North Queensland station owner Rebecca Henry has dedicated her life to horses, from mustering to show jumping. Now she’s preparing ex-racehorses for life off the track.
Story + Photos Fiona Sewell
Rebecca Henry surveys the scene from her wooden verandah. The digs are simple, but the view is priceless. “It’s the gum trees that take your breath away. They stand proud,” she says.
It’s a bucolic setting. Gnarly blue gums, box trees and ironbarks feed the senses. Bird life teems on the many dams scattered across the property. Brolgas dance by the dam closest to the homestead, and black swans have returned – as they do each year – to have their young.
This is Sugarbag station, 18,000ha sitting resplendently atop the Great Dividing Range, three hours west of Cairns. Rebecca’s family bought the station in the mid-1980s. Last year, they finished their succession plan. Now 45, Rebecca has full ownership of the business, the Brahman-cross cattle and all that comes with it. “Including the debt,” she says.
Horses are a core part of Sugarbag, but not in the ways you might expect. From mustering to showjumping, Rebecca has a long affinity, starting with her first steed, Shaky the Shetland pony. “Little ratbag,” she says. They did their first muster together when Rebecca was just five years old. “Dad had me tailing the mob, following the cattle in. He set it up safely and I thought I was more important than I actually was,” she smiles, remembering.
Bigger horses followed, then a passion for showjumping. Starting at age 12, she was hooked, spending every second on her homemade course.
This story excerpt is from issue #164
Outback Magazine: Dec/Jan 2026
