Characters of the outback.

In less than 24 hours, we’ve been touched by the most incredible souls.
At The Broad Arrow, the owners welcomed us to camp out front of their old pub — no hesitation, just kindness. Their daughter had been tragically injured when a massive mine truck failed to give way, her car rolling off the road. They shut the pub for months to move to Perth and be by her side. She’s home now, doing okay, and the pub’s doors are open once more — stronger than ever.

Then there was Steve and Claire, the heart and soul behind the one and only Menzies Café. Over coffee, they shared their story — love, loss, resilience. Claire’s late husband was a trucker from Queensland who dreamed of an outback life. When he passed, she was left with nothing from his $2 million estate. So she bought a caravan, headed west, and rebuilt her life. Now, she and her new partner run the café, walls covered in tributes to her late husband. Could they talk! Could they Ever!

At the Gwalia Museum, a volunteer with a heart of gold spent an hour chatting with us — sharing history, stories, and pure warmth. She radiated kindness.

And finally, the tradesman outside the Edgar J. Hoover House, who stopped to talk about the unique “pointed paintwork” on the old bricks. Married there just a week ago, he fossicks for gold with his new wife — quite lucratively, he laughed. A man with stories, a hobby that glitters, and a past life as a wedding photographer — he even snapped a photo of us before driving off into the sun.

Everywhere we stop, we find these threads of humanity — strength, love, loss, laughter.
This journey isn’t just across a continent — it’s through the hearts of the people who live here.Read more