Mount Isa's Liz Debney launches book Arrabury...

December 1 2018 - 11:00AM

Liz Debney’s book about the history of a cattle station is a story which she felt ‘needed to be told’. 

The Mount Isa author launched her book ‘Arrabury’ in October. 

The book centres on the story of cattle station manager Fred Debney, and his family as they worked at Arrabury. 

Fred Debney was the grandfather of Liz’s husband Mal.

Tragically, Mal was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in the book’s final editing stage and passed away before he was able to hold the hard copy. 

Liz said Mal took an active interest in the research and writing of the book. 

Four days before he died, Mal got to view a copy of the front cover and approved of the final product. 

Fred Debney: The book centres on the story of cattle station manager Fred Debney, and his family as they worked at Arrabury from 1905-1950.

Through her research, Liz put together a fascinating read into life on an outback station in the first half of the twentieth century.

“From the perspective of the second decade of the 21st century their lives were extraordinary,” she said.

“How did they manage with only snail mail for communication; camels to bring their stores and limited medical services?”

Liz took on the task of writing the book from one of Mal’s uncles. 

He had been writing his father’s history and was looking for someone to complete the job. 

Cattle branding.

Mal’s uncle had a number of letters, which were written from the time and bound into books. 

Liz used the letters as the basis for creating her book. She also utlised the digital archive Trove to uncover more information about particular topics. 

Camels were used to transport mail and supplies to the Arrabury cattle station.

Liz discovered camels proved to be an important part of cattle station life. 

“I really think this is a part of Australian history that needs to be more known,” she said. 

“The camels really opened up that part of the countryside.

“The roads were too sandy for wagons to negotiate with horses.”

The Debney family in 1938.

In 1972 Liz met Mal when she went out west from the city to Boulia. 

Mal had grown up on Arrabury and was Liz’s sounding board and source of information throughout the construction of the book. 

Liz and Mal married in 1974 and spent 27 years living and working on cattle stations in Queensland, South Australia and the Northern Territory before settling in Mount Isa in 2001. 

Author: Liz Debney.

Liz dedicated the book to her husband Mal. 

“The boy from Arrabury who won my city girl heart and taught me to love the outback,” she said. 

“With love forever and always.”