Grade 11 boarding student Max has his boots firmly planted in two very different worlds — the rugged, hands-on life of a central Queensland cattle station, and the bustling day-to-day routine of boarding school in Townsville.
“I live on a station north of Clermont called Mazeppa,” Max explained. “When I’m not here at school, I live there with my family.”
Home for Max is anything but quiet. Mazeppa Station is a working property that runs both cattle and crops, keeping everyone on their toes year-round. “We have a mix of cattle and crops, so there’s always plenty to do,” he said. “There’s not really such a thing as a day off on the property.”
Max is no stranger to getting his hands dirty. When he’s home, he’s often found helping his dad with jobs around the station — everything from driving tractors and mustering cattle to basic maintenance like greasing machinery and checking equipment. Max already has one eye on the future. His goal is to gain trade qualifications that will help him bring even more value to the family business.
“I think if I can do an apprenticeship as a mechanic or a diesel fitter or something like that, it’ll be great for working on the farm,” he said.
When he’s not lending a hand with station work, Max makes time for his own kind of fun. A keen rider, he often jumps on his CRF230 motorbike or catching up with friends.
“We like to go pigging on weekends and in the school holidays,” Max said with a grin. “To get home these school holidays, Mum will come and pick me up from Townsville then drive me back,” he said.
Despite the change of pace, Max has taken boarding school life in stride. At Tec-NQ House, he’s made strong friendships and settled well into the rhythm of living away from home. “In my free time, I go to Planet Fitness with my mates or watch the Storm play in the NRL,” Max said. “I’m enjoying it so far — it’s much better than regular school.”
