Helen speaks with Carol James, the manager of Tjukayirla Roadhouse in Western Australia. The Tjukayirla Roadhouse is an important stop on the Great Central Road, Outback Way, located 305km from Laverton and 264km from Warurton.

Carol tells us how she came to be managing the roadhouse and what brought her to the very isolated part of Western Australia, a bit about her background and what she likes most about it. Helen and Carol discuss the art, crafts and souvenirs that they stock in the roadhouse from the Blackstone Aboriginal Community, as well as the caves with artworks in them and the nearby Emperor Springs.

A few things to note about travelling on the Great Central Road:

•A permit is required. You can get one online and it is free.

•Most of the Great Central Road is unsealed. Ensure you have spare tyres, you really need two through here. Low profile tyres are NOT suitable.

•You must have a working Jack, twice as much water as you think you will need and some cash, as eftpos machines do go down and then you will have to wait for it to be back up.

•Be aware there are many camels on the road.

•Phone ahead for accommodation. All roadhouses close at 5pm weekdays and are only open 9am - 3pm weekends.

Tjukayirla Roadhouse has Opal and Diesel Fuel, food, 10 motel rooms (which you need to prebook) and a large camp grounds with camp kitchen, bonfire area and neat and tidy bathrooms. Get in touch with Carol at the Roadhouse on 9037 1108, check out the Facebook page @tjukaroadhouse and all the info on the website https://tjukayirlaroadhouse.com.au

Thank you for tuning into the Outback Way podcast. If you are enjoying our podcast, please leave us a review. And if you're really enjoying our podcast, you may like to become a contributor: through our Outback Way store for $5 you can help with the production of our podcast.

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 Outback Way has become a symbol of resilience, connection, and progress, weaving together the diverse landscapes and communities of Australia's heartland.

 In celebration of the  25-year journey of advocacy and lobbying to the funding announcement to complete the seal, the Outback Highway Development Council is proud to present ‘From Bulldust to Bitumen – 25 Years of the Outback Way’. A book that captures the spirit, history, and future vision of this transformative project.

Order your copy and be part of the journey that continues to shape Australia's outback, it’s people and the nation. 

Head over to our website and order yours today  W: outbackway.org.au

This is the audio of a Facebook live Q&A session where Helen answers the following questions/covers the following topics:

- I have heard the road from NT to Laverton is horrendous, is it?

- How much of the Outback Way is sealed and which sections?

- What are the plans/dates for the rest of the road sections to be sealed?

- All about permits: what is required, where do you need permits for, how do you get them?

- Public infrastructure project, how much it costs not to have the road sealed

- When is the best time of year to travel the Outback Way?

- Can you travel with pet dog on the Outback Way? Are there any issues with 1080 bait? Are there dog friendly campsites?

- What are the road conditions and how do we get updates about those?

- Where to get the guidebook?

- About the Outback Way app and the Travel Journal

- Tourism attractions/a little bit about what to see and do in each area

- What's the phone signal like along the Outback Way?

- About the Outdoor Gallery and the Wifi spots

- How much exactly is sealed?

- When will the road be sealed from Laverton to Uluru?

If you have further questions that haven't been answered today, pop your answers in the comments on this post. Make sure you're following the Outback Way Facebook Page and we will do more live sessions like this in the future.

Thank you for tuning into the Outback Way podcast. If you are enjoying our podcast, please leave us a review. And if you're really enjoying our podcast, you may like to become a contributor: through our Outback Way store for $5 you can help with the production of our podcast.

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 Outback Way has become a symbol of resilience, connection, and progress, weaving together the diverse landscapes and communities of Australia's heartland.

 In celebration of the  25-year journey of advocacy and lobbying to the funding announcement to complete the seal, the Outback Highway Development Council is proud to present ‘From Bulldust to Bitumen – 25 Years of the Outback Way’. A book that captures the spirit, history, and future vision of this transformative project.

Order your copy and be part of the journey that continues to shape Australia's outback, it’s people and the nation. 

