Hi to all, I am John Lidston from Brisbane. A retired Prof of Education at QUT, and former Co-Chair of the International Geographical Union Commission on Education. These days my wife Heather and I enjoy travelling both in Australia and Europe.
Next week, we will drive south to Sydney to see friends, before exploring the coastal towns south of Sydney. We will then cross the Snowy Mountains before spending some time at Confest - a "hippy" festival held each year since 1976 to explore alternative lifestyles. It is always interesting, and sometimes confronting.
We will then head north almost crossing the "outback" of the continent before heading east again to the Atherton Tablelands near Cairns, before returning to Brisbane. We expect to cover around 9000 km.
Here is a picture from our last trip. We are travelling in the little campervan - here shown next to an outback road train!
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<September 18, 2025>
In this huge space, most Australians live within about 150km of the coast, and most live in cities and large towns. Many people have never been near the outback! Thus, we live in an outer suburb of Brisbane, around 30 km from the city centre. Brisbane is a sub tropical city where we can eat our meals outside for 9 - 10 months of the year. We have excellent public transport to the city when we want to go to the theatre, or other city functions.
Other state capital cities - Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide - are about 1000 km apart round the coast, with a variety of regional towns in between. If we drive north, Cairns, in the tropics is around 2000 km - again with a series of regional towns along the way.
Of course, most people who want to visit these places choose to fly!
Hello, my name is Yewon Kwag, and I am a second-year student studying at Incheon Haneul Academy in South Korea. I have a deep interest in Australia's natural landscapes, particularly the Outback.
ReplyDeleteI am curious about the differences between the Outback and other deserts, such as the Sahara Desert and the Gobi Desert. How do these differences shape the characteristics of the Outback, and what are the consequences of these distinctions?
Additionally, besides tourism, what other industries are being developed in the Outback? Are there any specific industries that you personally see as having great potential for the future?
Thank you for your time and consideration. I look forward to your insights!
In my view, "The Outback" is really the marginal area between land that is usually habitable and useable for farming on a regular basis, and the desert proper where there is little economic activity other than, perhaps, mining. Since Australia has huge variability in rainfall from one year to the next, the precise boundaries also vary. Successful cattle farmers in the outback are those who manage to de-stock their land when there are droughts, and buy in cattle when there are periods of higher rainfall. I have heard of schools where rain is so rare, that some children reach eight years of age before they see their first rain! Teachers let the kids out to play in it!
DeleteThis does not mean that you will not find road signs saying "Welcome to the Outback" ss small towns attract tourists - especially "grey nomads" like us! Many of these towns provide free areas for caravans and campervans go encourage us to stay, visit their cafes and pubs (short for public house, and offering food, drink, accomodation and entertainment) . We never leave such towns without filling our vehicle fuel tank and, more importantly, water tank. In the outback towns are often 350 km apart, and the roads can be very quiet, except for occasional tourists and road trains moving animals, mining equipment and other goods. The road trains are often over 50 metres long with perhaps 80 wheels! Weblisten to our two-way radio to find out if one is coming, and if so try to get off the road!
I have not travelled in the Sahara or Gobi deserts, nor in the central deserts of Australia, as we do not have a vehicle equipped for desert travel., and, to be honest, I am too old to take the risks! I can dream however!
I'll stop there for now :)
Hope these thoughts are interesting! :)
Hello, I'm Seoyoon Choi and I'm studying at Haneul High School. As a student interested in Australia, I'm happy to communicate with you.
ReplyDeleteI know that the desertification in the Outback due to climate change is causing soil to become infertile. What changes will occur to the Australian ecosystem and human society if desertification continues? Furthermore, can you tell me if the Australian government is making efforts to stop this desertification, and what can we do to prevent it?
I would be very grateful if you could reply. thank you.
olicies or technological approaches to responding to climate change?
ReplyDeleteHello, professor. I'm Ahyun Jung, and I'm currently attending Haneul acadamy. I've recently become very interested in climate change, and I'm especially exploring the climate change patterns and their effects in various regions. In particular, I would like to understand more about the climate change in Australia and its environmental and social impact. Australia has a wide range of climates, so I think the effects of climate change will vary from region to region. I'd like to ask you some questions about this. What are the most prominent features of Australia's recent climate change patterns? What is the biggest impact of climate change on Australia's ecosystem or major industries (e.g., agriculture, tourism)? Are there notable examples of Australian policies or technological approaches to responding to climate change?
ReplyDeleteHi! Welcome to GG club! This is Yuri, and I'm attending to Haneul Academy. I live in Incheon Youngjong island. Do you know International Incheon Airport? It is located in Youngjong island! My familiy is consisted of father, mother and my twin sister. I have studied video call with Filipino for about 6 months. I was able to experience their daily life indirectly. I became curious about life in various countries around the world other than the Philippines.
ReplyDeleteI've always interested in Australia and I am so honored to read your blog and reply your writing. I had geography class every day in school and I want to ask you some questions! Professor! You're probably traveling to Australia now, right? I'm sure you're having fun with your friends in Sydney. Can you explain about the coastal town south of Sydney? I want to travel indirectly from school! I've never heard of the Snowy Mountains. The Australian mountain range I know is the Great Dividing Mountains. I heard that if you get lost in the Outback, you can hardly find it. Is that true? I think the professor's journey is incredible! I hope you finish the trip safely! It's an honor to be able to read and answer your message online like this!!
Hello, I’m Jenny from GG Club. I live in Seoul, South Korea. I major in elementary education at GINUE. I am interested in your country. Can you tell about your country? Let’s be friends~ I look forward to your reply. Thank you!
ReplyDeletehi, i'm dani.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed your post. I have a question I want to ask, so I'm leaving a comment.
I want to travel to Australia. If you search for places to go to prepare for the trip, you will see only the popular destinations in Australia among Koreans. So it is difficult to find a good destination that is meaningful to Australians. What is a meaningful travel destination in Australia that the professor recommends? I hope it's a place where I can know the history of Australia.
Hi, I’m Ahryeong LEE from GG friends. I’m from South Korea. I would love to learn more about your country. Also, are you interested in South Korea? I can share about it too! Let’s be friends 🌐
ReplyDeleteHello, I’m Siheun Kim, a student at Gyeongin National University of Education. Your trip sounds fantastic, Professor! I truly admire how you and your wife embrace both the beauty of nature and unique cultural experiences like Confest. Wishing you safe travels, and I look forward to hearing more about your adventures.
ReplyDeleteHello, I'm a student at Kyungin National University of Education. I enjoyed reading your wonderful article. I'd like to learn more about Australia.
ReplyDeleteHello, I want to learn about Papua New Guinea from you and become a good teachers. Would you help me? My blog link is https://saebeomi.blogspot.com/2025/09/ginue-friend-nam-yun-jung-from-anyang.html
ReplyDeleteThank you.
Hello, I am a student studying to become an elementary school teacher in Korea. I became interested after watching a Papua New Guinea special video on a Korean TV program. If you have time, please visit my blog and let me know about the culture of Papua New Guinea :)
ReplyDelete