Ep 1. Welcome Stranger

In the season 4 premiere of Gold Rush: Parker's Trail, titled Welcome Stranger, the beloved cast returns to explore the Outback of Australia in search of new gold deposits. Parker Schnabel and his team travel nearly 8,000 miles from their Alaskan home base to take on a daunting challenge in the unforgiving terrain of the Australian outback.

Parker is joined by his trusty crew, which includes his right-hand man, foreman and mechanic, Brennan Ruault, along with cameraman and prospecting expert, Sam Brown. The team also includes three new Aussie recruits who have a wealth of local knowledge of the area and Australian mining culture.

Parker and his team set out on a journey across the Tasman Sea to reach their destination, an area called the Great Victoria Desert, which is the location of some of the richest gold deposits on the continent. The first steps of their exploration consist of landing on a remote island inhabited by a small Aboriginal community. They seek to gain permission to continue their search on the mainland, where they will be accompanied by the Aboriginal guides.

The team treks through dense brush and scorching temperatures to reach the mainland where they navigate through salt flats and desolate regions. They face the challenge to survive and conquer the vast terrain in hopes of striking gold. Once they finally arrive, they find that the Australian outback is a far cry from the Alaskan wilderness that they are used to. The new recruits quickly get a taste of the dangers of the Australian wild, which includes venomous snakes, scorpions and spiders, as well as the unpredictable weather conditions.

Parker's team discovers that their first choice of exploration sites has already been claimed by rival prospectors, leaving them to search for new options. They move on to a new area where they can mine near the Grampians National Park, but soon realize that this location comes with new challenges and bureaucracy, as they are required to obtain additional permits and permissions from the local authorities.

As they search for a suitable mining location, they also take in the vast cultural sights of Australia, starting with a visit to historic mining towns, where they learn about the country's rich mining history. While crisscrossing through the terrain, the team also interacts with local Aborigines and learns about the cultural significance of the land and the importance it holds to its native people.

Although they face a frustrating setback with the bureaucracy of obtaining mining permits, Parker and his team remain determined to find gold and strike it big. They continue their journey across the Outback, facing new challenges, and new sites in hopes of striking gold.

Gold Rush: Parker's Trail season 4 episode 1, Welcome Stranger, will take viewers on a thrilling journey across the Australian Outback. With a new team, new challenges, and new opportunities, viewers will be on the edge of their seats as they watch the team navigate the unforgiving terrain in the quest for gold.