Podcasts about Central Australia

What if the biggest threat to healthcare isn't just burnout, but the belief that suffering is simply part of the job? In this deeply validating and practical conversation, Dr. Andrea Austin welcomes Dr. Sarah Smith, to unpack the hidden habits and systemic pressures that keep clinicians trapped in unsustainable work patterns. Dr. Smith shares her personal journey of spending years staying late after clinic, working evenings and weekends, and feeling crushed by the endless demands of medicine. What began as frustration with change initiatives eventually became a transformative realization: sustainability in medicine required changing not just the system, but also the way clinicians interact with it. Together, Andrea and Sarah discuss the emotional burden of perfectionism, the trauma many physicians carry from training, and how documentation fears often stem from past criticism and adverse outcomes. They explore practical strategies for reducing interruptions, improving workflow, documenting in real time, and setting healthier boundaries with teams. The conversation also challenges the myth that changing healthcare systems or countries automatically solves burnout. Drawing from her experience practicing in both Australia and Canada, Dr. Smith explains why sustainability must ultimately come from developing new skills, new boundaries, and new ways of thinking. Most importantly, this episode offers hope: impossible things can become possible. Physicians can build careers that are meaningful, sustainable, and aligned with the lives they actually want to live. Inside This Episode: Why so many physicians stay hours after their shifts finish The hidden emotional impact of perfectionism in charting How medical training trauma shapes documentation habits Practical ways to reduce interruptions and cognitive overload Why real-time documentation improves efficiency and safety The importance of boundaries, teamwork, and shift huddles How healthcare systems can better support frontline clinicians Why changing countries or jobs doesn't automatically fix burnout The role of coaching in building sustainable careers What sustainability in medicine truly looks like

What happens when excellence makes others uncomfortable? In this deeply personal solo episode, Dr. Andrea Austin introduces the concept of Tall Poppy Syndrome, the tendency for high achievers to be criticized, diminished, or excluded simply because they stand out. Drawing from her own experiences and the stories of coaching clients, she explores how this dynamic often shows up in healthcare organizations, leadership structures, and academic medicine. Dr. Austin unpacks the connection between tall poppy syndrome and gaslighting, the emotional impact of professional rejection, and the difficult process of discerning when to fight for accountability versus when to leave toxic environments behind. She also reflects on the importance of self-awareness, humility, healthy conflict, and community in sustaining meaningful growth. This episode is ultimately a reminder that being different, courageous, or innovative does not make you the problem. Sometimes it simply means you've outgrown the field you're standing in, and it's time to find one where you can thrive alongside other tall poppies. Inside This Episode: What Tall Poppy Syndrome is and why it shows up in medicine How gaslighting is often used to diminish high achievers Why professional rejection can feel devastating for physicians The importance of healthy conflict, coaching, and self-reflection Finding communities where growth and authenticity are celebrated

What happens when the medications and supplies clinicians rely on simply aren't there, or worse, aren't what they claim to be? In this eye-opening episode, Dr. Andrea Austin sits down with Tony Paquin as he shares his journey from technology entrepreneur to healthcare supply chain disruptor, revealing the complex and fragile systems behind the delivery of drugs and medical supplies. From saline shortages caused by hurricanes to the global dependence on manufacturing in China and India, Tony explains why the current system is more vulnerable than most clinicians realize. Dr. Austin and Tony explore the risks of single-source vendor agreements, the lack of transparency in drug manufacturing, and the surprising gaps in quality assurance for imported medications. They also discuss the role of policy, the potential for domestic manufacturing, and how artificial intelligence and innovation could reshape the future of healthcare logistics. Most importantly, this conversation challenges clinicians to expand their role, not just as caregivers, but as informed advocates who understand and engage with the systems that directly impact patient outcomes. Inside This Episode: Why drug shortages are increasing, and what's driving the crisis The hidden risks of globalized pharmaceutical manufacturing How single-source supply contracts make healthcare systems vulnerable The truth about drug quality, regulation, and patient safety Practical ways clinicians can advocate for better supply chain systems If you've ever assumed the system “just works,” this episode will change the way you see healthcare forever.

What happens when big business runs healthcare and clinicians are pushed out of decision-making? In this powerful conversation, Dr. Harry Severance shares decades of clinical and educational experience to diagnose the root causes of our workforce crisis: moral injury, profit-over-patient priorities, and the exodus of burned-out physicians and nurses. Dr. Severance and Dr. Austin explore multi-tiered healthcare solutions, the unsustainability of the current U.S. system, barriers like the Stark Law, the growing unionization movement, and practical paths for clinicians to reclaim agency, both top-down (seats at the C-suite table) and bottom-up (advocacy and collective action). You'll hear how they: Examine the shift from patient-centered care to corporate metrics and its devastating impact on clinician wellbeing and patient outcomes Discuss alarming statistics: more physicians leaving than entering the U.S., projected shortages, and unpayable medical bills driving bankruptcies Challenge the status quo on single-payer vs. hybrid systems and the need for baseline healthcare access for all citizens Address apathy vs. agency and the power of persistence, political involvement, and community action Emphasize the timeless wisdom of “never give up”  even when the system feels overwhelmingly broken If you're feeling the weight of a corporate-dominated healthcare system or searching for ways to drive meaningful change, this episode delivers both hard truths and hopeful calls to action. About the Guest: “You can't always get what you want. But if you try, sometimes you just might find you get what you need.” - Dr. Harry Severance Dr. Harry Severance is an Assistant Adjunct Professor at Duke University with decades of clinical experience in emergency and acute care medicine. A passionate change-maker and workforce advocate, he has counseled countless physicians and clinicians navigating burnout and disillusionment. Dr. Severance writes and speaks on healthcare system reform, clinician wellbeing, and the urgent need to return clinical voices to healthcare leadership.

Beetaloo Energy Australia keen to lock-in local sand. Feral rabbit numbers on the rise. Have you seen any in Central Australia?

