Gold has been an enduring feature of Australia's story since the finds near Bathurst, NSW in 1851. A fabled gold-rich quartz reef was said to have been found somewhere west of the MacDonnell Ranges, in Central Australia, by Harold Lasseter in 1897. Since then, it has become a thing of legend. So is it real, where is it, what do we know?' Yes, you can speak to us to feature this show on your community radio station, or website, we would love to talk with you. If you would like to reach out and he...
Dec 07, 2021•31 min•Season 1Ep. 27
We give you some points to consider when looking at a caravan vs a motorhome to purchase. The we ourselves head to the mighty West coast of Australia. West Australia is the self-declared road trip state and one of the best road trips in Western Australia is this drive along the gorgeous Coral Coast. From the lunar-like Pinnacles to the wide spaces of WA’s outback and the glistening turquoise waters of the Ningaloo Reef, the road trip from Perth to Exmouth packs a punch. Yes, you can speak to us ...
Nov 30, 2021•32 min•Season 1Ep. 26
This week we prepare you for travelling, from tips, tricks, hacks to advice. Some simple maintenance before you hit the road, to advice on towing, weights and choosing a caravan. We also some give an insight into some of our top coastal destinations to visit as well as off road adventures and trips to put on your bucket list. From Broome, Port Jackson to the Gibb River Road, Cape Tribulation and places in between. Whether you travel full-time or you just like the occasional weekender, there are ...
Nov 23, 2021•31 min•Season 1Ep. 25
Immerse yourself in big nature and explore our wild coastline, dotted with secluded beaches, pristine estuaries, native forests & ancient landscapes. The Sapphire Coast is the perfect place to re-energise in spring with warm, bright days ideal for active adventures on land & sea. From August until November we are regarded as one of Australia's premier whale watching locations, with thousands of humpback whales travelling along our ancient coastline on their way to Antarctica. The Sapphir...
Nov 16, 2021•32 min•Season 1Ep. 24
On Adelaide's southern doorstep, the Fleurieu Peninsula offers a mellow Mediterranean ambiance. You'll find dozens of white sand beaches, undulating vineyards and farmland, pretty coastal towns near the entrance to Australia's longest river, and world renowned wetlands. We also nip over to Kangaroo Island, Australia's third-largest island, after Tasmania and Melville Island. It lies in the state of South Australia, 112 km (70 mi) southwest of Adelaide. There are plenty of opportunities to see ka...
Nov 09, 2021•30 min•Season 1Ep. 23
These week we look at a buyers guide for camping 101. Have you got gear, are you camping, carvanning, or in an RV? Whatever your home away from home, we look at some set ups to help you. We look at saving money on the road as well as some handy tips for beach driving, camping, a recipe for pancakes and a quick weekend away from Sydney into the Blue Mountains. Yes, you can speak to us to feature this show on your community radio station, or website, we would love to talk with you. If you would li...
Nov 02, 2021•31 min•Season 1Ep. 22
Feel the wide open space of Australia's vast outback beneath your wheels on one of the world's greatest adventure drives as you cross the vast, semi-arid Nullarbor Plain. The Nullarbor stretches across the southern edge of Australia between the goldfields of Western Australia and the Eyre Peninsula in South Australia. You can connect to this journey from Adelaide or Perth and drive west to east or east to west along the Eyre Highway. While this is a sealed road, it goes through remote areas and ...
Oct 26, 2021•32 min•Season 1Ep. 21
Departing Victoria Quay, Fremantle on Armistice Day, 11 November 1941, HMAS Sydney (II) was tasked with escorting the troop ship Zealandia for some of its journey to Singapore. When she had not returned by 23 November, the concerned Naval board signalled her. There was no reply. November 2021 marks the 80th anniversary of the sinking of HMAS Sydney, the largest loss of Australian life in the Royal Australian Navy. We commemorate this by following the story of this mighty ship, and her discovery ...
Oct 19, 2021•1 hr•Season 1Ep. 20
We visit Hanging Rock in Victoria's Macedon Ranges, yes a real place and the basis for Joan Lindsay's acclaimed mystery novel Picnic at Hanging Rock it has everything an eerie crime story begs for - intrigue, horror and disappearances. The historical Australian novel is one of the country's most famous pieces of literature. Yet is it real? It follows the story of an all girl's school picnic to Victoria's Hanging Rock in 1900, where a group of female students subsequently disappear. The tale was ...
