Outback Stories ExtraOrdinary Media Co

It's 1942 and Laurence Clark is climbing into a plane, a Sunderland to be specific. He is part of the Air Force and has been selected to fly within the Australian Squadron, an elite few, flying in England during World War 11

But what happens when the fighting stops and you head home after three years abroad? Well, you start working for Australia's largest aviation company of course. @qantas hired Laurence just moments after his feet were planted firmly on home soil and he continued with them for over 37 years, flying around the world, being a test pilot in some of the worlds FIRST and most notable planes.

Just late last year Qantas retired the Queen Of The Skies, the last @boeing 747 in a spectacular farewell flight out of Sydney to California where it was mothballed. The jumbo was extremely familiar to all of us and of course to Laurence - in fact he was one of the first pilots to ever fly a Boeing 747!!! ✈️And he shows us his logbook, clocking up tens of thousands of hours in the cockpit. But his most Notable flight was in 1971, the first flight out of Seattle to Deliver Qantas first Boeing 747 to the Kingsford Smith Airport in Sydney.

In this podcast Laurence tells us of his time working alongside Freddy Fox a dear friend and captain. He tells us of growing up during the depression and his time in the war and flying around the world , oh and I forgot to mention ... Laurence had a stint flying for the royal family too.

Without much further ado our podcast is now LIVE on Apple and Spotify 🎧🎙 please excuse the sound quality of parts of this podcast Laurence he is after all 96 years of age, but sharp as a button. Also as always please feel free to leave us a review or if you have an amazing outback story get in contact with us on Facebook @extraordinaryoutbackstories or Instagram @extraordinaryoutbackstories or email outbackstories@gmail.com

#qantas #boeing747 #boeing #flying #outbackstories #podcast #ruralstories #rural #outback

Tom and Bernie Underwood have called the Pilliga Forest home their entire lives. It was the early 1900's, that The Underwood family built a sawmill in Wooleybah, to cut the famously termite-resistant white cypress pine of the mighty Pilliga Scrub. Back then Wooleybah boasted a thriving mill, a school and a great community that sold pine all over the world. Now there is no mill, no school and the screaming saws of Mr Underwood's mill are silent.

As we sit down with Tom and Bernie, they share their story of living among the the million wild acres that they call home. Home to brumbies too and wildlife... and YES you may have heard, home to the Pilliga Yowie or Pilliga Princess. Well get settled in, sit down with a cuppa as Mr Underwood talks of the spooky stories, myths and legends of the wild forest... just kidding... lets listen to a true local fill you in on the wonders of the Pilliga. This is a story that delves into a once thriving industry that was brought to its knees for political reasons. If the Pilliga had a heart and soul it would be Tom Underwood, a true local, a great man with a strong connection to the land he calls home.

Tune in on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and follow our journey on social media @extraordinaryoutbackstories. Oh and if you're feeling generous PLEASE feel free to share your thoughts with a review! Email us extraordinaryoutback@gmail.com

With a quiet seat and gentle hands, Terry Hall is without a doubt one of Australia's greatest drovers, stockman and campdrafters. For over 50 years he has criss-crossed his way across our land, following age old stock routes and leading thousands upon thousands of cattle towards greener pastures. All the while leaving a legendary legacy in his wake. While on the road, his weekends consist of campdrafting, a sport where he - alongside his family - has won just about everything there is to win inside the arena, (including Ben's latest win $100,000 at The Nutrien Campdraft Classic held in Tamworth, NSW.)

Along the way Terry managed to breed an empire of stock horses, with his stallion Conman standing at the helm. His progeny stretches across most equine sports and can be found in all states and territories. With all this considered, can you name a more iconic duo?