Conversation with internationally acclaimed indigenous filmmaker Warwick Thornton on his new movie WOLFRAM starring Deborah mailman as a mum searching for her children in 1930s Central Australia, moderated by Shane A. BassettSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Specialist rural doctor, Damien Brown on dramatic rescues, slow interventions and the cases that moved him, including attending to two badly burnt men after a fuel tank exploded on a remote Queensland cattle station.As a young boy in South Africa, Damien Brown was always interested in science and medicine.His neighbour, the local veterinarian, would let him observe surgery in the workshop, so it was predictable that Damien would end up as a medical doctor.After his parents moved the family to Australia, the call to help others drew Damien back to the very things his parents had tried to shield him from — civil war, crime, absolute poverty and inequity.Damien joined Medecins Sans Frontieres (Doctors Without Borders) as soon as they would take him as a junior doctor.He worked in Angola, Mozambique and South Sudan. When he returned to Australia, working for the Royal Flying Doctor Service in remote communities in Central Australia and Far North Queensland, he found challenges that were more similar to his previous experience in Africa than he expected.Further informationBush Doctor: A memoir from the beautiful, rugged heart of outback Australia is published by Allen & Unwin.This episode was produced by Rebecca McLaren. The Executive Producer is Eliza Kirsch.This episode touches on remote Indigenous communities, rural doctor, Royal Flying Doctor Service, South Africa, Angola, South Sudan, civil war, gunfight, safe room, grab bag, remote work. To binge even more great episodes of the Conversations podcast with Richard Fidler and Sarah Kanowski go the ABC listen app (Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts. There you'll find hundreds of the best thought-provoking interviews with authors, writers, artists, politicians, psychologists, musicians, and celebrities.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander listeners are advised this episode contains descriptions of an Indigenous person who has died. It's the story that has rocked Australia. A five-year-old girl disappeared from a town camp, sparking a desperate five-day search that ended in heartbreak. As her family enters a period of deep sorry business in Central Australia, the nation is left grappling with the horrific circumstances surrounding her death. A 47-year-old man has been charged with her murder, while Alice Springs has been pushed to breaking point. Today, we speak with Catherine Liddle, Arrernte and Luritja woman and CEO of SNAICC, to move past the headlines. We discuss the legacy of this little girl, the reality of life in the town camps, and why her family is pleading with politicians not to turn this tragedy into a political football.

Traditional Owners in Alice Springs have condemned the violence that erupted late on Thursday, April 30, after the arrest of a man, who police alleged murdered five-year-old Kumanjayi Little Baby. SBS Nepali spoke with Mona Ulak, who is President of the Multicultural Community Services of Central Australia (MCSCA), Alice Springs hospital nurse Dharanish Khanal and local mother Rachana Sapkota about the situation and its impact on the wider community. WARNING: This story may be distressing for some listeners. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander listeners are advised that this story includes the name of an Indigenous person who has passed away. - गए रात, अस्ट्रेलियाको मध्यभागमा रहेको ग्रामीण शहर, एलिस स्प्रिङ्ग्स हिंसाग्रस्त भयो। केही दिनयतादेखि हराइरहेकी भनिएकी एक पाँच वर्षिया बालिकाको शव फेला परेको स्थानीय प्रहरीले हिजो, बिहीवार एप्रिल ३० मा बताएको थियो। प्रहरीले घटनाका कथित आरोपित, एक ४७ वर्षीय पुरुषलाई पक्राउमा लिएको, र त्यस पछि हिजो राति एलिस स्प्रिङ्ग्स अस्पताल बाहिर हिंसा भड्किएको रिपोर्टहरू आएका थिए। ती पाँच वर्षिया बालिकाको परिवारले अब उप्रान्त उनलाई ‘कुमान्जायी लिटल बेबी' भनेर सम्बोधन गरिदिन आग्रह गरेको छ। र, यसै क्रममा एसबीएस नेपालीले मल्टिकल्चरल कम्युनिटी सर्भिसेज अफ सेन्ट्रल अस्ट्रेलियाकी प्रमुख मोना उलक, एलिस स्प्रिङ्ग्समा नर्स रहेका धरणीश खनाल र एकजना स्थानीय अभिभावक रचना सापकोटासँग खोजी कार्यदेखि पछिल्ला घटनाक्रम र समुदायमा परेको प्रभावबारे गरेको कुराकानी सुन्नुहोस्। चेतावनी: यस सामग्रीका केही विवरणहरूले केही श्रोताहरूलाई विचलित बनाउन सक्छ।

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In this episode of PGAP, host Michael Bayliss welcomes special guest Peter Tait, convenor of the Canberra Alliance for Participatory Democracy. Peter discusses the critical importance of citizen participation in the democratic process and how citizen assemblies have great potential in building momentum on issues such as planned Degrowth and population policy. Peter Tait has been a General Practitioner for over 40 years, 30 of them in Aboriginal health in Central Australia. He was 2007 RACGP General Practitioner of the Year and 2017 Public Health Association Australia Sidney Sax medalist. He teaches Population Health at ANU. You can find out more about the Canberra Alliance for Participatory Democracy HERE. Peter represented CAPaD at the New Economy Network Australia (NENA) conference in 2025. Did you like this episode and want to explore more PGAP episodes? We recommend the premiere episode for this season with Marcus Champ, representing Public Money, Public Good, who also presented at the NENA conference. Or listen to the NENA conference coordinator, Tiyana Jovanovic, HERE. For a slightly older episode, our interview with Mark Diesendorf explored issues referred to in this episode such as state capture of government policy. For further reading, you may be interested in Michael's blog article for Population Media Centre, which argues why large and rapidly growing populations can dilute democracy. This is explored further in my article on The Overpopulation Project: “The Planet Cannot Hold the Weight of 8.2 billion Narratives.” During the interview, Peter explains the concept of Sociocracy and its capacity to achieve consensus even with large and disperse populations. In the episode introduction, Michael reflects on his recent presentation on Degrowth at Perth's Curtin University. Aiming to engage students emotionally with Degrowth as a moral imperative, the feedback was hugely encouraging, as the below photo hopefully attests. Michael at back centre PGAP will be on a break over the next couple of months. In the meantime, Michael is offering a free Sustainable Population Mug, for every review of PGAP on Apple Podcast. All you need to do – after writing the review – is contact PGAP on our CONTACT FORM and Michael will respond on his return. In the down time, we also encourage you to engage at least one person on the issue of Degrowth, please write to us and let us know how your conversation went. All views, opinions and past legacies of PGAP guests are exclusively theirs and do not necessarily reflect those of PGAP or Sustainable Population Australia.Special Guest: Peter Tait.

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Writer Tanya Heaslip on swapping life on an Alice Springs station for the fairytale streets of Prague, and the remarkable parallels she found between these two magical worlds.Tanya was in a pub in London in 1989 when she watched on the television as the Berlin Wall came down.She was the tail end of a solo backpacking trip, which didn't quite live up to what she'd imagined it might be as a little girl growing up on a remote cattle station near Alice Springs.But Tanya booked to go to Berlin the very next day, beginning an obsession with learning about what life was like behind the Iron Curtain.Several years later she would return to Europe, this time to the East, to the Czech Republic.There in fairytale Prague, not long after the Velvet Revolution, Tanya would fall in love with the city and into a relationship with an older man.And she would draw unexpected parallels between the magic and isolation of Prague and that of Central Australia – their people and their stories.Tanya has written several memoirs about her life from the great expanse of the Northern Territory, to the cobbled streets of Prague.Alice to Prague, An Alice Girl and Beyond Alice are published by Allen & Unwin.This episode of Conversations was produced by Meggie Morris. Executive Producer is Nicola Harrison.It explores country Australia, rural Australia, boarding school, Northern Territory, mustering cattle, expat Australians, Eastern Europe, Soviet Union, Fall of the Wall, travelling Australians, falling in love, grief, grieving, relationships, love for country, central Australia, Adelaide, bullying, studying law, working in the legal system, teaching English abroad.

