A love letter to our vast and majestic country, Great Australian Road Trips follows the road less travelled, shining a spotlight on some true hidden-gem spots.
Over six episodes, two driving duos – food critic Melissa Leong and comedian Nazeem Hussain, and actor and producer Claudia Karvan and actor and comedian Steph Tisdell – embark on unique adventures.
Our journey begins in the Outback, as Mel and Naz travel 493km from Alice Springs to Kings Canyon along the Red Centre Way.
One of Mel’s favourite drives, she was thrilled to help reshape her long-time friend’s not-so-positive memories of the region, which were tainted by a childhood scout trip!
“I love Naz, he’s one of the best storytellers I know,” the former MasterChef Australia judge, 43, tells TV WEEK. “We saw and experienced many complex layers of the Red Centre. I think that’s really important when you travel – it’s not just about the shiny, happy things; it’s about really understanding and respecting the places you’re in.”
First up, the pair swap their wheels for camels, enjoying a trek and a history lesson.
“We got over some fears, for now,” Mel says with a laugh. “I think Naz loves camels now.”
Back on the road, they meet up with Mel’s friend Rayleen Brown – a bush food expert – in Standley Chasm (Angkerle Atwatye). It’s an educational and emotional visit that leaves a lasting impression on Mel.
“From the very first time I landed in Alice Springs, I just felt this overwhelming sense of emotion and energy, and my eyes started welling up,” Mel recalls. “There really is something to be said for the songlines that thread their way through the Australian continent.”
From an Indigenous music festival in a natural amphitheatre to a detour to heritage-listed Hermannsburg (Ntaria) and driving 135km on a stretch of unsealed red-dirt road known as the Mereenie Loop, flanked by wild brumbies, the journey to Kings Canyon (Watarrka) is full of highlights.
“The privilege of driving on the Mereenie Loop should never be underestimated,” Mel states. “Wild horses, wild camels, the most beautiful, devastatingly sweeping landscapes all around you. You don’t need to travel to the other side of the world to see that – it’s right here.”
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