You know how we think I live at Bum Truck Nowhere, well allow me to introduce you to one of my friends. Meet Flick…
Flick lives at Bum Bum Truck Truck Nowhere. Like us, the station they manage goes all the way across to the QLD border, but she is further north, right up in the Gulf. So far so that their northern boundary is actually the ocean. I kid you not. Sounds nice doesn’t it, the only downfall is the croc infested water. But we won’t let that worry us. Anyway, you get the picture that she really does live in the middle of nowhere. It is hours from anywhere.
A while ago now Flick started a hashtag over on Instagram: #realhousewivesofthenorthernterritory and that is the reason why I wanted to write this post. I just love all of her photos. She loves to bake and entertain. Here at Chardy Central we have totally embraced the #realhousewivesofthenorthernterritory and completely endorse it. You can follow Flick over on Instagram too: @ffhousemouse 
I thought I would share her story with you, lets chat with Flick and get to know a bit about her…
Where did you grow up?
On a farm near Bordertown – a small country town in the lovely SE of SA.
What was your first job?
David Jones Adelaide – Book, Stationery and Gift Wrapping departments. LOVED it.
What brought you to the NT and when was it?
April 1995 – almost 22 years ago. For ONE year as a Governess to a lovely family two hours from Alice Springs (which I thought was really isolated – ha ha ha, little did I know).
How many people live on your station?
We have 12 permanent staff. Various contractors and many visitors throughout the dry season.
What do you love about living on a remote cattle station?
So many things…The ‘simple’ life, fresh air, the not having to ‘keep up with the Jonses’, Community spirit – everybody helping each other and the ADVENTURES!
How far away is town?
Main service towns – Mt Isa 800km, Alice Springs 1230 km. When driving to Alice Springs, 515 km to first Roadhouse (315 of this is on dirt, the rest is single lane bitumen).
How do you get your kids back to school?
My two children are at Boarding School in Adelaide. We usually send the small station plane to collect the children from Alice Springs at the start of their holidays and I drive them back to Alice Springs (2,460km round trip) at the end of hols so we can do the haircuts, shopping etc before they hop on the plane to Adelaide.
I know sometimes you drive the whole way to Adelaide to drop the kids back, how long does this take?
2800 km to Adelaide. We usually do it in 2 days. YUCK!
So as you can see she is a busy little pocket rocket. Always on the go. This little Virgo can’t sit still and of course, true to Virgo form, has a very tidy and well organized house and station. I think we could all do with a little help from Flick!
The distances this lady drives is really something else. But up here distance doesn’t really mean much, you just have to do it. No point whinging. Although that 315 km’s of dirt road might make me a little cross. 165 km’s is more than enough for me. But like I said, you just have to do it. Look, here she is as a classy Truckin’ Mole…
I have known Flick for a long time, probably nearly 16 years now. She is a loyal friend and I know she would do anything for me if I needed it.
They are the stop before us on the mail plane run which means if I ever run out of Chardy, she always pops a little present on the plane for me. It is always wrapped beautifully with a gorgeous little card. Or sometimes, if she knows I am having a rough trot she will pop a little care package on the plane for me.
Again, always wrapped beautifully. She knew I had been a bit slack this year ordering my 2017 Sasco Planner (which we can’t live without) so of course, one arrived on the mail plane a few days later. God love her.
To finish off I asked Flick for some recommendations. So here they are…
Recommendations
What are you reading?
Am supposed to be reading the top two but keep being distracted by the bottom one…After reading only about 3 books last year, I am hoping to get back into it this year. I do love it! Out here, my books are my friends!
What are you listening to?
I have been listening to the rain. I really only listen to music on long car trips so I don’t really have any fabulous recommendations here, sorry.
What are you watching?
Julia Zemiro’s: Home Delivery, when I remember. Love hearing / reading about people’s lives. So interesting, or maybe I am just a sticky beak?!
Something you are loving:
Loving my new camera. Nikon Coolpix P900. Have only used it once and that was in the chopper in rather breezy conditions – I really need to practice!
And my new bandanas from Wild Rose Trader – to protect ye olde décolletage. I am also loving my new beads from Barkly Belle – these women that have businesses on cattle stations are so clever and creative!
Here are a few bonus pictures, and a little insight into life in the absolute middle of nowhere…
Now Flick is a lot like me – not into horses or Campdrafting. This is what her Campdrafting fridge contains….
No wonder we are friends!
And check out her new store. I am so jealous…
If you are sick or injured, Flick is your girl. I think she was quite possibly a nurse in a former life. Here she is helping a neighbour who was crook. The neighbours don’t have an airstrip so Flick had to call Careflight and arrange an evacuation. Thank god for services like this.
So there you have it. Do you have any questions for Flick? Fire away.
The pic with the fence around the two trees is making me curious….?
I think it is an old Bronco Branding yard. Gorgeous isn’t it.
That is correct! Husband said probably last used in the 70’s. Just look at that GREEN GRASS!
Dan
So Flick lives a bit of a way over the Blue Mountains that is kind of my cutoff, but I do need to visit a friend out at Narromine not sure when that will happen bit far from the coast lol and you know shops etc … Hmmmm probably a bit far from me lol … Seriously crocks you are serious aren’t you?! You gals are seriously amazing!
Yes, they live in croc country. Now, you need to give yourself an upper cut and get your bum over the Blue Mountains…. you have no idea what you are missing. Narromine is only a kick in the arse away…. you should take the scenic drive through Mudgee – The Land of Wine and Honey and my old stomping ground!!!! Or you could take the highway and visit little gorgeous historical towns such as Milthorpe over Bathurst/Orange way. You won’t be sorry. You know there are shops beyond the Great Dividing Range right??? ha ha ha ha.
