Richard Kinnon

Richard Kinnon’s passion for all things outback has shaped his life and has, through circumstances rather than ambition, led to him becoming a spokesperson and champion for the iconic Australian way of life in remote Queensland.

From a family of graziers, Richard runs two cattle and sheep stations in the Longreach region. In 2006, faced with the tough times of outback drought, he and his wife Marisse founded a tourism venture to help support the grazing business and the lifestyle they love. That tourism business, called Outback Pioneers, now welcomes over 20,000 visitors each year and has won many awards, including the prestigious Queensland Tourism Awards Gold Award for Cultural Tourism.

For Richard, the pleasure is in seeing the ‘city cousins’ coming to discover their Australian heritage and the outback spirit that makes this country special. He’s always ready for a yarn with visitors or to tell his personal story of outback resilience. Like most outback characters, he does that with plenty of quirky wit and humour!

Richard’s wife Marisse is joint founder and general manager of Outback Pioneers and their three children Jeremy, Lane and Abigail also have roles in the business.