06:59Great effort.
07:00And now the Borough MPS with some of our great staff.
07:06Well done, Borough Hospital.
07:08And here's our lucky leprechauns.
07:10You can't miss the Irish flavour here.
07:13There's an Irish accent competition.
07:15I'm an Irish frock and I love Borough.
07:19Pipe bands.
07:21A Guinness pie-eating competition.
07:31Even a...
07:32Whatever this thing is.
07:37The story goes that former Irish convicts Ned Ryan and Roger Corcoran
07:42were amongst the first Europeans to settle in Borough in the early 1800s.
07:48Pretty soon, a whole host of cousins and friends from the old country
07:52arrived to join them.
07:55Today, their descendants still live here
07:57and are responsible for the town's Irish flavour.
08:08Well, when in Borough...
08:11Now, this is one of the highlights of the street parade.
08:15It's the shearing shack.
08:17Buster's only 11 years old on blade shears.
08:20That is one of the most difficult tasks you'll ever see.
08:22But of all the festival highlights,
08:24the thing I'm most impressed by is a little kid with a big mullet
08:29expertly hand-clipping a sheep.
08:32It turns out Buster is a bit of a local celebrity.
08:44At just 11 years old, he's already a shearing competition veteran.
08:51I used to be in the novice event, so that's the lowest grade.
08:58But I had to move up a grade because I won four shows.
09:02Four shows?
09:03Yeah.
09:04So I'm not versing kids my age, I'm versing adults.
09:09Well, it's just been my passion since I was little.
09:12Like, I used to go to the sheds, like, with Mum and Dad.
09:16Whenever we were shearing lambs or something, Dad would give me a go.
09:20How old were you?
09:21I think I sheared my first whole sheep when I was four.
09:24Four?
09:25Yeah.
09:26It was only a lamb, but, like, Dad just knocked the belly wool off
09:29and I sheared the whole thing.
09:31Just how I'd been brought up and it stuck.
09:34All the way up and break out under the chin. Beautiful.
09:39Fortunately, Buster has a good teacher on tap.
09:42His dad, Scotty, is a shearer.
09:44He had a potty sheep there at home for a long time
09:47and usually you shear your sheep every 12 months.
09:49Well, this one got a haircut every 12 days, I think.
09:52Every time he could catch it, he's sure.
09:54Come back and start again.
09:55All the way, all the way.
09:57To see him at his age and do what he does, it's pretty good.
10:00You can poke the chest out a little bit.
10:03Well done.
10:04Pretty impressive.
10:05He is.
10:06He's improving and getting better all the time.
10:08How hard is it to actually shear a sheep?
10:10We could give you a go.
10:12Promise I won't hurt it?
10:13No, no.
10:14We'll give you a couple of easy shots
10:15and you can have a go and see how it feels.
10:17Yep, that's pretty good there.
10:18Sorry, sheep.
10:21Why am I petting it?
10:23Just slow and steady.
10:25Okay, I'm ready.
10:26Nice.
10:33I am so nervous about doing anything wrong.
10:42Wow.
10:43That's her sheep.
10:44Well done.
10:45How did I go today?
10:46Good.
10:47For the first time.
10:48Yeah.
10:49Got any tips?
10:50Keep practising.
10:51Shearing's a tough job and these days not many young people are taking it up.
10:58We need to get more younger generation into it.
11:03What impact do you think Buster might be able to have?
11:06Yeah, it's got a bit of a role on effect with his younger mates at school.
11:09They see what he's doing and, you know, geez, look, Buster, he's shearing a sheep.
11:13I want to do that.
11:16Hopefully Buster and his mates can help preserve this iconic Aussie trade.
11:22As his dad, how do you feel about the thought of passing on these traditions and one day stepping
11:28away and Buster's the man?
11:31It's good to pass that knowledge on.
11:32Hopefully he can do the same later on.
11:34You feel pretty proud?
11:35I'm pretty proud of him.
11:36Yeah, for sure.
11:37Yeah, we all are.
11:50We've got all age groups there and may I compliment them on their spelling.
11:55Back in town at Woolfest, the countdown is on to the running of the sheep.
12:01I'm feeling nervous, but I'm sure Ashley's on top of it, right?
12:04No, I'm nervous.
12:05It's quite windy and the flags are all glowing and generally sheep don't like that.
12:13Here we go.
12:14They're out, they're away, they're racing.
12:15In charge of everything is Ash Corkill, his son George with him.
