Author: Columnist on Toowong News

From the Nullarbor to the Tamar: Wine, Rain and the Long Way Round

Macca’s lines were wide open this week, and as usual, the calls stitched together a portrait of Australia that felt both ordinary and extraordinary at the same time.

From skiers bound for Japan to sheep on the way to Albury, from hay convoys into bushfire zones to Sauvignon Blanc revelations in Tasmania, it was a morning that moved across states and stories without ever leaving the studio.

Japan, Factories and the Price of Snow

Brendan rang in while packing suitcases — Japan for skiing, China for work.

Japan, he said, had become so affordable for snow trips that his brother had bought a place there. In his words, it had worked out “cheaper to get a joint over there and own it” than take the family skiing for a week in Australia. The strength of the yen, lift pass pricing, accommodation comparisons — all of it, he implied, had shifted the maths for Australian families who once defaulted to domestic slopes.

There was a quiet irony in it: Australians flying north for snow while their own alpine resorts battle short seasons and unpredictable conditions. For Brendan, it wasn’t ideology or tourism strategy — it was cost and practicality.

From the slopes of Japan, he was heading into a different kind of terrain: Chinese factories producing electric mobility components. That’s his line of work, he said — “spare parts specialist,” visiting plants manufacturing the small but essential parts that power e-bikes, scooters and electric vehicles.

It was a reminder that the global shift toward electrification doesn’t begin in showrooms. It begins in industrial parks, in supply chains, in component plants that most consumers never see. Later in the program, that global supply chain would resurface in a longer discussion about electric vehicles and where Australia sits in the evolving automotive landscape.

For Brendan, though, it was simply work and a bit of pleasure — skiing one week, factory floors the next. Modern Australia, suitcase open on the bed.

Wineries, Stories and the Latitude of Taste

Marcus from Tarragindi spoke about family-run wineries — the kind you won’t find in big chain bottle shops. The ones open “by appointment,” where you meet the owner or the owner’s children, and where one story leads to another.

That thread was picked up by John Howie, who shared his conversion moment in New Zealand’s Marlborough region. A glass of Wither Hills Sauvignon Blanc at an Italian restaurant changed his palate forever.

Years later, performing in northern Tasmania, he was steered toward a Tamar Valley Sauvignon Blanc when the Marlborough had run out. The revelation? The two regions sit on almost exactly the same latitude. The flavour profile — bright, sharp, distinct — felt strikingly similar.

It was less about alcohol and more about geography, soil and climate — the quiet science behind taste.

Rain on the Nullarbor and the Long Haul

Glenn, a truck driver of 45 years, was edging toward retirement. He had just crossed from the Western Australian border toward Port Augusta in steady rain. The paddocks were green, humidity thick in the air.

He described sleeping in his cab with an auxiliary “ice pack” cooling unit running so the engine could stay off. Parcel freight in the trailer — he didn’t even know what was inside. Just another run across a continent where, as he put it, most freight still moves by road.

He remembered floods near Balladonia in the late 1990s — graders towing trucks through roadworks at night. The Nullarbor changes, but it also stays the same.

Sheep, Kelpies and 40 Acres

Bazza from Macclesfield was loading about 30 sheep for a regular customer near Albury. His co-pilot was Ozzy the kelpie. Also along for the ride: Banjo, an ageing Australian cattle dog.

Conditions at his 40-acre property were dry — a contrast to the rain reported further west. It was a reminder that in Australia, rainfall is never evenly distributed.

Licorice Roots and Hiroshima

Jared Gray phoned from Tokyo, listening via the ABC Listen app. His father had grown licorice root near Finley for export to Japan — eventually reaching 600 acres.

The root, not confectionery, was the commodity. Extracted for medicinal compounds and widely used in tobacco flavouring, it was described as vastly sweeter than sugar in concentrated form.

While in Japan, Jared visited Onomichi, where the licorice shipments once arrived, and travelled to Hiroshima, reflecting on his grandfather’s experience as a prisoner of war.

Trade, memory and reconciliation shared the same itinerary.

Pankind and the Hard Numbers

Judy from Hobart rang to promote Pankind’s “Put Your Foot Down” walk for pancreatic cancer.

She spoke about her own diagnosis in 2021 and said that, according to figures discussed within the organisation, pancreatic cancer carries a five-year survival rate of around 13 percent. She also stated that two Australians are diagnosed every hour and that approximately 75 Australians die each week from the disease.

Those figures were cited by Judy during the call, and listeners were encouraged to seek updated information through Pankind and official health sources.

Electric Cars, Range and Reality

Automotive columnist John Connolly joined the program to discuss electric vehicles. He said China is now building roughly two-thirds of global EVs and described Australia’s pure electric vehicle uptake as sitting at about 8 percent of new sales, with hybrids proving more popular.

