It is vital that anyone interested in the Outback makes the necessary shift in thinking required to understand it from the perspective of the people who live there.  For them, the Outback is not a far-off or isolated place, it is the centre of culture and stories for many families and communities.  It is a complex place of multiple connections, networks, layers of history and locations with deep cultural meaning.  Recognition of these connections, their centrality to families and their role in the practice of customs, culture, livelihoods and land management is central to the work of the Outback Alliance.

This publication introduces four thematic areas of focus, highlighting the extent to which they are intertwined, of equal importance and in need of equal attention.