Dieter Hochulli is an urban ecologist who specialises in understanding how cities impact Australia’s unique wildlife. During the recent, unprecedented bushfires we saw how cities could act as refuges in dangerous weather situations. However, as Australia has become more urbanised Dieter has observed how animals such as the brush turkey, orb weaving spider and our unique flora have found surprising success against all the odds our city lives put them up against. This Episode of Talking Australia ...
Aug 22, 2021•25 min
In 2013 Ryan Campbell became the first teenager and youngest pilot to fly solo around the world. His adventure took him 70 days, and 24,000 nautical miles, through 15 different countries. It also earned Ryan several honours, including the Australian Geographic Society's Young Adventurer of the Year award. But two years later Ryan’s life was instantly changed in a horrific plane crash that left him paralysed from the waist down. But this incredible man fought his way back, learning how to walk, a...
Aug 15, 2021•43 min
Behavioural ecologist Gisela Kaplan has studied native Australian birds for decades and understands them better than most people. The expression “bird brain” means quite the opposite of what we think and some species are outsmarting human children in some areas. Her biggest worry is that Australians take their birds for granted and our way of life is pushing them to the brink. On this episode Gisela talks about how to save native birds by understanding their behaviour and needs. It’s not too lat...
Aug 08, 2021•38 min
Animal pathologist Dr Lydia Tong reinvented the role of veterinarian. After uncovering a cruel dog-killing scandal, she spearheaded a campaign to enforce stricter rules on racing-dog breeders, as well as bringing attention to animal abuse in households with domestic violence. Her most important work, however, might be the discovery of a new method to determine, within seconds, whether an animal has been illegally captured or bred in captivity. On this episode she shares how she discovered a new ...
Aug 01, 2021•40 min
Rick Shine is Australia’s leading expert on cane toads and, together with his team of researchers, the evolutionary biologist and ecologist developed new methods to control the ecological impact of the invasive amphibians. Since its introduction, the poisonous toad is rapidly spreading across the continent with devastating effects for many of Australia’s large predators. In this episode Rick explains why the toads are spreading at such a high speed and how his observations lead to the proposal o...
Jul 27, 2021•32 min
Besides his day job as a University Research Assistant Corey Tutt works tirelessly to raise funds and books for his initiative Deadly Science. So far the program has distributed 5000 books and 70 telescopes to Australian schools. For his efforts to bring knowledge and resources to some of Australia's most remote schools Corey had been named the 2020 NSW Young Australian of the Year. Being an indigenous person himself his motivation is to inspire other young indigenous people and empower them to ...
Jul 18, 2021•26 min
Besides his day job as a University Research Assistant Corey Tutt works tirelessly to raise funds and books for his initiative Deadly Science. So far the program has distributed 5000 books and 70 telescopes to Australian schools. For his efforts to bring knowledge and resources to some of Australia's most remote schools Corey had been named the 2020 NSW Young Australian of the Year. Being an indigenous person himself his motivation is to inspire other young indigenous people and empower them to ...
Jul 18, 2021•26 min
The Adelaide based ecologist and native bee expert is known for his beautiful portrait images of bees and other insects. James is the author of the book “Bees of Australia” and just recently, after 100 years in hiding, he rediscovered the rare cloaked bee. On this episode he talks about the relevance of his images, how he came across a species that was believed to be long lost and how we can help bees to thrive in our own backyards. This Episode of Talking Australia is hosted by Angela Heathcote...
Jul 14, 2021•22 min
David Malin is a globally acclaimed astrophotographer, known for inventing new ways to capture the true colours of our night sky. These techniques also led to the discovery of two new types of galaxies. Born in the North of England he moved to Australia in 1976 to join the Australian Astronomical Observatory. In 1987 David discovered what is known to be the largest spiral galaxy so far – ‘Malin 1’. His passion for astrophotography is compelling, so much so that since 2005 he has hosted the annua...
Jul 06, 2021•39 min
Regarded as one of the world’s leading female extreme adventure photographers, Krystle Wright is always pushing the limits of her craft. Also a cinematographer and director, she gave up city living to pursue her dream and hasn't looked back. Her personal desire for adrenaline and passion for paragliding almost cost her her life in a serious accident in Pakistan in 2013. On this episode she talks about the reward of going the extra mile for a great story or image, and she shares how draining her ...
