The Bullockies The Heavy Haulage system and the men involved at a time before there were roads. Bullock teams were in use in Sydney, New South Wales in 1795 when they were used for hauling building materials. The early explorers, Hume and Hovell in 1824 and Charles Sturt, later in 1828-9, also used bullock teams during their explorations. Prior to the gold rushes in Australia, in the mid 19th century, bullock drays carried essential food and station supplies to isolated country areas. On return trips they transported wheat, wool, sugar cane and timber by drays drawn by teams of draught animals (either bullocks or horses) to shipping ports before the advent of rail. They travelled constantly across the landscape, servicing the pastoral stations and settlements far from regional transport hubs and urban centres. Some of the larger stations maintained their own teams for local use when harvesting and transporting wool. Both bullock and horse wagons carried heavy loads of wool and wheat which was the main produce transported over long distances, plus chaff and hay. A bullock wagon could only travel approximately three miles an hour (depending on the load and terrain) therefore it was slower than a horse team. Bullock drivers were typically skilled tough men who often faced extreme difficulties during their job. Bullockies were also colourful characters, often noted for their strong language. Some did not swear though, relying solely on gesture, talking and whip movements as persuasion for the team’s job at hand. A typical bullocky wore a cabbage tree hat, a twill shirt of that period, moleskin trousers, blucher boots and carried a long bullock whip which in many instances he had made. During the early years the bullock tracks were very rough with narrow, steep "pinches", plus dangerous river and creek crossings. Many roads still follow the tracks made by bullock teams as they negotiated their way up or down hills via a winding course to make haulage easier.

Bullocks   were   less   excitable   and   more   dependable   when   faced   with   difficulties   than   horses.   Furthermore,   bullocks   were   cheaper   to   purchase, equip   and   feed.   Horses   also   required   complex,   expensive   leather   harness   that   frequently   needed   repair.   Bullock   gear   was   simple   and   the   yokes were sometimes made by the bullocky from different kinds of timber. A bullock team hitched to two small jinkers (log conveyances) with a dolly in the foreground. Bullockies   often   chose   Devon   cattle   because   they   were   plentiful,   hardy,   tractable   and   readily   matched   up   the   team,   which   was   often   a   source   of pride   to   the   owners.   Teams   had   to   be   educated   to   perform   their   respective   tasks,   too.   The   first   part   of   a   bullock’s   education   began   when   the bullocky   tied   two   young   bullocks   together   with   two   heavy   leather   collars   and   a   connecting   chain. Thus   connected   they   were   turned   out   to   graze   and rest   until   they   accepted   the   close   presence   of   their   partner.   Untrained   bullocks   were   then   put   in   the   centre   of   the   team,   where   they   were   more easily   controlled   with   the   assistance   and   guidance   of   the   "leaders”   who   were   well   trained   to   verbal   commands.   Pairs   of   bullocks   were   matched   for size   and   yoked   together   using   a   wooden   yoke   secured   to   each   bullock   by   a   metal   bow   which   was   fixed   in   place   by   key   on   top   of   the   yoke.   Each pair   was   connected   by   a   special   chain,   which   ran   from   a   central   ring   on   each   yoke   to   the   next   pair,   thus   coupling   the   team   in   tandem   fashion.   The “wheelers”   or   “polers”   were   the   older,   heavier,   trained   bullocks   which   were   closest   to   the   dray   or   jinker   and   helped   to   slow   the   load   when necessary. Thus then was the team attached to the dray or jinker. Attribution: Cgoodwin A   bullocky   walked   on   the   nearside   (left)   of   the   bullocks   for   added   control   of   the   team   and   also   because   seating   was   not   usually   provided   on   the wagons   and   jinkers.   The   bullocky   called   each   bullock   by   name   to   adjust   its   pace   and   effort.   If   the   whip   was   needed   it   was   flicked   out   in   front   of   the bullock   driver;   then   by   the   use   of   all   his   strength   he   swung   it   over   his   head,   often   twirling   it   several   times   before   he   cracked   it   or   let   fall   upon   the back   of   a   bullock   he   might   wish   to   reach.   Sometimes   the   bullocky   had   an   “offsider”   (a   type   of   an   apprentice)   who   walked   on   the   offside   (right)   of   the team   and   also   assisted   the   bullocky   yoke   up   and   care   for   the   team.   Many Australians   who   have   never   had   contact   with   bullocky   or   a   team   still   use the word “offsider’ as a synonym for an assistant, helper or learner. A   bullock   whip   had   a   stick   handle   that   was   cut   from   a   spotted   gum   or   another   native   tree   and   was   approximately   six   or   seven   feet   long.   The   long handled   whip   permitted   the   bullocky   to   control   his   bullocks   while   keeping   a   safe   working   distance   from   the   danger   of   being   run   down   by   a   large dray   or   jinker.   The   thong,   often   made   of   plaited   greenhide,   was   8   to   10   feet   long   and   attached   to   the   handle   by   a   leather   loop.   These   thongs, graduated   in   thickness   from   the   handle   down   to   the   size   of   a   lead   pencil   at   the   fall,   which   was   about   2   ½   feet   long. The   bullockies   often   didn't   use   a cracker, but if they did it was knotted into the end of the fall A four-wheeled jinker with a bullock yoke and bows resting on the pole. Bullock   teams   also   dragged   the   heavy   logs   from   some   very   steep,   rough   country   to   be   loaded   onto   a   jinker   for   hauling   to   a   saw   mill. Teams   of   up   to thirty   bullocks   hauled   large   flat-top   wagons   or   jinkers   fitted   with   a   single   pole   instead   of   shafts.   Timber   jinkers   were   of   a   four-wheel   type   were capable   of   carrying   large   logs   up   to   seven   feet   in   diameter. The   less   common   two   wheeled   jinkers   bore   and   carried   the   front   of   log,   leaving   the   end to   trail   along   behind.   Two   jinkers   could   also   be   connected,   with   the   back   jinker   linked   by   a   log   which   would   be   chained   to   the   front   jinker.   Jinkers were used in the transport of “Red Gold,” Australian red cedar (Toona ciliata), and other logs to sawmills or to a river for further transport. On   steep   hills   bullock   teams   often   required   additional   assistance   to   negotiate   these   inclines.   This   assistance   was   provided   by   hitching   two   or   more teams   together   for   the   ascent.   On   steep   descents   logs   or   trees   were   dragged   behind   the   dray,   wagon   or   jinker   to   slow   the   load's   descent   and protect   the   team   from   injury.   Shanties   and   villages   grew   to   serve   the   needs   of   the   road's   users   at   the   site   of   difficult   range   and   river   crossings where teams met. Bullock   teams   were   still   used   to   drag   logs   from   the   forests   to   log   dumps   after   the   introduction   of   logging   trucks.   Nowadays   they   are   mainly   used   for exhibition purposes.