Edwina Robertson has traversed Australia’s most treacherous country, taking photos in exchange for accommodation, food and diesel.
The 32-year-old wedding photographer drove 27,000 kilometres across Australia’s outback with just her dog Jordie for company, to bring stories from the bush to the forefront.
Speaking to Daily Mail Australia, Ms Robertson revealed she experienced a lot in 100 days, from a brush with death, to meeting the man she thought was the love of her life.
Speaking to Daily Mail Australia, Ms Robertson revealed she experienced a lot in 100 days, from a brush with death, to meeting who she thought was the love of her life
The photos showed newlyweds, and their bridal party, standing in the dirt and highlighted the plight of so many farmers across Australia suffering through harsh drought conditions
Ms Robertson, who grew up in Deepwater in northern NSW, captured the nation’s attention in 2015 with wedding photos she took in Blackall, in Queensland’s central west.
The photos showed a bridal party standing in the dirt and highlighted the plight of so many farmers across Australia suffering through harsh drought conditions.
Combining her love for the bush and her incredible photography skills, Ms Robertson embarked on an adventure to ‘highlight the extremes people have to put up with in the bush’.
‘Over the last few years I’ve really realised how much of a disadvantage people in the bush have, even basic services like education, health, internet and access to doctors,’ she said.
‘I think there’s this perception that people in the bush are a bit redneck, but they’re very well educated, very resilient, patient and hospitable.
‘I wanted to show these character traits.’
Ms Robertson, who grew up in Deepwater in northern NSW, captured the nation’s attention in 2015 with wedding photos she took in Blackall, in Queensland’s central west
The 32-year-old wedding photographer drove 27,000 kilometres across Australia’s outback with just her dog Jordie for company, to bring stories from the bush to the forefront
Ms Robertson (pictured in front of her car), who now lives in Toowoomba, Queensland, went from property to property, meeting rural folk and listening to their stories
Ms Robertson, who now lives in Toowoomba, Queensland, went from property to property, meeting rural folk and listening to their stories.
She spent no money on food, accommodation or diesel, instead relying on the hospitality of her hosts.
In exchange for their generosity, Ms Robertson supplied them with photographs.
Ms Robertson said the kindness she experienced from families in the bush was unlike any other
She spent no money on food, accommodation or diesel, instead relying on the hospitality of her hosts
Ms Robertson, who now lives in Toowoomba, Queensland, went from property to property, meeting rural folk and listening to their stories
Ms Robertson said the kindness she experienced in the bush was unlike any other.
‘People always had your back, if you saw someone breaking down, you picked them up,’ she said.
Ms Robertson revealed she rolled her car about 180km north-west of Alice Springs.
Bruised and battered, Ms Robertson said she was rescued no more than 10 minutes later.
When she rolled her car north-west of Alice Springs, Ms Robertson said it wasn’t more than 10 minutes before she was rescued.
‘Two aboriginal men picked me up and treated me with so much respect,’ she said.
She also said the beauty of great open spaces was ‘phenomenal’.
‘I’ve never seen anything like it, it’s like being on the moon, so baron and dry,’ she said.
‘There’s just nothing there, but it’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.’
Ms Robertson revealed she rolled her car about 180km north-west of Alice Springs and was rescued no more than 10 minutes later
‘There’s just nothing there, but it’s the most beautiful I’ve ever seen’
‘I’ve never seen anything like it, it’s like being on the moon, so baron and dry,’ she said
While she traversed the countryside alone, and drove thousands of kilometres without seeing another person, she said she never felt lonely
While she traversed the countryside alone, and drove thousands of kilometres without seeing another person, she said she never felt lonely.
‘You can live in an apartment in inner Redfern, and feel more isolated there than you feel living in the bush,’ she said.
‘In the bush, people look out for other people.
‘I think that’s the sad thing about living in cities, you don’t know your neighbours, it’s a totally different culture.’
Edwina Robertson has become well-known for her astonishing wedding photography
While Ms Robertson met so many amazing people on her trip, she revealed she also experienced what could only be described as heartbreak (bush wedding pictured)
‘I think that’s the sad thing about living in cities, you don’t know your neighbours, it’s a totally different culture,’ Ms Robertson said
While Ms Robertson met so many amazing people on her trip, she revealed she also experienced what could only be described as heartbreak.