He also raised concerns about battery replacement costs, insurance premiums and charging infrastructure outside metropolitan areas.

Later, Gordon from near Hillston offered a different perspective. His family owns three electric vehicles and charges them using rooftop solar. He cited what he described as American statistics suggesting EV fire risk is significantly lower than petrol vehicles, and said their experience has been overwhelmingly positive.

For long regional trips, however, he noted they still travel diesel.

The conversation reflected a broader national debate — less about ideology, more about practicality and geography.

The Hay Convoy to Longwood

Graham Cockrell from Need for Feed described 76 trucks delivering donated hay into Victoria’s Longwood fire zone on Australia Day.

Much of that hay, he said, came from farmers who themselves had received help in previous disasters. Communities affected by fire stood roadside as the convoy passed.

Need for Feed is a registered charity operated by volunteers, and listeners were directed to its official website for further information.

Soil, Hardpan and What We’re Doing Wrong

Calvin, calling from Kangaroo Island, argued that degraded soil structure — including what he described as a chemical-induced hardpan layer — is contributing to worsening drought and flood cycles. He believes funding should prioritise soil restoration before disasters occur, rather than focusing primarily on post-event relief.

His views reflect one side of an ongoing debate around land management, farming practices and climate resilience.

Captain John King Davis and the ANARE Club

Liz from Hobart spoke about Captain John King Davis, Antarctic explorer and captain for both Mawson and Shackleton.

After his previously unmarked grave in Melbourne was located, members of the ANARE Club organised a proper headstone with family permission. A ceremony was held last Thursday, with Davis now recognised formally in the cemetery where he rests.

Small acts of historical restoration can resonate widely.

Produce, Preserving and the 150th Bega Show

Beth in Ben Lomond described figs, peaches, plums, nectarines and pears coming in waves from a small orchard. Preserving, sharing and extending the harvest were part of village life.

Barb from Bega followed with news of the 150th Bega Show — pavilion judging, fireworks and the NSW Governor opening proceedings.

Country shows remain places where everyday abundance is displayed — in jars, flowers and livestock — not just in supermarket price tags.

Rubbish Pickers and Quiet Civic Duty

Jen from Ballarat walks Lake Wendouree each Sunday and fills bags with litter. She and another local — also named Jen — now call themselves “the rubbish pickers.”

No speeches. Just bags collected and bins filled.

Why We Live Where We Live

The morning closed with Magnus and Wendy aboard the sailing vessel Nutshell, currently in Holland and bound for Finland. Their piece described a life “where the water wiggles” — a floating home without postcode, routine or fixed horizon.

Across it all, one theme kept surfacing: movement.

Across oceans. Across paddocks. Across fire lines. Across the Kidman Way dodging emus.

And yet, always, coming back.

That’s the thing about Australia. You can wander. You can weigh anchor. You can drive the Nullarbor in the rain.

But eventually, the line reconnects.

Listen to the podcast episode here.

Disclaimer: ‘Australia All Over’ is a program produced and broadcast by the ABC Local Radio Network and hosted by Ian McNamara. Brisbane Suburbs Online News has no affiliation with Ian McNamara, the ABC, or the ‘Australia All Over’ program. This weekly review is an independent summary based on publicly available episodes. All original content and recordings remain the property of the ABC. Our summaries are written in our own words and are intended for commentary and review purposes only. Readers can listen to the full episodes via the official ABC platforms.

Freight, Fire, and the Long Summer Between

By mid-February the country is no longer easing into the year. It is properly back at work. Trucks are running full schedules again. Agricultural shows are back on the calendar. Fire recovery has moved from emergency response to long-term repair. And the conversations feel less like holiday reflections and more like people taking stock.

This week’s calls moved carefully between memory, labour, weather and the small details that anchor a community.

Albury and the Road That Keeps Moving

Ron Fennimore was somewhere between Gunning and Goulburn when he rang. Eleven trucks under his management. Hay, cattle, general freight. The kind of fleet that keeps regional Australia supplied without much notice.

He had been in Albury the day before for the memorial of Max Luff.

Max, Ron said, was not just another operator. Founder of Border Express in 1981. A man who built a national freight company from the border country and remained connected to the region that shaped him. A significant supporter of the Albury Wodonga Regional Cancer Centre Trust.

Ron spoke about the turnout first. Drivers rearranging runs to attend. Trucks parked along the street. Old hands and young operators in the same room. In transport, reputation is everything. You either pay on time, honour your word and stand by people, or you do not last.

He described the service as packed. That, in his world, was the measure. Respect is counted in attendance.

Then he was back behind the wheel, southbound again.

Volunteers in the Ash

Robin from Boronia shifted the tone. She had been involved with four-wheel drive clubs heading into fire-affected areas around Fawcett and Yarck.