Oct 12, 2021•32 min•Season 1Ep. 19
Stretching along 1,100km of breathtaking coastline from Geraldton north of Perth, Western Australia, to the World Heritage-listed Ningaloo Reef, Australia's Coral Coast is home to stunning bays, fascinating wildlife and rugged landscapes. Discover thousands of years of history and visit uninterrupted stretches of white sandy beaches, magnificent ancient gorges, stunning carpets of colourful wildflowers and untouched coral reefs teeming with marine life. You'll find some of the best known and mos...
Oct 05, 2021•43 min•Season 1Ep. 18
Join us as we are in Western Australia and follow some of the Miners Pathway and explore the legacy of this remarkable period through the grand old buildings and the graveyards, the rusting machinery and the rich stories of those who lived in these whirlwind times. From Paynes Find along the Great Northern Hwy to Cue we share the adventure, the drama and the richness of the great Murchison goldfields. Is there still gold? There sure is if you know where to look and we share some tips. We explore...
Sep 28, 2021•33 min•Season 1Ep. 17
We are up to our 15th episode! Woo Hoo, thanks for your support we are now listed as the 56th best podcast on places travelling and history in Australia. Look we know we’re biased being in Victoria and all, but the Great Ocean Road really is one of the most spectacular drives and regions in the world. What makes it even more special is its diversity; old-growth temperate rainforests kiss the shores where world-class surf breaks, awe-inspiring limestone cliffs burn orange in the sun while the Sou...
Sep 22, 2021•29 min•Season 1Ep. 16
Land locked at the moment due to Covid got us thinking about how Australia came to be? Enter Matthew Flinders, the first man to circumnavigate Australia. His charts were so accurate that some are still in use to this day. His most successful voyage came between 1801 and 1803 when he charted the coastline of Australia, completing and linking together other partial surveys to give us the first complete picture of our island nation. Flinders recorded his voyage on the HMS Investigator, and if you h...
Sep 14, 2021•29 min•Season 1Ep. 15
We love fishing, whether its out on the road travelling or a day on a creek, off the beach, in the bay, river or lake. Even during lockdown you can grab the rod and get out there and do some fishing becasue it is exercise (legally of course). Many people ask the question, what do I need, how much do I spend and how the heck do I catch a fish? Whats the right tackle? This week we are The Go To Guide on all things trout. Yes that elusive little species of fish is one many of us try to catch, and f...
Sep 07, 2021•32 min•Season 1Ep. 14
Pre Covid Lockdown- You can explore for yourself the many pieces of the Ned Kelly puzzle by visiting the various Kelly sites in Melbourne, north east Victoria and southern New South Wales. We pick up the story from Glenrowan Victoria the place where the Kelly gang had it's last stand. Kelly and his gang, dressed in armour fashioned from stolen plough mouldboards, engaged in a final gun battle with the police at Glenrowan. Kelly, the only survivor, was severely wounded by police fire and captured...
Aug 31, 2021•34 min•Season 1Ep. 13
Pre Covid Lockdown- You can explore for yourself the many pieces of the Ned Kelly puzzle by visiting the various Kelly sites in Melbourne, north east Victoria and southern New South Wales. Beveridge where it all began to Glenrowan Victoria the place where the Kelly gang had it's last stand. The story is in itself fascinating and the sites around town showed how close everything was during the siege itself. Where Kelly reappeared from the bushes was only metres from where he had the final shootou...
Aug 24, 2021•38 min•Season 1Ep. 12
On this week's episode, we explore the best of the western side of Victoria at Ararat. Plenty of sweeping landscapes and natural beauty from the scenic Mount Cole, Mount Langi Ghiran State Park, Ararat Hills Regional Park and the world renowned Grampians National Park, which was right on our doorstep. We thought we would take a famous tour, I mean lets face it who isn't fascinated with dark history and keen on taking a step back in time at the iconic J-Ward Gaol or Aradale Asylum? It was the cre...
Aug 17, 2021•29 min•Season 1Ep. 11
Part 2 this week and we continue looking at the subject, which we accidentally stumbled on and have a habit of of stumbling across random WW2 flying bases in Australia. Hey it happens! From where we were last episode, just south of Swan Hill in Victoria we dash 2000 kms westward to Matilda Bay. This is located on the shores of Perth’s Swan River. Looking ahead across the water you have fantastic views of the city skyline and a smattering of very, very expensive yachts, look behind and you can se...