Jun 15, 2021•1 hr 5 min
Lauren Tischendorf took on a special challenge and became the first woman to swim around Lord Howe Island. The gruesome 35km ocean swim took her 13 hours, negotiating large swells and shark-studded waters throughout. South African-born Lauren became a regular swimmer at Sydney’s beaches but got sparked on by belittling remarks of fellow, primarily male, swimmers about her ability to keep up. This motivated her to push even harder. Lauren has a penchant for testing her physical and mental resilie...
Jun 15, 2021•46 min
Peggy Rismiller made it her calling to slowly unravel the mysteries of the world’s oldest species of mammal – the echidna. In the late 80s she joined the team at the Pelican Lagoon Research and Wildlife Centre on Kangaroo Island and since then her work has earned her international recognition. On this episode she shares some amazing facts about these fascinating animals that we still know so little about. She also talks about the effects of the raging 2019 bushfires on the island and its echidna...
May 27, 2021•30 min
Reaching up to 3m in length the giant Gippsland earthworm may be the world's largest of its kind. Often mistaken for a snake due to its size, this creature can only be found in a few locations in Victoria. The worms are under serious pressure by agricultural use of their habitat so, for the last 30 years, ecologist Beverley van Praagh and her team at the Giant Earthworm Project have been working closely with the Victorian government and local farmers to find ways to ensure the survival of this f...
May 04, 2021•27 min
Outback travel expert Ron Moon has seen more of Australia than most. He has spent much of his life exploring and writing about Australia’s remote areas and adventures, including retracing journeys of early European explorers. He fashioned a life based on his love for 4WD touring, camping, bird watching, diving, hunting, canoeing and fishing. He has also ignited that flame for multitudes of people through his writing. This Episode of Talking Australia is hosted by Justin Walker (Editor Australian...
Apr 22, 2021•23 min
Sophie Matterson took a break from her work in the film industry and the constraints of city life to find new inspiration in the outdoors. She ended up mustering feral camels in the Red Centre, which gave her an idea for an epic adventure. Last year during the midst of the global pandemic she embarked on a 5000km, solo, coast-to-coast trek, accompanied only by her beloved camels. This Episode of Talking Australia is hosted by Chrissie Goldrick (Editor-in-chief at Australian Geographic) and produ...
Apr 09, 2021•1 hr 1 min
Albert Wiggan is an inspiration. A traditional owner and Bardi-Kija-Nyul Nyul man from the Dampier Peninsula of Western Australia, he's also an Indigenous ranger and sees himself as a translator between Western science and Aboriginal teachings. "I feel part of both worlds," the 38 year old says. His knowledge and love for nature led him to fight the government's plans for the world’s largest LNG gas export terminal at James Price Point (a vital marine sanctuary, home to songlines and dinosaur fo...
Mar 23, 2021•36 min
Darryl Jones is a bird scientist who opened up the debate about bird feeding in Australia. He went from anti-bird-feeder to becoming a responsible voice for an activity a large number of Australians enjoy doing. He is also loves colourful Hawaiian shirts and is a real treat to talk to. On this episode he says why feeding birds isn’t as bad as we were told if done right and what to look out for. His newest book “Feeding the birds at your table” is a courageous step forward to approaching a topic ...
Mar 09, 2021•40 min
At only 18 years of age, passionate cyclist and outdoor enthusiast Jimmy Ashby jumped on his bike and set off on a life-changing trip that even the most devoted cyclists would balk at. The South Australian teenager wanted to fulfil his dream to cycle around the whole world all by himself. Thirteen months later, Jimmy had cycled 39,000km, crossing 32 countries on four continents before arriving back home in Adelaide. In this episode he shares some of the fascinating stories and talks about people...
Feb 26, 2021•38 min
Charles Massy is one of the most important voices of Australia's regenerative farming movement. A farmer, scientist and author, he experienced the devastating effects of traditional farming methods firsthand on his family farm. For years Charles unwittingly contributed to its decline, using chemicals and pesticides that degraded the soil. After years of drought turned the property into a dustbowl, he turned to other, more holistic, methods. These ideas helped him to carefully nurse the 2000-hect...
Feb 19, 2021•34 min
Leila Jeffreys is a fine art photographer famous for her Australian bird portraits. Rather than capturing her motives in the outdoors she brings them into a photo studio environment and creates truly unique pictures of local birds. This gives her the ability to capture incredible detail and the results are pictures that bend the idea of where nature photography ends and fine art begins. On this episode she talks about how she ended up in photography, what motivated her to focus on bird portraits...