12:24Clancy, Doogie and Boss are his dons.
12:28Look at him go.
12:29Ash, the driver probably is hoping that they run up and down the street very orderly, but
12:38let's face it for the crowd, we want mayhem, we want chaos.
12:41I can feel the earth move.
12:42This is sensational.
12:43Uh oh.
12:44Oh no.
12:45I think we might have our chaos.
12:48We have some circle work on the roundabout.
12:49They can't get off the roundabout.
12:50They're not sure if that dog is helping or hindering right now.
12:51They're just going round and round.
12:55With Clancy back on the leash, good old Boss and Doog finally get the flock out of here.
13:20Here we go.
13:21Here we go.
13:22Here we go.
13:23Here we go.
13:24Here we go.
13:25Well done Ash.
13:26Well done Jules.
13:44Ashley, what went on there?
13:46I think Clancy needs a few more training lessons, I think.
13:49Yeah, he was a bit keen.
13:50So, you and Boss, back again for another year?
13:54Yeah, I think so.
13:55I don't think Clancy's going to cut the mustard quite yet.
13:58He just doesn't want to give it up.
13:59No.
14:01The sheep might not have run straight, but I reckon that's what the crowd wanted.
14:05Good crowd.
14:06The sheep were good.
14:07Yeah.
14:08Dogs weren't too bad.
14:09So I'll go lock these fellas up.
14:11Not the dogs, not the kids.
14:13And then I might have a beer, I think.
14:17Traditions like these are vital to country communities and wouldn't be possible without altruistic
14:22types like Ashley.
14:23And it seems in Borua there's no shortage of them.
14:33I'm about to meet someone who's preserving heritage in the form of feathers rather than fleece.
14:42I've had a few early starts in my life and I'll add this one to the list.
14:47But I'm on my way to another hilltops farm where I'm told I might be able to see the superb parrot.
14:57Ingrid Corcoran and her husband are creating a sanctuary for this threatened native species
15:03by planting tens of thousands of trees on their property.
15:07Hoping to attract all the birds, but in particular the superb parrot, which is our Borua native emblem.
15:14Today she's joined by Dr Damon Oliver from the Saving Our Species program that supports Ingrid
15:20and other Borua landholders.
15:23We do counts every year to try and find out how the superb parrot is faring.
15:27Right.
15:28So we're going to count the parrots.
15:29We're going to count the parrots.
15:30Yeah.
15:31What am I looking for though, Damon?
15:32Well, it just so happens, Lisa, in case we don't find a bird this morning, I have my friend,
15:41Holly.
15:42Who's this?
15:43This is the male, and as you can see, beautiful emerald green, but also really subtle blues
15:48and then of course the yellow and the red.
15:50The females don't have the yellow and the red, but they're still beautiful as well.
15:54Lead on.
15:55Lead on, yeah.
15:56Let's go.
15:59Ooh, what's that?
16:00It's a starling.
16:01Starling.
16:02Right, yeah.
16:04It's estimated that there might be as few as 10,000 superb parrots left in the wild.
16:10There's definitely a threat of extinction in the long term if we don't do something to
16:15address their threats.
16:16And the main threat for superb parrots is the loss of these big old trees.
16:20So big old trees form hollows.
16:22They take sometimes 150 years before they can grow a hollow, which is where they nest.
16:27And so the project we're doing with landholders like Ingrid is to try and protect the trees
16:32that are there now, but to also put back new trees for the future.
16:36Without landholders like Ingrid involved, then there'll be no more superb parrots.
16:43They're quite an elusive bird too.
16:45Now you tell me.
16:46Come on Polly, show yourself.
16:50After an hour or so of dedicated twitching, I'm beginning to wonder if the early start was worth it.
16:57Oh, this is her parrot calling now.
17:03Yeah.
17:04That's right.
17:05Where?
17:06Well, that way somewhere.
17:07Yeah.
17:08That's it.
17:09Yeah.
17:10That's it.
17:11That's it.
17:12Getting close.
17:13Yeah.
17:14That's it.
17:15Yeah.
17:16It's them.
17:17Oh, look at this.
17:18There they are.
17:19Here they come.
17:20Here they come.
17:21Wow.
17:22That's very cool.
17:25Wow.
17:26Seems to be getting bigger that flock.
17:28Oh, wow.
17:29Look at that.
17:30There'll be about 25 birds in that.
17:31Yeah.
17:32Off they go.
