Calf mortality in northern Australia is one of the largest welfare and productivity constraints in the industry. The proximity of cows and their calves in the days after birth may provide valuable information linked to calf performance and survival. In this study, ten cows (n = 10) and their ten calves (n = 10) were monitored using Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) collars to measure the proximity between cow and calf, and their behaviours from birth. Cows were fitted with GNSS collars at time of pregnancy testing and calves were fitted with GNSS collars shortly after birth. Cows and calves maintained longer distances from other cows and calves during the first 3 days after calving compared to days 4–14 after calving (P < 0.05). Cows travelled longer distances than their calves during the first 4 days after calving (P < 0.05). Cows also travelled similar distances throughout the calving period however calves travelled shorter distances during the first week after birth (P < 0.05). Calving occurred at 1.35 ± 0.91 km from the water point on average and calves travelled up to 5.66 km/d on the day of birth. Daily distance travelled by both cows and calves, and distance from birth site increased during the first week (P < 0.05). Calf growth rate had a strong negative correlation with the distance cows travelled in the two weeks prior to calving (r = −0.79, P < 0.05) and a strong positive correlation with the time the cow spent near the water point in the first week after birth (r = 0.84, P < 0.05). Cow age was positively correlated with the distance between cows and calves during the first week after birth (r = 0.87, P < 0.05). Results from the present study showed that GNSS devices offer a powerful tool to understand the behaviour of cows and calves around the time of calving in extensive commercial conditions. This information may be helpful to understand risk factors of mortality in the early stages of calves' lives, such as the separation between cows and their calves in the first week after birth which may expose calves to predation by wild dogs and dehydration in tropical regions. Further investigation is required to understand the impact of these behaviours on calf survival in extensive breeding operations. • Cow and calf spatial behaviours around calving time may impact calf survival. • Separation of cows and calves after birth may increase risk of calf mortality. • Young brahman calves are left alone in the days after birth. • Older cows have calves with higher growth rates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]