Head over to our website and order yours today  W: outbackway.org.au

Given that there are currently restrictions on movement and travel for Covid-19, in today's episode Helen covers the value of local tourism and of exploring the attractions in your own backyard. Tourism is a significant part of the economies of regional Australia and we often are very ordinary tourists in our own towns. So now is a great opportunity to be a tourist in your own area so that your local area is regionally supported and has a much-needed economic boost. Plus, you get to explore all the wonderful things to see and do close to home.

Thank you for tuning into the Outback Way podcast. If you are enjoying our podcast, please leave us a review. And if you're really enjoying our podcast, you may like to become a contributor: through our Outback Way store for $5 you can help with the production of our podcast.

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 Outback Way has become a symbol of resilience, connection, and progress, weaving together the diverse landscapes and communities of Australia's heartland.

 In celebration of the  25-year journey of advocacy and lobbying to the funding announcement to complete the seal, the Outback Highway Development Council is proud to present ‘From Bulldust to Bitumen – 25 Years of the Outback Way’. A book that captures the spirit, history, and future vision of this transformative project.

Order your copy and be part of the journey that continues to shape Australia's outback, it’s people and the nation. 

Head over to our website and order yours today  W: outbackway.org.au

Helen gets a progress report on the Outback Way Outdoor Gallery, from Project Manager Mel Forbes. The gallery will be installed along the Plenty Highway along the Outback Way. We covered the initial phase of the project back in Season 2, Episode 20, so if you haven't listened to that yet we do recommend catching up on that episode too. Lots has happened since November last year when the Outdoor Gallery competition was open. There are now 28 artworks selected for display on the 28 billboards and Mel shares a bit about the talent that has been attracted to the project. We received over 70 entries of artwork from artists, communities and art centres from along the Outback Way. It's a wonderful result that surpassed our expectations and it shows the real desire and thirst in remote Australia to have artwork that is displayed in a very different place-the landscape of the outback instead of inside the walls of a building.

Mel also recaps the concept behind the Outback Way Outdoor Gallery, the different places and communities the artwork comes from and what the selection process was for the final artworks. She tells us about the selection process for the final 28 artworks, as well as about the mobile hot spot infrastructure that is also going to be installed too. Mel and Helen discuss the way Covid-19 has impacted the project, and share the good news that so far it will still be going ahead. While a final date for the gallery isn't yet known, the online catalogue will be ready by June and there will be some prints and originals available for sale as well. So stay tuned for that!

Thank you for tuning into the Outback Way podcast. If you are enjoying our podcast, please leave us a review. And if you're really enjoying our podcast, you may like to become a contributor: through our Outback Way store for $5 you can help with the production of our podcast.

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 Outback Way has become a symbol of resilience, connection, and progress, weaving together the diverse landscapes and communities of Australia's heartland.

 In celebration of the  25-year journey of advocacy and lobbying to the funding announcement to complete the seal, the Outback Highway Development Council is proud to present ‘From Bulldust to Bitumen – 25 Years of the Outback Way’. A book that captures the spirit, history, and future vision of this transformative project.

Order your copy and be part of the journey that continues to shape Australia's outback, it’s people and the nation. 

Head over to our website and order yours today  W: outbackway.org.au

In this episode, Helen speaks with Sarah Hinton, the Marketing Officer for the Golden Quest Discovery Trail. This was recorded before the Covid-19 pandemic and resulting travel bans, including state and territory border closures. Please follow advice and updates from health.gov.au

Sarah tells Helen about the history fo the Golden Quest Discovery Trail, and the various evolutions it has seen over the years. They discuss the various towns on the trail and the attractions in those towns, as well as the Aussie Gold Hunters TV series show that features the goldfields and tells the story of modern day gold rush.

You can see info about the trail, buy the guidebook, plan your itinerary and download the app at goldenquesttrail.com or contact Sarah [email protected]

Thank you for tuning into the Outback Way podcast. If you are enjoying our podcast, please leave us a review. And if you're really enjoying our podcast, you may like to become a contributor: through our Outback Way store for $5 you can help with the production of our podcast.

