Conversations

Latest Episodes:

A very William McInnes Christmas Dec 01, 2020

Show notes

William returns to reminisce about the Christmases of his childhood and his brief but brilliant stint as a department store Santa

Dara McAnulty and the joys of nature Nov 30, 2020

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The young naturalist shares his deep connection to the wild landscapes and creatures of Northern Ireland. Dara's first book has been highly awarded, and is all the more exceptional for his being just sixteen years of age

Australia's fearless women pilots Nov 27, 2020

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Kathy Mexted with true stories of extraordinary Australian women compelled to take to the skies in Spitfires, Tiger Moths, Cessnas and fighter jets

The girl from Orroroo — Fleur McDonald Nov 26, 2020

Show notes

Fleur grew up in a fuel depot in a tiny South Australian town. As a girl she would ride along in road trains with her Dad, singing songs and eating steak sandwiches. She became a jillaroo, a farmer, then an advocate for women in the bush escaping domestic violence

Intrepid and curious Charlotte Waring Atkinson — as told by Kate Forsyth Nov 25, 2020

Show notes

Charlotte was Australia's first children's author. She came to the colony of NSW from London in 1826, and now her trailblazing, tragic and dramatic life story has been written by her descendants, Kate Forsyth and Belinda Murrell

The true history of the Ark before Noah Nov 24, 2020

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How Irving Finkel stumbled upon the true story of the Ark before Noah on a Babylonian clay tablet (R)

A very modern history of swearing Nov 23, 2020

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Amanda Laugesen with the rich history of Australian 'bad language', and how the words we classify as swearing have changed over time. *CW: Discussion of swearing and offensive language

From the ashes of a failed farm Nov 20, 2020

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Robert Pekin lost his family’s 4th-generation farm, and in despair, walked away from everything and into the wilderness. After much soul-searching and trial and error, he developed a new way to link food producers more directly with those who eat the produce. *CW: mentions suicide

The hunt for the world’s largest owl Nov 19, 2020

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Wildlife biologist Jonathan Slaght on his adventurous quest to save the rare, shaggy fish owls of Russia's Far East

Falafel and Fatherhood Nov 18, 2020

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John Birmingham found himself rebuilding his life years after the devastating loss of his father (R)