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Exploring Extreme Heat: Part One Hot histories - can heatwaves of the past teach us how to adapt to extreme heat? Earth Matters is embarking on a multi-episode series exploring what intense heat events mean for Australians.  We'll be hearing from settler Australians, migrant communities and First Nations people living in different parts of so-called Australia to understand how heat affects us, and whether current adaptation practices are sufficient to equip us for a hotter future. In Part One we delve into the near past to discover how Australians of European background lived through heatwaves in the 19th and 20thcenturies, and what their experiences mean for Australians today.  We hear from settler Australian environmental historians Rochelle Schoff and Mandy Paul who spoke at a History Council of Victoria Making Publc Histories event last year. The event was convened by Margaret Anderson, manager of the Old Treasury Building in Naarm/Melbourne. Rochelle Schoff is a La Trobe University PhD Candidate and member of the Parched research project team. Mandy Paul is a public historian researching the history of heatwaves in Tarntanya/Adelaide and Head of Collections at the History Trust of South Australia. Historian Rebecca Jones was the third speaker at this event. Her research will be shared in a later episode.  Thanks to the History Council of Victoria for providing access to the recording of Making Public Histories—Thinking about the weather: Heatwaves and history in twentieth century Australia event held on 27 November 2025. You can watch the full event here. Note: Statements made by Anangu community members shared by Rochelle Schoff were sourced from the following research paper, Bardsley, D. K., & Wiseman, N. D. (2016). Socio-ecological lessons for the Anthropocene: Learning from the remote Indigenous communities of Central Australia. Anthropocene, 14, 58–70. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ancene.2016.04.001   Image Credit: State Library of South Australia, B 7798/298.   

Cattle stations evacuated due to heavy rainfall and widespread flooding in Central Australia. The ABC visits the 2026 Savanna Fire Forum.

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Flooding in the NT: "We never imagined the water would come this high".

What if medicine's ancient rituals could evolve to heal the modern physician's soul, turning burnout into a blueprint for resilient leadership?In this episode, Dr. Andrea Austin speaks with Dr. Venkatesh Ramnath about his journey from ICU conflicts and existential doubt to pioneering the Health Architect model. Venkatesh recounts early career frictions like coding audits and rigid communication clashing with rural teams, that led to his 2015 rock bottom, and how embracing cognitive science, myths, and practical rituals helped him redesign his path. The conversation unpacks leadership as a learnable skill, the need to embed financial literacy and care networks in curricula, and fostering agency through evidence-based attitudes and collaborative debriefs.You'll hear how they:Navigate moral injury from systemic silos, using health architecture to layer foundations of ethics, diagnostics, and aspirational wellnessReframe leadership beyond hierarchy, teaching self-awareness and trust-building to bridge academic ideals with real-world teamsAdvocate for curriculum overhauls, sprinkling scientific attitudes, financial savvy, and quality-of-death discussions into every disease pathwayInspire renewal through slowing down, curiosity-driven creativity, and a "new oath" prioritizing human connection over helplessnessIf you're rebuilding after burnout or redesigning med ed for the AI era, this episode offers a blueprint for wisdom over facts, progress over perfection.About the Guest:“Health architecture is about building foundations of agency and connection.” – Dr.  Venkatesh RamnathDr. Venkatesh Ramnath  is a pulmonary and critical care physician, health architect, writer, and host of the Be a Health Architect podcast. With experience spanning academic centers, rural border hospitals, and COVID ICUs, he transitioned from burnout to advocacy by fusing medicine with cognitive science and architecture metaphors.  Venkatesh speaks on leadership, meaning-making, and innovation, contributing to outlets like the LA Times, and is authoring a book on a "new oath" for physician wellness.

What does it actually mean to partner well, especially as a woman in medicine?In this Valentine's Day episode of Heartline: Changemaking in Healthcare, Dr. Andrea Austin shares a short chapter from her book on partnering well after divorce. She reflects on boundaries, money, self-worth, and building a healthy, lasting relationship as a woman in medicine.Drawing from personal experience, Andrea explores how insecurity and self-sabotage can show up in relationships, why liking your partner matters as much as loving them, and how true partnership supports growth without self-erasure. This episode offers practical reflection for physicians and professionals navigating relationships, marriage, or personal healing.You'll hear how Andrea:Defines “partnering well” after divorce and personal healingExplores boundaries in relationships, including money and autonomyShares how insecurity can lead to self-sabotage—and how to interrupt itDiscusses why liking your partner matters as much as loving themChallenges the belief that healthy relationships should feel hardOffers reflection questions to strengthen current or future connections If you're navigating relationships as a physician or professional, healing after heartbreak, or reimagining what partnership can look like, this episode offers clarity, warmth, and reassurance—right on time for Valentine's Day.

Winter gold medallist Cooper Woods has created a stir in his beachside home town and there has been significant rainfall in the red centre transforming the landscape. The desert country of Central Australia always responds rapidly to rain; it's seen rivers rise quickly, roads become impassable, parked cars flood, and people get stuck.

What happens when medical training, perfectionism, and codependency collide with marriage at a young age?In this solo episode, Dr. Andrea Austin reads from her book and reflects on her early marriage and divorce during medical school. With honesty and vulnerability, she explores how caretaking tendencies, cultural expectations, and the “achievement treadmill” contributed to a codependent relationship, and how choosing herself became a turning point toward healing.Andrea shares how compartmentalization and grit can keep physicians stuck in unhealthy situations, why vulnerability and trusted friendships matter, and how resilience is built not by enduring harm, but by listening to your inner voice. Drawing lessons from medical school, military training, and personal reflection, she reframes divorce not as failure, but as a courageous act of self-trust and growth.This episode is for physicians and healthcare professionals navigating heartbreak, relationship transitions, burnout, or major life changes, and for anyone learning how to partner well without losing themselves.You'll Learn About:Divorce during medical school and its emotional impactCodependency and caretaking patterns in women physiciansPerfectionism and the achievement treadmill in medicineHow compartmentalization can delay healingThe role of vulnerability, friendship, and self-trust in growthWhy choosing yourself is sometimes the healthiest decision

How can healthcare professionals transform burnout and trauma into a revitalized life and practice?In this special episode of Heartline: Changemaking in Healthcare, Dr. Andrea Austin reads from her book Revitalized, focusing on the chapter "The Revitalization." She reflects on her own soul-level burnout at the end of the pandemic, sharing a formula for change: inflection point + inner work + clarity = revitalization. Drawing from personal experiences and expert insights, she emphasizes embracing the past's pain as part of growth, avoiding trauma loops, and intentionally "doing the work" for self-improvement.You'll hear how to:Recognize burnout as a chronic issue requiring inner reflection, not just quick fixes, and frame it as an opportunity for revitalization beyond "bouncing back."Differentiate top-down therapies (like CBT and talk therapy) from bottom-up approaches (like EMDR, somatic experiencing, and art therapy) for trauma healing, especially in high-stress fields like medicine.Understand coaching as a future-focused partnership for unlocking potential, while knowing when to seek therapy first, given high rates of PTSD (40%) and depression (30%) among healthcare workers.Navigate "VUCA" (volatility, uncertainty, complexity, ambiguity) in healthcare, including life quakes like job loss or health crises, and avoid maladaptive coping like overconsumption or addictions.Build vulnerability in hard conversations, reflect on perfectionism, and beware predatory coaching programs while prioritizing ethical, supportive resources.If you're a healthcare professional grappling with burnout, trauma, or the desire for more fulfillment, this episode offers empathetic guidance, reflective questions, and actionable steps to craft your own revitalization.