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 Outback Way has become a symbol of resilience, connection, and progress, weaving together the diverse landscapes and communities of Australia's heartland.

 In celebration of the  25-year journey of advocacy and lobbying to the funding announcement to complete the seal, the Outback Highway Development Council is proud to present ‘From Bulldust to Bitumen – 25 Years of the Outback Way’. A book that captures the spirit, history, and future vision of this transformative project.

Order your copy and be part of the journey that continues to shape Australia's outback, it’s people and the nation. 

Head over to our website and order yours today  W: outbackway.org.au

Please note: Due to the global coronavirus pandemic, sadly many of these events have been cancelled or postponed. This was recorded before the Covid-19 pandemic and resulting travel bans, including Australian state and territory border closures. Please follow advice and updates from health.gov.au

This episode is all about the Calendar of Events as you plan your trip along the Outback Way in 2020. Helen covers all the events and festivals occurring along the Outback Way this year, starting in March.

Thank you for tuning into the Outback Way podcast. If you are enjoying our podcast, please leave us a review. And if you're really enjoying our podcast, you may like to become a contributor: through our Outback Way store for $5 you can help with the production of our podcast.

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 Outback Way has become a symbol of resilience, connection, and progress, weaving together the diverse landscapes and communities of Australia's heartland.

 In celebration of the  25-year journey of advocacy and lobbying to the funding announcement to complete the seal, the Outback Highway Development Council is proud to present ‘From Bulldust to Bitumen – 25 Years of the Outback Way’. A book that captures the spirit, history, and future vision of this transformative project.

Order your copy and be part of the journey that continues to shape Australia's outback, it’s people and the nation. 

Head over to our website and order yours today  W: outbackway.org.au

Helen speaks with well-known travel journalist Lee Mylne about all there is to see and do at Uluru now that the climb is closed. Far from limited options, there are so many activities, tours and adventures you can still have at Uluru and really enjoy the beauty of the landscape in Central Australia. ⁠

Lee shares her experiences visiting Uluru and why it's great to spend a few days in the area to immerse yourself in the atmosphere and absorb the emotional impact of the rock. Some activities Helen and Lee discuss in this episode include walking tours with Indigenous guides, both shorter trails and circumnavigating Uluru. You can also do bicycle tours, hire a segueway or have a camel ride at sunrise or sunset.

There are also scenic flights and hot air balloon trips available, as well as star gazing and Bruce Monroe's Field of Light Installation. Of course there are the usual resort-style activities also available at Ayers Rock Resort

You can connect with Lee on Facebook, Instagram @lee_mylne and Twitter @leemylne

Check out Lee's blog for more about her experiences and what to do at Uluru: https://aglasshalf-full.com/2019/11/05/what-to-do-at-uluru-now-the-climb-has-closed

⁠

Thank you for tuning into the Outback Way podcast. If you are enjoying our podcast, please leave us a review. And if you're really enjoying our podcast, you may like to become a contributor: through our Outback Way store for $5 you can help with the production of our podcast.

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 Outback Way has become a symbol of resilience, connection, and progress, weaving together the diverse landscapes and communities of Australia's heartland.

 In celebration of the  25-year journey of advocacy and lobbying to the funding announcement to complete the seal, the Outback Highway Development Council is proud to present ‘From Bulldust to Bitumen – 25 Years of the Outback Way’. A book that captures the spirit, history, and future vision of this transformative project.

Order your copy and be part of the journey that continues to shape Australia's outback, it’s people and the nation. 

Head over to our website and order yours today  W: outbackway.org.au

Welcome to the Outback Way Podcast for 2020 and our new season. This year we're looking forward to bringing you a variety of stories about the people the places the events and activities that you can immerse yourself in while you do your trip along the Outback Way.

