Central Station - True Stories from Outback Australia

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Central Station - True Stories from Outback Australia

True stories from the Australian Outback, told by the people who live them. Meet the men and women who live and work on some of Australia’s most remote cattle stations. There are tales of mustering, stock camps, working dogs, rogue cattle and hard bloody yakka, but also the fun of a bush wedding or kicking back at a rodeo. There’s the simple wonder of living in an amazing landscape, but also the downside: the ravages of flood, fire and drought. And always there’s the inherent danger of isolation – times when the Flying Doctor came to the rescue, but also times when lives have been tragically cut short. These compelling true-life stories show what outback life is really like – and why many wouldn’t live anywhere else.

  1. 10 AUG

    In loving memory of Peter Ritter [Repost of Episode 144]

    On July 25, 2024, a tragic helicopter mustering accident claimed the lives of Peter Ritter and Gavin U’Ren. It was a privilege it was to not just know them and work alongside them, but call them mates. Gav, Ritter – you two were bloody good blokes, and funny buggers. The absence of you’re presence will be felt immensely, but I have no doubt you will live on through our memories, which will be traded over cold beers, and around campfires for years to come. Since getting the call about the accident, I’ve started listening to this episode a couple of times, but I couldn’t bring myself to finish it until today. I am so grateful that we had the opportunity to record this conversation. It was such a privilege to hear all of Ritters yarns, told in true Ritter style – the ones that made it into this episode, and the ones we thought best to keep off-air. Anyway that’s enough from me, I’m going to pass it over to you now Ritter – you always did spin a good yarn. This episode was recorded in January 2022, and originally published in March 2022. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    1h 6m

  2. 1 JUL

    Garry Riggs (Part 4) - Mercenaries and mid-air emergencies

    Welcome back to our fourth episode with Garry Riggs from Lakefield Station in the Territory. When we last left Garry, he had just wrapped up his time in the stock camp at Blina Station. But the end of one chapter marked the beginning of another. Garry found himself working in mining exploration, and trust us, the adventures only got wilder from there. In this episode, Garry takes us through another round of jaw-dropping stories from teaming up with a Dutch mercenary to the unexpected experience of accidentally smoking weed and being abandoned out bush. And if that’s not enough, he recounts the harrowing day he survived both a helicopter crash and a light aircraft engine failure. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    38 min

  3. 17 JUN

    Garry Riggs (Part 3) - Blina and Calwynyardah adventures

    Welcome back to our third episode with Garry Riggs from Lakefield Station in the Territory. In his first two episodes, Garry shared tales from his adventurous childhood, filled with close calls involving snakes, motorbikes, horses, motorcars, deadly fevers, UFOs, and even circus lions! In this episode, we pick up right where we left off—at Calwynyardah Station in the West Kimberley. True to form, Garry has no shortage of unbelievable tales from this chapter of his life. From mishaps during cattle musters resulting in rear-end injuries to ghostly encounters, moonlit cattle musters, and catching his first wild scrub bull, gready for another round of extraordinary adventures with Garry. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    1h 16m

  4. 3 JUN

    Munro Hardy (Part 4) - A licence to learn

    When Munro Hardy said he wanted to be a pilot, his year 11 careers advisor shut down the idea pretty quickly. So, Munro filed the idea in the back of his mind and started thinking about other options. Once he finished school, he set off on a gap year that would turn into the adventure of a lifetime, as he spent the next decade trying his hand at various roles in agriculture, mining and tourism.  But, the dream of being a pilot was always there, lingering in back of his mind. And each time he saw helicopters used for mustering cattle, the dream got a little bigger.  In the fourth and final part of our chat with Munro, he shares the story of how he finally got his pilots licence - or, as he says, a license to learn - and fulfilled his dream of flying choppers on cattle stations throughout the top end.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    1 hr

  5. 10 MAY

    Ashley Dowden - Triumph after tragedy [Repost]

    One moment can change your entire life. Ashley Dowden learnt that lesson at age 11, when he survived an accident that claimed his mothers life and left his father with one arm. Ashley’s childhood was cut short as he stepped up to support his father in running the family sheep station.  In the 4 decades since, Ashley has continued to face his share of challenges, but his commitment to the family property has never wavered. In this episode Ashley shares parts of his journey, and we explore how his deep love of the land he calls home has allowed him to not just persevere through the hard times, but build a life full of joy and love. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    1h 15m

  6. 15 APR

    Pip Bain (Part 2) - Taking the long way around [Repost]

    The first year out of school is equally exciting and terrifying – you’re considered an adult by society, and with that comes both freedoms and responsibilities. With her high school experience not being the best, and her first job on a station getting off to a rocky start, Pip Bain felt like she had finally found her feet only to learn that her mother had passed away by suicide. The profound loss of her mother was only amplified by the shock, as Pip learnt she had been sheltered from her mother’s mental health struggles. In this episode Pip shares her story of how the next decade of her life would be shaped by losing her mother, and how it led her to take the long away around to find her place in this world. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    1h 3m

  7. 8 APR

    Pip Bain (Part 1) - Memories of my mother & Mt Clere Station [Repost]

    The time we spend with people and places doesn’t determine the impact they can have on our lives. That is so very true for todays guest, Pip Bain. Although her family sold Mt Clere Station when she was just 8 years old, those 8 short years shaped Pips life and love of the land. The same goes for her mother, who passed when Pip was just 18 years old. In this episode, Pip recalls memories of her time at Mt Clere and how she found her way back to the land. She also speaks candidly about losing her mother through suicide and how it influenced her views on mental health. For our long term listeners, if any of this sounds familiar, that is because this episode was recorded and published in 2020 when the podcast was fairly new. Pips story is so compelling that I thought it deserved a second run. Be sure to tune in next week for a follow up episode with Pip. If you are experiencing depression or are suicidal, or know someone who is, help is available. Suicide Call Back Service: 1300 659 467 Lifeline: 13 11 14 www.lifeline.com.au Beyond Blue: 1300 224 636 www.beyondblue.org.au/ Mindspot: 1800 61 44 34 http://mindspot.org.au/ Men’s Shed: www.mensheds.org.au See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    1h 5m

  8. 1 APR

    Nick Ormsby - Self made

    Nick Ormsby has flipped the script on what it means to be a "high school dropout". Despite leaving school at just 14 and having his teachers tell him he'd never make it, Nick's proved them dead wrong. Now, before he's even hit 40, Nick's running the show with not one, not two, but three companies in horticulture, agriculture, and forestry up in the Northern Territory. But Nick's journey hasn't been all sunshine and rainbows. In this episode, he's taking us back to where it all began. We're talking about the setbacks, the challenges and the opportunities he's had along the way. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    1h 12m
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About

True stories from the Australian Outback, told by the people who live them. Meet the men and women who live and work on some of Australia’s most remote cattle stations. There are tales of mustering, stock camps, working dogs, rogue cattle and hard bloody yakka, but also the fun of a bush wedding or kicking back at a rodeo. There’s the simple wonder of living in an amazing landscape, but also the downside: the ravages of flood, fire and drought. And always there’s the inherent danger of isolation – times when the Flying Doctor came to the rescue, but also times when lives have been tragically cut short. These compelling true-life stories show what outback life is really like – and why many wouldn’t live anywhere else.

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