FAMOUSLY one of Australia's most prized exports, it's a surprise to learn that Olivia Newton-John was actually born in England - Cambridge to be precise. She's fresh from stepping off a flight to Los Angeles from her adopted home of Australia, where she moved with her parents, aged five.

In fact, she's become something of an international wanderer, having moved from Australia back to England, then to the US before returning Down Under during her 34-year career.

''Australia will always be home to me, but with California, I've lived there longer than anywhere in my life, so in each place I have friends and family and it's wonderful,'' explains the 56-year-old.

With 32 albums and 54 singles already under her belt, Olivia is set to return to the UK charts after the surprise success of her recent Definitive Collection, with a new album, Indigo - Women Of Song.

The album features songs by female artists who've inspired her over the years, including Joan Baez's Where Have All The Flowers Gone. ''I'd always wanted to make an album of oldies, but I'd always got beaten to the punch,'' she admits. ''I wanted to make it maybe 15 years ago, but Linda Ronstadt put out a similar album. So I thought, I'm just going to do it differently, by paying tribute to all these women who've influenced my career.''

But she's keen to add that it's not only the ''oldies'' that rouse her interest. ''I listen to a pretty varied selection. There are so many great girls now, I'm just blown away. Christina Aguilera, Beyonce, Mariah Carey - it's just an incredible cross-section.''

And she's happy to fly the flag for Australia's other female singing talents. ''Delta Goodrem is a friend of mine and she's doing great, Kylie also. I'm thrilled for them and we've become friends. I met Delta just fairly recently - we did a few things together and keep running into each other, and Kylie too.''

Despite her early success, winning an Australian television talent contest aged 15, Olivia says that her rise to stardom felt comfortable compared with today's tendency to throw new stars into the full glare of the tabloid headlines.

''I never thought, 'Oh, I'm famous'. I was used to performing and people knowing me, so I was lucky really, it was a gradual thing. It wasn't like the Pop Idol shows, where suddenly you're thrown into fame and you've never had it,'' says Olivia.

It's advice that she's now ready to pass on to her 19-year-old daughter, Chloe Lattanzi, whose father, Matt, she divorced in 1995. She now lives with long-term partner Patrick McDermott.

''She's finishing her album and she's about two tracks short,'' says Olivia proudly, having already toured with her daughter through Japan.

''It was like a dream, because I got to be with her and travel to places where she's never been before and watch it through her eyes. Being together on stage every night was really special.''

It certainly marks a change for the singer, who admits that performing live used to be the most frightening part of the job.

''I didn't used to enjoy the live performances. It was nerve-wracking, but now I'm really having fun. I'm fortunate that I'm still able to do it,'' she says.

Olivia's appearance with John Travolta in Grease, now one of the biggest-selling musical soundtracks of all time, remains a defining moment. ''I'm still surprised, because every time I do a concert, there's a new batch of children out there,'' she smiles. And yes, she does keep in touch with the original cast an incredible 27 years later.

''We have that connection. We all lead such different lives and we travel and stuff, but we do see each other.''

She's not averse to the odd red-carpet event either, as long as she doesn't have to attend them too often. ''I enjoy dressing up occasionally and doing it for fun - I'm a girl and I like to put on some make-up and buy a new dress," says Olivia. ''Really, I like to catch up with all my old friends - I get to see them at those events.''

A country girl at heart, she's at her most comfortable when staying at her newly-opened Gaia Retreat & Spa in Australia's Byron Bay.

''It's gorgeous. It's in the most beautiful part of the country. I'm not stupid - I'm thinking when I'm older I've got somewhere to go! I like to hike, I like to play tennis, I like to have my friends come over or visit them, go to movies, the usual things,'' she says.

It's a marked change of pace for career-driven Olivia, who was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1992. Although she made a full recovery, the illness forced her to reorganise her life, prompting her move back to Australia and fuelling her ongoing interest in charity work.

''The breast cancer projects I get asked to do a lot. I love to do that. In Australia, they've asked if they can use my name to build a hospital wing, so I'm helping to fundraise for that,'' she says.

Skilfully juggling motherhood, singing, performing, acting, business ventures and fundraising, Olivia still doesn't appear ready to wind down completely just yet.

''I always think every year, 'This is it, I'm going to quit now', then something interesting turns up,'' she grins. ''I think it's curiosity in life that really keeps you going - doing new things and stimulating your mind.

''I'm never bored.''

Mike Amos is awa