Central Station - True Stories from Outback Australia

This episode is proudly brought to you by the Shire of Murchison, in celebration of 2026 being the International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists.
Meg Officer's journey from Scotland to the Murchison was only ever meant to be temporary. Instead, she found a life, a family and a place that would shape the next 35 years. In this episode we talk about life on Woolgorong Station and why her connection to the region has endured long after she left.
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When Julia Foulkes-Taylor moved to Yuin Station, she wasn't just moving to a new home—she was stepping into a family with deep roots, a multi-generational pastoral business, and a way of life unlike anything she'd known before.
After studying costume construction, life on a sheep station wasn't exactly the career path she'd imagined. In this episode, we talk about carving out her own identity in the pastoral industry, blending her passion for clothing construction with inspiration drawn from the landscape she now calls home, and how representing Australia at the Global Gathering of Pastoralist Women challenged her to think more deeply about a surprisingly simple question: what actually is a pastoralist?
It's a conversation about belonging, purpose, and the many different ways people contribute to life on the land.
This episode is proudly brought to you by the Shire of Murchison, in celebration of 2026 being the International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists.
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This episode was recorded as part of a Centralian Land Management Association project - which they have kindly shared with our listeners.
In this episode, we hear from John Hagan — someone who knows the Territory not just by map, but by memory.
Over the course of 87 years, John has witnessed the Territory change in ways few others can truly grasp. Raised on cattle stations in the VRD during World War II, he came of age in a time when cattle were still walked thousands of kilometres to market.
He travelled vast distances across the Territory, Queensland and South Australia as a drover, working first for Peter Sherwin, before later going out on his own.
At just 27 years of age, John stepped into the role of manager at Brunchilly Station, where he spent the next 26 years quietly transforming it into a benchmark operation on the Barkly.
John has spent his life on horseback, in stock camps, and behind the scenes — quietly contributing to the backbone of Australia’s pastoral industry. It’s a story not of fanfare, but of grit, commitment, and deep knowledge earned the hard way.
Red Centre Reflections is a Centralian Land Management Association project, supported by FRRR through funding from the Australian Government’s Future Drought Fund.
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This episode was recorded as part of a Centralian Land Management Association project - which they have kindly shared with our listeners
The Hayes family is one of the most iconic and historic in the Northern Territory, and in this episode, we sit down with fourth-generation Territorian, Mickey Hayes.
Born and raised on Undoolya Station, Mickey grew up immersed in the rhythms of station life, following in the footsteps of generations before him. But unlike his father and brothers, Mickey’s journey would eventually lead him beyond the boundaries of the family property. While his bond with the land has remained steadfast, his journey has taken him across Australia and abroad, shaped by a spirit of curiosity, adventure, and taking life as it comes.
To begin our conversation, I invited Mickey to reflect on the early days of the Hayes family and share some of the stories that have helped define their remarkable legacy.
Red Centre Reflections is a Centralian Land Management Association project, supported by FRRR through funding from the Australian Government’s Future Drought Fund.


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This episode was recorded as part of a Centralian Land Management Association project - which they have kindly shared with our listeners
In this episode, we speak with Gaynor Cleary.
Gaynor first travelled to the Northern Territory in 1959 to visit distant relatives who owned Mt Riddock Station. Although the visit was brief, it left a lasting impression.
A few years later, she returned to work on the station, where she met her future husband, Tom — a part-Aboriginal stockman.
Over the next 50 years, Gaynor and Tom worked on several stations in the district. They raised a family, adapted to changes in communication, infrastructure, and the workforce, and even lived through the murder of one of their employers. They worked hard and stayed committed to their dream of one day managing a station — a goal Tom achieved at the age of 60.
It’s a story of steady dedication and a life deeply rooted in the Territory.
To start our conversation, I asked Gaynor to tell me about that first visit to Mt Riddock Station.
Red Centre Reflections is a Centralian Land Management Association project, supported by FRRR through funding from the Australian Government’s Future Drought Fund.


See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.