Conversations

Latest Episodes:

Sarah's Most Memorable Guests — Sue Ellen Kusher Jan 15, 2025

Show notes

Conversations is bringing you a summer treat — a collection of Sarah's most memorable guests through out the years.

Sue Ellen Kusher’s father was an ASIO agent, and she and her siblings were taught to memorise number plates, spot unusual behaviour, and keep the family business secret at all costs.

Sue-Ellen’s parents were ASIO agents living secretly in the Brisbane suburbs at the height of the Cold War.

Their mission was to locate and track Soviet agents, and they enlisted their 3 young children to help.

Sue-Ellen was taught to memorise numberplates, stake out buildings, and never ever let anyone else know the truth about her family.

During the Melbourne Olympics Sue-Ellen’s family secretly hosted the Petrovs, Australia’s famous Russian defectors… they spent much of their time together in beer gardens at the Gold Coast until Vladimir Petrov nearly gave them all away.

This episode of Conversations contains discussion about spies, secret agents, ASIO, cold war, China, Russia, Canberra, Brisbane, Australian history, Australian politics, world history, 20th Century history, family relationships, siblings, security intelligence, national intelligence, national secrets, secret keeping, defence, national security, diplomatic work, undercover, surveillance, Petrovs, the Petrov affair, ASIO files, spy kids, Olympic Games, Brisbane Olympics.

Sarah's Most Memorable Guests — John Prine Jan 14, 2025

Show notes

Conversations is bringing you a summer treat — a collection of Sarah's most memorable guests through out the years.

A songwriter's songwriter, John Prine turned his often bemused view of people and politics into songs for fifty years.

John Prine October 1946 — April 2020

John first picked up a guitar at fourteen, encouraged by his older brother. He started writing songs when he couldn't remember the lyrics to existing ones.

Growing up in Maywood, a suburb of Chicago, the Prine boys had a wealth of music around. There were country, folk, and rock and roll shows on the weekends, and The Grand Ole Opry on their father's radio. Just as influential were trips to visit family in Paradise, Kentucky.

By the late 1960s after his first, reluctant performance at an open-mic night, John's song writing talent saw him become a regular on the folk circuit.

Encouraged by Kris Kristofferson, he was persuaded to give away his regular gig as a mailman; and songs from John's first album, "John Prine", released in 1971, are still popular and relevant today.

John toured and recorded regularly across five decades, as well as collaborating with and providing songs for many of the music industry's biggest names.

Bob Dylan cites John as one of his favourite songwriters, and Johnny Cash recorded one of John's most famous songs, "Sam Stone".

John won three Grammy awards and was inducted to both the Nashville Country Music Hall of Fame, and the Grammy Hall of Fame.

John Prine passed away in 2020.

This episode of Conversations contains discussion about music, guitar, postal services, American history, United States of America, USA, Chicago, Nashville, Johnny Cash, Bob Dylan, Elvis Presley, musicians, singing, singer-songwriters, songwriting, composition, country music, folk music, touring, Kentucky, music industry, lung cancer, cancer treatment, family, autobiograpy, The Tree of Forgiveness,

Sarah's Most Memorable Guests — Peter Lalor Jan 13, 2025

Show notes

Conversations is bringing you a summer treat — a collection of Sarah's most memorable guests through out the years.

Peter Lalor tells the story of 9 year old Lennie Gwyther's 1000km solo horseback ride to see the grand opening of the Sydney Harbour Bridge in 1932.

When the Sydney Harbour Bridge opened in 1932, anyone who was anyone was part of the celebrations.

There were floats and dancers, and a spectacular firework display.

Right in the heart of the grand proceedings was the young Lennie Gwyther from country Victoria, and his horse Ginger Mick.

The story of Lennie and Ginger, and their long journey to see the opening of the Bridge, captured the imagination of depression-era Australia.

This episode of Conversations contains discussion about Australian History, the Sydney Harbour Bridge, the Great Depression, 20th Century history, Victoria, Leongatha, farming, horse riding, adventure, childhood, family relationships, biography, Sydney, New South Wales, Melbourne, Canberra, ACT, historical figures, Australian political history, Francis de Groot, King George V, The Bridge, writing, research, historian,

Sarah's Most Memorable Guests — Ken Faulkner Jan 10, 2025

Show notes

Conversations is bringing you a summer treat — a collection of Sarah's most memorable guests through out the years.

People travel from all over the world to learn about horses from Ken Faulkner. But after a life-threatening riding accident on his favourite horse, Smoke, Ken had to learn to walk and ride again, rediscovering himself in the process.

When Ken Faulkner was growing up in rural Queensland, he saw horses as tools for farm work, using them to muster and get around the station.

But his very pragmatic view of these enigmatic creatures changed when Ken got his very own horse called Sascha, and 'started' her from scratch.

