facebook
twitter
copy link
Central Station - True Stories from Outback Australia

Central Station - True Stories from Outback Australia

facebook
twitter
copy link

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 a

More

#Society & Culture

Season 5


Stu Barker and Brett Otley - Working with feral animals

Welcome to a special bonus episode. For those of you who don’t know, I am due to have my first child in July – so by the time you’re listening to this, I’ll be well and truly knee deep in nappies! Before I go on maternity leave, I decided to make hay while the sun shines, and I teamed up with the legends at Territory Natural Resource Management to produce a podcast series. It’s called Our Territory, Our Future, and you can find it on Apple, Spotify, and wherever you get your podcasts. I’ll be sure to link it in the shownotes below. Today, I’m sharing one of those episodes – and it’s actually Part 1 of 3 episodes. A couple of weeks ago I sat down with two legends by the name of Stu and Brett, and they are experts in all things feral animals, and they run an incredible wildlife and feral animal management business. If you enjoy the episode, make sure you head over to the Our Territory, Our Future podcast to listen to parts 2 and 3, as well as all the other episodes – including Lakefield, Mataranka and Mainoru Stations!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Stu Barker and Brett Otley - Working with feral animals

Welcome to a special bonus episode. For those of you who don’t know, I am due to have my first child in July – so by the time you’re listening to this, I’ll be well and truly knee deep in nappies! Before I go on maternity leave, I decided to make hay while the sun shines, and I teamed up with the legends at Territory Natural Resource Management to produce a podcast series. It’s called Our Territory, Our Future, and you can find it on Apple, Spotify, and wherever you get your podcasts. I’ll be sure to link it in the shownotes below. Today, I’m sharing one of those episodes – and it’s actually Part 1 of 3 episodes. A couple of weeks ago I sat down with two legends by the name of Stu and Brett, and they are experts in all things feral animals, and they run an incredible wildlife and feral animal management business. If you enjoy the episode, make sure you head over to the Our Territory, Our Future podcast to listen to parts 2 and 3, as well as all the other episodes – including Lakefield, Mataranka and Mainoru Stations!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

32:57

EP200 - S5

18 Sep 23

Munro Hardy (Part 3) - Connecting the dots, looking back

Munro Hardy's pathway to his current career has not been straight forward. After a gap year around Australia saw him fall in love with agriculture (Episode 190, Part 1), he kept on that path, trying his hand at all he could (Episode 193, Part 2).  But, at some point, Munro decided to step away from the cattle industry and try his hand at all sorts of jobs, including pearling, roadworks, mining, and construction.  It's not a pathway anyone would necessarily advise someone who wants a career in the beef industry, but as you'll see in this episode, it all came together and contributed to the success he is experiencing today.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Munro Hardy (Part 3) - Connecting the dots, looking back

Munro Hardy's pathway to his current career has not been straight forward. After a gap year around Australia saw him fall in love with agriculture (Episode 190, Part 1), he kept on that path, trying his hand at all he could (Episode 193, Part 2).  But, at some point, Munro decided to step away from the cattle industry and try his hand at all sorts of jobs, including pearling, roadworks, mining, and construction.  It's not a pathway anyone would necessarily advise someone who wants a career in the beef industry, but as you'll see in this episode, it all came together and contributed to the success he is experiencing today.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

48:05

EP194 - S5

9 May 23

Munro Hardy (Part 2) - Live export, Contract mustering, and THAT Egypt story

As promised, here is part 2 of our chat with Munro Hardy. While he's only 35 years young, holy hatbox he has managed to fit a lot into a short space of time! In this episode he shares stories from his time working in live export, contract mustering, and a pretty hairy tale from a trip to Egypt... If you haven't listened to Part 1, go back and listen first!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Munro Hardy (Part 2) - Live export, Contract mustering, and THAT Egypt story

As promised, here is part 2 of our chat with Munro Hardy. While he's only 35 years young, holy hatbox he has managed to fit a lot into a short space of time! In this episode he shares stories from his time working in live export, contract mustering, and a pretty hairy tale from a trip to Egypt... If you haven't listened to Part 1, go back and listen first!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

58:34

EP193 - S5

9 May 23

[SNEAK PEEK] The time Munro Hardy kind of got kidnapped in Egypt...

Today I’ve got something a bit special for you – as you would have heard in Part 1 – Munro Hardy has had many adventures in his life so far. When we were recording Part 2, Munro shared a story that I was not expecting, and it’s pretty hectic – so much so that I thought it should come out a week early in its own episode. So... enjoy this preview of Part 2, and please, don’t try this at home!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

[SNEAK PEEK] The time Munro Hardy kind of got kidnapped in Egypt...