Listen in, as we, cuppa in hand, yarn to Terry about what makes him an extraordinary person and the extraordinary people he has met along the way. If you like what you hear, make sure you rate us and click on 5 stars on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, and if you'd like to hear more extraordinary stories follow us on facebook or instagram @extraordinaryoutbackstories. Feel free to get in contact with us extraordinaryoutback@gmail.com

Decked out in a blue and yellow uniform of a firefighter is Burra, a 23-year-old Aboriginal boy from Brewarrina. Not only was he the first person on his fathers side to complete his Higher School Certificate but he is also the first crew leader of the newly formed All-Indigenous Mitigation Squad in regional New South Wales. Crisscrossing our way across vast North West New South Wales and flying over Australia's most hidden tourist attraction The Brewarrina Fishtraps, we stumbled upon Christopher "Burra" Mchughes. Not only is Burra a natural leader he is a keen photographer, and a shining example of what people in his community look up to. A Ngemba Gamilaraay man, Burra is dedicated to his Aboriginal heritage, and as we sit listening to the flow of the Barwon River and marvel at the fish traps, Burra tells us of his heritage, his community as a whole and his hopes and dreams to one day be a Paramedic giving back to his people. This young man will probably be Australia's next Prime Minister, yep i'd go that far.. So take 20 minutes out of your busy schedule to meet Burra, you won't regret it.

Thank you to Collie Hotel for making this episode possible. If you like what you hear, make sure you give us 5 stars and subscribe to our podcast! Oh and if you'd like to follow our journey visit our instagram or facebook page @extraordinaryoutbackstories or send us an email extraordinaryoutback@gmail.com

Jamie Manning, or Dodge as he's known in the rodeo world is a cowboy, a rodeo legend, a family man but most importantly a survivor. Dodge - an apt nickname you might think as yes he too dodged death in 2014 when on his way home from work he was involved in a life-changing car accident. Leaving him with burns to 40% of his body, the accident resulted in the loss of a hand and a leg and put him in hospital for months on end. But even as he lay, recovering after countless surgeries, his determination and resilience for life did not burn out. This is why we wanted to talk to Dodge, not just because he survived a horrific accident but for how he handled life from that point on. He shifted his perspective and worked ridiculously hard to still live a similar life to the one he had beforehand, he wanted to work, he wanted to run his property and he wanted to get back on the horse... literally. 12 months to the day of the accident, Dodge was back on a horse and preparing for a 500km charity ride that he would take with his family. We really were blown away by this man, his tenacity, love of life and passion for helping others, left us questioning our own lives and how we were so prone to sweating the small stuff, when really we should just enjoy it, enjoy life and be grateful for what we have. And in saying that, that is also what Dodge is doing now, he is sharing his experience and helping others overcome theirs, he has been a keynote speaker at schools and events in the hope that others can train their brain to really see the positive outcomes in life.

So go on, take 25 minutes and put yourself in Dodge's cowboy boots and get a good grasp of those reins because I can guarantee your world is going to be rocked, he will make you question what it means to be happy... because after all we aren't just talking to your everyday rodeo legend, but a man who walked away from a life altering incident with an outlook on life that is better than it was before. Here's to you Dodge.

Thank you to Furneys Stockfeeds for sponsoring this episode! Oh and make sure you follow our journey via our instagram and facebook pages! Also feel free to subscribe to our newsletter, you'll love it! If yo'd like to know more about this story or get in contact with Dodge please email us extraordinaryoutback@gmail.com

Ben Brooksby is a fifth generation farmer from St Helens Plains in Western Victoria. When he was younger, he struggled with anxiety and other mental health issues, as do many others in rural communities. A simple social media post helped him to turn things around, after he shared a photo on Instagram showing himself naked in a truck full of lentils, he received a huge response, with other farmers wanting to share their own photos and stories. @the.naked.farmer movement grew, Ben met people from around the country who wanted to get naked for mental health. As they got their kits off, they also opened up about their struggles.

You can't miss our 10 minute BONUS episode and chat with the legend himself @benjaminbrooksby ! Thank you Ben for bringing so much light to those who only see or have seen the dark, and look if all it takes is to get your kit off then bring it on!! Make sure you support Ben and his project by buying his book out today - @macmillanaus . Donations will go towards the @royalflyingdoc mental health department to help improve the quality of lives in Outback Australia. To BUY THE BOOK LINK in our instagram bio!! Also feel free to leave us a BIG 5 star rating and review, or visit our website to read more: www.extraordinarymediaco.com. We are always contactable via email extraordinaryoutback@gmail.com