Sascha helped Ken develop his own style of horsemanship, and in the process Ken's attitude toward himself also changed, as he edged closer and closer to the man he always wanted to be.

Since then, Ken has become so respected for how he transforms horses and their riders, that people travel from all over the world to learn from him.

After a terrible accident on one of his favourite horses, Smoke, Ken had to learn to walk and ride again, and at the same time he discovered himself all over again.

This episode of Conversations includes discussion about horses, horsemanship, horse riding, horse training, cattle stations, Australian outback, animal behaviour, traumatic brain injury, TBI, farming, racing, Melbourne Cup, horse accident, accident, acquired brain injury, Queensland, France, Japan, United States of America, USA, ranches, equestrian, rodeo, cowboys.

Sarah's Most Memorable Guests — Gisela Kaplan Jan 09, 2025

Show notes

Conversations is bringing you a summer treat — a collection of Sarah's most memorable guests through out the years.

Gisela Kaplan fell under the spell of birds when hand-rearing a magpie nestling. After it learned to speak, she was so intrigued she switched careers and began her research into avian behaviour. Her many books on Australian native birds have been ground-breaking.

Listen to Gisela's other conversation with Sarah Kanowski here.

Many assumptions about the nature of birds and their behaviour are completely wrong when applied to Australian birds.

Gisela Kaplan was a professor of sociology when a magpie nestling she was hand raising bonded closely with her, followed her about, and learned to speak.

Her curiosity about birds became so strong she switched careers to become a field biologist and animal behaviourist.

Based in Armidale NSW, Gisela has conducted extensive research into avian behaviour. Her second PhD was a study of the songs of Australian magpies.

Gisela's many books on Australian native birds have changed the way these creatures are understood.

Along with her teaching, writing and research in ornithology, Gisela has been a wildlife carer for 25 years, raising countless birds of all ages.

This episode of Conversations contains discussion around birds, native Australian animals, Australian fauna, magpies, cockatoos, tawny frogmouths, owls, galahs, domestic pets, animal rehabilitation, animal rescue, Australian wildlife, Australian bush, animal behaviour, ornithology, biology, field biology, wildlife carers, bird rearing, bird release, Bird Bonds.

Sarah's Most Memorable Guests — Robyn Davidson Jan 08, 2025

Show notes

Conversations is bringing you a summer treat — a collection of Sarah's most memorable guests through out the years.

Robyn Davidson on her adventures high in the Himalayas, her love affair with an Indian prince, and her late in life reckoning with her mother's story.

In 1977, when Robyn Davidson was in her twenties, she set off with a dog and four camels to cross 1,700 miles of Australian desert to the sea.

Her book about the journey, called Tracks, brought her a taste of fame. But that life wasn't something Robyn was seeking.Instead, she continued adventuring, living amidst Sydney's underworld, the London literary scene, and with nomads in India and Tibet before marrying an Indian prince.

In her ceaseless travel, the only territory she avoided was the past.

Now Robyn has begun a reckoning with the loss of her mum at a young age. When she neared the age that her own mother was when she died, the past suddenly drew very close.

This episode of Conversations contains discussions around travel, trekking, deserts, Australian outback, camel trekking, solo travel, Western Australia, Indian Ocean, farming, families, family relationships, mother-daughter relationship, isolation, depression, mental health, suicide, music, piano, Queensland, Europe, India, Himalayas, Afghanistan, adventure, Tracks, National Geographic, Alice Springs, Northern Territory, cattle stations, boarding school, Brisbane, Sydney, gambling, nomadic culture, Tibet

Sarah's Most Memorable Guests — Archie Roach Jan 07, 2025

Show notes

Conversations is bringing you a summer treat — a collection of Sarah's most memorable guests through out the years.

Archie tells of writing Took the Children Away and playing it in public for the first time, of his belated reunion with his siblings, and his love story with Ruby Hunter.

Archie passed away in 2022.

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Widely admired for his powerful lyrics and the grace of his pin-drop performances, Archie overcame blow after blow throughout his life.

He was just two years old when he was taken from his Aboriginal mother and given to the Cox family to raise.

His foster family brought him up with love, in a house filled with music. But when he discovered the truth about his birth family, Archie's world shattered.

Years later, his song, Took the Children Away, would become an anthem for the Stolen Generations.

As a teenager, Archie found his way to the streets, where he found solace in alcohol, and eventually, met his great love, Ruby Hunter.

So many of the stories of Archie's life have become songs, starting with his debut hit record, Charcoal Lane (produced by Paul Kelly), and they're listened to all over the world.

Writing and performing have helped Archie endure many sorrows, as well as celebrate the strength of his culture.

