long paddock

• Audio (AU)

  (file)

long paddock (uncountable)

1. (Australia, colloquial) The grass verge of a public road, used as a source of pasture for cattle, sheep, etc, in times of drought; the stock route to market.
   • 2004 April 10, “Time′s up for the long paddock”, in Sydney Morning Herald:

     However, Bradford insists life on the long paddock is nowhere near as wild as it was at the height of the drought, when the routes were crawling with hungry stock and often being closed to prevent overgrazing.

   • 2006, The Bulletin, numbers 6536-6544, page 18:

     With no grass to eat at home, cattle are heading for the abattoirs or are going droving down the long paddock.

   • 2006, Marion Houldsworth, From Gulf to God Knows Where, page 53:

     As a last resource Dad had got the 2000 sheep he′d been able to save in a black soil paddock beside the road ready to go on the track and follow ‘the long paddock’ with them².

   • 2011, Clancy Tucker, Gunnedah Hero, unnumbered page:

     ‘Smokey, do you think Dad will still go up the long paddock with our cattle?’ asked Angus as we neared the school.