Playing for sheep stations

The phrase is a traditional Australian English term.

The phrase "playing for sheep stations" has both a literal and ironic usage.

In the negative, it is used to encourage participants to play in a friendly and not too competitive manner.

It could be used starting a game of cards or pool for example, to check whether the game would be played for money, beer, or just pride, asking "so, are we playing for sheep stations or what?"

In typical Australian fashion, it can also be used to mean the exact opposite, because a sheep station is such an expensive item that nobody would bet it on a game, the phrase "we're playing for sheep stations" can also be used to mean that the game is purely for sport, and there is no bet or prize involved.