The Outback Way Podcast

In this, the final episode of the Outback Way Podcast, Helen gives an update on the Outback Way funding and development before sharing a snapshot of a project that epitomises the kind of sustainable development of the corridor that the Outback Highway Development Council want to see more of going forwards. 
Helen interview Sue Hanson from the Goldfields Aboriginal Language Centre, which is an exiting project building agency and a sense of belonging and capacity for Indigenous community in the Goldfields region of Western Australia. You can find out more about their work at www.wangka.com.au/galcac-charity/ 
“We've had 5 seasons of the podcast capturing the characters, places, events and the development of the Outback way for the last few years. I really appreciate everyone who's listened and downloaded,  and all who participated in the podcast as guests.
I would also like to make a special mention of the Perk Digital team, and Ellen Ronalds Keene who has been the producer for this podcast for its duration.
I wanted to just give you a snapshot of where the Outback Way project is actually at now, in 2023. We are in an amazing place. In October last year in the Federal budget, we now have a national bipartisan project with the funding being secured of the 1.2 billion which will finish the sealing of the Outback Way.
I know there's mixed feelings about the sealing of the road. But for people who live across the 2700km Outback Way, the sealing of the road is paramount to their wellbeing and their livelihoods and the liveability of their communities.
So we at the Outback Highway Development Council are really charging forward now with a new focus and through a new lens of moving from advocacy to actually enabling community development and community capacity within and along  the Outback Way.”
~ Helen Lewis, General Manager, Outback Highway Development Council
You can find all notes and links on our website, www.outbackway.org.au where you can subscribe to our newsletter, buy our guidebook and download the app if you haven't already. Join us on Facebook and Twitter @OutbackWay1
Send your questions, comments and travel stories to [email protected] and if you share your story, we may even feature you on this podcast! Thank you for joining us through the heart of Australia, on Australia's longest short cut.
The Outback Way Podcast is produced by Perk Digital.

This episode of the Outback Way podcast is about the various events happening along the route in 2023 that would interest travellers planning their Outback Way adventures. There’s a whole host of activities and events happening in the different towns and regions along the Outback Way from Winton in QLD, through the NT and across to Laverton in WA. If you’re planning a trip this year, make sure you check out what’s on during your travel dates.

This will be our second last podcast ever. We are wrapping up the podcast, so thank you very much for listening. And also I would really like to thank Perk Digital and Ellen Ronalds Keene for her production of this podcast. It has been a wonderful exercise and we've been able to capture lots of stories and some great information about the journey of the Outback Way.

So we have one last final episode coming out later in the month. But in the meantime, enjoy your planning and use the website as much as possible to help with that, and have a very safe trip across the Outback Way!

In this episode, Helen chats with Adele Dyson from Caravanning with Kids, a website and online shop dedicated to sharing stories, tips and recommendations about caravanning with kids.

Adele tells Helen how her family got started caravanning and why they started the website. There is now also two large Facebook groups, Aussie Big Lappers and Caravan Homemaker’s Hub which you can find via their Facebook page. https://www.facebook.com/caravanningwithkids/

Adele shares some recommendations and suggestions for families travelling with kids, including some school options for kids when on the road, and advice for caravanning with pets too.

Adele and Helen finish their discussion talking about top tips for people getting started caravanning with kids.

Connect with Adele at https://www.caravanningwithkids.com.au/ or on Facebook or Instagram at @caravanningwithkidsau

You can find all notes and links on our website, www.outbackway.org.au where you can subscribe to our newsletter, buy our guidebook and download the app if you haven't already. Join us on Facebook and Twitter @OutbackWay1

Send your questions, comments and travel stories to [email protected] and if you share your story, we may even feature you on this podcast! Thank you for joining us through the heart of Australia, on Australia's longest short cut.

The Outback Way Podcast is produced by Perk Digital.

In this episode of the Outback Way Podcast, Helen speaks with David Elliot, the Executive Chairman of the Australian Age of Dinosaurs in Winton.