Along with multiple awards for his music, Archie is a Member of the Order of Australia, and is the 2020 Victorian Australian of the Year.

This episode of Conversations contains discussions about Stolen Generations, Indigenous history, Aboriginal culture, family history, adoption, foster families, fostering, music, guitar, singing, songwriting, musicians, singers, Took the Children Away, Tell Me Why, Charcoal Lane, siblings, family relationships, love, marriage, Ruby Hunter, Paul Kelly.

Sarah's Most Memorable Guests — Brendan James Murray Jan 06, 2025

Show notes

Conversations is bringing you a summer treat — a collection of Sarah's most memorable guests through out the years.

Brendan James Murray tells the story of the hunt to capture the Australian coastal taipan, and the quest to create the world's first taipan antivenom in his book Venom.

Listen here to Sarah's other Conversation with Brendan James Murray

The story of George Rosendale, a 19-year old from Hopevale North Queensland, became the stuff of legend when he survived being bitten by a coastal taipan.

One bite from the snake was usually lethal.

Brendan James Murray unearthed George's story when researching a book about snakes.

He became fascinated by the near-hysteria surrounding the search for the coastal taipan in northern Australia after WWII.

This species had been thought of as a myth by Europeans until 1933, when local Indigenous people led naturalist Donald Thompson to a living specimen.

To the Wikmunkan tribe, the snake was known as the Nguman, and it was seen as a part of the landscape, but best avoided.

For Europeans, the discovery of a living taipan began a scramble for an anti-venom for the lightning-fast snake with hooded eyes, which could kill with one strike.

This episode of Conversations contains discussions about taipans, brown snakes, venom, antivenom, Australian fauna, reptiles, Australian history, poison, poisonous snake, Queensland, hospital, lethal venom, author, biology, medical research, snake bites

Richard's Most Memorable Guests — Peter Hoysted Jan 03, 2025

Show notes

Conversations is bringing you a summer treat — a collection of Richard's most memorable guests through out the years. This time it's Peter Hoysted.

Peter Hoysted, known in print as 'Jack the Insider', tells the incredibly strange story of the Fine Cotton affair. The story includes a vicious gangster, a used-car salesman, a hapless horse trainer and a bucket of hair dye.

'The Fine Cotton Fiasco Conversations Bonus' is available to listen to here.

Richard's other Conversations with Peter Hoysted:The crime-soaked history of Melbourne's Dockyards Roger Rogerson: crimes and punishment

The story of Stan 'The Man' Smith

Peter Hoysted, known in print as 'Jack the Insider', tells the incredibly strange story of the Fine Cotton affair.

In 1984 a group of conspirators hatched a plot to defraud racing bookmakers of millions of dollars.

The story includes a vicious gangster, a used-car salesman, a hapless horse trainer and a bucket of hair dye.

It started out as fraud, became a fiasco and ended up as farce.

Ultimately it was a 'colourful Sydney businessman' who walked away with the cash.

This episode of Conversations contains discussions about true crime, Australian history, gangsters, organised crime, horse racing, gambling, Jack the Insider, Fine Cotton, horse trainers, fiasco, horses.

Richard's Most Memorable Guests — Gill Hicks Jan 02, 2025

Show notes

Conversations is bringing you a summer treat — a collection of Richard's most memorable guests through out the years.

Gill Hicks lost both her legs in the London bombings in 2005. But from the start of her recovery, she was determined not to dwell on hate or revenge, instead focus on the love that surrounded her, from family, police, doctors and nurses and complete strangers. She formed a charity called MAD for Peace, which invites us all to look for peace in our lives.

Gill Hicks was living in London in 2005. One morning she boarded a train on the Picadilly Line, and in the crowded carriage she was standing next to Jermaine Lindsay who was carrying a bomb.

When the bomb was detonated, she felt as though she was being enveloped in inky blackness. When the emergency lights came on she saw her legs and feet were shattered.

Gill heard two insistent voices in her head: one was female, inviting her to surrender into the peace of death. The other voice was male, and it was demanding that she choose to live.

As Gill waited for help to come, she made a contract with herself to survive. But she says, she wasn't fully aware of the 'fine print'.

Gill became close friends with the many police officers and medical staff who saved her life. She says the love she received from complete strangers is much more important to her than the hateful attack on herself and her fellow passengers.

Gill founded a charity called MAD for Peace, which invites people all over the world to look for peace in their own lives.

This episode of Conversations contains discussion about terrorism, bombs, bombings, Jihad, terrorists, London, underground, the Tube, relationships, disasters, religion, London Bombings, rescue operations, rescuers, ambulance, first responders, Jermaine Linday, Mad for Peace, Picadilly Line, Adelaide, expats, mad nests, charities, walking, prosthetics, prosthetic legs, disability, fundraising.

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