INTERVIEW: Ernie Dingo
28 May 2019
The host of the new travel show, Going Places with Ernie Dingo, talks to us about travel, meeting people and where you might find him hanging out in Perth.
Ernie has travelled the length and breadth of the country for his new TV show and he has had a ball. But he does worry about his editors back in the editing suite. “When the editors get the material that we film, I’ll feel sorry for them, because they weren’t there and they would have loved to have been,” he says. “However, they do an amazing job in the editing room to continue to bring out the colours of these wonderful locations and the interesting locals. With the thousands of hours of filming we provide them, they cut together the story and add a softness of voiceovers on top. It makes each episode so special."
We sat down with Ernie to talk travel.
How does travel inspire you?
All these secret places I discover around Australia during my travels in Going Places inspire me. They are often places that sometimes don’t need words; you just need to be there physically to see through the eyes of the presence, of the past, and of the future. I find it inspiring that some places we go, the people living there are doing jobs that build towards the future and preserving what they have around them to make it a better place long after their gone.
What makes Perth a great place to live?
The east coasters come to Perth and think our coffee isn’t as good, however I just think they’re too used to the water in Sydney and not used to our pure water in Perth! Perth is so much fun – we may be two hours behind in the winter and three hours behind in the summer, but it’s those hours behind that we take to blend the harmony that we have in the west.
Where do you go for a good foodie fix?
I go to Freo and visit the Cappuccino Strip. I like going to the Italian and Mediterranean restaurants. I visit my mate down there, Nunzio, aka Mr Pizza, Mr Fremantle. I love going down to Freo to his restaurant – just sitting down there and catching up on good times. I love the food that he makes! Fremantle is a great place to go to for food. There’s lots of boutique cafes and restaurants around the place.
There are so many different places you can go around Perth to get a good feed. If you venture south, towards the wine country, Margaret River way, that’s another place where you’re spoilt for good food.
I also love finding good Asian food, Chinese, Vietnamese, Thai – there’s a lot around Northbridge or North Perth.
Do you have a favourite or secret spot you like to relax?
The Murchison River – where I’m from – and its surrounds, such as the Galena Bridge, the waterholes, the salt flats, the lakes and the desolate country. Wooleen Station is a must-see for a lot of people in this region too. In the spring, it’s heaven on a stick.
What is Perth’s best beach?
Perth’s best beach is determined by which side of the table you sit on. Some would say Leighton’s Beach is the best because you can kitesurf, but others would say Cottlesloe is the beach where everyone should go.
I’m not a beach person myself, so it’s really a matter of taste. I really love the river. I go to the river outside of the casino – there’s so much activity that goes on there.
You can see Going Places with Ernie Dingo via SBS on Demand at this link.
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