Trent Bagnall likes to work with others to solve problems. After successfully building a software company from zero to a $30 million sale, Trent started working with innovators and startups to solve new and old business problems. The corporate startup accelerator he started with a mate, Slingshot, brings corporates and startups together to help them grow. Trent is a fantastic ambassador for my home town Newcastle.
Lara Lowndes describes herself as half nerd, half rev-head. She trained as an oncogeneticist and currently works as the board director for The Prince Charles Hospital Foundation. But she is also in the Australian Supercar pits with the Holden RedBull racing team, managing V8 racing legend and husband, Craig Lowndes. This rev-head scientist is a wonderful Aussie doing some very exciting things for medical research in Australia.
Bonus Episode: You Little Ripper! is another podcast project I'm working on with Georgie Tunny and it's a celebration of Paralympic sport. Here is our latest episode where you'll hear from Ben Tudhope, who won Bronze in the snowboard cross and sit-ski legend Sam Tait.
Tiny Island is back! What better way to restart the pod about who we are as Australians, than with the leader of the Australian Republic Movement and Australian history author Peter FitzSimons? My first interaction with Peter was when I was starting to map out what a crawl across the Kokoda Track would look like. I'd been shut down by a few people but Peter hooked me up with the man who would eventually plan and lead our journey across the track. He is one of the people I've met on my journey wh...
Georgie Tunny is a passionate sports reporter for the ABC. Born in Brisbane she grew up watching the footy with her father. And from there her love of all things sport grew. We've just finished a podcast called You Little Ripper, and we had a blast. I hope you enjoy getting to know Georgie Tunny.
I have four older siblings but consider Rheed McCracken to be the younger brother I never had. He lives around the corner from me now, we shared the same coach and he's had to put up with my cooking and look after my kids... Rheed is a four time Paralympic medallist and is in Tokyo chasing the elusive gold in the men's T34 100m and 800m. I met Rheed as a shy teenager, but these days he doubles his wheelchair racing career with a spot on fashion runways!
Not many people are best in the world at what they do as a teenager. Isis Holt is one of those rarities. Breaking her first world records within a year of taking up competitive running, Isis went on to win her first world championship at age 14. Then in her Paralympic debut at the 2016 Rio Games she medalled in three events but no gold. She bounced back to win gold at the 2017 World Championships and 2018 Commonwealth Games then stepped away from the track to learn a little more about herself aw...
Major Robert Mitchell has dedicated his life to protecting Australia. He's currently serving in the Australian Defence Force, running programs that make a real difference in the lives of returned service men and women. He's also worked as a cop in regional NSW.
As a teenager, Novocastrian Sjana Earp suffered from bullying, anxiety and depression. Until she found a passion for life through yoga, travel, photography and writing. Sjana has built a career out of sharing and teaching yoga across the globe and is an advocate for self-acceptance and body confidence, mental health, equality and the environment. She's also self declared hugger!
Like me, Jeff Horn is a school teacher but it's probably not what he's best known for. He held boxing's WBO welterweight title from 2017 to 2018 and as a rising star represented Australia at the London Olympics. But it's probably his 2017 win over Manny Pacquiao where he made his name. We cover a lot of ground in this interview. Kids, his anti-bullying work even if a comeback is on the cards.
As attention turns to Tokyo for the Olympics, it was great to have a yarn with someone who knows Japan close to as well as any Australian, and who is also engaged in elite sport. Melanie Brock connects people in Japan with Australians through a variety of roles, including as an ambassador for Advance.org, the professional network for global Australians. She's also involved with the Minerva Network, a group of women supporting Australian women in the business of sport....
You might know Dan MacPherson from one of many different roles. Triathlete, police officer on The Bill, Dancing with the Stars host, sci fi or stage actor, he definitely packs a lot in! Dan is a genuinely lovely bloke and it was wonderful to finally sit down and have a chat about a few of the different hats he's worn.
Who can forget seeing the wonderful Libby Trickett (nee Lenton) on our TV screens, winning Olympic Gold and smashing World Records? But an athlete's career extends before and after their moment in the limelight, and it can be a tough road. While getting to the start line is one thing, it's the days, weeks and years post sporting career which are probably the toughest. Libby and I had a great catch-up, chatting about life in the Olympic bubble, mental health, parenting, Bluey, podcasts and how we...
I've been out and about gathering some great yarns for you all and will be back soon!
Some TV shows transcend the market they are directed at and Bluey is definitely in that category. Especially in my house! Daley Pearson is a co founder of Ludo Studio, the Brisbane-based production company behind Australia's most watched TV series which has more than 350 million downloads and is now a global hit. Ludo has won three Emmy Awards, a Logie and a few others things along the way. And Daley is a Marvel Universe hero too, starring as Thor's roommate, Darryl, in Taika Waititi's Team Thor...
