Back Roads on ABC and ABC iview S11E9 – Presenter Lisa Millar heads to the Hilltops region of New South Wales to attend The Running of the Sheep – the headline event at the annual Boorowa Irish Wool Festival.
Lisa joins thousands of excited spectators for the unique event. It’s hard to describe, but imagine The Running of the Bulls performed by sheep and crossed with a lottery and you’re getting close.
Lisa meets Ashley Corkhill and his muster dogs, who keep the 150 sheep on course. With a one-year-old pup fresh off the farm, a screaming crowd and a roundabout to negotiate, chaos is guaranteed.
At the festival parade, Lisa spots a little kid with a big mullet expertly hand-clipping a sheep. At just 11, Buster Hall is already a veteran of shearing competitions and is a bit of a local legend. Buster and his dad Scottie attempt to teach Lisa how to shear.
In amongst all the festivities, Lisa finds a community where the next generation is playing a big role in preserving not only the region’s heritage and culture, but also its wildlife.
She visits Ingrid Corcoran’s farm, to help the local teacher and students plant a habitat refuge for the Superb Parrot. The bird is an emblem of Boorowa and is at risk of extinction. Lisa is rewarded with the breathtaking sight of a large flock of these beautiful and rare parrots.
Production credit:
Executive Producer: Brigid Donovan. Series Producer: Louise Turley.
Back Roads on ABC and ABC iview – Thursday 6 March at 8.00pm
TV Central ABC content HERE
Back Roads on ABC and ABC iview S11E9
