BUNTING, fuel and comedy will help tell the story of Yackandandah on national television next week.
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The North East town will feature in the ABC's Back Roads series which depicts country communities in a cheery manner.
Program host Heather Ewart grew up on a sheep farm between Nagambie and Murchison and her husband, fellow ABC journalist Barrie Cassidy is a product of Chiltern.
"It's my part of the world and my husband's part of the world," Ewart said.
"I think it's beautiful around there and it's great to showcase.
"The theme of the show is about resilience and Yackandandah had that in spades."
The program covers the town's bunting world record, its community-owned petrol station and its youngsters' appearance at the Melbourne Comedy Festival.
Townsfolk appearing include musician Pete Denahy, Diane Shepheard who married into the community 20 years ago, primary school principal Brendan Hogan, fuel company shareholder Mark McKenzie-McHarg and 13-year-old Moira Dale.
“Yackandandah isn’t afraid to take on the world,” Ms Shepheard says.
“It’s a dynamic group of people getting their act together and doing things; lots of ideas and lots of people happy to go along with people’s ideas.”
More than 20 hours of footage was recorded from four visits over six months.
The town's episode follows editions on South Australia's Ceduna and Queensland's Winton.
Ewart has been thrilled with the response to the series, with the first instalment drawing more than a million viewers.
Back Roads evolved from Ewart's TV history of the Nationals political party.
She said the unexpected success of that program prompted ABC managing director Mark Scott to call her in January asking her to develop another regional-based show.
Ewart said she wanted a program which took city viewers beyond the stereotype of drought and whinging farmers.
The Yackandandah Back Roads episode will air at 8pm next Monday.
