John’s taste for the bush began when he jackarooed on ‘Homeboin’, Mitchell, then ‘Yeppara’ outside Quilpie.
He joined Elder Smith and Co in 1961 as a booking-up clerk at Cannon Hill Saleyards and managed several branches in a career that was both diverse and far reaching and spanned 46 years, the last 11 as a Contractor. From State Head Office in Brisbane, John managed the Insurance Department, Real Estate Department and became Manager, Specials Projects, Livestock Portfolio. He pioneered livestock video auctions, was a Level 1 Calm Assessor and organised such major events as ‘The Last Great Cattle Drive’ Sale in Longreach in 1988 and a highly successful two-day Ram Sale in Charleville in 1989.
He was transferred to Roma as a livestock specialist in 1991.
From 2000 to 2007 John was the Market Reporter for the Roma Saleyards and compiled sale reports twice weekly for radio and newspapers.
John’s writing career began when one day, sitting around the saleyards waiting for final weights, he started telling a yarn. The story took weeks to unfold and John’s vivid descriptions and humorous turn of phrase brought it all to life, so much so that John couldn’t sleep for seeing the red sandhills, the flooded creeks, bogged vehicles and hilarious mishaps along the way. So, to clear his head, he decided to “write it down”.
Thus was born a chapter of John’s first book, Bloody Agents! – and the stories just kept coming.
John died 2 June 2013, but his big personality, humour, quick wit and love for the bush and bush people is alive through the pages of his books. They are a ‘Bloody Good Read!’
Books by John Gilfoyle
