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SPECIAL FEATURE: OUTBACK WA
As four-wheel drivers,
there’s nothing more we enjoy
than investigating a new track,
developing our driving skills or
tackling challenging terrain to find
or revisit special and memorable
places that have left a profound
mark on our adventurous souls.
Mother nature can provide
some of the most picturesque
and breathtaking vistas
guaranteed to soften even the
hardest of travellers. I remember
meeting a big, weathered fella
with a deep voice and steely gaze
- I had him pegged as ex-special
forces and as tough as roadkill
baked at 50°C for a month.
Turned out he was a normal
bloke, albeit a bit gruff and
intolerant of idiots.
But he was about as tough
as marshmallow dripping on the
campfire when he told me about
his favourite getaway. “The sheer
rugged beauty of this place was
a feast for the eyes; every turn
of the head revealed another
rich and colourful backdrop. No
matter
where you
looked, the chaotic
composition of hills, trees, rocks
and streams or towering cavern
walls was in perfect balance
with the rest of its surroundings.
This was one of mother nature’s
best art galleries, and l was a
privileged visitor”.
His quiet passion and
profound respect were obvious;
“I’m not what I consider to be
an emotional bloke. But I felt
my eyes tearing up as I left, I’m
not sure if it was the sadness of
leaving, like saying goodbye to a
close friend, or the subconscious
realization I was leaving what
felt so right and natural only to
rejoin what seemed more like a
virtual life filled with electronic
enchantment and deadlines”.
I was again left reflecting
we are only custodians on this
magnificent planet, and it’s more
than just our duty to protect the
land. It’s vital we can occasionally
immerse
ourselves in
peace and serenity
to break free of
those stress tendrils
that entwine every muscle fibre
with all the pressures of our daily
city routines.
“Fundamentally, anyone
running an Outback
Station in WA must earn
the majority of their
living from cattle or
sheep.”
I’m sure all of us have
experienced the wonder of
detoxification when camping
under the stars. And been angry
to arrive at a campsite to find
previous visitors had no respect,
leaving toilet paper streamers,
Image by Kerry Trapnell
empty cans, broken
glass and mounds of black
charcoal everywhere but in the
fire rings? But, as we cleaned up,
did we spare a thought for what
needs to be done to repair years
of neglect and inappropriate
usage to return the whole
Outback to good health? Did you
know antiquated laws remain
in force defining the usage of
pastural lands in accordance with
the demands and requirements
of the 1800s. Fundamentally,
anyone running an Outback
Station in WA must earn the