Now I want to present to you a time capsule. It's a radio documentary I prepared in 1972, for the ABC.Back then it's title was,  ‘The Urban Aborigine' , and you'll find the word 'aborigine' features strongly thoughoutFor many Aboriginal people, that word is no longer considered appropriate. Because of historical connotations, to use that word for indigenous Australians seems to lengthen the distance between ‘them' and ‘us', between me the white person, and you the black person. It's considered dehumanising. Personally, since it was the common term right up until the 50's and 60's when I grew up, I still have to remind myself to be more considerate. I witnessed so many appalling interactions between our two races in  the bush. And I'm dismayed in recent years, sensing the undercurrent of disinterest through to outright dismissal from so many of my fellow Australians.So I feel it's increasingly important for every step that I can take to be more in keeping with the feelings of my brothers and sisters, the descendants of the oldest living culture on earth.But yes, keeping this 1972 time capsule historically accurate, the word aborigine does feature.My subjects were reflecting what they saw as a change coming, back then in 1972, to how the larger Australian society perceived the Aboriginal people.The voices yo'll hear are: Mrs Olga Fudge, who moved to Adelaide from Point McLeay mission, in 1912; Mrs Elphick from Point Pearce, who was then working with the Adelaide Aboriginal Cultural Centre; Adelaide born Mrs Natasha McNamara; a lecturer in Business Studies; Bert Clarke, former stockman, then with the Adelaide Aboriginal Cultural Centre; university student Gloria Brennan, born outback Western Australia; Mrs Lela Rankin, formerly of Point McLeay Reserve, who was researching Aboriginal music at the University of Adelaide.And weaving throughout this presentation was the work of singer-songwriter Bob Randall, otherwise known as Uncle Bob.Bob, an elder of the Yankuny-tjatjara people of Central Australia, was widely respected for his vigorous community work, in various parts of Australia, most especially in education.

Should we be culling camels in Central Australia? Darwin's rural area reacts to stricter gun laws passing parliament.

Why do so many healthcare providers still view obesity as a lifestyle choice rather than a complex chronic disease—and how can we change that?In this Echo Episode, Dr. Andrea Austin interviews Dr. Katherine Saunders about her journey from pre-med influences to pioneering obesity medicine at Weill Cornell and co-founding FlyteHealth. They explore obesity's scientific underpinnings, the impact of weight bias, practical advice for EM physicians in brief encounters, common weight-promoting medications, the value of bariatric surgery, and emerging tools like genetic testing and AI-driven algorithms. Katherine emphasizes empathy, permission-based discussions, and multidisciplinary approaches to treat obesity as the root cause of over 200 comorbidities.You'll hear how they:Debunk obesity myths perpetuated in medicine, framing it as a chronic disease requiring medical intervention beyond "eat less, exercise more"Provide strategies for EM docs to discuss weight compassionately in 5 minutes, including asking permission, using neutral language, and offering resources without judgmentDiscuss weight-promoting factors like medications (e.g., progesterone-focused birth control), stress, genetics, and sleep apnea, plus the role of bariatric surgery and anti-obesity medsHighlight innovative obesity care through FlyteHealth's telehealth platform, AI algorithms for personalized treatment, and collaborative post-surgical managementIf you're a physician encountering obesity-related issues in acute care or seeking better ways to support patients, this episode delivers empathetic insights and actionable tools for transformative care.About the Guest:"Obesity isn't just a lifestyle problem, it's a complex chronic disease we can now treat effectively." – Dr. Katherine SaundersDr. Katherine Saunders, MD, FTOS is a leading obesity medicine expert, co-founder and executive vice president of FlyteHealth, and clinical assistant professor at Weill Cornell Medicine. She received her undergraduate degree Phi Beta Kappa/Summa Cum Laude from Dartmouth College and her medical degree from Weill Cornell Medical College, where she became a member of the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society.  She completed her residency at New York-Presbyterian and was the first obesity medicine fellow at Weill Cornell's Comprehensive Weight Control Center. Board-certified in internal medicine and obesity medicine, she hosts the Weight Matters podcast, speaks internationally, and has been recognized as a top influencer in wellness.

What happens when the adrenaline of emergency medicine meets the high personal cost of shift work and family demands?In this Echo Episode, Dr. Andrea Austin talks with Dr. Miranda Phillips about her transition from full-time trauma center EM to a life of financial freedom and wellness. Inspired by a mission trip to Guatemala at age 16, Miranda pursued medicine to make a profound impact. She reflects on loving EM's wide scope but leaving due to burnout, single parenthood challenges, and value misalignments. Discover how she built passive income surpassing her salary, healed through lifestyle medicine, and now helps physicians via investing education and holistic care.You'll hear how they:Address EM burnout from nights, weekends, and high emotional costs, and the courage to pivot when family needs come firstBuild financial security through passive investing in real estate syndications, creating a safety net without more time demandsIntegrate lifestyle medicine to reverse chronic conditions, optimize personal health, and reclaim joy through routines like exercise and sleepInspire hope by challenging regrets, seeking mentors, and living aligned with values for a fulfilling post-burnout lifeIf you're an EM physician facing burnout or seeking financial and health freedom, this episode offers practical insights and encouragement for change.About the Guest:“I love what I'm doing. I love being financially free.” – Dr. Miranda PhillipsDr. Miranda Phillips is an emergency medicine physician, entrepreneur, investor, philanthropist, and international speaker. Starting her career in 2009 after a transformative mission trip, she practiced full-time EM until 2020, when burnout and family priorities led her to pivot. Co-founder of Elite Wealth and Wellness, she educates physicians on passive investing for financial independence. Board-certified in lifestyle medicine, she practices telemedicine at Saha Vita Institute, helping patients optimize health and reverse conditions like diabetes and hypertension.

