Tucked away in the vast, rugged landscape of the Pilbara is a man whose story runs as deep as the red dirt itself. Colin, a true-blue Australian battler, welcomed us onto his station with a firm handshake, a yarn or two, and a legacy built on grit, resilience, and a whole lot of hard work.
“I came here in 1962,” he told us, standing beside a home he built brick by brick—literally.
“There were about two and a half thousand sheep back then. I was 24 and took the place on three weeks after arriving. I’ve been here ever since.”
There’s a certain kind of resilience that can’t be faked—it’s earned, carved out through years of hard work, loss, and quiet wins. Colin’s story is exactly that. A man of the land, shaped by the vast open skies and the red Pilbara dust.
We had the privilege of visiting Colin at Indee Station, where he’s lived and worked since 1962.
Colin’s journey started with sheep—eight thousand of them at one point—and evolved with the changing times. When the economics shifted, he transitioned to cattle. “Sheep got more expensive to run and the price dropped. Eventually, it just wasn’t economical. So I joined the clan running cattle instead.”
In the decades that followed, Colin raised livestock, raised kids, weathered extreme Pilbara heat and weather, and shouldered loss. He spoke with quiet strength about the death of his first wife in a tragic accident, and later about Betty, the woman who would become his companion for the next 20 years.
Their love story began over a weed-spraying job, and as Colin recalls with a smirk, their first shared “star room” was little more than a concrete slab outside.
He laughs when he recalls their early days. “She asked where she’d be sleeping, and I told her—under the stars, on concrete slabs. That was the star room.” Romantic in the raw, true Pilbara way.
Together, they ran the station, made do, and made it work.
“I bought cattle when Neil Armstrong landed on the moon,” he tells us with a grin. “I remember that day clearly.”
In 2007, Cyclone George tore through the region—and Colin lost his house. But in true Colin fashion, he didn’t give up. He handmade every single brick of the current homestead—shovelling sand by night and moulding 110 bricks a day by hand. He started in 1980 and finished the house in 1984. In the meantime? He and Betty lived under the veranda for four years. No complaints—just quiet determination.
“We lived under the veranda for four years until I had enough money to get this together,” Colin said, motioning to the house built from thousands of bricks he made by hand. “I’d shovel every one of those bricks three times.”
Colin’s station is more than a home—it’s a living museum of memories.
Bottles collected over decades, scars from radiation treatment that left him half-deaf, a cattle paddock that’s now home to about 2,500 head, and stories of trapping 102 wild dogs in just eight weekends to protect the property. “That’s what kept me alive, really—from going broke.”
From starting early to beat the heat, resting during the brutal midday sun, and winding down with happy hour and a bit of tv (or a nap in front of it). But the work ethic hasn’t left. Nor has the dust. Nor the pride.
Colin’s kids—now grown—work across the region, train drivers to contractors and beyond. His legacy continues not just in the land, but in the values he’s passed on: endurance, humility, and self-reliance.
Colin is also the man behind the iconic Indee 500
Colin is also the man behind the iconic Indee 500 , an event that became a local legend. He points out the plaques on his wall—left by riders who once tore across the station’s terrain. Many of those names are now famous in the world of motocross. It’s a tribute to the spirit of the outback—rough, real, and wildly memorable.
The station holds all sorts of memories.
The station holds all sorts of memories. Among them, a unique bottle collection that once belonged to Sid Baker , a man who lived on the station and sadly lost his life during Cyclone George . The bottles now sit quietly in the background, a humble memorial to a mate and a life lived hard and honest.
Resilient Living on 162,000 Hectares: Colin’s Story of Grit, Innovation and Life in the Pilbara
At 162,000 hectares, Colin’s land is more than just property—it’s a living archive of personal and regional history where every inch of the station tells a story.
He doesn’t move as fast as he used to. These days, the mornings start a little slower, and the afternoons might include a nap in front of the TV. But the spirit’s still there—dusty, dry-witted, and quietly proud.
Colin’s story resonates deeply with the ethos of Fridgy —an Australian brand born in the Pilbara, dedicated to celebrating the hard-working individuals who embody the nation’s resilience. His journey is rooted in the red earth, forged by hardship, and held together by sheer will.
Through all of life’s curveballs—cyclones, economic downturns, personal loss—Colin has remained cool, calm, and collected. He still carries a remarkable sense of humour, a sharp wit, and a grounded presence that reminds you of the kind of grit that can’t be taught—only lived. There’s a real character to him—the kind you don’t come across often, and when you do, you don’t forget.
And if you ask him what he’s learned after all these years, the answer is simple—don’t over-spoil your kids. Teach them to work hard. Stand your ground. Don’t expect the world to hand it to you—be resourceful, be innovative, and just find a way to keep going. And above all else, choose happiness where you can.
At Fridgy, we believe in honouring these stories—not just for what they say about the past, but for what they remind us about strength, perseverance, and purpose.
Thank you, Colin , for welcoming us into your world and sharing a piece of your journey. You’re exactly the kind of legend Fridgy was made to celebrate.
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