They discuss the history of how the museum came to be, after discovery of dinosaur fossils in the area, and the potential for regional Queensland and ongoing opportunities for the town of Winton.

David tells us about the different types of fossils they’ve got and the work they are doing to develop it as a destination as Australia’s Natural History Museum, plus why the Outback Way is so important to them.

There is also a short interview with 12-year-old Isobel at the end of the episode, who shares her experience visiting the Australian Age of Dinosaurs.

Connect with us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter @OutbackWay1

You can find all notes and links on our website, www.outbackway.org.au where you can subscribe to our newsletter, buy our guidebook and download the app if you haven't already. Join us on Facebook and Twitter @OutbackWay1

Send your questions, comments and travel stories to [email protected] and if you share your story, we may even feature you on this podcast! Thank you for joining us through the heart of Australia, on Australia's longest short cut.

The Outback Way Podcast is produced by Perk Digital.

In this episode, Helen chats to Laurinda Hill, the Manager of the Great Beyond Centre at Laverton in WA. They’ve had a brand new extension put onto the Visitor Information Centre and have really enhanced a lot of their tourism attractions over the last 18 months - 2 years.

Laurinda updates us on the refurbishments and expansion of the centre, including the activities available now and the audio tour, the cafe and gift shop, the Explorers Hall of Fame and the interpretive garden that reflects the history of the region.

Helen and Laurinda also discuss updates to events and attractions in Laverton generally, including the Aquatic Centre, the Historic Police Station complex, the history of outback graves, the Golden Quest Discovery Trail, the Laverton Art Galleries and Laverfest which will be in September.

Content Warning, this episode does have a brief mention of suicide. If you or someone you know needs help, please call Lifeline on 13 11 14.

Follow on Facebook and Instagram @TheGreatBeyondVisitorCentre or email [email protected]

Connect with us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter @OutbackWay1

You can find all notes and links on our website, www.outbackway.org.au where you can subscribe to our newsletter, buy our guidebook and download the app if you haven't already. Join us on Facebook and Twitter @OutbackWay1

Send your questions, comments and travel stories to [email protected] and if you share your story, we may even feature you on this podcast! Thank you for joining us through the heart of Australia, on Australia's longest short cut.

The Outback Way Podcast is produced by Perk Digital.

The National Portrait Gallery is putting on an exhibition in Winton from 21st May 2022 to 21st of June. Helen speaks with Creator of Exhibitions for the National Portrait Gallery, Penny Grist about this significant exercise.

Connect with us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter @OutbackWay1

You can find all notes and links on our website, www.outbackway.org.au where you can subscribe to our newsletter, buy our guidebook and download the app if you haven't already. Join us on Facebook and Twitter @OutbackWay1

Send your questions, comments and travel stories to [email protected] and if you share your story, we may even feature you on this podcast! Thank you for joining us through the heart of Australia, on Australia's longest short cut.

The Outback Way Podcast is produced by Perk Digital.

In this episode, Helen has a great conversation with Alex Chalmers, one of the co-owners of Gem Tree on the Plenty Highway. Gem Tree is a mixed business, offering accommodation, gem fossicking and setting, tours and the famous Camp Over Dinners. 
Helen and Alex chat about the mix of visitors to Gem Tree, both long term fossickers and interstate visitors, keen to experience fossicking. Alex shares what kind of stones you can find at Gem Tree, about the tours, as well as what facilities are there for people to sort their stones and get jewellery made. 
Alex and Helen discuss the accommodation options for people to stay at Gem Tree, including the great Camp Oven Dinners on Wednesday and Saturday night. Alex also shares about the history of his family and how they came to be at Gem Tree as pioneering men and women. 
For more info go to Gemtree.com.au or call  08 8956 9855 or email [email protected] 
Connect with us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter @OutbackWay1 
You can find all notes and links on our website, www.outbackway.org.au where you can subscribe to our newsletter, buy our guidebook and download the app if you haven't already. Join us on Facebook and Twitter @OutbackWay1
Send your questions, comments and travel stories to [email protected] and if you share your story, we may even feature you on this podcast! Thank you for joining us through the heart of Australia, on Australia's longest short cut.
The Outback Way Podcast is produced by Perk Digital.

