A few years ago,my son was a tour guide in the Kimberley, working between Kunnanurra and Broome, through the Bungles and then back up the Gibb River Road.
We did a tag along tour behind his bus, and listened in over our two way radio as he talked over his radio to the passengers in the bus. It was just like being in the bus, as we could hear all the comments he made, and we could ask questions too.
We were traveling between Fitroy River and Broome on a long lonely stretch of black top, when Sam started to tell a story to the punters about droving.
"In the old days, drovers used to walk their cattle about ten miles a day and then camp early evening. Every night the drovers would have to keep watch on the cattle in case they rushed or stampeded. They used to have to ride quietly around them all night either singing softly or talking quietly to keep them calm. Now in the modern age the no longer have to do this, as they have ACH's scattered along all the routes."
Of course the passengers asked him what ACH's were.
"Well, he said, They are Automatic Cattle Harminisers."
"Automatic Cattle Harminisers, what are they Sam?"
He said, "You see that big tall tower with those funny looking round things on top, way up ahead there, well that an ACH." These ACH's are placed along the track every ten miles or so and they actually use some sort of electrical waves to keep the cattle calm,so the drovers can now get some sleep of a night."
"Oh Sam, That's not right, their Telstra Towers aren't they?"
You wouldn't want to know it, but when we eventually came past this tower, there were about fifty head of cattle all laying down chewing their cud, around this tower.
We were in our car killing ourselves laughing as most of the passengers were city folk.
Every time I see a telstra tower I think of how he got all that lot and I laugh out loud.