In this episode Helen shares some options for minibreaks around Alice Springs. You may not have time to take a month off and road trip the whole Outback Way but perhaps you can find time for 4 or 5 days in Central Australia.

Some helpful links for this episode are:

https://www.discovercentralaustralia.com/

https://nt.gov.au/leisure/parks-reserves/plan-your-visit/bushwalking-hiking/larapinta-trail/suggested-itineraries

https://www.discoveraustralia.com.au/holiday-packages/Alice-Springs-Self-Drive-mp74.html

http://rossriverresort.com.au/stay-with-us

http://www.gemtree.com.au/

Thank you for tuning into the Outback Way podcast. If you are enjoying our podcast, please leave us a review. And if you're really enjoying our podcast, you may like to become a contributor: through our Outback Way store for $5 you can help with the production of our podcast.

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 Outback Way has become a symbol of resilience, connection, and progress, weaving together the diverse landscapes and communities of Australia's heartland.

 In celebration of the  25-year journey of advocacy and lobbying to the funding announcement to complete the seal, the Outback Highway Development Council is proud to present ‘From Bulldust to Bitumen – 25 Years of the Outback Way’. A book that captures the spirit, history, and future vision of this transformative project.

Order your copy and be part of the journey that continues to shape Australia's outback, it’s people and the nation. 

Head over to our website and order yours today  W: outbackway.org.au

Helen gives a wrap up of the year, including an update on the road development and sealing, plus a bit about the Building Better Regions grant which has facilitated the Outback Way Outdoor Art Gallery. The Art competition is open now, so get your entries in.

Helen also shares what's coming up in the new year. The Outback Way will be holding an Instagram Photo competition in January, the winners of which will have their photos in the new Travel Journal. Keep an eye on our social media for more information about that soon.

The app is now working again and a reminder that you need to download both the app and also all the tours within it so that it works once you are out on the road.

Helen then gives an overview of the events along the Outback Way in 2020 to help you in planning your travel next year.

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 has become a symbol of resilience, connection, and progress, weaving together the diverse landscapes and communities of Australia's heartland.

 In celebration of the  25-year journey of advocacy and lobbying to the funding announcement to complete the seal, the Outback Highway Development Council is proud to present ‘From Bulldust to Bitumen – 25 Years of the Outback Way’. A book that captures the spirit, history, and future vision of this transformative project.

Order your copy and be part of the journey that continues to shape Australia's outback, it’s people and the nation. 

Head over to our website and order yours today  W: outbackway.org.au

Helen speaks with self-proclaimed road trip junkie and world renowned travel journalist Lee Atkinson about her travels around Australia and her new book, The Definitive Bucket List. Lee tells us how her interest in travel journalism started and how she fell into the best job in the world.

Helen and Lee discuss the changes in the various places Lee has been over the decades, including the evolution of attractions and communities as well as the trends over time. Some of the trends she's seeing lately are more families on the road and more people looking for off the beaten track destinations.

Lee and Helen explore some of the various types of travel holiday you can have, what makes something a bucket list item, and the various inclusions in her book such as gourmet adventures and gemstone treasure hunts. Lee also shares her favourite campsite along the Outback Way and the great improvements she's seen in the road even in the last 2 years since her last trip.

Lee tells us about her other books, The Big Lap, Explore Australia by Camper Trailer, Australia's Best Nature Escapes and her forthcoming book Ultimate Road Trips of Australia, due for release in early 2020.

You can follow Lee at @ozyroadtripper on social media or at leeatkinson.com.au

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 has become a symbol of resilience, connection, and progress, weaving together the diverse landscapes and communities of Australia's heartland.

 In celebration of the  25-year journey of advocacy and lobbying to the funding announcement to complete the seal, the Outback Highway Development Council is proud to present ‘From Bulldust to Bitumen – 25 Years of the Outback Way’. A book that captures the spirit, history, and future vision of this transformative project.

Order your copy and be part of the journey that continues to shape Australia's outback, it’s people and the nation. 

Head over to our website and order yours today  W: outbackway.org.au