Today I’ve got something a bit special for you – as you would have heard in Part 1 – Munro Hardy has had many adventures in his life so far. When we were recording Part 2, Munro shared a story that I was not expecting, and it’s pretty hectic – so much so that I thought it should come out a week early in its own episode. So... enjoy this preview of Part 2, and please, don’t try this at home!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

15:15

EP192 - S5

1 May 23

Gus and Kim McKay – Travelling 40,000 km to start a family

Starting a family is no longer as simple as meeting a partner and falling in love. I’m not sure if fertility challenges are becoming more common, or just more spoken about – but it certainly feels as though both are true. While stories about fertility challenges are becoming more common, no two are the same. In today’s episode, I sit down with Kim and Gus from Umbearra Station, 4 hours south of Alice Springs. Fertility challenges don’t discriminate, and I don’t think it’s as black and white as saying that someone’s journey is easier or harder than anyone else’s – they all have their unique aspects. For Kim and Gus, their remote location meant that they ended up traveling in excess of 40,000 km to conceive their first two children. To start our conversation, I asked them to take me back to the very start of their journey trying to start a family.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Gus and Kim McKay – Travelling 40,000 km to start a family

Starting a family is no longer as simple as meeting a partner and falling in love. I’m not sure if fertility challenges are becoming more common, or just more spoken about – but it certainly feels as though both are true. While stories about fertility challenges are becoming more common, no two are the same. In today’s episode, I sit down with Kim and Gus from Umbearra Station, 4 hours south of Alice Springs. Fertility challenges don’t discriminate, and I don’t think it’s as black and white as saying that someone’s journey is easier or harder than anyone else’s – they all have their unique aspects. For Kim and Gus, their remote location meant that they ended up traveling in excess of 40,000 km to conceive their first two children. To start our conversation, I asked them to take me back to the very start of their journey trying to start a family.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

45:28

EP191 - S5

24 Apr 23

Munro Hardy (Part 1) - A gap year to remember

Munro Hardy has been a busy man. At just 35 years old, Munro’s career has taken him from fencing croc-infested rivers in the Top End, to mustering cattle from a helicopter, to boardrooms in Sydney, and most recently around the world as a Nuffield Scholar. It took a bit of convincing, but we managed to wrangle Munro to sit down and share his story. In this episode, he tells tales from the gap year that took him around Australia, and all the adventures that came with it. Make sure you keep your eyes peeled for Parts 2 and 3, to hear all about his helicopter mustering escapades, why he chose to leave the Territory for the big smoke, and how it led him right back to where he started.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Munro Hardy (Part 1) - A gap year to remember

Munro Hardy has been a busy man. At just 35 years old, Munro’s career has taken him from fencing croc-infested rivers in the Top End, to mustering cattle from a helicopter, to boardrooms in Sydney, and most recently around the world as a Nuffield Scholar. It took a bit of convincing, but we managed to wrangle Munro to sit down and share his story. In this episode, he tells tales from the gap year that took him around Australia, and all the adventures that came with it. Make sure you keep your eyes peeled for Parts 2 and 3, to hear all about his helicopter mustering escapades, why he chose to leave the Territory for the big smoke, and how it led him right back to where he started.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

01:17:50

EP190 - S5

10 Apr 23

Nathan Dyer - The assignment? Adventure!

Nathan Dyer has found himself in some crazy situations, in the most remote parts of Australia... on assignment. The job? Freelance journalist and photographer. It's a far cry from his humble beginnings as a corporate accountant in the metropolis of Melbourne.  In this episode, Nathan shares the unconventional path he took to land a job so many of us dream of, and some of the life changing experiences he's had so far.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nathan Dyer - The assignment? Adventure!

Nathan Dyer has found himself in some crazy situations, in the most remote parts of Australia... on assignment. The job? Freelance journalist and photographer. It's a far cry from his humble beginnings as a corporate accountant in the metropolis of Melbourne.  In this episode, Nathan shares the unconventional path he took to land a job so many of us dream of, and some of the life changing experiences he's had so far.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

56:36

EP189 - S5

27 Mar 23

Annabelle Coppin - Bringing her Paddock to Plate dream to life

Since Annabelle Coppin was a child, she wanted people to eat the beef her family raised on their Pilbara cattle station. But, simply selling cattle to the market wasn’t enough for her - she wanted to be involved in the entire process, and watch as people picked up packets of her beef from the supermarket. She wanted them to know that what they were about to cook wasn’t just any old Aussie beef, but that from Yarrie Station - a property her family had been nuturing for 5 generations. In this episode, Annabelle shares the highs and lows of starting a branded beef business, and how she keeps her dream alive.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Annabelle Coppin - Bringing her Paddock to Plate dream to life

