THE great ebb and flow of life on the land has been the downfall of many who dared to test it, but some possess the true spirit to move with such a capricious existence.
The Banning and Batt families have survived decades in the unforgiving landscapes of central-west and western Queensland.
The Bannings owned Woodstock outside Winton for 80 years, and Juanita (Nita) Banning and Ian Batt married 58 years ago to create their own life on Plainby Station, Richmond.
"Sheep and cattle people stay on the land," Nita said.
"You have to depend entirely on your family - socially and for work.
"It can make a family very strong. And they (our family) are all friends."
Nita moved to Plainby with her new husband in 1954 after spending her early years in Cannington, where she was born.
Through the years, six children were born and home-schooled, the sheep industry stumbled, and many memories were made.
"There were good ones and bad ones. There were some wonderful seasons and some not so good," Nita said.
The family struggled with the severe drought of the '60s and the inherently volatile sheep business, working between the tumultuous 1891 and 1956 shearers' strikes.
But they rolled with the punches.
"We had only sheep for the first 25 years, then got a few cattle, then bought a place up north of Richmond and had cattle up there," Nita said.
Unlike others who packed it in, the Batts upheld their passion for sheep.
"We were some of the very rare people who didn't go right out of sheep - they still buy bread and butter."
Nita said while they didn't bolster the property's income, sheep still had their place.
"I suppose we always loved them, and thought there was a bit of income from them and they might have a future.
"I like the look of them - they're excitable little creatures."
Come shearing time, Plainby's eight-stand shearing shed would come alive with the shout and swelter of shearers, rouseabouts and wool classers.
Nita and Ian's sons ran a shearing team for 10 years, meaning no shortage of action around the quarters.
It's the strong family foundation Nita was talking about that has kept the Batts on the land until this day.
Four sons, two daughters and 25 grandchildren are spread across North West and South East Queensland.
These days, home for Nita and Ian is the main street of Charters Towers.
Since the move in 2000, Nita has spent many years on the Queensland Rural Health Advisory Committee and in the CWA.
She commended the rural spirit in associations like the CWA in offering women chances they might not otherwise get.
"CWA was the best training area for women - for getting into politics, onto other boards and things," Nita said.
"And it provided friendship."
The Batts love going back out bush, but took the cue when the time came to move on.
"Ian and I love going back out west - the further west we go, the more we like it.
"But you've got to leave that country when you're old.
"Men can't work as hard as they used to," Nita said.
They still travel to see their children around the state, celebrating Christmas with family in Muttaburra last year.
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