Rugged Outback
On a journey to renew his bond with his adoptive country, Jonathan Camí spends eight days driving down dirt tracks to visit and capture the people and gems hidden in this country’s distant centre.
PHOTOGRAPHY Jonathan Camí
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander audience are warned that the following pages may contain images of deceased persons.
The Birdsville Hotel
Birdsville, where the outback stretches endlessly under a blazing sky, the spirit of Australia feels raw and unfiltered. This remote frontier town, rich with legend and larrikin charm, is the gateway to the Simpson Desert, made of a sea of red dunes.
Watch the sun set over ‘Big Red’ with Outback Spirit’s Corner Country Adventure tour.
Curious emus, Arkaroola
Arkaroola from above
Portrait of Doug Sprigg
The elusive yellow-footed rock wallaby is Arkaroola’s most iconic local. they are often spotted among the rocky gorges and creek beds.
Doug Sprigg has spent a lifetime caring for Arkaroola Wilderness Sanctuary, the legacy of his father Reg, who founded it in 1968. As manager, Doug does it all: pilots scenic flights, feeds the yellow-footed rock wallabies, and fine-tunes telescopes for stargazing in the Flinders Ranges.
Portrait of Ross Fargher (landowner of Parachilna and around)
In tiny Parachilna, the Prairie Hotel stands like an outback mirage. Travellers gather here for a gourmet lunch with a distinctly local twist, where native ingredients meet bold flavours, and stories are shared over plates.
Adnyamathanha Elder Kelvin Johnson stands quietly in Nepabunna, the land his people have fought to restore. He remembers the hardships of mission life, but speaks with pride about healing Country and the hope it brings.
Long, dusty road, Nepabunna
The Prairie Hotel’s chef Angus ‘Gus’ Love
Cowboy sculpture standing on the old platform of the abandoned Parachilna train station