Wander off the beaten track with adventurous Australian brand R.M.Williams .

Birdsville, Queensland. Population 100. Hardly the centre of modern civilization. In fact, it’s primarily known, these days, as being Queensland’s most remote outback town. But the history of Birdsville (it’s not clear whether it was named after the local wildlife or a convenience store that used to stand there) is tied up with the pioneering days of the 19th century, when it used to serve as a toll point for the border of Queensland and South Australia. Today, it’s a great place to take your 4x4 for a spin, or, if you’re around in September, to catch the Birdsville Races, when the empty, landscape is transformed by the arrival of dozens of galloping horses and up to 8,000 spectators. This annual tradition dates back, somewhat incredibly, to 1882.

Birdsville is also very much R.M.Williams country. The Australian brand renowned in particular for its sturdy boots, was founded by Mr Reginald Murray Williams to offer a range of hard-wearing leather goods and work clothes inspired by the environmental peculiarities of the outback, where Mr Williams spent many years as a youth. Mr Williams designed his products to be as durable as they were sleek, and so opted to create each shoe from a single piece of leather – a practice the company still adheres to today, crafting each pair over the course of 80 hand-held processes in its Adelaide manufacturing facility. In this winter’s Gardener boot, a classic design from the 1950s has been updated with oiled kip leather and a treaded Goodyear welt sole, which also means that, even if it endures the worst, it will be easy to repair. It’s the perfect option if you do find yourself off the beaten track in the coming months – though we understand if you don’t quite make it to Birdsville.