Next Tuesday's Ear To The Ground programme will feature the O'Neill family from Killucan who upped sticks in March and moved with their baby son Patrick to the Australian outback in search of work.

Killucan family try the Australian outback

Published: Thu 15 Dec 2011, 9:30 AM

Last updated: Thu 15 Dec 2011, 2:57 PM

Next Tuesday's Ear To The Ground programme will feature the O'Neill family from Killucan who upped sticks in March and moved with their baby son Patrick to the Australian outback in search of work.Traditionally Christmas is a time for families, but Padraic and Olivia will be spending this one thousands of miles from family and friends.The couple left the green fields of Killucan for the dusty Australian plains, where Padraic works as a mechanic in a remote cattle station, and this episode of Ear To The Ground follows the pair as they leave Ireland and adjust to their first few months of life in Birdsville.For years Irish backpackers have provided useful seasonal farm labour needs in rural Australia, but now they're needed to fill more permanent vacancies, and it seems the more remote the jobs, the more likely they'll be filled by adventurous young Irish men and women.Ear to the Ground is on Tuesday December 20 on RTÉ One at 7pm.