It was the kind of Sunday that only Macca could conjure — a cross-country chorus of voices stitched together by warmth, wit and the occasional weather report. From the Hay Plain to the Swan Valley, from Eden’s rain-washed shore to a humming beehive in Camberwell, the calls rolled in like postcards from every corner of the continent. What unfolded was a chatty, generous conversation about the roads we travel, the work we love and the country we share.
From Bundaberg to Bunbury — Jason’s Long Drive
Somewhere along the wide hush of the Hay Plain, Jason rang in from the cab of his ute. He and his wife were driving from Bundaberg all the way to Bunbury, chasing down an old F-Series Ford. He laughed that he could never afford a new one, so he buys “a cheap old one and brings it back to life — no black boxes or sensors, just a 351 Clevo and call it good.” Macca pictured the long haul across Balranald and Iron Knob, warning about roos on dusk, while Jason talked about the pleasure of doing something with your own hands. “You can see what you’ve built,” he said, “and it’ll probably outlast the new ones.”
David from Cropper Creek — Harvest Season
Up on the border between Moree and Goondiwindi, David was on the header cutting barley when he took a quick call. He reckoned they were “getting sevens a hectare” — a good year — and told Macca he’d just traded up to a 2005 Kenworth SAR. Back home in Rochester, he said, things were drier and windswept. “It’s patchy, mate. One side of the fence looks alright; the other’s burnt off.” Macca chuckled, “That’s Australia for you,” and David agreed, the hum of the harvester steady in the background.
Shelley at Marom Creek — Accidental Brahmans and a Lost Wetland
Near Lismore, Shelley and her husband were living proof that sometimes the land has plans of its own. When they bought a run-down 50-acre block at Marom Creek, they inherited a few straggly cattle from a deceased estate. “Turns out they were pure-bred Brahmans,” she told Macca, amused. “We’d become stud owners without even knowing it.” What started as a fluke turned into a passion for soil health and regeneration. She wished more city folk understood what life on the land demands. “Everyone should spend a year or two out here — then they’d get it.”
The chat turned to Tuckean Swamp, once a world-class wetland now drained away. “It’s tragic,” Shelley sighed. “We’re trying to restore it before we expire.” Macca promised to look it up; you could hear the admiration in his voice.
Sandra in Eden — CWA Gardens and Grateful Rain
On the far south coast, Sandra called from Eden, rain pattering on her jacket as she threw a ball for her kelpie. “Haven’t had rain for months,” she said, delighted. Between throws she mentioned the CWA Open Garden day coming up on 2 November — six gardens, ten bucks entry and, of course, scones and tea at the hall. “Small communities are incredible,” she said. “We all pull together — that’s what it’s about.”
Dez from Panania — Punting, Phone Boxes and the Old Days
From Panania, Dez rang in full of mischief. The chat turned to betting, sparked by The Punt Song, and he remembered his dad phoning in wagers from the red phone boxes of the sixties. “He’d push the A-button and say the code word — Lucky — before the operator cut him off,” he laughed. These days he’s part of Ciaron Maher Racing, but the romance of the old days sticks. “It was community, really,” he said. “And Macca, your show’s the only one left that feels like that.”
Tim on the Bourke Road — McDonald’s and Memories
Half an hour out of Bourke, Tim was trying to pick up the ABC while harvesting wheat and chickpeas. “Reception’s dodgy,” he grinned, “but I bribe the kids. They could have McDonald’s if I got to listen to you.” The kids are grown now, but he reckons they still tune in. “It’s part of the weekend.” Macca laughed — he’s heard that deal before.
Keith the Beeman — Where Have All the Bees Gone?
Regular caller Keith had bee news from Bilpin, saying the poor apple crops weren’t from Varroa mite at all. “The bees are busy in the gums,” he said, “why bother with a few apple trees when there’s thousands of blossoms next door?” He suggested backyarders keep native stingless bees, which stay put and “don’t sting the neighbours.” Macca loved it — practical and poetic, like most of Keith’s calls.