The fires were no longer front-page news, but the damage remained. Fence lines reduced to twisted wire. Star pickets bent. Access tracks washed out or blocked by fallen timber. Farmers still tallying stock losses.

The clubs were bringing trailers, tools and time. Clearing debris. Rebuilding fences. Helping with the jobs that are too big for one person but too small to attract formal funding.

Robin described the rhythm of it. Early starts. Shared lunches on tailgates. Listening while landholders talk through what they have lost and what they plan to rebuild. Recovery, she said, is not a single moment. It is cumulative.

The work is practical. The effect is often emotional.

Gundagai and the Show Ring

Jim rang from Gundagai where the annual show was underway in full heat.

He painted the scene carefully. Horses circling in the ring. Pavilion tables lined with jars of preserves and carefully folded knitting. Woodchop events drawing a steady crowd. Kids leading calves through dust under a wide sky.

Shows, he said, are not nostalgia. They are continuity. No matter what the season has delivered — drought, flood, low prices — the show goes on.

There was pride in the way he described the committee’s effort. Entries were strong. The district had turned out. The sound of generators and loudspeakers carried across the grounds.

In uncertain seasons, routine can feel like stability.

Beef, Receipts and the Supermarket Question

Andrew’s call moved into the economics of the kitchen table.

He had recently returned from Japan and observed how Australian beef is marketed there — presented as premium, priced accordingly, carefully displayed. Back home, he had been comparing prices at Coles and Woolworths, noting identical pricing across multiple items.

He questioned whether farmers were receiving fair returns and whether supermarket margins were narrowing competition. The discussion moved through export dynamics and domestic supply chains. Macca pressed him on where value is captured.

Andrew’s tone was measured rather than heated. It was about transparency. About wanting clarity in a system that feels increasingly complex.

The weekly grocery bill, he implied, is becoming a point of scrutiny.

Surf Boats at Wanda

From economics to the beach.

The Australian Surf Rowers League carnival at Wanda Surf Life Saving Club was in full swing. Crews lined up at the water’s edge. Oars raised. Sweeps calling timing against the incoming sets.

Surf boat rowing is technical and physical. Five rowers and one sweep must move as a single unit. The sets at Wanda were clean but demanding. The caller described the tension at the start line, the split-second timing required to catch a wave cleanly.

There was pride in the discipline. Early training sessions. Travel between states. Families on the sand watching closely. The culture of surf life saving running alongside competition.

The boats are heavy. The effort visible. The sport remains resolutely physical.

Cabargo and the Long After

A letter from near Cabargo carried the morning into deeper reflection.

The writer described properties around Wandella and Yowrie, on the edge of Wadbilliga National Park, still carrying the imprint of the Black Summer fires. Some homes rebuilt. Others not. Insurance negotiations stretched over years. Fences replaced slowly.

The detail was specific. The way certain gullies burned hotter. The speed at which the wind changed direction. The silence afterward.

Recovery, the writer suggested, does not follow a timetable. Bush regenerates unevenly. People do too.

The tone was steady, not dramatic. That made it more affecting.

Looking Up from Coonabarabran

Dr Duncan Steele shifted the lens skyward.

From observatories near Coonabarabran, astronomers study the southern sky — the Magellanic Clouds, Alpha and Beta Centauri. He spoke about long orbital cycles and Milankovitch theory, about how planetary patterns influence climate over vast stretches of time.

It was not an attempt to dismiss present-day concerns. It was about scale. Human debates sit within much larger cycles.

Looking up, he suggested, can steady perspective.

Snowfields and Changing Winters

The conversation turned briefly to the alpine resorts — Thredbo and Perisher — and the variability of snow seasons. Businesses reliant on winter tourism watching forecasts closely.

There was no dramatic claim, just recognition that adaptation may be required. Seasonal industries have always lived with uncertainty. The margins, perhaps, feel tighter now.

Holding the Threads Together

By the time the calls slowed, the map had stretched again.

From a memorial hall in Albury to burnt paddocks in Victoria. From show rings in Gundagai to surf boats at Wanda. From supermarket aisles to observatories under clear country skies.

Freight still moves. Volunteers still turn up. Shows still open their gates. Families still read their receipts carefully. The sky remains where it has always been.

For a few hours on a Sunday morning, those threads are spoken aloud.

Listen to the podcast episode here.

Disclaimer: ‘Australia All Over’ is a program produced and broadcast by the ABC Local Radio Network and hosted by Ian McNamara. Brisbane Suburbs Online News has no affiliation with Ian McNamara, the ABC, or the ‘Australia All Over’ program. This weekly review is an independent summary based on publicly available episodes. All original content and recordings remain the property of the ABC. Our summaries are written in our own words and are intended for commentary and review purposes only. Readers can listen to the full episodes via the official ABC platforms.