Average rating Go to Jackaroo and Jillaroo School!

Stay on a 4600 acre property in New South Wales, Australia and go to jackaroo and jillaroo school! Based on working livestock farm, these 11-day training courses teach the skills and know-how necessary to work as an Australian cowboy or cowgirl. This is the genuine article: your time at the farm will give you real hands-on experience, and if you like the work, they’ll even give you a job reference at the end!

Set in the hills near Mulla Creek, New South Wales, the base for the jackaroo and jillaroo school is a real Australian working property that also trains people with little or no prior experience. You’ll learn the basics of stock riding on one of thirty horses, with temperament carefully matched to your level of experience, whether you’re an advanced rider or an absolute beginner. You’ll also learn about grooming and saddling horses. You’ll work with sheep and cattle both out in the open land, with the aid of working dogs, and close-to, learning to milk and get experience in the ever- important and ongoing task of putting up, maintaining and repairing decent fences.

You’ll learn to Briddle, saddle, ride and groom, and, depending on the weather, even swim a horse. You’ll learn how to milk a cow, muster cattle and sheep on horseback, and to catch, mark, tag and brand young calves; no easy task when the calf decides to disagree! You’ll learn to catch and drench sheep, build fences, learn about working dogs and pasture improvement, and how to use a lassoo and crack a whip. There will also be games on horseback that will help improve your skills while also guaranteeing plenty of fun.

This isn’t your typical holiday, that’s for sure. Those who want to laze away the day -this definitely isn’t what you’re after. This is a full-on, hands-on, hands-dirty, get-involved learning experience that is guaranteed to have you sleeping like a baby at the end of the day with a smile of satisfaction on your face. If you’re reasonably fit and healthy, you like animals (horses, especially, are a big part of this experience) and fancy finding out, firsthand and for real, what it’s like to work on an outback farming property, this course has what you’re looking for.
Please note that children under 16 years of age are not accepted on this course.

Getting there

You need to get to Tamworth, NSW. Pickup is between 9 and 10am on the first morning from YHA Hostel, Marius Street, Tamworth.

Price includes

Eleven days course working on the farm, including lessons in the many different skills required for the daily running of the place, all accommodation and meals, horses for riding, matched to the rider, and tuition in riding and horse care, transfer from and to Tamworth.
If required, riding boots can be rented for $10, with a $5 refund at the end of the course.

Price details

AU$150 deposit is required on booking

Departures

02 Aug 2010 - 12 Aug 2010

23 Aug 2010 - 02 Sep 2010

13 Sep 2010 - 23 Sep 2010

04 Oct 2010 - 14 Oct 2010

25 Oct 2010 - 04 Nov 2010

15 Nov 2010 - 25 Nov 2010

06 Dec 2010 - 16 Dec 2010

Typical Duration

11 days

Comfort level

Down to earth (hostels, camping, huts)

Experience required

A reasonable level of fitness and interest is all that is needed