Bob Brown has lived a life of activism. From nearly 30 years in state and federal Parliament to leading a truck convoy protesting against a coal mine and establishing his own foundation which 'takes action for Earth', Bob has been on the frontline for decades. Oh, he's also a trained medical doctor, Australia's first openly gay Member of Parliament and has publisher nearly a dozen books.
John Morris is a rugby league legend, playing 300 first grade games before his career was ended by injury. He transitioned to coaching straight away, taking charge of the Cronulla Sharks first grade team while still in his 30s, leading them to consecutive finals appearances in the midst of Covid, a transitioning playing list and other controversy. We spoke just before the 2021 season kicked off. Six weeks later, the Sharks sit just outside the finals spots and John has been sacked by his club. L...
Natasha Stott Despoja entered the Australian Parliament in her twenties and went on to represent South Australia and the Australian Democrats for 13 years, including a period as leader. Post politics, Natasha has worked in the media and led a life of service. She is most well known for her work in gender equality and in 2020 was elected to the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women, becoming Australia's first member of the committee in 28 years.
Many international listeners would identify Australia's beach-going lifestyle with one patch of sand in Sydney, largely thanks to today's guest and his colleagues. Born and bred in Bondi, Andy "Reidy" Reid is most well-known for his role as a lifeguard on worldwide TV hit, Bondi Rescue. There's more to Reidy than his day job and subsequent TV fame. Entertainer, athlete, documentary star. An all round great Aussie.
Polish-Australian Felicia Jedrasiak spent her teenage years in a German concentration camp and working as forced labour on a soldier's farm. Yet her life has been full of so much joy. Mrs Jay has lived an extraordinary life. From the tiny village of Ruda Różaniecka in Poland, to Majdanek concentration camp, and a refugee camp in Italy where she found her life love, before making her way to Cabramatta in Sydney's west. Felicia's son Peter, my cousin, also jumps in on this episode to help join som...
Reece Hignell has a lifelong love of food. In particular, his Nan's cakes. Reece's passion took him to Australian MasterChef twice, and more recently to open his own bakery, Cakeboi in Newcastle. While people are travelling from across the country to nab one of Reece's cakes, I'm fortunately, or unfortunately if you ask my retired athlete body, just a couple of blocks away.
Di Pass has spent the last 20 years recruiting people for jobs, including the 12,000 people who worked at the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games. She was also one of the first people to believe enough in me to sponsor me.
Alex McKinnon was an up and coming 22 year old rugby league first grader when his life changed in one infamous tackle. The spinal injury he suffered, meant no more footy and life in a wheelchair. We chat parenting with a disability, finding your place in life post sporting career and reflect on what its like as a wheelchair user in Australia.
Peter V'Landys loved horse racing and rugby league, sports followed by millions of Australians. As an administrator the goal was to contribute to one. Then he was appointed to roles in both, working concurrently in two of the highest profile sports administration jobs in the country. When Covid hit V'Landys applied what he'd learnt in horse racing to rugby league with the NRL one of the first sports worldwide to operate in this global pandemic.
Have you ever wanted to quit your day job and follow your passion? David 'Jimmy' Cox did this a couple of years ago and now has a successful microbrewery in Dungog.
Dan Ilic is prolific. In front of the camera and at the mic, behind the camera, producing and directing, writing and performing. But Dan's Aussie story is more than his work and it was wonderful to get his take on what it means to be an Australian.
Today is Australia Day. My thoughts around this day have changed over the last couple of decades, even more so in recent years. I know people have differing relationships with this day and what it means to be Australian. It's complicated. Here are a few snippets from previous guests diving into the premise of Tiny Island, about what it means to them to be Australian.
I spent close to six months a year and four of the previous five elections in the US when I was racing, so have a healthy interest in what's happening across the Pacific. ABC journalist Matt Bevan shares my interest-and passion-so it was great to sit down for a yarn about the current state of affairs and what impact the Trump years have had on our Tiny Island.
Who has set a 2021 diet or weight loss resolution? I'd be lying if I said it wasn't bouncing through my head when 1 January clicked over. Well, our guest this week is Alicia Edge the Co-Founder/CEO and Principal Dietitian at Compeat Nutrition. Compeat Nutrition utilises an innovative service platform to educate, support and empower people to their version of life. performance - redefining the role of nutrition in the lives is athletes and everyday people.
On the back of four first class matches, Nathan Lyon was thrown in the deep end to bowl for the Australian test cricket team. He's now the third highest Australian test wicket taker in history. But his two greatest moments in the green and gold don't involve a ball or a bat. Tune in to learn what they have been and hear more from an unsung Australian sporting champ.
