Digger’s Rest Station
The challenges of caring for horses in the Kimberley
The Kimberley is a region roughly the size of France, and there are very few large animal veterinarians based here. We are incredibly fortunate to have an excellent vet based in Kununurra, who also happens to be a pilot! Peter Letchford has decades of experience caring for horses in the Kimberley, and is very practical…
Continue ReadingEver wanted to muster cattle on horseback?
We have just added another adventure to our 2019 schedule, the opportunity to join an authentic cattle muster! The annual muster takes place in June, when we bring in the cattle for processing, and then walk them back out to their grazing paddocks…mind you, some ‘paddocks’ are tens of thousands of acres. If you are…
Continue ReadingThe camping scene on our horse treks
Part of the unforgettable experience of horse trekking in the Kimberley is camping under the millions of stars, eating meals cooked over an open campfire, falling asleep in your swag with your horse close enough to hear him chewing away contentedly (though there’s plenty of space if you want to get away from their night…
Continue ReadingA snippet from our May trek of 2018
Here’s a look at our four day horse trek from last May. Images and video were taken by Ange Coote Photography, and compiled into this clip by Rachel Dillon. It really does give you a good gander into what our horse treks are all about.
Continue ReadingA brief guide to horse riding ability levels
Riding ability is a somewhat relative rating, but it does help when matching horse to rider. The author Tom Cole, when asked if he could ride, would respond that he could ride a good, quiet horse. He was a horse breaker in the Kimberley and the Northern Territory back in the 1920s and 30s, but…
Continue ReadingFitness and riding go hand in hand
This post is more of a personal editorial but an important subject nonetheless. The older I get, the more I am aware of my fitness, and just how easily it can slip away. Working with horses and riding as often as I can remains at the top of my “what makes me happy” list. So,…
Continue ReadingPortraits from our May Trek in 2018
Professional photographer and Diggers Rest devotee Ange Butler joined us on our May trek last season. She has quite an eye for portraits! We love when Ange and her husband Jake Butler (who happens to be a very talented portrait painter and photographer) join us on a trek or a muster, and leave us with…
Continue ReadingThe wet season has arrived!
We have been waiting for decent rains and they have finally arrived! The creeks and the King are running high, and the dams have had a good fill. Another bonus of the recent rain is that daily temps have dropped below forty degrees celcius. The sun is out today, and I think I can see…
Continue ReadingTravel plans
Travel plans can take some time, so the sooner you tackle the how and the when, the sooner you can focus on your upcoming adventure! If you are flying to the Kimberley, Airnorth and Virgin Australia service our closest airport, Kununurra KNX airport code. Greyhound runs buses from Darwin, NT and Broome, WA, but flights that are booked in advance…
Continue ReadingChristmas at Diggers
It’s a casual affair here at Diggers. We never make plans as we never know what the King River will be doing this time of year. We do enjoy the peace and quiet, and catching up with friends and family through many a phone conversation. Our horses in the house paddock may get an extra…
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