2008 NTCA Yearbook - Northern Territory Cattlemen's Association

Northern Territory Cattlemen’s Association IncorporatedAdvancing and Protecting the Interests of Cattle Producers in the Northern TerritoryLife Membership for Ian McBean - a veterancattleman with 55 years in the industryVeteran cattleman and long-time NTCA stalwart IanMcBean has been honored with life membership formore than five decades of unstinting commitment tothe NorthernTerritory pastoral industry.Ian got his first taste of outback station life in1953 when hearrived in Central Australia from NSW with little more than aswag and a saddle. He was offered a job with Johnny Driver atElkedra, started out as a ringer and drover then worked his wayup through almost every facet of the pastoral industry to endup as one of the Territory’s most successful and enduring cattlestation owners.In 1955, Ian went droving with Don and George Booth,taking cattle from Brunette Downs into Queensland. In 1956, hebought their plant and continued droving in his own right. Heinterspersed his droving work with mustering and breaking inhorses on the Barkly and spent some time based across the borderin Camooweal.Ian has served as both Chairman andDeputy Chairman of the NTCA’s TopEnd Branch in recent years. He looksback with nostalgia on his old drovingand mustering days but, with 55 yearsof cattle work behind him, he is quitecontent now to enjoy the comforts andconveniences of modern farming lifedown at Bonalbo.A droving job in the early 1960s took him far west into theVRD to bring cattle from Auvergne Station to Queensland – andthis is when life took on a whole new perspective. While on thedroving track, he drew Innesvale Station in a land ballot. Hemoved his horses over from Queensland and built the propertyinto a workable cattle station. He sold Innesvale in the early8Northern Territory Cattlemen’s Association Year in review 2007-2008