Hollywood celebrity Matthew McConaughey is fronting a new initiative honouring local legends, amongst them Matthew and Linda Rudd, owners of the Batlow Hotel.
The Wild Turkey “With Thanks” program is celebrating the protection and preservation of wilderness for future generations. It led the Texas-born movie star to personally video call candidates to hear their stories, including some Australians.
Recognising the devastating bushfires that ravaged swathes of the country in early 2020, McConaughey describes Australians as “a rare breed” and has narrated a message encouraging people to get out and explore the country and reconnect with the great outdoors.
“Filled with resilience and the Aussie battler spirit, Matthew and Linda stayed open, feeding fire fighters as the fires raged around them,” he says in the promo (below)
The Rudds are owners of the Batlow Hotel, in NSW’s South West Slopes region around 440 kilometres south-west of Sydney.
Linda says tourism is crucial for the town to rebuild after both the bushfires and the pandemic, and welcomed the promotion as a “wonderful opportunity to put our fantastic region on the map”.