What draws someone with a big heart and endless curiosity into the narrowing path of medicine, and how do they reclaim their multifaceted self amid burnout and systemic challenges?In this Echo Episode, Dr. Andrea Austin talks with Dr. Amanda River about her unconventional journey in emergency medicine, from medical school friendships to leading a cannabis clinic and pursuing lifestyle medicine. Amanda reflects on her sister's Ewing sarcoma diagnosis that sparked her interest in medicine, the sacrifices of medical training, and the pride and frustrations of EM practice. They discuss the pathology of long hours, sleep deprivation myths, understaffing, and metrics that prioritize billing over patient care, while exploring ways to align personal values with professional life.You'll hear how they:Unpack the roots of burnout in EM, from value misalignments to unsafe staffing ratiosChallenge limiting beliefs in medical training, like 80-hour weeks and "scut work" that wastes physician expertiseAdvocate for system redesigns that empower teams, respect boundaries, and integrate patient voices for better outcomesFind hope in diverse career paths, from rural locums to cannabis and lifestyle medicine, to sustain joy in healthcareIf you're an EM physician questioning the status quo or seeking ways to realign your practice, this honest conversation offers insights into building a more humane system.About the Guest:“Emergency medicine is a mindset, not a place.” – Dr. Amanda RiverDr. Amanda River is an emergency medicine physician credentialing at a critical access hospital in rural Iowa, with locums experience in Oregon and Guam's public hospital. A former owner and medical director of a private cannabis medicine clinic, she is also board-certified in lifestyle medicine and passionate about integrating holistic approaches into EM. Her journey reflects a commitment to values-driven care, from farm roots to global practice.

In Part 2 of this two-part Echo Episode, Dr. Andrea Austin and Dr. Mehrdad Soleimani picks up right where they  left off: two emergency physicians who actually like coming to work, unpacking the systemic forces that are burning everyone else out. Dr. Mehrdad explains why he co-founded NeoMd Spa.  It started with one vial of Botox and a refusal to be a 60-year-old shift-worker, how physicians surrendered control of their profession to corporations, and why financial wellness is the missing pillar no one talks about. Dr. Andrea and  Dr. Mehrdad wrestle with the death of the democratic group, the rise of corporate metrics, and the urgent need for physicians to reclaim leadership, unity, and their voices.Wrapped in stories of cross-specialty happy hours, Peloton-fueled pandemic survival, and a beautiful real-time patient handoff, this episode is a rallying cry: stop complaining, start building, stay connected, and never forget, we are all members of one body.You'll Hear How They:· Expose the financial traps that keep high-earning physicians living paycheck-to-paycheck and overworking· Reveal why every single guest this season has a “side gig” — and why that's now a survival strategy· Break down the shift from physician-owned democratic groups to corporate medicine (and what we lost)· Show how one med-spa became a hedge against burnout and a reclaiming of professional autonomy· Prove that culture change happens in 10-minute handoffs and cross-specialty happy hours, not just policy memos· Issue a call for physician unity, leadership, and using your voice before you end up “on the menu”About the Guest“Just because I was born a man doesn't mean I'm better than anybody else.” — Dr. Mehrdad SoleimaniDr. Mehrdad Soleimani is a board-certified emergency physician, Assistant Director of the Emergency Department at Temecula Valley Hospital, and Chair of the hospital's Physician Wellness Committee. A former critical-care nurse, general surgery resident, proud girl-dad of three, and co-owner/medical director of NeoMed Spa, Mehrdad brings a rare blend of clinical expertise, emotional intelligence, and lived experience as an immigrant to his passionate advocacy for physician wellness and gender equity.Website: https://neomedicalspa.comResources + Mentions· NEOMD Spa – https://neomedicalspa.com· Financial wellness as a pillar of physician well-being· Visible Voices podcast with Dr. Risa Lavizzo-Mourey (“Use your voice”)· Persianpoetry: “Human beings are members of a whole…”Top 3 Key TakeawaysFinancial wellness is physician wellness : Stop the “just pick up one more shift” cycle and build something that gives you passive income and freedom.We gave away control of our profession: if you want autonomy back, you have to own something (a practice, a business, a voice at the table).Culture is built in the small moments: A thoughtful handoff, a happy hour with ortho, inviting the security guard to break bread , these are the ripples that change everything.

What does a man raised in a country where women are legally second-class citizens become one of the strongest male allies in American medicine?In Part 1 of this two-part Echo Episode, Dr. Mehrdad  Soleimani pulls back the curtain on his improbable journey: fleeing Iran at 16, putting himself through nursing school as a first-generation immigrant, defending his female nursing colleagues from an abusive surgeon and then deciding that very night to become a doctor, switching specialties mid-residency, and ultimately landing in emergency medicine, where he now champions wellness, debriefing, and the “human factor.”Mehrdad and Andrea explore why stoicism and perfectionism are killing physicians, why it's actually strength (not weakness) to feel deeply in the resuscitation room, and how small acts of allyship, from checking in on a new female colleague to calling consultants on her behalf, change culture one shift at a time. This episode is a love letter to every physician humanity and a masterclass in what authentic male allyship feels like on the ground.You'll Hear How They:Trace the roots of fierce gender-equity beliefs to a mother who refused to accept second-class status in IranReveal the night a cardiothoracic surgeon's tantrum pushed a male ICU nurse to apply to medical schoolDiscuss why switching residencies even after years invested, can be the bravest and best career decision Unpack the hidden curriculum of medicine: stoicism, perfectionism, and competition,  and why it's failing usChampion debriefing, emotional processing, and the power of the “feeling doctor” who still gets the job done Model everyday allyship that makes women physicians feel seen, supported, and safer in the workplaceAbout the Guest“Just because I was born a man doesn't mean I'm better than anybody else.” — Dr. Mehrdad SoleimaniDr. Mehrdad Soleimani is a board-certified emergency physician, Assistant Director of the Emergency Department at Temecula Valley Hospital, and Chair of the hospital's Physician Wellness Committee. A former critical-care nurse, general surgery resident, proud girl-dad of three, and co-owner/medical director of NeoMed Spa, Mehrdad brings a rare blend of clinical expertise, emotional intelligence, and lived experience as an immigrant to his passionate advocacy for physician wellness and gender equity.Website: https://neomedicalspa.comResources + Mentions・ Debriefing after critical cases (including pediatric codes)・ Hidden curriculum of medicine: stoicism, perfectionism, competition・ Emotional regulation vs. emotional suppression・ The power of 45-second empathy moments with patientsTop 3 Key TakeawaysAllyship isn't a poster,  it's action: Checking in, offering to call consultants, making new colleagues feel welcome, and using your privilege to smooth someone else's path.Feeling deeply is not weakness, it's strength: The best physicians are “feeling doctors” who process emotion, debrief, and still lead the code with clarity.Your career is allowed to evolve: Switching specialties even years in, is not failure; it's choosing a life where you wake up excited to go to work. 