Helen Jane in Camberwell — Backyard Honey and Blue-banded Bees
In Camberwell, Helen Jane reminisced about the hives she once kept in her city backyard. “Ten kilos of honey a year and the garden looked incredible,” she said. Downsized now, she plans to try native bees. Before hanging up she mentioned she’s off to Kangaroo Island soon — “to swim with wild dolphins.” Macca wished her good weather for it.
Bruce Rocks Out — Suzi Quatro at Rooty Hill RSL
Bruce, also 75, was still buzzing from Suzi Quatro’s concert at Rooty Hill RSL. “She’s seventy-five too,” he told Macca, “and still rocks like she’s thirty.” They laughed about how many times she’s toured here — more than forty visits — and agreed that Australia must feel like her second home.
Charlie Orr — Winchelsea’s Home-Grown Village
From Winchelsea, Charlie Orr told one of those stories that makes you proud to live in a small town. Locals wanted older residents to stay close, so they built ten independent-living units themselves, with help from the Surf Coast Shire, Lions Club, Hesse Rural Health and the local Community Bank. “A retired architect designed them,” Charlie said, “nine-star energy rating and everything.” The project frees up family homes and keeps the town’s heart beating. “We just got on with it,” he added. Macca called it a blueprint for everywhere.
Wren in Townsville — Heavy Lifts and Light Skies
Far north in Townsville, Wren was on the docks unloading a heavy-lift ship. “Bit of everything,” he said. “Wind-farm gear, ADF stuff, sometimes aid shipments.” He also runs a crane business, a children’s brain-cancer charity and somehow finds time to fly planes. “It’s about pride in the job,” he told Macca. “You finish the day and know you’ve done something solid.” He’s even catching Suzi Quatro when she hits town next month.
Raoul at the Perth Show — Seeing Australia Through the Radio
At the Perth Royal Show, Macca met Raoul, a support worker originally from India, accompanying his vision-impaired client. “Every Sunday we drive through the Swan Valley with you on the radio,” he said. “You take us around the country.” He spoke fondly of Perth, where “you can live in the bush and still be twenty minutes from the city.”
Chris Greaves — Across the Desert in a Land Cruiser
Chris Greaves was mid-journey in his classic FJ45 Land Cruiser, driving from Perth to Caboolture for a vintage meet. He’d dropped by Macca’s Noosa broadcast earlier in the year and was now looping back via Canberra to collect his wife, who’d just medalled at the Masters Games. “We’ll probably swing by the Gunbarrel Highway and the Lambert Centre on the way home,” he said. He works with Chevron on Barrow Island, where, as he put it, “it’s barren, hot and full of snakes — but beautiful in its own way.”
Angus Gill — From Nashville with Heart
When Angus Gill stepped into the studio with his mum Tanya, Macca grinned like he was greeting family. The singer-songwriter had just returned from Nashville, where he’d been recording with Michael McDonald of the Doobie Brothers. He’s also written a novella, Departure and Arrival, drawn from his grandmother’s Alzheimer’s journey. “Dementia Australia helps over four hundred thousand people,” he said, giving out their helpline — 1800 100 500 — before playing a re-imagined version of his song Freckles.
Jock Schmishen — From the Poles to Outer Space
From Adelaide, explorer Jock Schmishen had an extraordinary yarn about Eric Phillips, the polar adventurer who’s now been to space. Phillips joined crypto-entrepreneur Chung Wa’s private SpaceX Dragon flight, orbiting over both poles — making him the first person to have reached the North Pole, South Pole and space under the Australian flag. Jock’s next expedition will lead the Royal Geographical Society through the Flinders Ranges and Lake Eyre. “Just keeping my boots dusty,” he joked, and Macca roared with laughter.
Kel from Ocean Shores — Making Things That Last
To close the morning, Kel from Ocean Shores rang in about her small business, Coastal Clotheslines, making stainless-steel, plastic-free lines built to last decades. “We survived the wet years,” she said, “and people are over rubbish — they want quality again.” She added with a grin that turning socks the right way before hanging them “saves nine years of life.” Macca loved that one, promising to quote her forever.
Closing
After a morning that wandered from the Hay Plain to outer space, Macca signed off in his usual way: if you see him on the road, stop and say g’day. Another Sunday stitched together, another reminder that the heart of Australia still beats strongest on the open line.
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 podcast transcripts and 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.