‘I choose to live!’ These were the words Heyward Robertson spoke at his lowest point after being diagnosed with MS.

Heyward Robertson along with his four siblings and mum and dad moved to his family property, near Glenmorgan when he was 11 years old. Heyward spent his high school years at boarding school at the Toowoomba Grammar School and loved going home at the end of each term to spend holidays working on the land.

After finishing school, Heyward was encouraged to head off and work for other employers to learn as much as possible about jackerooing before coming home to work on his family property.

At 21, Heyward stood strong, broad-shouldered, tall and handsome. He thought himself indestructible and was living his childhood dream as a jackeroo on the land. Now he had returned home from jackerooing in the Carnarvons, to take up the reins, with his Dad, on the family property. He had a dream to get married and raise a family.

Riding the Rough Road is a collection of short stories describing the rough and dusty roads, towns and characters that shaped the boy who became a man. He was a man who continued to ride the corrugations of life with his ‘never say die’ attitude. He is a man who has defied all odds; who has continued to maintain his sense of humour and his passionate zest for life.

Advised by medical authorities to commence limiting his life, he instead chose to live expansively, daring to enter fields about which he had no knowledge, or experience or expertise. Heyward worked in property development; horse breeding; cattle breeding; and went on to design, build and manage the famous Overlander Motel in Roma.

Now living in Toowoomba, assisted by his loving family, Heyward’s desire to live life to the full leaves the most able-bodied of us breathless.