Lois Lethbridge, Hugh Smith and Willow Ware, Year 8 students at Mitchell State School.

AFTER nearly three months on the road, the Great Australian Charity Cattle Drive came to an end with the 1680 head of cattle arriving at the Roma saleyards this week.

The mob left Longreach in May to walk along western Queensland stock routes to Roma to raise funds for Beef Bank, a charity that provides meat (mainly beef) to Foodbank, which helps feed homeless and disadvantaged Australians.

Beef Bank board member and event organiser Bim Struss said there were three inaugural cattle sponsors who provided cattle for the drive – McDonald Holdings, Australian Country Choice and Stock Place Marketing.

“The Stock Place Marketing cattle will be sold at next week’s sale in Roma, with the proceeds from 10 heifers being donated to the Cattle Drive,” Mr Struss said.

“We are looking for other vendors that would like to support us to continue raising funds, even though the drive has come to an end.”

One of the students from Mitchell State School on the Great Australian Charity Cattle Drive.

One of the ways the Cattle Drive raised funds was by offering the public the chance to buy a saddle and join the drive.

Towards the end of the Drive students from Mitchell State School saddled up to experience two nights as drovers.

“We had nine kids join the drive, it was a very young group of 12 to 15-year-olds and only a few had riding experience,” said Jeremy Heslop, Ag Science Teacher at Mitchell State School.

“For the ones who had very little riding experience it was about getting out of their comfort zone and trying something new, and I think it was a real eye opener for them and by the end of the day some of them were out riding on the wing with the drovers.

“For the students who are off the land and do work cattle a bit, it was about broadening their perspective of how others work in the industry and gaining that outside experience.

“The experience really bought the group together and tested the student’s perseverance and resilience. It got down to zero so that was good for the kids to swag it under the stars and there were no complaints.”

To make a donation to Beef Bank, visit the Great Australian Charity Cattle Drive.