In the red dusty expanse, single-minded, eccentric and sometimes utterly insane personalities thrive. And without question it’s the people who have formed a special bond with the outback that make it so wonderful and unique. Sol Walkling looks at just a few of the amazing people out there who have made the outback what it is today.

Over a friendly meal with a wandering yarn-spinner, Peter Russell-Clarke learns that the days of the outback outlaw are far from over. They’ve just lowered their sights a little.

An outraged Ken Duncan prepares to wage war on a growing threat to the pristine nature of our precious outback icons: idiots with spray cans, textas and – sometimes – chainsaws. Dipsticks of the Outback, you have been warned . . .

Beginning at Townsville and spilling northwards beyond Cape York into Torres Strait, the emphasis in the northern reaches is on the vast range of experiences, with everything from five star celebrity hangouts to deserted Robinson Crusoe-style outposts. The choice is yours.  By Fiona Harper

The spirit of Kokoda – courage, endurance, mateship and sacrifice – reverberates through the forests of the Gold Coast hinterland each year during the gruelling Kokoda Challenge. Stu Lloyd explores the unique headspace you need to be in to take on one of Australia’s toughest endurance events.