In this episode Helen has a chat to Julie Woodhouse, the Community Services Manager at Boulia in Western Qld, all about the updates and attractions in the town. A revitalised and refurbished Min Min Encounter is waiting for you to visit!
Helen also shares some announcements, including the amazing news from February 2022 of an extra $678 million to complete the sealing of the Outback Way. 
Connect with us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter @OutbackWay1 
You can find all notes and links on our website, www.outbackway.org.au where you can subscribe to our newsletter, buy our guidebook and download the app if you haven't already. Join us on Facebook and Twitter @OutbackWay1
Send your questions, comments and travel stories to [email protected] and if you share your story, we may even feature you on this podcast! Thank you for joining us through the heart of Australia, on Australia's longest short cut.
The Outback Way Podcast is produced by Perk Digital.

In this episode, Helen shares the 7 Principals of the Leave No Trace approach to travelling the Outback Way, which is so important to protect our beautiful country for the future. 
There are many designated camping and caravanning sites along the length of the Outback Way and Helen lists them, as well as the Visitor Information Centre contact details for help planning your trip. 
The Visitor Information Centres on the Outback Way are: Laverton (08) 9031 1361; Yulara (08) 8957 7324; Alice Springs (08) 8952 5800; Boulia (07) 4746 3386; and Winton (07) 4657 1466.

For help planning your trip you can also grab our Travel Journal at outbackway.org.au/shop 
Helen also shares an overview of the Outback Highway Development Council’s work and plans over the next 12 months in regards to the road development, funding submissions, industry networks and telecommunications review. 
You can find all notes and links on our website, www.outbackway.org.au where you can subscribe to our newsletter, buy our travel journal and download the app if you haven't already. Join us on Facebook and Twitter @OutbackWay1
Send your questions, comments and travel stories to [email protected] and if you share your story, we may even feature you on this podcast! Thank you for joining us through the heart of Australia, on Australia's longest short cut.

Helen shares a bit about the realities of driving the Outback Way, especially in light of the stretches of bull dust that you can encounter. 
The Outback Way is 2700km long however much of it is not sealed and is in fact a gravel road only suitable for 4WD vehicles and off road campers/caravans. 
At the time of recording in September 2021, the gravel sections are from  Laverton in WA through to Kata Tjuta in the NT, and then again from Hart’s Range in the NT through to Boulia in QLD. While there are some short sealed sections around the townships, there are hundreds of kilometres of gravel. 
The gravel sections can deteriorate quite quickly and pose a very real danger to travellers in unsuitable vehicles or who don’t know how to navigate bulldust. 
This is why the Outback Way is really only suitable for 4WD or high clearance all wheel drive vehicles and off-road campers and caravans. This is also why the Outback Highway Development Council is working hard to secure funding to seal the rest of the Outback Way, which is a large national infrastructure project expected to be finished in 2027/2028.
In this episode Helen shares some suggestions on how to drive safely through bulldust sections and what is suitable for a successful trip on the Outback Way.
Please take the necessary precautions, we want you to have a safe and wonderful trip on the Outback Way but we also want to ensure that you’re aware of some of the hazards that you may confront when you’re driving such a wonderful route. We want to be realistic about how the road can deteriorate and we want to warn you so can have the best possible trip
You can find all notes and links on our website, www.outbackway.org.au where you can subscribe to our newsletter, buy our travel journal and download the app if you haven't already. Join us on Facebook and Twitter @OutbackWay1
Send your questions, comments and travel stories to [email protected] and if you share your story, we may even feature you on this podcast! Thank you for joining us through the heart of Australia, on Australia's longest short cut.