Author: Columnist on Toowong News

• Skies over the Black Sea: One of the morning’s most remarkable calls literally came from the clouds – a Qantas A380 pilot dialing in at 35,000 feet “high above the Black Sea.” The Aussie captain, en route from London to Singapore, surprised Macca by phoning in during a cruise altitude lull. In the crackling call he painted an awe-inspiring picture: a pale dawn breaking over the Black Sea far below, the silhouette of Istanbul off to the west as he flew toward daybreak. “Not a bad office view, mate,” he chuckled. He explained that he tunes into ABC via satellite whenever he’s piloting long hauls – “Hearing Macca and the callers, it’s like I’ve got Australia in the cockpit with me.” The captain gave a shout-out to his family in Brisbane and even let his co-pilot say a quick g’day. Macca was tickled by the truly all over nature of the moment, joking that it might be the show’s highest-ever call. Before signing off to prepare for descent, the pilot cheerily promised, “I’ll drop you a line again from somewhere over the world, Macca – blue skies!”

• Silo art sparks town pride: From Pingaring, WA, came a heartwarming update on how art is bringing new life to a tiny wheatbelt town. A local farmer’s wife named Ellen rang in to tell Macca about their brand new silo mural completed just days ago. The massive grain silos now bear a vibrant painting of the region’s early settlers and wildflowers, 30 metres high and impossible to miss. “You can see old Bill Jones driving his horse team across a field of everlastings – four stories tall!” she laughed, describing the scene. Ever since the mural was finished, locals have been gathering at sunset to admire it, and travelers on the highway are detouring into Pingaring for a look. The caller said the project was a labor of love by an artist from Perth and dozens of volunteers. It’s already become the pride of the community. “For the first time in ages, our town’s on the map – literally, tour companies are adding us!” she said excitedly. Macca loved the story, noting how country ingenuity and art can lift spirits and put a speck on the map in a big way. He mused that he’ll have to swing by Pingaring on his next WA visit to see those giant painted pioneers gazing out over the wheat fields.

• Roo rush at the waterhole: A southwest Queensland station owner provided a classic outback yarn tinged with the reality of a drying land. Phil from near Cunnamulla rang in to report that, after a wet spring last year, conditions have sharply turned to drought – and the kangaroos know it. He woke up this week to find hundreds of thirsty roos crowding the last functional bore drain on his property. “It was like an outback version of the Boxing Day sales – roos shoulder-to-shoulder at the trough,” he said. At first light, he counted about 200 kangaroos jostling alongside his cattle for a sip of water. The unexpected visitors knocked down part of a boundary fence and chewed through a poly pipe in their frenzy. Phil’s tone was a mix of wry humor and concern; the sight of so many kangaroos told him the country beyond his fences has little feed or water left. He’s carting water every second day now to keep up with demand. “When the roos start acting like livestock, you know it’s dry, mate,” he noted. Macca and Phil shared a laugh about the roos’ rowdy behavior – “they didn’t even queue up, Macca!” – but both understood the seriousness behind it. The caller recalled the late-’70s drought when similar scenes played out and said he’s hoping for rain before things get truly dire. The story gave listeners a vivid image of life on the land: cracking black soil, mobs of desperate kangaroos, and a stoic grazier doing what it takes to get through another dry spell.

• “Liquid gold” olive harvest: A sweet and savory report came from Boort, Victoria, where an olive grower named Marco just wrapped up an abundant autumn harvest. He manages a small family grove of about 500 olive trees, originally planted by his Italian grandfather in the 1950s. Marco’s call brimmed with pride as he described pressing this season’s olives into oil. An unseasonably mild April with just enough rain led to a bumper crop of plump purple-black olives. The first cold-press extra virgin oil of the year flowed just last week, and Marco could hardly contain his excitement. “It pours out green-gold, and the aroma fills the shed – fresh cut grass, apples, a bit of pepper at the end,” he said, practically tasting it over the phone. He’s been bottling up the new oil to share at the local farmer’s market. Macca, a known foodie, peppered Marco with questions about the process, joking that he could almost smell the frantoio (olive press) from the studio. Marco explained how his family still picks many of the olives by hand to avoid bruising the fruit, and how they cure a portion for table olives using his Nonna’s old recipe. He chuckled when he admitted his kids roll their eyes at the “old-fashioned” ways, but he’s teaching them that some traditions are worth keeping. The call offered a delicious slice of regional life – heritage trees, hard work and a product that connects bush and table. Macca signed off by congratulating Marco and suggesting listeners seek out real local olive oil if they can: “It’s the good stuff – liquid gold straight from the grove,” as Marco proudly said.

