This week’s Back Roads sees presenter Lisa Millar journey to the Hilltops region of New South Wales for the quirky Boorowa Irish Wool Festival, featuring the unique “Running of the Sheep.” The episode airs Thursday, 6 March at 8:00 pm on ABC and ABC iview.
Here’s the Lowdown: Millar joins the crowds to witness the “Running of the Sheep,” a chaotic event described as a cross between the Running of the Bulls and a lottery, but with sheep. She meets Ashley Corkhill and his sheepdogs, who have the challenging task of keeping 150 sheep on track, especially with a young, inexperienced pup in the mix.
What This Means Now: The episode features the festival’s parade and presents 11-year-old Buster Hall, a local shearing prodigy with a standout mullet. Viewers will see Buster and his dad, Scottie, attempt to give Lisa Millar a shearing lesson.
The Bigger Picture: Beyond the festival fun, the episode explores the community’s commitment to preserving both its heritage and its local wildlife. Millar visits Ingrid Corcoran’s farm to participate in planting a habitat refuge for the endangered Superb Parrot, a bird that is a symbol of Boorowa. The program features a glimpse of a large flock of these rare birds. Back Roads airs on ABC and ABC iview on Thursday, March 6, at 8 pm.
