24/11/2025
OutBack magazine’s editor in chief writes a good editorial this is one worth a read. Another from Mark Muller
📷: Living and working in Thredbo, 1996.
EDITORS LETTER
Issue 164 Dec/Jan 2026
For many, a ‘gap year’ is part of expanding the experience and understanding that helps to build the skills and perspective that they then apply throughout their lives. The rural sector is full of young people trying something different – sometimes for a year, sometimes for longer. This is the subject of our Outback story in the December/January issue. Time spent off country – spent away from home, searching, experiencing and exploring – can be time well spent. This was certainly the case for AgriFutures Rural Woman of the Year Carol Mudford (who graces our cover), and Arltunga publicans Brad and Belinda Seymour (the subject of our pub story), and big game fisherman Zane Grey (and our History story).
I didn’t have a gap year as such. I went from school to summer work, first installing solar heating, then into the wineries and vineyards at home in Coonawarra. Two degrees followed in Adelaide (concurrent with a series of part-time jobs in city and bush), then a newspaper cadetship in Orange, NSW, where I spent two years. From there, what might be considered gap years followed, working in ski towns, wineries, hospitality, tourism, agriculture and media in Australia, the US and the UK. This included a harvest season in Oregon’s Willamette Valley, arranged through the gap-oriented agricultural exchange program run by CAEP. I wandered and worked for about four years before settling again.
This experience has deeply informed my past 22 years with OUTBACK, wherein we share stories from all of those sectors and more.
I believe a fulfilling life is as much about a way as it is about a what. That is, it’s the way we choose to go about our works and days rather than necessarily what we do that powers our productivity and wellbeing, and the contribution we make to our communities, friends and families. We pursue this in OUTBACK – we look for people living their lives with enthusiasm, positivity and application, and we strive to bring those traits to bear in sharing their stories with you.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year,
Mark Muller
Editor-In-Chief
