-By Kim Parnell-
Growing up on a sprawling 7,000-acre peanut and cattle farm between Kingaroy and Dalby, Tom Curtain’s childhood was the kind most kids could only dream about.
“Growing up on a farm was unreal,” Tom recalls. “Mum and Dad ran a farm stay for 25 years, so we always had people coming and going – staying in a cottage or even in our bedrooms when us boys were away at boarding school.
Tom has 4 other brothers and learned early what it meant to work hard, be hospitable, and push himself out of his comfort zone. “We’d take guests on horse rides, show them the farm, and teach them about country life, which gave us confidence and made us appreciate where we came from.”
It also sparked a lifelong connection to animals. Surrounded by horses, cattle, and working dogs, Tom found peace in the rhythm of farm life.
It wasn’t until Tom headed north to work on Mount Sanford Station, a vast cattle property in the Northern Territory, that Tom discovered songwriting.
Life on a stock camp is far from glamorous. A typical day starts before dawn. “You’re up at four, have a cuppa and some brekkie, then catch your horse, load it on the truck, and head out 20 or 25 kilometres to start mustering,” Tom explains. “The helicopter rounds up the cattle, and you walk them back to the yards – sometimes thousands of head over 25 kilometres to the yards. It’s hard, dusty work.”
Evenings were simple – a shower under an old windmill and sitting around the campfire. “We had no phones, no TV, no radio – just each other and a guitar or two.”
Somewhere in those quiet Northern Territory nights, Tom began jotting down lyrics. “I’d be out front of the mob, singing into the wind. The boys down the back could hear me all day. That night, they asked me what I’d been singing. I denied it, of course!” he laughs. “But they wouldn’t let it go. So, I sang them my song Smack Bang. They actually liked it and said I should write more.”
Not long after, Tom was moved into the homestead to break in horses and started practising guitar during lunch breaks, helped by fellow horseman and musician Martin Oakes, who gave him his first guitar and a few lessons. Before long, Martin convinced him to enter a singing contest near Darwin. Tom gave it a go – and to his surprise, did pretty well.
That small step led him to Tamworth, where he met music producer Garth Porter, who had recently worked with Sara Storer.
Tom’s debut album, not surprisingly, was called Smack Bang and was released in 2004.
“It all happened so quickly,” Tom says. “I went from being out in the bush mustering cattle to standing on stage at the Golden Guitar Awards with 5,000 people watching. It was terrifying!”
Smack Bang earned him a couple of Golden Guitar nominations alongside industry greats like John Williamson – an incredible feat for a bloke who’d only recently started playing guitar.
After Tamworth, Tom hit the road with Sara Storer, who had won about 5 or 6 Golden Guitars. “I only had to sing four songs each night, but I was terrified. I’d be sitting there thinking, remember your lyrics, smile, don’t mess up the chords! But Sara kept encouraging me. She told me, ‘Tom, just keep going – people will warm to you.’ She was right.
Later, he teamed up with fellow country artist Luke O’Shea for Never Never Land, which won two Golden Guitars in 2018 – Heritage Song of the Year and Video Clip of the Year.
“We were up against some huge names like Kasey Chambers and Lee Kernaghan,” Tom recalls. “We were in the green room when someone yelled out, ‘Oi, Tom! You just won!’ We couldn’t believe it. We had to sprint through the curtains to get to the stage. The video clip was made by a mate for a carton of beer – I had to give him another one after that win!”
Despite the success, life on the road began to wear thin. Tom eventually took a break from touring to focus on family and horse training. He set up a business near Katherine, training around 150 horses a year for cattle stations. But when the live beef export ban hit, his income vanished overnight.
“It was a really tough time,” he admits. “My marriage ended, and my kids moved away. I started singing at caravan parks in the evenings just to get by.”
In due course, an idea was sparked for an outback show that would showcase his music and his training of horses and dogs: “At first, hardly anyone came, but I stuck with it.”
Word soon spread. Audiences loved the unpolished honesty of it all — the moments when animals misbehaved, and Tom worked with them in real time, explaining the process. “That’s what people connected with,” he says. “The rawness. It wasn’t a performance; it was real life.”
During this time, fate stepped in again. While hitchhiking in Western Australia, Tom met a farmer who introduced him to his daughter, Annabelle. The two hit it off immediately, and a year later, she moved to Katherine. They married on the back lawn of their home and now have two beautiful children together.
“Annabelle grew up on a beef farm, too,” Tom smiles. “She’s passionate about tourism and the livestock pastoral industry; she’s been by my side ever since. This year marks ten years of touring our show.”
The Katherine Outback Experience has grown into a national touring experience, featuring horses, dogs, goats, and plenty of laughs. It’s hands-on, family-friendly, and deeply educational. “We get everyone involved,” Tom says. “Kids who’ve never patted a horse before walk away beaming with confidence. That’s what it’s all about.”
Tom’s compassion runs deep, especially when it comes to mental health and bullying. After the tragic passing of Dolly Everett, the young girl behind Dolly’s Dream, Tom wrote Speak Up and Be Kind to help raise awareness. He now donates $10 from every shirt sold to the charity, raising over $100,000 so far.
“We knew Dolly’s family personally,” Tom says softly. “If sharing her story and our songs can help even one kid, it’s worth it.”
He’s also written a children’s book about his animals, with proceeds going to Dolly’s Dream. “It’ll be out this Christmas,” he grins. “I haven’t told too many people yet!”
Today, Tom tours the country with his family. “It’s a different kind of touring now,” he says. “We travel with our kids, the horses, the dogs. It’s the dream life, really.”
Everywhere they go, they meet people who are touched by their message of kindness, resilience, and the deep bond between humans and animals. “One bloke told me, ‘Watching you with your animals is like a lesson in humanity,’” Tom reflects. “And that means the world to me.”
With Annabelle by his side, Tom continues to blend music, storytelling, and horsemanship in a way that celebrates the heart of rural Australia – raw, real, and full of soul.
“I’m lucky,” Tom smiles. “I get to do what I love, with the people I love, and share a bit of the bush spirit wherever we go. You can’t ask for much more than that.”
Here’s To You Tour
Tom Curtain
Katherine Outback Experience
Sunday, November 23
Fraser Coast Sports and Recreation Precinct
Nikenbah
Tickets: www.katherineoutbackexperience.com.au/national-tour/
