Where “Stockman” Comes From
A stockman is a person who works with livestock on a station or farm, mustering, branding and looking after animals. The job is linked to the outback and northern Australia.
The stockman, with a wide-brimmed hat and horse, became a national symbol, and appears in poems such as “The Man from Snowy River”.
“The stockman rode out at dawn.”
How Aussies Actually Use It
You’ll hear it on stations, in history and in bush poetry.
In Real Life
Stockmen spend long days in the saddle, in dust and heat, watching over herds. They know the land and the animals, and many are Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people whose skills and knowledge shaped the cattle industry. The job image appears in songs, paintings and tourism. Modern stockmen also use helicopters and motorbikes alongside horses.
Quick Questions
Is a stockman the same as a jackaroo?
Not quite. A jackaroo is a young trainee on a station, while a stockman is an experienced livestock worker.
Are there stockwomen?
Yes. Women work as stockwomen or jillaroos.
Say It Like an Aussie
Say it: STOK-mun.
In conversation:
- The stockman rounded up the cattle.
- He’s a head stockman on the station.
- She’s a stockwoman up north.
Good to know: A stockman works with livestock, often on horseback. Women in the same job are sometimes called stockwomen.
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