17:33Oh, look at that.
17:34Gorgeous.
17:35Oh, look at this.
17:36Beautiful.
17:37Look at that.
17:38That's a different lot.
17:39I reckon in total, we've probably seen at least 50.
17:41We better mark this down.
17:42We better.
17:43There's so many birds.
17:44So I reckon in total, we're getting close to 50 birds, which is a huge number.
17:48Parrot.
17:49Paradise.
17:50Parrot.
17:51Paradise.
17:52It's amazing.
17:53Ingrid, 50 birds.
17:54How does that make you feel?
17:55It's pretty exciting, isn't it?
17:56It's really exciting.
17:57Because obviously we're doing the right thing and they're coming back.
18:04I never thought I'd be into bird watching, but this morning might just have converted me.
18:11It's hard to describe how moving it is to see this magnificent woodland bird in such numbers.
18:21But with the help of the Saving Our Species program and landholders like Ingrid, I've got every hope that they'll be with us for a while yet.
18:30OK.
18:31What have we got?
18:32Just grab those and just...
18:33How's that?
18:34Come on here, the kids.
18:35G'day.
18:36There you go.
18:37There you go.
18:38We've got our helpers.
18:39Ingrid works as a school teacher and a number of her students regularly help out with her revegetation program.
18:52This is for the prickles.
18:53Hang on.
18:54How about I just leave some of these in here?
18:56Yeah, I was about to say.
18:57Yes.
18:58The plan is to keep planting rows of trees across the whole property until they all meet up as habitat corridors.
19:05So just put it down.
19:06Is that deep enough?
19:07Yeah, that's deep enough.
19:08OK.
19:09So the tree guard goes like this.
19:14And then you put one there.
19:16Put some elbow grease in it, Lisa.
19:18Come on.
19:19What are you doing?
19:21You can water it.
19:22You can just put a little bit.
19:23It only needs a little bit.
19:24Beautiful.
19:25That's all it needs.
19:26How long have you been doing this, Angus?
19:28About six years now.
19:29Yep.
19:30What keeps you coming back?
19:33I just like it.
19:34Like it's my type of thing to do.
19:36Like putting them in when they're like younger trees and then see them now, like they're very tall and it's a real good achievement, I reckon.
19:42It makes me feel proud.
19:44Peace of me heart.
19:47Ingrid has made sure that her work is benefiting not just the parrot population, but also the human one.
19:54How do you feel seeing this take shape?
19:56Oh, I love it.
19:57They're enjoying themselves and they're learning so much.
20:01What's driving you to do this?
20:03We came here.
20:04There wasn't any trees and then we are actually regenerating the landscape.
20:09We want to leave this property in a better state than what we found it.
20:14So for our next generation, then they can continue it.
20:17I think that's probably the big driver to leave it in a better state.
20:20Yep.
20:21And you've got this next generation already learning about it.
20:24Yeah.
20:25And hopefully when they get their own places as well, they'll want to go in and put the trees and the shrubs in.
20:30It means that we'll have more food and we'll have more birds.
20:34That's the idea.
20:35That's the plan.
20:36I hope.
20:37About 50 kilometres away, just outside Yonge, another group of young people is learning to look after country.
21:04Before European settlement, this area was home to people of the Wiradjuri nation.
21:11Many of their descendants still live here.
21:15Aunty Enid Clark is a Wiradjuri elder and Aboriginal education officer.
21:36So, when we go along, we have a look at all the trees
21:40and see if we can find sawdust in all these trees
21:43around the bottoms or up the top.
21:46Today, she and Wiradjuri elder Rodney Freeman
21:49are teaching some of the younger generation
21:51how to hunt witchetty grubs.
21:53Oh, it's magic.
21:56Oh, well, keeping culture alive.
21:58So we go along like here, and then we spot this tree.
22:03And can you see the sawdust down there?
22:05And this is from the larvae of the ghost moth
22:08that lives inside the tree.
22:10Here, Hopi. Look here. Look, look, look, look.
22:13Let's see.
22:14Hopi's there.
22:27Oh, wow.
22:28Oh, we've got one!
22:29Oh!
22:31Well done, Rodney!
22:33We've got one!
22:35You can eat him raw, like that.
22:38Or we can put him in some coals, or put him in a frying pan.
22:43It all depends on how you want to eat him.
22:45What do you reckon, Bella?
22:46Cook him.
22:47Yeah, that's my vote.