What happens when your childhood calling collides with a system that limits your capacity to live it out?In this Echo Episode, Dr. Maria Sturchler shares her extraordinary journey from first-generation college student to educator to medical student, years after being told she “wouldn't make it” in medicine. Now double board-certified in Emergency Medicine and Palliative Care, Maria reveals how serendipity, mentorship, and resilience brought her back to her original dream on her own terms.She and Andrea unpack the realities pushing talented clinicians out of traditional EM practice: night shifts, moral injury, violence in the ED, corporate interference, loss of autonomy, and the identity crisis that comes with stepping away. Maria gives voice to the hidden grief, burnout, and shame physicians carry when “the path” no longer fits.But this is not a story of defeat. Maria now leads an innovative palliative care model embedded inside the emergency department, freeing EM physicians from burdens that don't belong to them, reducing patient suffering, and restoring meaning to clinical work. Her message is equal parts invitation and disruption: medicine is not a prison. It's a “choose-your-own-adventure” and there are more off-ramps, pivots, and second chances than most physicians believe.You'll Hear How They:Reframe imposter syndrome and harmful feedback that derails dreamsNavigate grief when an identity built on EM no longer aligns with personal well-beingDescribe the hidden toll of EM: disrupted circadian rhythm, motherhood challenges, pandemic trauma, and corporate shiftsIntegrate palliative care inside the ED, reducing length of stay, improving communication, and radically supporting EM physiciansUse mentorship, self-inquiry, and values alignment to identify career pivots About the Guest“Medicine is choose-your-own-adventure.” — Dr. Maria SturchlerDr. Maria Sturchler is a dual board-certified physician in Emergency Medicine and Palliative Care, a three-time Ironman competitor, and a former mathematics educator whose doctoral work examined gender disparities in STEM. After being discouraged from medicine early on, serendipity and mentorship led her back to her calling. Today, she helps patients, families, and clinici'hat integrate palliative medicine directly into emergency care.LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/mariasturchlerWebsite: sturchlermd.comResources + MentionsUnlocking Us podcast — Brené BrownBring 'Em All In (referenced EM mantra)Multidisciplinary collaboration models in palliative and acute careTop 3 Key TakeawaysCareer paths are not linear—nor should they be: Your training is a foundation, not a life sentence. EM skills travel well into palliative care, leadership roles, education, coaching, and hybrid models that better honor your values.Boundaries are not betrayal—they are survival: Choosing your health, family, sleep, identity, and emotional bandwidth is not weakness. It is wisdom. Physicians cannot sustain compassion without protecting their humanity.The future belongs to systems that humanize care: Embedded palliative programs, interdisciplinary partnerships, and values-based innovations reduce burnout, shorten ED holds, and restore dignity to medicine—one conversation at a time.

What happens when you combine a lifetime of service, leadership, and a deep desire to uplift others?In this inspiring episode, Dr. Andrea Austin welcomes Paula Drivas, as she shares how her changemaking story started at age 13 as a candy striper in Queens and how a simple request to transfer to the emergency department shaped her life's purpose. She walks listeners through an expansive 33-year career spanning emergency medicine, internal medicine, orthopedics, urgent care, academia, and leadership, culminating in her transition into coaching and medical administration.This conversation honors the evolution of medicine over three decades, from the loss of autonomy to intensifying metrics, and how Paula found her own path by listening to her heart, embracing spontaneity, and pursuing an MBA to impact healthcare at a systems level.A pivotal moment arrived when Paula experienced coaching for the first time during the pandemic, sparking an “aha” that shifted everything. She describes how coaching unlocked clarity she didn't know she needed and how it inspired her to create the Provider Coach Project to offer free access to coaching for medical students, PA students, nurses, residents, and clinicians.The episode explores the urgent need for coaching in medicine, the role of value work, the emotional toll of modern healthcare, the DISC assessment as a tool for team growth, and why no one should have to navigate a healthcare career alone.This is a deeply human, energizing conversation about purpose, service, and building a future where every healthcare professional feels supported and empowered.You'll Hear How They:Recognize changemaking moments early and follow them Navigate a nonlinear healthcare career with courage and openness Balance patient care with leadership, business demands, and personal growth Use coaching to unlock self-awareness, purpose, and sustainable decision-making Challenge the financial barriers that keep trainees from accessing coaching Apply DISC assessment insights to strengthen teams and improve communication Address burnout, emotional labor, and the realities of emergency medicine Build new models of support for clinicians across all stages of training If you've ever questioned your next step, felt the weight of modern medicine, or wondered how coaching could shift your career, this episode is for you.About the Guest:“Follow your heart. Never say never. You don't know where life is going to take you.” – Paula DrivasPaula Drivas, PA-C, MBA is a Master Certified Physician Coach, seasoned emergency medicine PA, urgent care medical director, and founder of the Provider Coach Project, a nonprofit dedicated to reducing financial barriers to coaching for healthcare professionals and trainees.Over her 33-year career, Paula has practiced emergency medicine, internal medicine, urgent care, orthopedics, and medical education, and has served in multiple leadership roles. She holds an MBA and trained as a coach at the Physician Coaching Institute.Paula is passionate about empowerment, reflection, and helping clinicians reconnect to meaning and joy in their work.

True Blue Conversations is inclusive of all stories. On this podcast, I speak with Zach Rolfe BM. Zach is a former infantry soldier from the 1st Battalion Royal Australian Regiment and Northern Territory Police Officer. In 2010, Zach enlisted in the Australian Army, serving in Afghanistan with the 1st Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment. Zach discharged from the Army in 2015. Zach applied to be a Police Officer and was accepted by the Northern Territory force, enrolling at the academy in Darwin in May 2016. Zach graduated as dux of his squad and was posted to Alice Springs in Central Australia – his first preference. In December 2016, during his first week with the NT Police, he rescued two tourists from flood waters near Alice Springs, for which he and a colleague were awarded the Bravery Medal in 2018. In the same year, Zach was awarded the Hong Kong Bravery Medal, becoming the first foreigner honoured by the Hong Kong government.  He joined the Alice Springs Immediate Response Team (IRT) in November 2017. On the 9 th of November 2019, Zach was sent to a remote community to serve an arrest warrant for a young Aboriginal man named Kumanjayi Walker, who was an offender with a history of offences. He was shot by Zach and later died during an attempted arrest in Yuendumu, Northern Territory, after Walker had stabbed Zach with scissors and threatened to kill Zach and his Partner. Four days after the incident, Zac was charged with murder. In 2022, Zach was found not guilty of murder. This is a complex story that needs to be heard. In this podcast, Zac talks about the shooting, losing his purpose and identity, and the mental toll this has taken on him and his family. Presenter: Adam Blum Guest: Zach Rolfe BM Editor: Kyle Watkins

This week we are being taken on a bike tour from Melbourne through the centre of Australia. Guest Laura Bastioli shares her experiences on an adventure which has so far taken her to Alice Springs. We discuss how she got into bikepacking in the first place, what it was like to see iconic sights like the Great Ocean Road and Uluru, as well as a very challenging time dealing with muddy roads on the Mawson Trail. Laura shares how she has dealt with equipment failures, what it's like to cycle in the sparse Australian Outback and what she is looking forward to as she continues the journey onto Darwin. Keep up with Laura's adventure via her instagram page - @basti.onthemoveCheck out Ombraz Sunglasses - I'm a fan and I think you will be too! Check out Zorali for all your outdoor adventure needs!Support the showBuy me a coffee and help support the show! I'm an affiliate for a few brands I genuinely use and recommend including:

