In this photo essay we feature some of the beautiful portraits from 10 years of Great Australians magazine.
Story Therese Hall Photo Peter Solness
When we invite people to feature in our biennial magazine Great Australians we’re often met with some reluctance. Busy men and women focused on serving their regional communities don’t expect accolades, and being called ‘great’ brings out their humility. Fortunately, once we explain OUTBACK’s definition of ‘great’, most relent and agree to be included. All share a devotion to service within their communities. And all are making an indelible mark on regional Australia.
Over the past 9 years, 100 regional Australians have been counted as OUTBACK Great Australians. These people work across a huge range of endeavours, from medicine to horse sports, from agriculture to art. They live right across the continent, from Marree to Maningrida, and Lightning Ridge to Broome.
In our latest edition of Great Australians, launched in May 2024, 20 more inspiring people tell their stories of living and working in regional Australia. There’s ethnobiologist Glenn Wightman, who has preserved the almost-lost botanical knowledge of NT Indigenous communities. Then there’s David Elliott, who spotted a giant dinosaur thigh bone when he was mustering sheep on his family property near Winton in 1999. This led him to realign his life’s work to establish the Australian Age of Dinosaurs Museum in Queensland’s central west. CEO of the charitable Sony Foundation, Sophie Ryan stands out for her unrelenting resolve to come up with ways to increase her organisation’s impact on the lives of young people with cancer.
The new edition of Great Australians magazine is available now for $15.
This story excerpt is from Issue #155
Outback Magazine: June/July 2024