Feb 05, 2021•36 min
Huw Kingston is an adventurer, speaker, entrepreneur, former cafe owner, event director, environmentalist, writer, ski guide, mountain bike guide, tour leader, parliamentary candidate and grandfather. But to most he is best known for his year-long, human-powered circumnavigation of the Mediterranean Sea. Huw sea kayaked, walked, cycled and rowed a boat 13,000 kilometres through 17 countries. This adventure coincided with the 100th anniversary of the Gallipoli landing. During his journey Huw rais...
Jan 28, 2021•35 min
Fred Watson is a professor of astronomy, a popular author, musician, and beloved TV and radio personality and has an asteroid named after him (5691 Fredwatson). He is also Australia’s first Astronomer-at-large which is not only a pretty impressive work title but more so a testament to all of his accomplishments over the years in the field of astronomy. It also means Fred knows better than most of us what’s at stake when talking about the issue of light pollution. In some urban areas our night sk...
Jan 15, 2021•33 min
Ron Allum is a pioneering cave diver and inventor who originally started out as a broadcasting technician for the ABC. Not only has he broken records as a cave diver but also discovered his talent for inventing state of the art underwater equipment used in film. His abilities brought him together with legendary film-maker and deep-sea enthusiast James Cameron. The mission was nothing less than to build a submarine that could take James to the deepest-known point in the Earth’s seabed - the Maria...
Jan 04, 2021•37 min
Ron Allum is a pioneering cave diver and inventor who originally started out as a broadcasting technician for the ABC. Not only has he broken records as a cave diver but also discovered his talent for inventing state of the art underwater equipment used in film. His abilities brought him together with legendary film-maker and deep-sea enthusiast James Cameron. The mission was nothing less than to build a submarine that could take James to the deepest-known point in the Earth’s seabed - the Maria...
Jan 04, 2021•45 min
Andrew Gregory is well known to readers of Australian Geographic as a remote area photographer. He is also an awarded adventurer, but on this episode Andrew talks about powerful owls and especially the ones in his backyard on the northern beaches of Sydney. Over the past few years he has become a passionate conservationist and shares his love for the wildlife in our backyards and how we can protect it and help it thrive. This Episode of Talking Australia is hosted by Chrissie Goldrick (Editor-in...
Dec 17, 2020•55 min
The new Chief Scientist and Director of the Australian Museum Research Institute, Professor Kristofer Helgen talks about the future of the nation’s first museum. After a massive redevelopment the museum unlocked more than 3000sq.m of new public space and recently reopened its gates to the public. Helgen has an outstanding global research track-record and a deep understanding of museums after working for almost 10 years at the legendary Smithsonian´s National Museum of Natural History in Washingt...
Dec 01, 2020•33 min
Nick Gleeson has achieved more in his life than most people could dream of. He climbed to the summit Mount Kilimanjaro, climbed beyond Mount Everest’s base camp, ran the New York marathon three times, made it onto the state cricket team of Victoria, carried the Olympic torch, and represented Australia in athletics. He also crossed the Simpson Desert and a part of Lake Eyre National Park - all while being blind since age 7. On this episode Nick shares his amazing life story, and chats about how h...
Nov 27, 2020•58 min
Anna Rose became passionate about fighting climate change as a teenager. The author, public speaker, community organiser and campaigner truly knows what it means to try to be part of the solution. She's dedicated to keep pushing and trying to raise awareness and come up with better ways for people to get involved. This led to her starting Australia’s first climate advocacy-focused giving circle, Groundswell, together with other dedicated friends. On this episode Anna shares her journey to becomi...
Nov 17, 2020•29 min
Simon Cherriman has a passion for the wedge-tailed eagle, which began after finding a nest when he was 15. To this day, he continues to find and map nests and study, photograph and film eagles in the wild. In this episode of Talking Australia, we chat to Simon about the ongoing conservation issues facing wedgies, what he’s learnt getting up close and personal with these enormous birds and what he hopes to find by tracking their long journeys around Australia. This Episode of Talking Australia is...
Nov 06, 2020•32 min
Michael Smith is a passionate pilot and movie enthusiast who runs a number of cinemas and owns a tiny flying boat. Both helped him to fulfil his lifelong dream to fly the old Rose Bay to London route operated by Qantas in the 1930s and ’40s. He embarked on a several-month-long journey in his “flying bathtub” and extended his trip to eventually take him around the world. Michael did all this without any sponsors and out of pure passion for adventure, which ultimately won him the Australian Geogra...
Oct 30, 2020•42 min
