Gary Cullen
Bush Poet (Curl Curl, NSW)

Gary, or Bronco as his friends call him, is a true bush poet. Born in 1947 and reared in orphanages for most of his young life, he left school when he was 14 and started a bricklaying apprenticeship in Sydney. After discovering his father was drinking his wages, he left Sydney to find work in shearing sheds around Queensland. He was taught to break in horses by George McGraw then returned to Sydney and spent 6 months learning more from the great horseman and showman Jimmy Wilton and competing in rodeos throughout New South Wales.

On returning to Queensland he broke in horses on contract then went droving before eventually heading into the Northern Territory where he worked on a number of stations including VRD, Montaginy, Baramba and Murray Downs running scrubbers and working as a ringer. He then moved to Griffith NSW in the 1980's breaking in gallopers and trotters. After a break-up of his marriage, he moved to Manly in Sydney where he worked as a Drug and Alcohol Councellor.

Parted from his horses he took up motor cycle racing, breaking even more bones and finally gave that away and went back to horses, competing in his final rodeo in 2003. He finally hung up his spurs and now works as a foreman for Manly Council.

Gary's first book was published at the end of 2003. Titled 'Are You a Cowboy Mister?', the book is a collection of Gary's bush poems and campfire yarns and features beautiful illustrations by northern beaches artist Jessica Fitzgerald. You can order a copy of Gary's book from GMB Publishing, PO Box 74 Terrey Hills 2084 - cost is $16 (includes postage).

Contact Gary Cullen