And there are some especially good shops in Mudgee – love Cherry Red 🍒
I agree Orange is a lovely town and I would move there if I could find work and convince the Mr it’s a good idea!
I have it on good authority that she finds the crocs absolutely terrifying! X
She does NOT like those crocs one bit!
Plus she makes the very best G&Ts this side of the black stump!
Oh doesn’t she – didn’t mention her most valuable quality did I: Hostess with the Mostess!!!
Oh THANKS! I hope we get to have another one of these days! X
So how does Flick have all these gorgeous gifts lying around? Does she have her own well stocked “goody” shop also? Her store neatness is very impressive…..remember our station store was similar….but this takes the prize!
Because: Virgo – she is one super organised pocket rocket Janice. Super!!!
Oh my she has fab taste – i just got ny new Barkley Belle necklace and bracelets and im in love 😍 beautiful they are indeed!!!
Ps. Can i steal some of your rain? So dry here that weaning has started a couple of months early…. bugger hey!
Gosh, wouldn’t it be good if we could send the rain your way Nikki!!! Those necklaces are beautiful.
I just LOVE the Barkly Belle collection. So clever! I would love to send you some rain – in which direction shall I push it?
So cool to say hi to Flick and get to know her a bit!
I’m very impressed with your store, Flick.
Are you a nurse? I’m an RN in the states. I’ve been a nurse for 33 years! I can’t believe it’s been that long.
The pictures of your life are great. I love the one of you in the chopper (I think?) you have a confident, assured look on your face. And you look happy and content.
I think we need Flick to have a Q&A on here! Flick – over to you….
I am in the station plane – I do not look quite that relaxed in the teeny tiny chopper! I am NO Nurse – I have certainly been in plenty of ‘Nurse’ type situations though! 33 years is an amazing effort – well done! X
Such perfect timing Miss Chardy, as my youngest is heading to be with your dearest friend for the year with 2 of his school mates – it looks like they are in for a fantastic year.
Think I might be a little jealous of his journey to the gulf and to be with Flick and the team there guess we will have to have a trip up there.
I do hope they are all safe with the rain flooding etc..
Oh Di, you must come and visit, might be the year to get you up as a guest speaker for Barkly Women’s Day – and bring all of the Salad Dressing Mrs Poppy Seed. You must come and visit!!!!!
We are looking forward to them arriving. I am sure they will have some tales to tell and things to show you when you come to visit! x
You know I know Flick?!?!?! In another century (the 20th) our boyfriends of the time had a joint 21st at Adelaide Oval! I married my boyfriend some years later and 27 years after that scorching evening in Adelaide we have moved 5 times and now live in Hamburg, Germany. Flick’s beau of the same time still lives in Adelaide which obviously wasn’t exciting enough for her, no croc infested waters there. The world is small and large at the same time.
Oh Nikki, Flick was telling me about that story. It is SUCH A SMALL world indeed.
I think it gets smaller and smaller. Not sure I will ever get to visit you OS but you never know if our visits to Adelaide may just coincide one day! X
I’m one of the lucky ones who got to meet Flick! Love her so – thanks Miss Chardy for introducing us x
And those G&T’s ….. Oh thank god for the Mouse.
Oh it was an honour to meet you Nikki. Now if you could just pop over and sort my groaning closet once and for all…I will make you as many G’n’T’s as you wish! X
Flick sounds like one amazing gal – I could potentially enjoy being that far away from civilisation but I would be scared about buying SO many supplies in advance and getting the wrong ones or forgetting something … as a dash down to the corner store is not an option!
You’d survive Mish, if I can do it surely anyone can.
I love love LOVE Flick. Feel very lucky to have met her, next time we get together there needs to be wine rather than coffee though 🙂
An “Outback Expats Big Fat Meetup” please… or shall we just come to Shanghai – yep, I think we should just come to Shanghai, any excuse for a networking meet up. xxx
I really enjoyed reading this and am in awe of you both. I had a short stint living on a property (only 70k to our nearest smallest town and 220k to the closest major town so nothing like you) and loved every minute of it. Life took a different turn for me but I was so glad to come across and start following you. My sister in law lived up out of Borroloola for some years, they were not too far from the ocean and would get the odd croc near there house….eeeekkk!
Hi Kerri, so glad you enjoyed the read. Flick takes great photos, head over and follow her on Insta. Thanks for reading!!
The Gulf is the Northern Border and the Qld is the Eastern border, how about so more info:
Station name, area, number of stock, any tourist facilities?
JD
Hi there… Flick, how big is the station. We prefer to leave station names out, no tourist facilities sorry but Hells Gate Roadhouse isn’t far (on the Savannah Way) and it has facilities. Thanks for reading. 🙂
JD
I understand, I now have a better idea of the region Flick is in. Seems a long way from nowhere and the transport cost for getting stock out would be horrenous, forgetting about all the other logistics issues.
Cheers.
Yes, you are right – the transport costs are on a whole other level!!!
Love this post – I hope you interview more #housewivesofthenorthernterritory
So do I! Can’t wait to see who is next! 😊
Love reading Flicks story, or am I just being nosey!!!!
Fascinating! Gosh you say bum alot , not a word I here living here in Berlin! I’m curious about whether you get good internet where you live? How does it function with a generator? Also, do most people use solar panels? I do hope so, you have access to all that gorgeous sun!
Ha ha ha ha ha, no I don’t suppose it would be a word you hear a lot. Too funny. Yes, we are very lucky Cate that we have pretty good internet (compared with many around these parts). We have satellite NBN Broadband, and it is no problems with the generator. Our Generator is more reliable than town power. I am not sure about solar – I know there are a lot of people using it for their bores now but no we don’t have any.