By TANIA PHILLIPS
WELL-KNOWN locals Lyle and Helen Kent of Kent Saddlery in Stanthorpe can add authors to their list of qualifications after launching their new coffee table book, “Stories of Australian Country People” at the saddlery on Friday night.
To coincide with the Queensland launch, the book will also be launched at the NT Cattlemen’s Conference in Alice Springs on 17 March and later at the Kimberley Cattlemen’s Conference in Broome mid April.
Printed and published in Australia, the beautiful, professionally designed book showcases stories and photos of everyday country people, the bush, and the spectacular landscapes of the Kimberley, and Pilbara of Western Australia and the Northern Territory and Queensland (such as Gulf, Channel Country, Central and North West).
All stories have been written by Helen, and in her quiet, respectful and observant manner.
Helen started using a recorder to capture every word as she quietly interviewed and listened to station people talk about their lives during their travels.
She said she wanted her writing to reflect the way people spoke.
Lyle and Helen both express that “This book, Stories of Australian Country People, focuses on the people, not so much the country, and we want it to give readers a sense of how life in the bush works. Each story is unique. We have tried to capture that uniqueness, bringing people’s character to life”.
Every year since 1991, Lyle and Helen have made this extensive trek, taking their travelling saddlery shop into the outback, visiting up to 140 cattle stations on each journey.
They say their annual trip has become a welcome tradition at every station they visit. Not only because no other saddlery companies or hawkers are prepared to commit to travelling the huge miles, but more so, because Lyle and Helen have established so many friendships with a vast number of station people right throughout Northern Australia.