Send us a text however note we cannot reply through these means. Please message the instagram or email if you are wanting a response. On today's Zero Limits Podcast host Matty Morris chats with Zac Rolfe former infantry soldier from the 1st Battalion Royal Australian Regiment and Northern Territory Police Officer.In 2010 he enlisted in the Australian Army, serving in Afghanistan with the 1st Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment. After being discharged in 2015, he applied tp be a cop and was accepted by the Northern Territory force, enrolling at the academy in Darwin in May 2016. Rolfe graduated as dux of his squad and was posted to Alice Springs in Central Australia – his first preference. In December 2016, during his first week with the NT Police, he rescued two tourists from flood waters near Alice Springs, for which he and a colleague were awarded the Bravery Medal in 2018. He joined the Alice Springs Immediate Response Team (IRT) in November 2017.Kumanjayi Walker was a 19-year-old violent offender with history of offences who was shot by former police officer Zachary Rolfe in November 2019 during an attempted arrest in Yuendumu, Northern Territory after Walker had stabbed Rolfe with scissors and threatened to kill the officers. Four days after the incident Zac was charged with murder with no support from the NT government and his commanders however in 2022 was acquitted of murder charges. Website - www.zerolimitspodcast.comInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/zero.limits.podcast/?hl=enHost - Matty Morris www.instagram.com/matty.m.morrisSponsors Instagram - @gatorzaustralia www.gatorzaustralia.com15% Discount Code - ZERO15(former/current military & first responders 20% discount to order please email orders@gatorzaustralia.com.au Instagram - @3zeroscoffee 3 Zeros Coffee - www.3zeroscoffee.com.au 10% Discount Code - 3ZLimits Instagram - @getsome_au GetSome Jocko Fuel - www.getsome.com.au 10% Discount Code - ZEROLIMITS

This week, Sarah is chatting with Dr Gabrielle Diplock of the Sexual Assault Referral Centre (or SARC) about the services and supports that are available to people affected by sexual assault in Central Australia and the Barkly Region. The conversation covers forensic, medical, and legal options available, as well as exploring the importance of the counselling and healing services that SARC provides. Hosted by lawyers from the Central Australian Women’s Legal Service (CAWLS) in Mparntwe/ Alice Springs, Sisters in Law provides information about the law, women’s rights and access to justice. Broadcast Live on 8CCC 102.1FM + listen On Demand and subscribe to our podcast! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I am so excited to say that my guest on the GWA Podcast is the esteemed curator Kelli Cole to discuss the trailblazing Australian artist, Emily Kam Kngwarray! This is a very special BONUS episode and [as a one-off format] an exhibition walkthrough of Kngwarray's show at TATE MODERN. This is the first large-scale presentation of Kngwarray's work ever held in Europe and a celebration of her extraordinary career as one of Australia's greatest artists. Born in 1914, from the Alhalker Country in the Northern Territory, Kngwarray made thousands of works, reflecting her life as an Anmatyerr woman, but was – extraordinarily – only in her late 70s when she began painting in earnest, creating for ceremonial purposes and designs on the bodies of women. Listen to us explore the exhibition: witnessing first hand some of the most dazzling paintings I've ever seen. So whether you'll listen to this ahead of your visit, or be virtually transported here (for those who can't be here in person), I hope we can bring the magic of her paintings alive for you. About our guest: A Warumungu and Luritja woman from Central Australia, Kelli Cole is the Director of Curatorial & Engagement for the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Gallery of Australia project in Alice Springs. Previously, she held the position of Curator of Special Projects in the First Nations portfolio at the National Gallery of Australia, and has contributed to numerous publications, both nationally and internationally, on various aspects of First Nations art. In 2022, she worked closely with another esteemed curator, Hetti Perkins, as part of the team for the 4th National Indigenous Art Triennial: Ceremony. But the reason why we are speaking with Cole today is because she is the lead curator of a very exciting new exhibition here at London's Tate Modern: Emily Kam Kngwarray! Link to show – to see the works: https://www.tate.org.uk/whats-on/tate-modern/emily-kam-kngwarray --- THIS EPISODE IS GENEROUSLY SUPPORTED BY THE LEVETT COLLECTION: https://www.famm.com/en/ https://www.instagram.com/famm_mougins // https://www.merrellpublishers.com/9781858947037 Follow us: Katy Hessel: @thegreatwomenartists / @katy.hessel Sound editing by Nada Smiljanic Music by Ben Wetherfield

Hills varied artistic journey is showcased through photography, painting, fashion and building design. Her work merges traditional and modern technology with contemporary flair. Her works have been featured in numerous solo and group exhibitions throughout Australia and overseas, captivating audiences with her evocative pieces, including a book Dots of Life-Aboriginal Artists of Central Australia. Awards for her portraits, landscapes and fine art photography at prominent art institutions include: Australian Professional Photographer of the Year and finalist in Head On, Moran, Kennedy and Olive Cotton Awards. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Finke Desert Race, held annually in Australia's Northern Territory, is one of the world's most challenging off-road events. 

This episode was recorded as part of a Centralian Land Management Association project - which they have kindly shared with our listeners In this episode, we hear from Tony and Pam Davis who’s journey of land ownership has taken them from Central Australia to Queensland, South Australia, the Top End, and finally back home right to where they started. With 6 decades of experience raising cattle, managing the landscape, and making a life from it, there’s not much these two haven’t seen. Tony and Pam have had one heck of an adventure with plenty of ups and downs along the way, all the while fuelled by their deep connection to the land. Red Centre Reflections is a Centralian Land Management Association project, supported by FRRR through funding from the Australian Government’s Future Drought Fund.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

*This episode was recorded as part of a Centralian Land Management Association project - which they have kindly shared with our listeners* In this episode, we sit down with David Bird of Indiana Station, a fourth-generation pastoralist continuing his family’s legacy on the land in Central Australia. David shares insights into how the experiences and resilience of those who came before him have shaped his outlook and approach to station life. Our conversation explores his deep understanding of the landscape, his grounded, pragmatic response to the highs and lows brought about by Mother Nature, and what it takes to make it in the bush. Red Centre Reflections is a Centralian Land Management Association project, supported by FRRR through funding from the Australian Government’s Future Drought Fund.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

More than 150,000 livestock are dead or lost following widespread flooding in northeastern Australia. But researchers say the floods will provide a lifeline for some species, reviving bird populations who will breed and feed in new wetlands across Australia - 最近オーストラリア北東部を襲った広い範囲にわたる洪水。その被害で家畜15万頭が失われました。その一方で、洪水によって広い湿地ができたことで、湿地で繁殖する鳥の数が増えると見込まれています。

More than 150,000 livestock are dead or lost following widespread flooding in northeastern Australia. But researchers say the floods will provide a lifeline for some species, reviving bird populations who will breed and feed in new wetlands across Australia. - Более 150 000 голов скота погибли или пропали из за масштабного наводнения на северо-востоке Австралии. Но исследователи говорят, что наводнения могут спасти некоторые виды и возродить популяции птиц, которые будут размножаться и кормиться на новых болотных угодьях по всей Австралии.

