#044 The Wooleen Way
David Pollock on life, letting go & renewing our most vital resource
David Pollock is one of Australia’s most prominent regenerative pastoralists, and he’s now the author of a new book that’s been described as ‘The astonishing story of reviving the oldest land on Earth’. It’s called ‘The Wooleen Way: Renewing an Australian Resource’.
Many Aussies will have seen David and his wife Frances on ABC TV’s Australian Story. They’ve appeared four times so far, such is the way their story has captivated the country. They’ve also been guests twice on this podcast. This time, though, is the first time in extended conversation with David, book in hand and on location at Wooleen Station.
David Pollock, with new book in hand at the Wooleen Homestead. Pic: Anthony James.
“If we can only get regeneration on Wooleen, then we’ll have failed.”
‘The Wooleen Way’ is hard-hitting, expertly researched, and a great tale, with a compelling and holistic outlook. On the back of Charles Massy’s book ‘Call of the Reed Warbler’, this may just prove to be the next critical milestone in the shift towards a regenerative culture of caring for country, and the communities that comprise it.
Western Australia’s Minister for Regional Development, Alannah MacTiernan, has already visited Wooleen in the wake of the book, and distributed numerous copies among departmental staff. Which is all the more fitting, given pastoral leases operate on public land, and on so much of it (nearly half of WA alone). This is arguably our most vital renewable resource - the effective functioning of the vast majority of this country, and other regions like it. And we’re losing it. But it doesn’t have to be this way.
‘The Wooleen Way’ is, on the one hand, the story of David’s life and the remarkable regeneration happening at Wooleen Station. And it is about so much more than that. As David sees it, “If we can only get regeneration on Wooleen, then we’ll have failed.” Join David as he shows Anthony around the Station to talk about the book, his story, and some of the how and why behind the regeneration of a country.
Title pic: supplied. Pics below: Anthony James.
Wooleen Station.
A spread of ‘before and after’ shots in the book.
David at one of his many monitoring sites.
The Murchison River at Wooleen Station.
Get more:
The new book ‘The Wooleen Way: Renewing an Australian Resource’.
The Wooleen Station website.
Listen to the special extra to this episode with David.
Listen to Frances in conversation with Anthony on episode 9.
And hear David and Frances in a panel conversation with Charles Massy on episode 16.
The upcoming RegenWA conference, featuring Charles Massy, Terry McCosker and more, with Anthony as MC.
Music:
The System, by the Public Opinion Afro Orchestra.
The outgoing music is by Jeremiah Johnson.
Due to licencing restrictions, our guest’s nominated music can only be played on radio or similarly licenced broadcasts of this episode.