Aug 10, 2021•23 min•Season 1Ep. 10
This episode of the Road Less Travelled we discover Bendigo in the heart of the Victorian goldfields. We set up base and checked out this lovely regional centre. This town has a huge history, with plenty to see and do. We head down a historical gold mine, and continue the step back in time along the Murray River. In the middle of the most unlikely of places we stumbled upon a secret World War 2 flying boat base. Join us for Part 1 of Gold River and A Secret Catalina Flying Boat Base Bendigo to S...
Aug 03, 2021•31 min•Season 1Ep. 9
Covid lockdowns meant adventures close to home base for a lot of Victorians. Just one hour from Melbourne, the Warburton Valley is life at nature’s pace. Here the beginnings of Melbourne's river the Yarra was once home to a busy and forgotten goldfield. Nestled in the start of the Great Dividing Range, the rugged mountains also housed a busy timber industry that sprang forth. We took a trip and put on the walking boots and hiked through this area and found a long lost goldmine and discovered par...
Jul 27, 2021•26 min•Season 1Ep. 8
Lake Eildon is Victoria’s most popular inland waterway for Recreational Boating Activities. Beneath its waters lies a history all of its own with towns such as Darlingford and Bonnie Doon flooded to make way for the massive inland lake which was started and further expanded in 1915, 1929, 1931 and 1954. My family has had a close relationship with this area, working it, fishing, living near it or on its shores to farming and gold mining. We look at the secrets beneath, the history and a family ta...
Jul 20, 2021•24 min•Season 1Ep. 7
This episode we head to Licola, 254 kilometres east of Melbourne. Then on to Dargo, one of Victoria's most remote communities, nestled in the foothills of the legendary Dargo High Plains. Onto one of our favourite trips along the Goulburn River to Jamieson and Woods Point in the historic gold mining area of Victoria's alpine region. We also visit the historic Wonangatta Valley and look at the Wonangatta Murders of the early 20th century. Can the mystery be solved on The Road Less Travelled! Have...
Jul 13, 2021•24 min•Season 1Ep. 6
More than a century ago, a small mining community was rocked by a terrifying thunderstorm which left a miner trapped underground due to heavy rain filling the mine. The water wasn’t the only thing overflowing, with a flood of camaraderie and loyalty during a gruelling nine-day rescue took place to save the entombed miner. On March 19, 1907, the storm burst over the Coolgardie goldfields in Western Australia, with the underground gold mine at Bonnievale going underwater. All 160 miners scrambled ...
Jul 06, 2021•13 min•Season 1Ep. 5
On this week's The Road Less Travelled Podcast, we take a look at the humble, yet delicious yabby. How to catch these and then how to turn them into a delicious meal. Speaking of meals, do you find cooking whilst you are on the road a hassle? We may have a splendid little piece of kit for you that will make lunch stops and a hearty meal at the end of the day simple. And if you are on the road between Melbourne and Sydney be sure to stop and see a submarine in a land locked town. What the? Have a...
Jun 29, 2021•12 min•Season 1Ep. 4
Located just over an hour from Perth on the Great Eastern Highway, Northam is WA's largest inland town and is home to over 185 heritage listed buildings. Western Australia's Northam, had a significant involvement and contribution to the war effort during WWII. This can never be underrated with the rediscovery of a number of strategically important military establishments within the shire based in and around Burlong, Springhill and Spencers Brook. The Road Less Travelled went and investigated. In...
Jun 22, 2021•13 min•Season 1Ep. 3
War-time plane crash: In 1945 a US Navy DC-3 plane, the Blue Goose, crashed on Gooseberry Hill following an early morning take-off in heavy fog, bound for Adelaide from Guildford Airport (now Perth Airport). The airplane was built by Douglas Aircraft Corporation and because of its blue colour was affectionately known as "The Blue Goose". It arrived in Australia in 1944 and was classified as a utility training unit assigned for general duties for the US Navy. The thirteen crew and passengers on t...
Jun 15, 2021•9 min•Season 1Ep. 2
We follow in the historic footsteps of Charles Sturt, one of the most important people associated with early South Australia. A man determined to settle the debate about an inland sea in the centre of Australia. When he finally reached the Stony Desert and the Simpson Desert he was convinced that there was no inland sea. Dust, heat, exhaustion, the exploration team headed by Sturt in the 1800's had it all, lets retrace those steps of these heroic men. Have something that you think we should feat...
Jun 09, 2021•16 min•Season 1Ep. 1
