Page 7 of Outback Hearts

‘Bloody hell,’ Sophie breathed. ‘That’s where we’re sleeping tonight?’

‘It’s got character,’ Jill said diplomatically, pulling the van off the road onto a cleared area beside the building. ‘But we’ll sleep in Vera, not inside that building.’

The ground around the old pub was hard-packed red dirt, dotted with sparse clumps of spinifex grass and the occasional struggling gum tree. Behind the hotel, the land stretched away to a line of low hills, purple in the distance. The light had that particular golden quality of afternoon in the outback, making everything glow.

A Land Cruiser and caravan were already set up on the far side of the clearing, a camp chair positioned beside a neat firepit. Alex waved as they pulled in.

‘At least we won’t be completely alone,’ Amelia said, waving back.

They parked under one of the larger trees and climbed out, stretching after the drive. The silence was immediate—no traffic noise, no voices, only the occasional call of a bird and the whisper of wind through the dry grass.

‘It’s so quiet,’ Amelia said, her voice instinctively dropping to a whisper.

‘I love it,’ Jill said, stretching her arms overhead. ‘This is the proper outback.’

Sophie was less enthusiastic. ‘Right. So, where’s this toilet then? And please tell me it’s not just another long-drop.’

They walked around the building, their footsteps crunching on the gravel. The pub was even more impressive—and more decrepit—up close. Windows were boarded up on the ground floor, though some on the upper level still had glass, glinting in the sun. Part of the verandah roof had collapsed on one side, and weeds grew up through cracks in what had once been a concrete path. Amelia could imagine what it must have been like in its heyday—travellers pulling up in dusty cars, locals gathering for a cold beer, the sound of laughter spilling out into the outback. Even in ruins, it had a kind of dignity.

‘There,’ Jill said, pointing to a small concrete block building set back from the main structure. ‘That’s probably the amenities block.’

They investigated and found it was basic but functional—two toilets, two cold showers, surprisingly clean. A tap outside next to a corrugated iron water tank provided drinking water, and there was a fire pit with a grill for cooking.

‘Not bad for ten dollars,’ Sophie said. ‘Though I’m not thrilled about the cold showers.’

‘Heat some water on the fire,’ Alex had walked over to join them. ‘That’s what I do. Works a treat.’

‘Good idea,’ Jill said. ‘Thanks.’

As they walked back towards the van, Sophie suddenly froze. ‘What was that?’

‘What?’ Jill asked.

‘That rustling. In the grass. Oh God, it’s another snake, isn’t it?’ Sophie’s voice had gone up an octave. ‘It’s definitely a snake. I am so over them.’

Amelia’s heart rate spiked. Since arriving in Australia, both she and Sophie had been on high alert for snakes. Every stick on the ground, every rope, every shadow—everything looked like a snake, even though they’d only seen one.

Jill laughed. ‘It’s probably a lizard. Or the wind. Relax, you two.’

‘Probably?’ Amelia squeaked. ‘What if it’s not?’

‘Look, snakes don’t want anything to do with you. Just make noise when you walk, don’t go poking around in long grass or under rocks, and you’ll be fine. I’ve lived here most of my life, and I’ve only ever seen a couple, and they all took off as soon as they spotted me.’

‘You lived in the city,’ Amelia reminded Jill.

‘That’s not as reassuring as you think it is,’ Sophie muttered, but she started walking again, stomping her feet deliberately hard on the ground.

Back at the van, they began setting up their camp. Jill had done this dozens of times and pulled out their camping chairs, setting up the portable stove, organising their supplies. Amelia and Sophie helped where they could, but mostly tried to stay out of the way.

‘I’ll get some wood for a fire,’ Jill said. ‘There’s plenty of dead stuff around. We can cook dinner over it and heat water for washing up.’

‘I’ll help,’ Amelia offered quickly.

‘Me too,’ Sophie added. ‘Safety in numbers. From the snakes,’ she clarified.

Jill rolled her eyes but smiled. ‘Come on then, drama queens.’

They gathered armfuls of dead wood from the scrub around the clearing, staying close together. The sun was sinking lower now, the sky turning shades of bright orange and pink, a depth that Amelia had never seen in England—vast and brilliant and almost overwhelming in its beauty.