Everything you need to know about taking a gap year with journalist Kirsty McKenzie

This conversation delves into the concept of gap years in Australia, exploring the diverse experiences of young people who take a year off between school and further education or work. Journalist Kirsty McKenzie shares insights from her feature in Outback Magazine, highlighting the motivations, ben…

The last days of Zane Grey: how a Hollywood legend came to be loved in Australia

This fascinating conversation between author Vicki Hastrich and host Terri Cowley delves into the final years of Hollywood legend Zane Grey and his trips to Australia to go game fishing and make films. Some key takeaways: Grey filmed the first Jaws-type move on Hayman Island called White Death Gre…

The scoop on Australian ice cream: Bulla Dairy CEO Allan Hood

In this engaging conversation, Terri Cowley interviews Allan Hood, CEO of Bulla, who shares his journey from the alcohol industry to leading one of Australia's oldest dairy companies. The discussion covers Bulla's partnership with R.M.Williams, the importance of farmer relationships, the challenges…

Race caller Bluey Forsyth, the voice of Queensland racing

Race caller John 'Bluey' Forsyth fell in love with racing aged seven, and it’s been a lifelong dream run since then. Known as the voice of Queensland racing, Bluey has spent more than a quarter of a century presiding over country tracks, and loving every minute of it. Bluey features in Issue 163 o…

Putting Australia on the map: revisiting the extraordinary story of Matthew Flinders, the explorer who gave us our name

Matthew Flinders' 1914 Terra Australis map was the first to name Australia and the first to picture it as a self-contained island continent. In this talk with Flinders biographer Grantlee Kieza we delve into the man behind the map. Why did he do what he did and who was he? What is his relevance tod…

Chasing Storm Boy, a charity cattle drive, silo art in town and a surprising garden: photojournalist Mandy McKeesick's many stories

From making tracks in the Coorong, SA, to joining a charity cattle drive across Queensland, appreciating silo art in a small town and immersing herself in a garden with a difference in northern NSW – these are just some of the recent stories Mandy McKeesick has contributed to OUTBACK. Hear about th…

Getting bush kids to the medical care they need: Little Wings CEO Clare Pearson

Charity Little Wings connects children with lifesaving healthcare services – for free, in NSW and Queensland. Last year, they travelled 250,000km by road and 500,000km by air to transport children to their five partner hospitals and essential medical services in major cities. Hear from CEO Clare Pe…

Connections across the outback: R.M.Williams Publishing's Editor in Chief Mark Muller

Whether on a cattle station in the Kimberley, WA, or a sheep property in Victoria, Mark Muller delights in telling stories and has done so for more than 20 years at the helm of OUTBACK magazine. In this discussion we catch up on Mark's recent travels and explore the many diverse connections between…

Bringing rural women together: Jackie Elliott, founder of Rural Women's Day

Jackie Elliott has created the type of events she wanted for herself, to be able to make connections and find friendships with like-minded rural women. Since a one-off event seven years ago, Rural Woman's Day has evolved into a multi-state events calendar centred on celebrating rural women and buil…

How to save an icon: Christine Chirgwin from the Friends of Toganmain Woolshed

The 110-stand Toganmain woolshed, one of the largest in Australia, has been lovingly restored by a community of dedicated volunteers in the NSW Riverina. But how did they do it? Councillor Christine Chirgwin, one of the powerhouses behind the project, shares the highs and lows of this impressive en…