Wrenching day at Gracemere salesyards for hardworking women

'They're not forecasting rain until February and, if it doesn't come then, the rest might have to go.'

HARD YARDS: Terilee Anderson at the Gracemere salesyards on Friday. Picture: Jann Houley

Terilee Anderson described her time at the Central Queensland Lifestock Exchange on Friday as a "really hard sale”.

She and her partner Christine made the heartbreaking decision to offload about fifty head - cows and weaners - in the face of continuing drought out west.

"Beautiful, big-framed droughtmasters and charbrays, all pregnancy tested - how do you replace stuff like that?” she said.

"They're not forecasting rain until February and, if it doesn't come then, the rest might have to go.”

Like so many other farmers out west, Terilee and Christine have to spend time off-farm to earn money to keep their 650 hectares going, as they continue ploughing and clearing to improve the land.

Ms Anderson trained as a paramedic with the Queensland Ambulance Service and travels in most days to teach at the University.

'We're lucky we're only out past Wowan,” she said.

"There are ladies I work with travel more than 60km each way and, at the end of the day, they have to start work all over again.

"As soon as you step through the gate, there's feeding and licks to run out.”

Ms Anderson said everyone's been wonderful in helping with donations and support for the farmers who are doing it tough.

"Working as a paramedic, you've got to forget all the troubles at home, no matter how serious they are,” she said.

"Once the uniform goes on, it's about the person who needs your help; that's what you're trained to do.”

Originally published as Wrenching day at Gracemere salesyards for hardworking women