About this season
Take a road less travelled to the small towns and communities that make Australia special. Join Heather Ewart and guest presenters as they discover remarkable stories and inspiring people you'll never forget.
Episodes (16)
1. The Great Australian Pub
Aired 2 January 2023 • 29 min
In this special 100th episode of Back Roads, Heather Ewart looks at The Great Australian Pub. Our very own unique style of watering hole, the humble pub sits at the heart of many communities.
2. Brunette Downs, NT
Aired 9 January 2023 • 28 min
Back Roads heads to one of the country's largest cattle stations, Brunette Downs in the NT. Heather Ewart discovers what makes life on this remote and rugged property so attractive and arrives in time for the Brunette Races.
3. Marrawah, TAS
Aired 16 January 2023 • 28 min
Foodie and farmer Paul West packs his surfboard for a Back Roads visit to tiny Marrawah in northwest Tasmania for the legendary West Coast Classic: three days of big swells, blowing gales and woolly beanies.
4. Quilpie, QLD
Aired 23 January 2023 • 29 min
Heather Ewart visits the Quilpie shire in outback Queensland. With an average age of under 40, residents have transformed this former Opalopolis into a vibrant community, with a little help from Australia's biggest dinosaur.
5. Ord River, WA
Aired 30 January 2023 • 29 min
Wiradjuri woman and journalist, Rae Johnston, takes Back Roads on a water fuelled odyssey to the East Kimberley region, at the very top of WA, where the mighty Ord River is the lifeblood of the community.
6. Pyramid Hill and Nhill, VIC
Aired 6 February 2023 • 29 min
Nhill and Pyramid Hill lie 260km apart but are connected in the most surprising ways. These two old farming towns offer newcomers a fresh start and a fair go. Heather discovers the spin offs were surprising and unexpected.
7. Tennant Creek, NT
Aired 13 February 2023 • 29 min
Champion Paralympian Kurt Fearnley finds a heart of gold shining brightly amongst the townsfolk of Tennant Creek. Locals are overcoming intergenerational trauma by nourishing residents with great education, art and religion.
8. Musical Road Trip through Western Queensland
Aired 20 February 2023 • 29 min
Heather Ewart hitches a ride with singer-songwriter Josh Arnold across western Queensland as he makes stars of local kids, teaching them how to celebrate their community by writing their own town anthem.
9. Strzelecki Track, SA (Part 1)
Aired 3 July 2023 • 29 min
Back Roads returns with a journey on the Strzelecki Track, starting near Lyndhurst in SA and heading into the Strzelecki Desert. Heather Ewart witnesses a way of life on this historic track that's been unchanged for decades.
10. Strzelecki Track, SA (Part 2)
Aired 10 July 2023 • 28 min
Back Roads continues the journey on the challenging Strzelecki Track, heading up to Innamincka in the top corner of South Australia. Heather Ewart finds out what it takes to survive a job on this remote and historic track.
11. Great South West Walk, VIC
Aired 17 July 2023 • 29 min
Guest presenter Lisa Millar takes us on a journey along Victoria's spectacular Great South West Walk. Hiking the 250km trail is a chance to connect with nature but, as Lisa discovers, the experience can also be life changing.
12. Walhalla, VIC
Aired 24 July 2023 • 29 min
Heather visits the sleepy Victorian mountainside town of Walhalla, on the historic Goldfields Railway. Frozen in time, with movie-set looks, a cricket pitch that defies logic, and nearby creatures straight from the Dreamtime.
13. Cunnamulla, QLD
Aired 31 July 2023 • 28 min
Back Roads visits Cunnamulla in south-west Queensland with guest presenter, 24-year-old Yorta Yorta man and TikTok star Tom Forrest aka 'Outback Tom'. He finds a town transforming itself from a dark past to a brighter future.
14. Darkan, WA
Aired 7 August 2023 • 29 min
Back Roads is heading to Western Australia's vast wheatbelt region, to the little town of Darkan. Deep in the golden plains of sheep country, Heather Ewart discovers how a very small community saved itself from extinction.
15. Boot Scootin' Tour, TAS
Aired 14 August 2023 • 28 min
Heather Ewart heads to Tasmania with two intrepid line dancers who are on a boot scootin' line dancing tour of the nation holding 'Hoedowns for country towns', lifting spirits and raising money to help others, along the way.
16. Rabaul, Papua New Guinea
Aired 21 August 2023 • 28 min
For the first time, Back Roads leaves Australian shores and travels to our closest northern neighbour, Papua New Guinea. Guest presenter Tania Bale introduces us to Rabaul, a community with close ties to Australia.