Wednesday Wanderings with ARR authors
Helene Young at the Outback Writers Festival
I headed west to Winton last week to attend the Outback Writers Festival, which involved a one hour flight from Bundaberg to Brisbane, a two hour flight from Brisbane to Longreach, via Barcaldine, and then a two hour drive. It was lovely to see the green haze on the countryside after recent rain, although there’s a long way to go before the district will be out of drought.
Sue Williams, who’s written many non-fiction books about the Australian Outback, including Outback Heroines, was travelling with me and it was great to have her company. It’s been nineteen years since my last visit to Winton and I don’t think much has changed.
The main street is still wide enough to turn around a bullock dray. The pubs are still scowling at each other across that dusty expanse of bitumen, promising hot showers and the town’s best food. The smell of bore water settles in the early morning air and the locals still drive two blocks rather than walk.
The welcome was country friendly and warm. There’s not much accommodation so if there’s an event in town the residents simply open their homes and their hearts and take in the tourists. The Outback Film Festival started the day we left and the town was humming – I’ll have to go back to recline under the stars in the canvas seats and watch the big screen another time…
We were privileged to watch the sun set from Rangelands, an area not far out of town, perched up on one of the jump-ups. Several movies have been filmed there with more to come and I could see why as the light was extraordinary and the scenery spectacular.
I had a yarn to the local bush poet, chatted to aspiring writers, ate camp stew hot off the coals and met some truly delightful people. Yet listening to stories of cattlemen simply walking off their fourth generation properties, as the banks foreclosed, was heartbreaking. So many of these resilient people were philosophical. ‘That’s the way it is,’ was a common refrain. They told me they didn’t miss it, but the pain in their eyes told a different story.
It’s easy to romanticize the bush into sweeping plains with broad-shouldered men and feisty women, and there are plenty of those, but in reality it’s tough out in Western Queensland after a four-year drought. Money’s tight, families are separated as husbands or wives have to take jobs far from home. Kids are still kids playing in dusty fields and dreaming, but so many of them I spoke to couldn’t see a future for them in the bush.
I hope as they grow older they see the opportunities. I hope the rain continues to fall out west this winter. I hope the lambs and poddies grow strong and fat. I hope the remarkable people that farm the land keep their sense of humour and find their feet again.
It was a privilege to share their world, if only for a few days. They’ve set up home in my imagination and I know they’ll star in future stories. Thanks, Winton, I’ll be back.
Helene
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It does look a beautiful country and one day we’ll veer off the coast and head inland. We have travelled country roads in NSW and made it all the way to the border of Queensland (Hebel - and we were fascinated by this tiny town) but the dream is to travel the outback roads through QLD. Helene, I loved the way you describe Winton and brought a tear to the eye about the farmers.
Beautiful photos!
Those photos are stunning, Helene. Very jealous of your trip!
Sue, it’s so lovely to visit the west and for me such a contrast after the blue of the coastline. It’s well worth the journey! And glad you enjoyed the post 🙂
Thanks, Cathryn, I do love being on the water but there’s a part of me that’s itching to head west and explore the interior of this amazing country some more!