A year in the outback

For more than a decade, the team at R.M.Williams OUTBACK has scoured the country for fresh, authentic imagery of remote and regional Australia.

Story By Therese Hall

Port Lincoln photographer Robert Lang was cold, muddy and tired by the time he got the shot that became the cover of the 2015 R.M.Williams OUTBACK Calendar.
“I pushed the usual 30-second night exposure to a full four minutes to get the mood in the clouds and bring out the night sky,” he says. “Then I painted the dead tree and the background with a high-powered torch. The result is exactly what you see: a true single exposure off the camera.”
Robert’s impressive photo (on page 87) of a moody pink-hued lake wasn’t taken at one of Australia’s scenic hotspots; it was taken at Bendigo’s Crusoe Reservoir, in Victoria. “A friend of mine who lives in Bendigo scouted out the spot for me,” Robert says.
The 2015 OUTBACK Calendar ($19.95) is filled with beautiful photos taken from across the country. “Australia is an absolutely stunning place,” says editor-in-chief Mark Muller. “There are breathtaking scenes throughout the country, and we like to share those. There are also scenes that you wouldn’t think to look at twice. Part of the joy in putting together a selection of photos like this is seeing things through the eyes of our photographers – seeing things in a way that you wouldn’t necessarily think to, at first glance. We all love the obvious beauty, but to be able to share hidden beauty? That’s a real treat.”
And so we see pictures of a mob of cattle at Wrotham Park in northern Queensland, spinifex in central Australia and termite mounds in the Top End. There are Merinos yarded on South Australia’s Commonwealth Hill and an aerial view of an ancient river course in the Pilbara, Western Australia.
“We take thousands of photos each year, and look at thousands more,” Mark says. “The calendars are a distillation of that process – an inspiring showcase of photos that represent and evoke a sense of curiosity and wonder about our continent.”
In the R.M.Williams OUTBACK hardcover diary, a full-page colour photograph illustrates every week of the year. Images of the landscapes, animals, plants and people of the outback serve as visual counterpoints to everyday life. “Wherever we travel throughout the year, we’re always salting away images for the diary,” Mark says. “Looking for little things that will accompany a week the following year, and serve as a reminder of the beauty and diversity of Australia.” The diary ($24.95) comes with a bonus R.M.Williams saltwater crocodile strap key ring, valued at $44.95.
The calendar and diary are available individually or as part of a competitively priced Christmas pack. They make ideal gifts for family and friends who share a love of the Australian outback.