Since Annabelle Coppin was a child, she wanted people to eat the beef her family raised on their Pilbara cattle station. But, simply selling cattle to the market wasn’t enough for her - she wanted to be involved in the entire process, and watch as people picked up packets of her beef from the supermarket. She wanted them to know that what they were about to cook wasn’t just any old Aussie beef, but that from Yarrie Station - a property her family had been nuturing for 5 generations. In this episode, Annabelle shares the highs and lows of starting a branded beef business, and how she keeps her dream alive.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

48:17

EP188 - S5

14 Mar 23

Fostering Indigenous children in the outback

Would you ever take in a child that wasn’t your own? If you’re imagining a relative, or a friend’s child - the answer might be a simple, straightforward, “yes, of course!” But what if you didn’t know the child? And, if, once you get to know them, bond with them, and love them, they could be taken away? That’s the reality of foster parents across the world. In today’s episode, we hear the story of one family who are raising their 5 children, including 2 foster children, on a remote cattle station in Australia. To add an extra layer of complexity to the situation, the foster children are Indigenous and the foster family are not.  As you’ll hear today, it has been one of the hardest, yet most rewarding experiences for our guest.    **Please note, that we have chosen to de-identify all names and locations in this episode, to ensure anonymity. While the family was consulted about doing the episode, this is one person’s story, and we need to respect the privacy of the children involved.**See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Fostering Indigenous children in the outback

Would you ever take in a child that wasn’t your own? If you’re imagining a relative, or a friend’s child - the answer might be a simple, straightforward, “yes, of course!” But what if you didn’t know the child? And, if, once you get to know them, bond with them, and love them, they could be taken away? That’s the reality of foster parents across the world. In today’s episode, we hear the story of one family who are raising their 5 children, including 2 foster children, on a remote cattle station in Australia. To add an extra layer of complexity to the situation, the foster children are Indigenous and the foster family are not.  As you’ll hear today, it has been one of the hardest, yet most rewarding experiences for our guest.    **Please note, that we have chosen to de-identify all names and locations in this episode, to ensure anonymity. While the family was consulted about doing the episode, this is one person’s story, and we need to respect the privacy of the children involved.**See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

01:13:36

EP187 - S5

27 Feb 23

Matt and Connie Wood - Their first year at Wave Hill Station

When Wave Hill Station was sold in a $104 million dollar deal, Jumbuck Pastoral and its consortium of partners became the 4th ever owner of the iconic station in its 140 year history. It was a sale that said “watch this space”. In this episode, we sit down with Matt and Connie Wood, who we last heard from in episode 123, as they prepared to leave their job as managers at Blina Station in the Kimberley, also owned by Jumbuck Pastoral, to move to Wave Hill Station and take on the mammoth job of managers. In this episode, Matt and Connie fill us in on the busiest 12 months of their life - which included a new baby, lockdowns, a significant amount of capital expenditure on development works, and all the adventures that have come with it.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Matt and Connie Wood - Their first year at Wave Hill Station

When Wave Hill Station was sold in a $104 million dollar deal, Jumbuck Pastoral and its consortium of partners became the 4th ever owner of the iconic station in its 140 year history. It was a sale that said “watch this space”. In this episode, we sit down with Matt and Connie Wood, who we last heard from in episode 123, as they prepared to leave their job as managers at Blina Station in the Kimberley, also owned by Jumbuck Pastoral, to move to Wave Hill Station and take on the mammoth job of managers. In this episode, Matt and Connie fill us in on the busiest 12 months of their life - which included a new baby, lockdowns, a significant amount of capital expenditure on development works, and all the adventures that have come with it.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

01:08:17

EP186 - S5

13 Feb 23

Natalie Bell & Jess Di Pasquale - The Mongol Derby that didn't go to plan

The adventure of a lifetime, two best mates, riding side by side in the wild landscape of Mongolia. When Jess and Nat entered the world’s toughest horse race, they knew it would be hard. Finishing the race itself was as big a deal as winning. But, these women were from the Northern Territory - they’d spent their lives working in rugged conditions in remote areas. Surely, they’d be fine? In this episode, they share how no amount of planning can truly prepare anyone for the Mongol Derby.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Natalie Bell & Jess Di Pasquale - The Mongol Derby that didn't go to plan

The adventure of a lifetime, two best mates, riding side by side in the wild landscape of Mongolia. When Jess and Nat entered the world’s toughest horse race, they knew it would be hard. Finishing the race itself was as big a deal as winning. But, these women were from the Northern Territory - they’d spent their lives working in rugged conditions in remote areas. Surely, they’d be fine? In this episode, they share how no amount of planning can truly prepare anyone for the Mongol Derby.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

01:21:54

EP185 - S5

1 Feb 23


Season 4



Season 3



Season 2



Season 1


Listnr

Download the app to get the full experience

Get a fully curated daily feed based on your favourites, access to curated collections, preview every show, and much more.

Get it on Google Play
Download on the App Store
Get it on Google Play
Download on the App Store