Episode 6

Rick Stein leaves the verdant coast and turns inland, travelling 400 kilometres west to the farming hub of Moree. With just 72 people per 100 square kilometres, the plains sit above a vast underground artesian reservoir, which makes them some of the most fertile farming land in the country. As he drives along the empty stretches of road, under the huge skies that for him signal the start of the country’s vast interior, Rick ponders what it takes to make this region home. Does the remoteness allow individuals to pioneer change or keep them clinging to old traditions?

Rick arrives in Moree for the biggest event of the year: the annual Moree Show, where local farmers have congregated for generations. He meets cattle steward Lisa Whibley, who shares her passion for heritage Red Poll cattle, and joins in Lisa's celebrations as her prize cow, Daffi, takes first place. Lisa is also a keen competitor in the traditional stockman’s skill of whip cracking. She tells Rick that what makes the show special for her is that it helps inspire younger generations of farmers. Rick enters into the spirit of the occasion, helping tp judge the baking finals of the lamington competition and learning the stringent guidelines that govern what many consider to be Australia’s national cake.

As Rick discovers, Moree is a town that is both proud of its farming heritage and that it has been at the cutting edge of social change. At the local swimming pool, he learns of its pivotal role in the 1965 Freedom Rides, when university students led by First Nations activist Charles Perkins challenged the racial segregation of the time that prevented Aboriginal kids from using the public pool. Their success in overturning this prohibition marked a new chapter in Australian civil rights, leading to a milestone referendum to recognise Aboriginal people as citizens.

Rick also meets agricultural pioneer Dick Esten, who defied conventional wisdom by replacing acres of cotton with orange trees. Many of his peers thought he was mad, but Dick now supplies most of Australia’s fresh orange juice. From the air, Rick sees the scale of Dick’s orchards, before tasting the fruit and preparing a fragrant orange, almond and olive oil cake inspired by his visit.