The Snake Island Cattlemens Association are keen to share their history and experiences on the Island. Opportunities exist for people to become members of the Association and join in with regular activities or alternatively participate on a ride and spend a couple of days immersed in life as a cattleman on Snake Island.
What awaits you?
Firstly you’ll have the unique opportunity to ride your horse from the mainland, across Lewis Channel to Little Snake Island and from there to Snake Island.
Experienced guides (or pilots) are there to ensure people and horses don’t stray off the track and are kept safe.
The crossing is undertaken at low tide and takes around 1 ½ hours to reach the island. Cattle aren’t taken on every trip but if you’re lucky you’ll be able help the cattlemen with this very special experience.
Once on the island you’ll ride to the “Huts” and along the way you’ll see close up many of the plants and animals that live on the island.
The various animals such as kangaroos, koalas and Hog Deer aren’t shy when approached on horseback, so you soon start to feel part of the landscape rather just a visitor.
On reaching the Huts then the fun begins and you select a bed in the bunkhouse, store your gear and get ready for a serious look around.
All the amenities are shared as they have been for over 90 years and the sense of history starts to come to the fore.
Over the next couple of days you will be encouraged to join in with mustering cattle, bush rides or exploring along the untouched beaches.
At night, after a hard days riding you’ll sit down with your newly found friends to share a meal and stories of the day.
As the light fades and fire glows brightly the stories of past events are told and you’ll find yourself “back in the day” – you’re now part of the history of Snake Island and its cattlemen.
All too soon the trip draws to a close and when the tides are right you’ll head back across the water to the mainland and the realities of modern life. However, the Cattlemen hope albeit a little bit changed by your experiences on Snake Island.