The gang’s all here: (From left) Topey, Wok, puppy Egg, Atticus, Ziggy and Ryder.
Photo by
Daneka Hill
On the Elmore property of Tumbywood, a team of six dogs work around the clock to keep things ticking. There are the yard stars, the paddock pushers and a mice patrol. The six dogs are owned by Jessica Conlan, her mother Jo and partner John McDonald.
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Who’s the oldest?
That’ll be Wok, he’s a 12-year-old koolie.
Where did the name Wok come from?
Jessica: He’s named after the nickname of the drover who owned his mother. We got him from the Echuca abattoir. His mother was a drover’s dog and she had her litter in the yard. She’d go droving then come back to look after them. We were taking cattle there and saw him.
Wise heads and youthful spirit: Topey and Atticus wait in the ute while Ryder puts up with the antics of his daughter Egg on the ground.
Photo by
Daneka Hill
Who comes after Wok?
Jo: Topey. He’s an 11-year-old black kelpie from Topra Station and comes from trial dog blood. My husband’s sister owned the parents. He’s got a lot of eye — he’s really good on a small number of sheep. We always say he’s very stylish.
Next oldest?
Jessica: Ryder. He’s our third-generation Jack Russell and is six years old. We’ve had Jack Russells for years and keep them for the mice, rabbits and foxes. He’s called Ryder because he likes riding around. He always wants to be in a vehicle.
What is Ryder’s personality?
Complex. He’s like a human, he’s very emotional.
One big happy family: Egg, Ryder and Ziggy with John McDonald and Jessica Conlan.
Photo by
Daneka Hill
Who came after Ryder?
Atticus. He’s a five-year-old red koolie. He’s from a koolie stud near Cairns. Mum explicitly asked for a really fearless dog. He’s a great backer and pusher — great catching dog, too. If you’ve got a fly-struck sheep, he’ll get her. We’d heard the name and thought it was nice, and it just so happened we got him soon after and decided to call him Atticus. Now we’re shouting it a hundred times a day and we’re a bit over it.
We’re up to the second youngest — who’s he?
Ziggy is four and he’s the son of Wok. He’s fast, a great barker and really good at pushing. The mother was from Silhouette Koolies near Lockington. He’s named after Ziggy Stardust [a persona created by singer David Bowie] because he has a lightning shape on his head.
The youngest?
Egg is five months old. She’s the daughter or Ryder and is our fourth-gen. She’s also the only girl. Usually we keep the boys but her litter was all girls. We named her Egg because she looked like a boiled egg when she was a puppy and it stuck. We are hoping she turners into a good hunter. Our first generation dog was a fantastic hunter but the instinct was fading. Her mother was a great hunter so hopefully she’ll figure it out soon. Right now she’s very interested in the chooks.
What made you a koolie family?
We’ve always had them. We’ve had a few border collies and kelpies, but the koolies are great all-round working dogs.
Ready to work: Ziggy and Atticus, aka the young duo.
Photo by
Daneka Hill
Do they get along?
Everyone has their own job and when they go everywhere together, no-one gets jealous. When the older two (Wok, Topey) are working you don’t even need to say anything, they know the drill and where the gates are. The younger two (Ziggy, Atticus) can get up to mischief.
How much stock do these guys have to manage?
We have 3000 sheep and some cattle. They all love the cattle, it’s a bit more exciting. If they get rushed by a cow that’s their favourite part. We’ve mainly got Belgian Blues and Limousin cattle.
Do they all sleep in kennels?
Yep. They eat hunting dog food because it’s got the best protein and fats. It keeps the weight on when they’re working hard. The excess eggs from our chooks go to them too. Keeps their coats shiny.
