Mates from opposite sides of the globe, reunited after 58 years
Glenhaughton Ringers and good mates from back in the day, Christy Curtis and John “Bronc” Bradshaw, reunited after 58 years at the Glenhaughton Ringers & Cooks Reunion.
Christy Curtis and Bronc Bradshaw Oct 2023 back at the Tin Hut together (photo Leesa Bongers)
Together again at the Amphitheatre Tin Hut
It’s been a long time between drinks for these two old mates! Almost 60 years in fact.
CHRISTY CURTIS was a fresh-faced 18-year-old visiting relatives at Glenhaughton from the UK, to learn the ropes of a Jackaroo in 1964.
Christy Curtis (18yrs UK) with favourite Glenhaughton stockhorse “YoYo” – described by Christy as the safest and bravest horse he’s known. (photo by one of the ringers)
BRONC BRADSHAW was an experienced 22-year-old stockman on his second stint at Glenhaughton when the two men met. It didn’t take long for the adventure-hungry Pommy lad to realise it was much more fun out on mustering camp with the ringers, than spotting cattle from the plane as a trainee Jackaroo with Manager Duncan McConnel. He argued his case and happily joined the men as a stockman, living rough and loving it.
Bronc Bradshaw (22) in the back of the LandRover at the Amphitheatre Tin Hut (photo Christy Curtis)
The life of a ringer at the Tin Hut in 1964-65 – a time of prolonged drought (cutting bottletrees for fodder from the softwood scrub); land improvements (“improve it or lose it”; and the most fun a young man could have living rough with good mates and chasing cattle in the quintessential Queensland bush.
Mates Christy Curtis (UK-18yrs) and Bronc Bradshaw (Taroom-22yrs) at Glenhaughton 1964 (Photo by one of the ringers)The two Johns at the Tin Hut 1964 – John “Bronc” Bradshaw and John “Jacko” Standing (Photo Christy Curtis)Ringers building timber stands for fuel drums, around Nuga Nuga/Clematis Creek/White Cedars 1964-65 drought (Photo Christy Curtis)18-yr-old UK Ringer Christy Curtis with captured carpet python in camp around Nuga Nuga 1964 (photo by one of his mates)Moving camp from the Tin Hut in the old Blitz, Michael Harvey and Jacko Standing on the back. Unknown driver 1964/65. (Photo Christy Curtis)UK Ringer Christy Curtis driving the old Blitz truck, talking to unknown one-armed visitor at camp around Nuga Nuga 1964/65. Possible delivery driver, mechanic or cook. (photo by one of the ringers)Ready for a day ringbarking at the Tin Hut – UK ringer Christy Curtis with tordoning axe (photo by one of the ringers)Stunning sandstone escarpments in the Expedition Ranges, from Duncan McConnels plane 1964. (Photo by Christy Curtis, trainee UK Jackaroo 18yo) Spotting cattle from the sky to assist with musters.Stockmen bringing in a mob of station cows and calves with any cleanskins captured along the way. Glenhaughton Amphitheatre 1964/65 (Photo Christy Curtis)Huge numbers of cattle were lost in the 1965 drought. Christy Curtis uses a chainsaw to cut bottle trees from the softwood scrub on Glenhaughton outstations for cattle fodder. (photo by one of the ringers)Fancy chaps from 1966 Montana belonging to Christy Curtis (UK/France), Bronc Bradshaw model
Lifetime friendships followed, Christy happily returning to the favourite camp at the Tin Hut in the beautiful Amphitheatre to catch up with his old mates again.
MOVIE: “An Unlikely Pair – Christy Curtis and Bronc Bradshaw”
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