It is a long way from St Gregory's College to Newcastle Waters in the Northern Territory - but that is the journey that Toby Drinnan has completed since graduating from the College last year.
Toby has always had a keen interest in agriculture which was nurtured during his time at St Gregory's - joining the Show Team in Year 7 and staying involved all the way through his schooling. For a number of years, Toby had the goal of heading off on a gap year to the Northern Territory once the HSC was over.
Toby was fortunate enough to secure a Station Hand position with Consolidated Pastoral Company (CPC) at their Newcastle Waters station. The station, which is 700kms south of Darwin, is over 10,000 square kilometres in size - roughly the same as the Sydney metropolitan area - and carries over 70,000 head of cattle.
Whilst the working days can be long (and hot!), Toby has really enjoyed the experience and has made great friendships with the other staff who are from all parts of Australia and some from overseas. He certainly has been able to live out the Marist principle of "love of work". Away from work on the station there is the opportunity to mix with the staff from other stations at rodeos, campdrafts and the annual CPC station challenge.
Toby is planning on heading to university in 2025 to study agriculture and would encourage students to consider a gap year – particularly where is provides an opportunity to test yourself away from the usual home environment.