Like many Indigenous people in Australia's far north, David Newry's surname is derived from the cattle industry.

Located on the Western Australia and Northern Territory border, Newry station sits on Miriwoong country and was David Newry's home growing up.

"When I was five I used to go out to the stockcamps, the old cook would take us, and when they'd yard up cattle we'd be there as kids [helping]," he said.

"When I look back, there was a lot of freedom for kids and learning about positive things."

A new station and first paid job

At the age of nine, he moved to the nearby Ivanhoe cattle station, on his mother's country, where the manager was quick to put young David to work.

"The first horse I rode was called Trumby, a brown gelding, and I was that small I had to lead him up to a stump or the side of a truck so I could hop on the horse," he said.

"My first job on the station was a horse tailor. We'd get the horses for the stockmen … and then take other horses out to the mustering for the change-over and take food out for them.

"I remember at the end of the year, they were all lining up at the homestead waiting for their pays and the manager started calling people's names out and I was surprised that he called my name out.

"I got paid! He paid me $80 in one dollar notes for the entire year.

"I remember not signing for it [the pay], we had to use a thumb print, they had a little ink thing to press your thumb and put onto the work sheet."

And what did he do with that first pay?

"The next day, I remember the manager's son had a three-gear Malvern star bike, a push-bike, and I bought it off him with my first pay."

David Newry (left) in his younger days, with Alec Ward, Robert Lumai, Jeffrey Newry and Cecil Ningarmara. ( Supplied: David Newry )

Over the years, the pay did improve for Mr Newry, but not by very much.

In 1977 the manager of Ivanhoe named him one of the head stockmen.

"The manager used to give us authority, which was a surprise and a rare thing for a full-blood to be doing that kind of thing," he said.

"I think any stockman from that era would tell you that it was really hard for a full-blood Indigenous person to be put in a position like that, especially at such an early age. But I'm glad that I achieved that."

Hanging up the saddle

Around 1980, Mr Newry and his family left the station when it was sold and the manager left.

"We had great respect for that old fella [the manager], as what he did for us, so when he left, we all left and we all went into town [Kununurra]."

From there, Mr Newry said he spent a little bit of time doing cattle work on Newry Station and Argyle Downs, then became one of the first rangers at the Keep River National Park.

A trip to town one day unexpectedly put him on a path to becoming the respected Miriwoong elder he is today.

"We were in town one weekend and I got surrounded by senior Miriwoong people and they said 'We can't let you go back now, you have to stay and work for us'.

"I never used to say no to senior people; I just said 'Alright, OK then, what do you want me to do?'

"They'd nominated me as a chairperson for the Mirima Council Aboriginal Corporation, and I didn't really have any choice so I stayed on, and that was the beginning of a new era for me."

Mr Newry is now well known for his work at the local Mirima Language Centre and can often be seen at the Yeehaa Rangers program, teaching the next generation of Aboriginal stockmen.

"I think you should have more Indigenous people around training centres," he said.

"If you want young fellas to make their dreams come true and achieve their goals, then I think you need family members around them.

"I wouldn't mind seeing more Indigenous input in the cattle industry.

"If there's senior people around to teach and inspire, then the young people can go on to achieve."