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Sydney Farm Tour
Code	AK-J2
Duration	6 Hours
Tour Price Apr 2012 - Mar 2013	Adult Child $149 $120
Frequency	Thu, Fri
Style	Farm Tour
Transport	Premium Coach
Suitability	Open Age
Start	Sydney @ 8.15 am
End	Sydney @ approx 2.45 pm

“Experience the beauty and history of the Australian Outback. See Australian Stockmen, Damper and Billy Tea, Sheep shearing, Whip cracking, boomerang throwing and Aussie tucker lunch!”

See the real Australia! Get away from the hustle and bustle of the city and
experience the open paddocks, dams and Australian bush at one of Sydney's most stunning rural properties. Travel over the Harbour Bridge. On arrival at Tobruk you will be greeted by an Australian stockman on horseback. Relax at Drovers Camp and learn how to make Damper and Billy Tea over the campfire.

Enjoy your morning tea of freshly made damper with butter and Golden Syrup. Learn about the history of Tobruk and the life of a stockman. Get up close and personal with the sheep and baby lambs as they are driven to you from far away paddocks. Watch the stockmen and their dogs demonstrate a sheep muster. Take part in a sheep shearing demonstration followed by a wool room presentation.

Watch a boomerang throwing and whip cracking display by the skilful stockmen. Why not give it a go yourself… learn how to crack a whip and throw a boomerang. Enjoy authentic Aussie tucker in the Tobruk Station Woolshed Restaurant and have a drink at the Stockman's Bar. Browse the gift shop for farm memorabilia. As you return to Sydney, take advantage of great photo opportunities with views over the Hawkesbury River Valley and Blue Mountains.

Meals: L

Tobruk

Billy Tea and Damper

The traditional refreshment for Stockmen and Drovers is served in this unique setting.
A tasty mug of hot tea is consumed the old way, which is straight. Milk and sugar is provided for those people who have the need. The Billy Tea is made by boiling a gallon of water in a Billy Can over the campfire.

Damper was a type of bread baked by the drovers in the outback. In order that the bread would last at least a week, yeast was not used. With a lack of camp ovens, the dough was placed straight into the embers of the campfire. We serve Damper, baked in a camp oven over the hot embers, with butter/margarine and Golden Syrup, which is an extract from sugar cane that has a slight honey taste.

During Billy Tea and Damper, an explanation is given on the background of the property, rural existence, and the Australian sheep dogs.

Mustering

The mustering of the sheep and directing them to move to specific locations around the property requires the patience and skill of the Stockman and the sheep dogs.

The Stockman provides the direction and the dogs carry out their orders.

The sheep are mustered and moved to the stockyards for drafting.

Yard Work

A demonstration is given on the drafting of sheep through the yards by the dogs. The dogs, under instruction from the Stockman, go around, under and over the sheep to move them through the yards from pen to pen and along the race.

A background on the history of sheep in Australia, and a quick introduction to sheep husbandry is provided during yard work.

There is an excellent opportunity to take a photograph of the dog on the back of the sheep, during the drafting process.

Sheep Shearing

A demonstration by our shearer in the art of shearing a sheep is conducted in the most unique shearing shed in Australia.
Tobruk has the only shearing shed with a grandstand that can accommodate 180 people.

The history of shearing and life of the shearer is explained. The audience have the opportunity to try their hand at shearing a sheep. The participants work with the shearer under strict guidance.

Wool Room

The fleece is skirted, by removing inferior pieces of wool, then classed by the wool classer and stored in selected wool bins.

The wool classing commences the business end of shearing, where the financial viability of the wool clip rests.

Whip Cracking

Used by the Stockmen to assist in the mustering process, the cracking of a whip is not as easy as it looks. The cracking of the whip is achieved by the "cracker" breaking the sound barrier.

A demonstration by a Tobruk Stockman is followed with participation by our guests. Under supervision, everyone is capable of cracking the whip.

Boomerang throwing

A demonstration, followed by participation in the Aboriginal technique of Boomerang throwing. Originally used as a hunting weapon, the Boomerang at Tobruk is demonstrated and used as a recreational device. We have Boomerangs suitable for both left and right-handed people.

If the directions are followed, the Boomerang should return to the thrower. Each thrower must take care to watch the flight of their Boomerang to avoid any risk from an unexpected returning Boomerang.