Four days, 4,352 kilometers and some of the most isolated territory on the planet, a trip on the Great Southern Rail's Indian Pacific line is the stuff of vagabond novels, a journey that encourages both enjoyment of the landscape and personal reflection.
Remarkable journeys are something Australian Idol runner-up turned international pop star Jessica Mauboy knows well. The 22-year-old Indigenous Australian from the remote Northern Territory of Darwin went from belting out country tunes in the bush at the age of 11 to becoming an Antipodal star with a Sony recording deal, an acting career and a fashion line. Mauboy has even made the all-important crossover to Los Angeles for collaborations with famous rappers such as Snoop Dogg and Ludacris. She's been the opening act for Beyoncé and Chris Brown, and most recently has nabbed an intense lead role in the much-anticipated Australian film "The Sapphires," now receiving international film festival buzz and set to be released in 2012.
It's with the spirit of giving and genuine appreciation that Mauboy, armed with two guitarists and a back-up singer, joined Santa Claus in boarding the train from New South Wales into the wild to perform free concerts to communities that many urban and rural Australians have never themselves visited. The Outback Christmas tour is put on by Great Southern Rail as a fundraiser for the life-saving Royal Flying Doctors Service, a non-profit organization that provides aeromedical emergency and essential health services via PC-12 aircrafts to a stunning 275,000 Australians per year who have no direct access to medical care.
Kicking off the first of eight concerts across the country, Mauboy arrived amid tight security and screaming Sydney school children who were selected to sing along to a Christmas tune after treating them with her hits Burn, Been Waiting and Running Back.
"I've never been on the train!" she announces to the crowd.
She was at ease and excited to start the trek that will chug its way deep into the Nullarbor Plain. After winding through the jaw-dropping vistas of the Blue Mountains it becomes evident that the further out of Sydney, the more emotional the audience. By the time we reached Bathurst, a frizzy pony-tailed girl is pulled out of the crowd, sobbing and hyperventilating. Overwhelmed by the sight of Mauboy and the long wait to sing with the superstar, she has caused her friends to panic and hug each other in empathy, hoping the young fan will re-join them come time to sing a Mariah Carey Christmas song with their idol.
Mauboy's choice to honor uber-diva Mariah Carey was both fitting and eerie: Back in the train's roomy Outback Explorer Lounge, we spoke of her dream to one day sing with the artist, her ultimate idol. She explained how Carey's 90s hit Hero had been the theme song to many pivotal moments in her life. Her natural effervescence revealed a laugh that is almost identical to that of her American counterpart.
The 27 carriages that make up the half-kilometer long train make concert stops in the silver mining town of Broken Hill and the elegant festival city of Adelaide. After a gentle rocking night's sleep, both the land and the mood shifts in intensity as we approach the desolate Watson, where Aboriginals, some of which have travelled for hundreds of kilometers to meet the train, gather to see the once-shy girl that emerged from the Outback into superstardom.
The heat was unseasonably bearable as we carefully descend the steps of the train. There is no platform in what most would consider a no-man's land. The unrelenting sun in these parts is evident, however, in the hair of the Indigenous people who quietly and politely wait for Mauboy to appear. Whimsical shocks of fluorescent yellow and crimson orange paint the raven locks of the people here whose feet are bare. Their clothes dust-worn and tattered from the harsh conditions. It was a stark contrast to the rest of us in our closed-toe shoes -- an effort to protect ourselves from some of the most dangerous snakes on the planet.
Mauboy herself emerged without her usual sky-high platform heels and stepped down onto the grey earth wearing ballet flats and an old pair of jeans. Accompanying her wide smile are sudden tears at the sight of the small, cautious-eyed community. She collects herself as she strolls out to a patch of nowhere only steps away from the crowd she later calls my people. There is no security needed here. She speaks to them in broken English and sings an entire song in this un-plugged performance while in a full embrace of a muted, teary child. Mauboy then takes to the dry and gravelly ground to finish the rest of her concert amongst the children who sit dewy and expressionless. By the time Santa arrives to give them all gifts, Mauboy is darting around signing her posters, teasing timid fans and surprising elders unable to leave their vehicles by hopping into their trucks and sharing a quick visit and a hug.
"That was very emotional for me", says Mauboy of her experience. "It reminds me of the reason I do music. I see their light, their eyes...their movements. I speak broken English to them... They understand."
Despite her understanding of the dichotomy of two strikingly different cultures that share the same continent, Mauboy is unequivocal when asked which Australia she calls home.
"There is only one Australia," she asserts.
She was uncertain, however, of her name becoming synonymous with the term role model. She's admittedly a young woman with more experiences ahead of her and notes that she's not sure where her comfort lies in such projections. Perhaps hÂÂÂÂer recent decision to turn down a lucrative alcohol endorsement may be more of a hint as to the direction she wants to take her life and career.
"I grew up in a lot of domestic violence as a kid and there was a lot of alcohol involved," Mauboy says. "That's a memory of mine that I kind of keep. That's an important thing to me so when I got the call it was definitely going to be a no."
Back in the Queen Adelaide Restaurant aboard the train, we dined on Mauboy's favorite traditional fare of kangaroo tenderloin with sweet potato puree. Mauboy and her fun and unflappable young band held an impromptu jam in the lounge fulfilling our requests, which ranged from vintage Tina Turner to INXS.
As we crossed the continent we turned our clocks back countless times and get confused with what is also thrown in the mix to be train time. But this is inconsequential. An Indian Pacific's passenger's job is to enjoy the earthy sunset and emu-filled journey and we continued on to concert stops in the ghost town of Cook, one of the most isolated outposts in the world, Rawlinna and Australia's gold capital Kalgoorlie, where we experienced a rowdy crowd that requires extra security. It's a history buff`s bonanza of a town that's home to both today's thriving KCGM's Super Pit Goldmine and wild West stories of gold rushes gone by. We saw the brothels that share the same street as the police station and marveled at the amount of pubs per capita.
Perhaps due to the groundhog day-esque schedule with all of Mauboy's appearances and the sight of Santa in tow, there's a sense of disbelief when we roll into Perth after gliding down the rails for thousands of kilometers. Mauboy takes to a stage for the last time in a sassy off- the- shoulder mini-dress and electric pumps, happy to sing for an appreciative city crowd. She's ready to travel across the country yet again to enjoy a low-key Mauboy-style Christmas that will include fishing with her dad.
"Wow", Mauboy offers in a husky, incredulous tone. "What a journey it's been."
The Indian Pacific offers rail journey packages for every budget and comfort level with Red, Gold and Platinum Services.
Sydney:
Bridge Climb - ascend 134 metres to the summit of the famous Sydney Harbour Bridge. Rated by Lonely Planet as one of the top ten biggest adrenaline rush experiences in the world.
The Blue Mountains - stunning vistas, kangaroos and crimson rosellas thrive in one million hectares of sandstone cliffs, lush forest, canyons, waterfalls and bushland.
Kalgoorlie - Visit one of the biggest gold mines in the world and discover how the gold rushes past and present has shaped the town with pub life, brothels and a wild west history that even includes former US President Herbert Hoover. Tours available from The Indian Pacific.
Perth:
Cottesloe Beach - pristine oceanfront complete with dolphins playing close by. Have a strawberry mojito and watch the sunset at Indiana, a Cape Cod style dining experience.