Flight Centre’s Vicky Young recently travelled to Australia to take in an Aussie rodeo. Her Topdeck tour took her to meet the cowboys in Rockhampton and she shares with us her highlights:
Now I’m from Calgary, famous for the greatest outdoor show on earth; The Calgary Stampede. So, when I found out I was going to be hitting up the rodeo in Rockhampton, Australia, I was a little bit skeptical.
Topdeck’s Reef Suntanner 11-day tour includes a one night stop in Australia’s beef capital.
As you drive down the Bruce highway, you start to see beautiful pastures and a ridiculous amount of cows including Brahma, Hereford, etc. Our driver Leigh explained their differences and all about Australia’s cattle industry. Then all about the rodeo and the bull riding we would be seeing that night. I was really impressed with his explanations, as I am well versed in rodeo from growing up in a cow town.
After we checked into our accommodations, we headed off to the Great Western. This is a facility that has everything you could ever want; a hotel, a bar, a poker room and an impressive arena for the rodeo. On this particular night, there was a reunion of all the top bull riders and they sure did put on a show. It was so cool that we could stand almost right on top of the chutes to watch all the action taking place and to perhaps check out the cowboys! The cutest ones being the 5-year olds, dressed up in their chaps and cowboy hats.
What a great inroad to Australian culture, so different from the bright lights of the city, beautiful beaches and Aboriginal history. Thank you, Topdeck for the awesome experience!!
Looking for more information on travelling to Australia? Vicky Young is a Team Leader at our 17th Avenue location in Calgary Alberta and can be reached by e-mail or calling 1-866-772-2011.