• Cross-country on a tractor: In one of the more delightfully quirky segments of the morning, Macca caught up with two mates who are driving a 70-year-old tractor across Australia for charity. Glen and “Crusty” (as he introduced himself) phoned in from the side of the Nullarbor Plain, where they had paused their vintage 1950 Ferguson tractor to take Macca’s call. They’re chugging along at 20 km/h from Perth to Byron Bay to raise money for the Royal Flying Doctor Service. Glen described the scene: the little grey tractor puttering on the endless highway with a bright orange “Slow Vehicle” triangle on the back and a support ute following close behind. “We’ve got our swag, a toolbox, and plenty of WD-40 – that’s about it!” he laughed. They’ve been on the road for three weeks now, covering roughly 100 km a day when weather permits. Along the way, strangers at roadhouses have donated to the cause and offered meals (and mechanical advice). Crusty told Macca the roughest stretch so far was crossing the WA/SA border in blasting winds: “Mate, sitting at 5 miles an hour into a headwind feels like walking pace – but we’ll get there!” The pair take turns at the wheel to stave off “tractor backache” and say the camaraderie of Aussies they meet keeps them going. Macca was clearly charmed, dubbing them the “slowest great race in Australia.” He promised to give RFDS a plug and wished them good weather and steady running. As they fired up the old Ferguson to continue eastward, Glen signed off with a grin, “We’ll give her an extra toot for ya, Macca, each morning!” – a true-blue sign of two determined blokes and one very old tractor making a difference, one mile at a time.

Other calls included:

• Dogs on parade: A quick check-in from Sydney’s Million Paws Walk had listeners practically hearing the excited barks in the background. An event organizer breathlessly reported thousands of people and their pooches flooding into Centennial Park for the annual RSPCA fundraiser. “There’s a sea of wagging tails and tutus – even the dachshunds are dressed up!” she shouted over the cheerful chaos, noting that it was their biggest turnout in years thanks to sunny skies.
• Dozen chooks delight: “Don from Dubbo” made everyone smile with his light-hearted update from the chook yard. He called to proudly share that his 12 pet hens had finally all started laying. Don rattled off each chook’s name on air – from Henrietta to Princess Layer – and joked that he’s got more eggs than he knows what to do with now. “The girls are happy and the grandkids get free brekkie, so it’s a win-win,” he laughed, inviting Macca for scrambled eggs if he’s ever out Dubbo way.
• First snow of the season: Winter’s approach got a mention from a weather watcher in Victoria’s high country. Simon from Mount Hotham rang in to confirm it snowed overnight – a light dusting, but enough to turn the peaks white at dawn. “Brass monkeys weather, Macca – minus 2 and beautiful,” he reported. Ski operators are buzzing with the earliest snow in a decade, and Simon had already broken out the snow shovel and the billy for a warm cuppa.
• Century of wisdom: Among the morning’s memorable personalities was Stan from Mackay, who phoned in at age 100 to prove you’re never too old to be part of the show. Spry-voiced and cheeky, Stan shared the secret of his longevity: “Keep busy, have a laugh, and a teaspoon of golden syrup every morning.” He told a quick yarn about hearing Australia All Over on his shed radio since the program began in the 1980s, and thanked Macca for “keeping me company all these years.” It was a simple, touching moment – one generation saluting another – and it earned a heartfelt happy birthday chorus from the studio.

Listen to the podcast episode here.

Disclaimer: Brisbane Suburbs Online News has no affiliation with Ian McNamara or the “Australia All Over Show.” This weekly review is an attempt to share the wonderful stories that Ian broadcasts each week and add value to what is a smorgasbord of great insights.