Outback Heart in Aussie Readers

Jan 09, 2011 Brenda rated it it was amazing

This is an unbelievable tale...more so because it’s a true story, one of terrible hardship, mateship, love and inspiration. Joanne was just 22 years old when she met Rod Ansell. Even at the young age of 23, he was already a legend in the top end of Australia and around the world and as Joanne got to know him more, she realized he had an amazing philosophy on everything, he was able to charm everyone with his yarns, he was an incredibly hard worker and he loved the bush with a passion.

Joanne and This is an unbelievable tale...more so because it’s a true story, one of terrible hardship, mateship, love and inspiration. Joanne was just 22 years old when she met Rod Ansell. Even at the young age of 23, he was already a legend in the top end of Australia and around the world and as Joanne got to know him more, she realized he had an amazing philosophy on everything, he was able to charm everyone with his yarns, he was an incredibly hard worker and he loved the bush with a passion.

Joanne and Rod married, and had two beautiful sons, Callum and Shaun. They lived an incredible life, always moving from one camp site to the next, mostly bull catching, getting the uncontrolled scrub bulls to the meatworks, with Joanne learning very quickly to do all the things Rod did, while trying to make money to live. They worked extremely hard, with rarely a day off to themselves, most times working from before dawn to long after dark.

Along the way they made a very long list of friends, who would be there for them both always. But Rod was becoming a very troubled man, and along with his addiction to drugs came paranoia, and even when he and Joanne divorced, she didn’t give up on him. Her sons loved him, and as young adults, realized something was amiss with their Dad, and vowed to do everything they could to help him. The friends they all had could see the terrible change in Rod, and also tried to help him, but he was determined not to accept help, he told everyone he was fine, and could stop the drugs anytime he wanted.

Eventually, in August 1999, tragedy struck, and Rod was involved in a shoot-out where a young police officer was killed. He had become psychotic, believing he was being hunted, that he and his family and friends would be killed......

‘Outback Heart’ is a deeply moving story, and one I felt totally involved in...It tells of Joanne's life as a very young woman, and the exhilarating but heartbreaking time of growing up the hard way, the thrill of the bush and everything that went with it, and the final tragedy when her wonderful boys lost their father.

I recommend this to everyone.
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Jun 19, 2011 Helene Young rated it it was amazing

Outback Heart is many things. It's a fascinating look at outback life in the Northern Territory. It's a deeper story about a man whose life had so much promise yet ended so tragically causing ripples that are no doubt still felt today. It's a celebration of the tough men and women who pioneered the cattle industry in the NT. It's the story of a woman's ability to endure through a great deal of hardship and still emerge intact, and stronger for the experience.

Beautifully written with so many evo ...more

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Mar 03, 2021 Kathryn rated it it was ok

Shelves: non-fiction, australian-authors, audiobooks, 2021-reading-list

2.5★

I can't believe I've managed to pick yet another book where a woman puts up with being badly treated by a man for years! I seem to be on a roll with choosing books where women are either mistreated by men and excuse their husband/partner's behaviour because they love him, or are pining after a man who doesn't notice them and I'm sick of it!

In this case, Rod Ansell belittled and intimidated his wife, didn't appear to lift a finger toward doing any of the domestic chores, told the author from ...more

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Aug 21, 2022 Dee-Ann rated it it was amazing

Shelves: humour, five-star, action-adventure, animal-story, australian-authors, mental-health, non-fiction, indigenous-issues, memoir, romance

What an amazing memoir. Hard to believe that it is not fiction. This is a good introduction to living in remote tropics in Australia. There were so many mixed emotions when reading this. There were laugh out loud moments and times when I had to reread parts because I could not believe it actually happened. Many times where I was impressed (and envious) by how friends and strangers came together to help out in extreme situations. In particular, the women (especially the writer) are so strong and ...more

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