Our time on the Great Australian Charity Cattle Drive

Written by Amber Woods, Marketing Manager

If you’d told me a few weeks ago that my desk chair would be swapped for a saddle, I probably would’ve said, “Where do I sign up?”

That’s exactly what happened when Izzy (our unstoppable Customer Success Manager from Harden, NSW) and I (Marketing Manager from Goondiwindi) joined the Great Australian Charity Cattle Drive (GACCD) for its final leg into Roma. For three days, we traded our laptops for leather saddles, and went to work alongside some of the toughest, kindest, and most dedicated people you could hope to meet.

We hit the road, setting off from my parent’s place at Tulloona, NSW, feeling a bit like we were heading off to school camp, and 4 hours later we found our camp just outside Roma where we met the crew. The plan? Spend the next three days inching our way towards the Roma Saleyards, herding the mob under the watchful eye of boss drover Billy Prow and his team. When I say “watchful eye,” I mean the kind of cattle sense that can only come from a lifetime of working stock. It’s a masterclass, and we feel honoured to have been witness to it.

The GACCD isn’t just about moving cattle. It’s about raising funds for BeefBank Australia, tackling food insecurity across the country, while showcasing the enduring art of droving and how modern agtech can complement tradition. This year, AgriWebb proudly sponsored the final leg alongside our friends at Cibo Labs, Farmbot, and Optiweigh.

Each of us had our own role to play:

• AgriWebb mapped the drive in our livestock management software so folks could “follow the herd” from Longreach to Roma. 
• Farmbot made sure the troughs stayed full, monitoring water levels in real time.
• Cibo Labs kept an eye on pasture conditions, ensuring the cattle had plenty to eat along the way.
• OptiWeigh ensured the cattle were staying on track with their weights.

In other words, the (real) drovers brought the grit, and we brought the gadgets.

On the road

Our days started at 5:00am, with the biggest sunrises either of us had seen in a while, and the tinkering of tin tea cups as weary drovers slowly emerged from their frosted swags in search of some strong billy tea. By 7:00am, we were on horseback, the sun just starting to spill gold across the paddocks, slowly melting the frozen grass. Riding alongside people who had been with the mob since Longreach was humbling. These riders, some well into their 70s, had spent nearly three months on the road, moving cattle the old-fashioned way: steady, patient, one step at a time. The positivity emanating from the team of drovers was impressive. The day before we had arrived, the crew had faced a full day of sideways rain and sleet in freezing temperatures. We’re talking completely soaked through dri-z-bones. Despite this, they couldn’t have been more positive and focussed on the mission. 

Evenings were the kind of simple magic you can’t bottle. A few beers around the campfire, stories traded like currency, laughter echoing into the big night skies. The final evening, as if the whole scene wasn’t already peak Outback, country music legend James Blundell joined in, guitar in hand. His voice rolled out across the camp, soft enough to hush even the most restless dogs and horses, strong enough to draw everyone a little closer to the fire.

When it came time to hit the hay, Izzy and I bid goodnight to our fellow drovers, rolled our swags out side by side, thermals on (although Izzy may have been a little braver than I when it came to the cold). Izzy had never slept under the stars before, so every few minutes she’d let out a little gasp when another shooting star zipped across the sky above us. Throughout the whole trip, but especially at night, we kept pinching ourselves and laughing, saying, “Can you believe this is work?” It’s not every day you get to swap email notifications for the sound of horses shifting in the paddock, muffled laughter of the stragglers around the camp fire, and the Milky Way in all its glory.

The best in the business

What struck me most wasn’t just the scale of the drive – 1680 head of cattle, kilometres upon kilometres of red dirt – but the people. The volunteers who poured their time and energy into making it happen. The drovers who carried on day after day, through heat, dust, rain, and long hours in the saddle. The locals who turned up at fence lines to wave, cheer, or drop off a homemade cake. The tag-a-longs, or “tourists” as they labelled us, who joined for a few days, just to get a taste of the bush and help a good cause.

It was a reminder of why I love working in agriculture. It’s not just about the tools and technology, though admittedly at AgriWebb we’re pretty passionate about those, it’s about the people. The drive was a living, breathing example of resilience, community, and care for both animals and each other.

For a good cause

The funds raised for BeefBank will help provide meat to people who need it most. As Bim Struss (GACCD co-organiser) reminded us, “2 out of every 5 Australians suffer some form of food insecurity each week.” Amazingly, all of the livestock have since been donated to meal relief charity Fair Share. But beyond the dollars, the drive was a story, a reminder of where our food comes from, the skill it takes to produce it, and the deep connection between land, livestock, and livelihood.

AgriWebb’s mission has always been to make farmers’ lives better, whether that’s through data-driven decisions, better herd tracking, or more efficient grazing. Seeing our platform play a role in such an iconic event, side by side with other agtech innovators, was something special.

Heading home

By the time we rolled into Roma on Wednesday afternoon, the mob calm and the dust hanging low in the air, it was hard not to feel proud. Proud of the industry we’re part of. Proud of the technology that supports it. And proud of the people, every single one, who made the Great Australian Charity Cattle Drive possible.

So from Izzy, myself, and the whole AgriWebb team: thank you. Thank you for letting us tag along as “tourists”. Thank you for showing us the beauty of the droving tradition. And thank you for reminding us that while technology can do a lot, it’s nothing without the heart, hands, and bloody hard work of the people in this industry.

Until next time, we’ll be back at our desks… a little dustier, a little sorer, and a whole lot more grateful.