In the drought of 1930, conditions around Mogilla were so desperate that many local dairy farmers took their herd up the mountain to Cathcart, on the Monaro.

The trip through the bush, up Tantawangalo Mountain, wasn't the major ordeal that might be expected. The distance is such that a man on a good horse, with no cattle to drive, could do the trip in an hour and a half or two hours.

So with the drought worsening, and no end in view, George Alcock of Boorawa made the decision to temporarily move his opperations from the family farm at Mogilla, to Cathcart, and arranged agistment with Mick Garathy.

Tom Jones, one of the farm workers, headed off at 2.00am with the pigs.

At daylight, after the cows had been milked, George Alcock with Earl Britten, another of the farm workers, moved out with the dairy herd. They were assisted by Alan, melton's seven year old brother, riding his pony.

When the calves had been fed, eight year old Melton and 14 or 15 year old Gordon McDonald got them moving on the trip to better pasture at Cathcart.

With a good dog to do the work, the drovers needed only to ride along stedily, keeping the herd moving at a reasonable pace.