It’s a spectacle like no other in the Manning Valley and a tradition thought lost for good.
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But on Sunday 900 head of cattle left Cooplacurripa Station, in the upper Nowendoc Valley, on foot for an approximately 80km journey into Wingham.
Their destination will be the Wingham Showgrounds for the Wingham Campdraft Club’s annual campdraft being held over three days from August 10-12.
The cattle drive has gathered huge public interest on Facebook, and people have been contributing their own photos and videos.
“It’s pretty spectacular seeing that many cattle coming into town,” said Wingham Campdraft Club secretary Jacqueline Byrnes.
The cattle drive arrived in Wingham early Thursday afternoon, much earlier than their anticipated arrival of 4pm. A smaller mob of cattle will be moved on to Wingham Showgrounds on Friday morning.
The last time the cattle drive was held was in 2015 for the November Campdraft hosted by the Wingham Show Society.
A change of management at Cooplacurripa Station saw the tradition halted in 2016 and the November Campdraft cancelled that year.
Four main drovers led the cattle assisted by around 20 volunteers.
They travelled the original stock reserves and the cattle got their feed and water along the way.
Once they have finished in Wingham they head off again on foot for the return journey.