22:48I say let's cook him.
22:50Young Wiradjuri woman, Bella, has a deep interest in her culture.
22:55Do you like him medium?
22:59Well done.
23:00Well done.
23:01Thanks, Rodney.
23:02Well done.
23:03Okay.
23:04Oh, Bella should go first.
23:06Have you ever had one before, Bella?
23:08No.
23:09What's it taste like?
23:10It's good.
23:11Yeah.
23:12It's okay.
23:13It's okay.
23:14It's okay, yeah.
23:15It actually tastes like nothing I've ever tasted before.
23:16No.
23:17Mmm.
23:18So what do you reckon, Bella, would you have it again?
23:19Yeah.
23:20Why?
23:21Why?
23:22Well, it's basically a part of my culture, so, and I love the experience.
23:38At just 13, Bella is learning Wiradjuri and is already helping out in Acknowledgement
23:46of Country ceremonies.
23:47Uh, Yuridumrung, Yurindee, Bella, Wiradjuri, Migay, Youngdee, which means good day.
23:54My name is Bella, Wiradjuri girl from Young.
23:57You've got a big job this weekend I hear.
24:00Yeah.
24:01This weekend I'm going to the Kite Festival and doing the Acknowledgement of Country.
24:05Wow.
24:06Yeah.
24:07I've heard there's going to be about 4,000 people there.
24:09What?
24:10I didn't know that there was that many people.
24:12How does it make you feel when you do these things?
24:15It makes me feel proud, proud of myself and not only myself but my culture.
24:20We're going to go now, so what do we say?
24:22Guwayu.
24:23Guwayu.
24:24Guwayu.
24:25Guwayu.
24:26And that means later.
24:27Later.
24:28Guwayu.
24:29These days kids like Bella can study Wiradjuri at Young High School.
24:33But it wasn't always this easy.
24:35This is our ancient language.
24:37And when I was growing up I wasn't allowed to speak this language.
24:40So it slept for a while but now it's awake and it's spreading like wildfire.
24:46Walking down the street, kids over the other side.
24:48You're at a morong, Aunty Enid.
24:50In language.
24:51In language.
24:52I didn't think it would happen in my lifetime but kids are learning it and it's happening.
24:57Wiradjuri is alive and kicking now.
25:00It's the final day of my trip to the hilltops region.
25:15I'm at the kite festival in Hardin which attracts thousands of visitors.
25:26And it's Bella's job to welcome them all.
25:29You'll be right sweetheart.
25:30There's a lot of people here but just ignore those.
25:32Yeah.
25:33Go slow and just relax.
25:35Yeah.
25:36Three, two, one.
25:39You're at Imran.
25:42You and D Bella.
25:43Wiradjuri, Migay, Youngdee.
25:45I am very proud to say that I am passing my knowledge on.
25:49We would like to acknowledge and pay respect to the Wiradjuri people.
25:53Connecting to land and to culture is just so important.
25:57And Bella is gaining that knowledge.
25:59Mandangul.
26:01Thank you Bella.
26:02That was amazing.
26:03Beautiful.
26:04You're making us proud, Bella.
26:05I've loved seeing the celebration of heritage in this community over the past few days.
26:14I think it's extremely important for these traditions to be carried on.
26:19The whole community and that's what it's built on is those traditions.
26:23But the most heartening thing for me is seeing a new generation so eager to make sure those traditions
26:30live on.
26:31Next generation, I'll take it to a whole new level.
26:34I'm trying to inspire the next generation to actually continue what we're doing here.
26:40And then there'll be the change that we need in our landscape so that their children and grandchildren,
26:47when they come here, there's going to be something to see.
26:51There's so much history and heritage in country areas like this.
26:57And it's crucial that we don't lose it.
27:00But with cracking kids like Billy and Buster and Bella, I reckon we're going to be all right.
27:07Are you ready Bella?
27:08Yes.
27:09Let it go.
27:27Next time, Backroads heads to the Atherton Tablelands.
27:33Don't go too crazy, Coby.
27:35Yes.
27:37Age means nothing.
27:39And if we can do it, well, why not?
27:42Where a three-day wheelbarrow race energises and inspires people.
27:47Is that a few tears I see now?
27:49Oh, I love them so much and I'm so thankful.
27:52I love them so much.
27:54And
27:56I love them so much Grace.
27:57I love them so much so you know.
28:06I love them through this...'
28:07¶¶
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28:13City
28:14Professor
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