Cattleman and real estate proprietor Michael Jackson scratches his head when he hears the NSW Government says cattle can’t be taken across the Sydney Harbour Bridge for the Herd of Hope charity stock run, planned for May.
“I did it 18 years ago,” Mr Jackson of Tamworth/Guyra says.
“We found a loophole that allows you to take cattle across the far left lane of the bridge when heading south.”
The event was staged on March 29, 1999, as part of the Gelbvieh Cattle World Congress in Sydney, which was part of the 1999 Sydney Royal Easter Show.
And while the NSW Nationals appear to be putting obstacles in the way of Herd of Hope, a former Riverina Nationals MP Kay Hull helped make it all happen for the Gelbvieh cattle congress back in 1999.
Mr Jackson said the cattle parade went of without a hitch. All the cattle were halter-broken and posed no safety risk.
“I actually led the first bull on to the bridge and there were 7 or 8 others behind,” Mr Jackson said.
“The bull I had weighed 1250kg, so it’s probably the biggest bull that’s ever walked over the bridge. We had a large float and just walked them off and down the far left lane of the bridge, heading south.
“It was great publicity for us. We found that the far eastern lane of the bridge was a designated stock route We appeared on Channel 7 news that night and in the Herald and it was great publicity for our congress.”
Mr Jackson, who is a board member of the cancer care group Can Assist, wished the organisers of Herd of Hope well with their attempt to replicate the stock walk. “I did it, so why can’t they?”
John Ellicott
journalist and author
journalist and author