‘I’d just arrived at a station in Kimberley, WA, I hadn’t eaten for 30 hours, I was starving and not happy,’ she said.
‘I was greeted by two young boys full of questions and intrigue about my journey. I was warmly welcomed by my two hosts who introduced me to this tall, attractive man called Tyler.
‘He was wearing a black hat with an orange Cockatoo feather who embodied a smile that would make any woman melt.’
‘I’d just arrived at a station in Kimberley, WA, I hadn’t eaten for 30 hours, I was starving and not happy,’ she said
‘He was wearing a black hat with an orange Cockatoo feather who embodied a smile that would make any woman melt,’ Ms Robertson said about Tyler (pictured together)
Ms Robertson’s relationship with the tall, attractive worker very quickly became romantic.
When she left the station for her next destination, the pair kept in contact and spoke on the phone several times a day.
For the next couple of weeks, Ms Robertson said they stayed in constant contact, and their affections for each other grew rapidly.
When she left the station for her next destination, the pair kept in contact and spoke on the phone several times a day
For the next couple of weeks, Ms Robertson said they stayed in constant contact, and their affections for each other grew rapidly
‘Even with limitations of landline usage and access to wifi, I’d hear from Tyler at least three times a day, every day,’ she said.
‘On the morning Tyler flew into Kalgoorlie to meet me, I’m not sure who was more nervous. But nerves were good right? Nerves meant we both cared about what was to come.’
Ms Robertson said the next week was the best week of her life.
An incredible photo Ms Robertson captured out in the bush
Edwina Robertson’s photography has been shared across social media, for its raw, real representation of the bush
‘Even with limitations of landline usage and access to wifi, I’d hear from Tyler at least three times a day, every day,’ she said of her blossoming relationship
‘Here I was travelling 1,600km across the desert with someone i’d known less than a month, yet I’d never felt so content,’ she said.
The pair fell in love, and spoke about a future together, even sharing potential children’s names.
‘For most, this would seem extreme or even possibly weird, however as someone who has captured 200 something weddings, I have heard many a time, when you know, you know. We both said we knew,’ she said.
Ms Robertson described her time with Tyler as ‘incredibly magical’.
She fell head over heels for Tyler and thought she’d found her future husband.
‘He gave me all the things women crave. Loyalty, devotion, stability. I had never met anyone who made me feel so whole. Or so I thought,’ she said.
When Tyler flew out of Kalgoorlie to return to work, Ms Robertson she never heard from him again.
‘He said ‘I love you, I’ll call you tonight’ and never did,’ she said.
Ms Robertson drove thousands of kilometres with only her beloved dog Jordie by her side
Ms Robertson traversed some of Australia’s roughest country in her vehicle pictured here in front of Uluru
‘With no reason as to why the communication stopped, no explanation, no return of phone calls, no rhyme and certainly no respect, I was ‘ghosted’.
Despite repeated attempts to contact Tyler, her calls were never returned.
Worried for his safety, she even phoned the police to check he was OK. He was.
‘I feel humiliated,’ she said.
‘Even if he sent me a text message saying, ‘it was nice to know you and good luck’, there would have been no hard feelings.
‘But he wasn’t courageous enough.’
Ms Robertson said it was a sour end to an otherwise life-changing trip.
Ms Robertson’s Wander of the West photography captures the incredible dryness of Australia’s outback
Ms Robertson captured adorable images of her host’s families in exchange for board, food and diesel
‘I was feeling really well and mentally healthy, it was amazing,’ she said.
‘Then I felt like this person tried to steal my sparkle, and no one deserves to do that.’
Despite her heartache, Ms Robertson said she met so many amazing people on her trip.
She urged others to step outside their comfort zones and discover australia’s backyard.
‘It’s very easy to get on the internet and have an opinion about things, cultures and different people,’ she said.
‘But I don’t think anyone’s entitled to have an opinion until they’ve gone out there themselves.
‘Go out, venture a bit further than you usually would. You’d be surprised.’
Ms Robertson’s adorable pet dog Jordie accompanied her on the journey
‘It’s very easy to get on the internet and have an opinion about things, cultures and different people,’ Ms Robertson said
‘Go out, venture a bit further than you usually would. You’d be surprised,’ Ms Robertson said