Mike, one of the legendary Leyland brothers, partnered with his wife Margie for a series of one-hour documentaries for Channel Seven in the late 1990s. In each episode of Travel All Over the Countryside the pair explore a specific region of Australia with their venerable Land Cruiser and roof-top tent. Mike’s gentle commentary and his interest in both the ecology and indigenous heritage of the regions make these documentaries well worth searching out. Over twelve episodes, Mike and Margie cover some absolutely fascinating territory, including the Red Centre, the Tanami Track, Cape York, Kakadu, and the Pilbara. Many of these episodes are now available on YouTube.
What is also inspirational about these films is that Mike and Margie did ALL of the work themselves; they alone were responsible for all the camerawork and post-production. Mike sadly passed away in 2009, but he left a legacy of wonderful work behind him.
We intend to follow in Mike and Margie’s footsteps and to recreate some of their adventures, as we slow camp our way around Australia. Sign up for our newsletter and we’ll keep you posted on how we go as we travel all over the countryside…