More than 150,000 livestock are dead or lost following widespread flooding in northeastern Australia. But researchers say the floods will provide a lifeline for some species, reviving bird populations who will breed and feed in new wetlands across Australia.

Song propelled Morris Stuart from his early life shepherding sheep in British Guyana to an unlikely love story in London. In his retirement, he found himself shaping a choir of Central Australian Aboriginal women, who had been breathing life into 138-year-old Lutheran hymns.Morris Stuart met his Australian wife, Barbara in London in the 1960s.The pair led a youth group attached to a nearby church, and initially tried to ignore their growing feelings for each other.Morris was a young, Guyanese activist who was descended from African slaves, and wasn't ready to face the social reality of marrying across racial lines.Morris and Barb fell in love and married several years before the film Guess Who's Coming to Dinner? was released, and featured at several screenings in London, where community members could ask them questions as a real life, interracial couple.The couple went on to have four children and moved to Australia, where Morris became a pastor with a community church in Melbourne.In their retirement, Morris and Barbara developed relationships with the Warlpiri community in Central Australia. They arrived in Alice Springs in 2005 and Morris started recruiting for a choir.More Indigenous communities started joining in and Morris formed the Central Australian Aboriginal Women's choir.They performed hymns brought by German Lutheran missionaries to the region in the late 19th Century, which were translated into Pitjantjatjara and Western Arrernte.The choir's biggest achievement is a tour to Germany in 2015 — to perform the hymns that had all but vanished from use in Germany, but have been preserved in the Central Australian desert for 138 years.Follow the Central Australian Aboriginal Women's Choir on Facebook.Watch the documentary about the Central Australian Aboriginal Women's Choir tour to Germany, The Song Keepers. This episode of Conversations touches on heritage, epic life story, origin stories, church, personal stories, childhood and reflection.

A pilot in central Australia says he's never seen anything like this week's massive flooding at Lake Eyre. 

This week, three stories about connection: connection to the land and the sea, connection to history, connection to the divine and to ourselves. Weaving Ancestral Voices by Shareeka Helaluddin In our first story, Shareeka reconnects to faith and identity through the voice of the singer Sheila Chandra. Growing up in an interfaith household, Shareeka was immersed in a diverse sonic landscape of Islamic recitations, Hindu chants, Bollywood, folk, and Western music. It wasn’t until Sheila Chandra’s drone-based singing resonated deeply within her that she found solace in voice. “Songs that weave through past and present, a voice that pierces through discordance and uncertainty. An immersive journey of glossolalia and spiritual vocal gateways, reckoning with - and returning to - faith; all bound together by the voice of Sheila Chandra.” This story was produced by Shareeka Helaluddin. The Supervising Producer was Mell Chun, with support from John Tjhia. The artwork was provided by Rekha Dhanaram who can be found @rekha.dhanaram on instagram. The story features the voices of Aarti Jadu and Sheila Chandra, on instagram @thesheilachandra. Our next two stories are recordings from the Red Dirt Poetry Festival, an annual showcase of spoken word and poetry from Mparntwe, Central Australia. Black Pearl of the Desert by Marie Ellis In the first story, Marie takes us into the very heart of the desert. The Black Pearl’s coming - timeless and untamed. Red Dirt by Melanie Mununngurr In the second story, Melanie confronts colonial violence, systemic oppression, and cultural erasure. Through the enduring strength of saltwater people and the unbroken connection between land, water, and ancestry, we celebrate the resilience and defiant song of those who refuse to be forgotten. The water remembers all—carrying echoes of ancestors, the weight of sorrow, and the rhythm of survival. Black Pearl of the Desrt and Red Dirt were performed and recorded at the Red Dirt Poetry Festival, a celebration of spoken word and poetry from Mpartnwe, Central Australia. You can check them out over on their their YouTube or at their website reddirtpoetryfestival.com/ Support emerging producers, artists & creatives by hitting follow or subscribe wherever you get your Podcasts. Make, meet and learn with All The Best - follow our Substack for audio workshops, events and pitching opportunities. All The Best Credits Executive Producer: Phoebe Adler-Ryan Editorial Producer: Melanie Bakewell Host: Kwame Slusher Mixed & Compiled by Emma Higgins Artwork by Rekha DhanaramSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

▶️ Get your copy of Is Genesis History? Mountains After the Flood → Biblical geology provides a simpler history of Earth, interpreting rock layers through major events like the Creation and the Flood, challenging the assumption of slow, gradual processes over millions of years. This episode article was written by Dr Tas Walker and podcast produced by Joseph Darnell out of the CMI-USA office. Become a monthly contributor at our site. You can also help out by telling your family and friends to check out the podcasts.

Thanks to Eesa for suggesting this week's topic, the pliosaur Predator X! Further reading: Predator X / Pliosaurus funkei [you can find lots of interesting pictures here, some artwork and some skeletal diagrams] Kronosaurus had a big skull with big teeth: Show transcript: Welcome to Strange Animals Podcast. I'm your host, Kate Shaw. We're one week closer to Halloween, and that means the monsters are getting more monster-y, at least in name, although I wouldn't want to meet this one in person. It's referred to as Predator X, and thanks to Eesa for suggesting it! Fortunately for everyone who likes to swim and boat in the ocean, Predator X has been extinct for around 145 million years. It's a type of marine reptile called a pliosaur, Pliosaurus funkei, but there was nothing funky about it. It was huge, fast, and incredibly strong. Also, the funky part of the name comes from the couple who originally discovered the first specimen, who had the last name of Funke. We only have two Predator X specimens right now, both of them found in the same rock formation from a Norwegian island. The remains were first discovered in 2004 but the process of recovering them took many years. Because winters in Norway are very cold, the exposed rocks were subject to freezing temperatures that had broken a lot of the fossils into fragments, and some of the fossils crumbled into pieces as they dried out. All told, 20,000 pieces were recovered and painstakingly fit back together like a gigantic jigsaw puzzle made of fossilized bones. Neither specimen is complete but we have enough bones that scientists can estimate the animal's size when it was alive—and it was huge! It probably grew up to 39 feet long, or 12 meters, and some individuals would certainly have been bigger. Initial estimates were even longer, up to 50 feet, or over 15 meters, but that was before the specimens were fully studied. Like other pliosaurs, predator X had a short tail and big teeth in its long jaws. Its head was massive, around 7 feet long, or 2 meters, and its front flippers were probably about the same length. It had four flippers, and researchers think its front flippers did most of the work of swimming, with the rear flippers acting as a rudder, but it could probably use its back flippers for a little extra boost of speed when it needed to. But it was a strong, fast swimmer no matter what, probably as fast as a modern orca, and very maneuverable. It had to be, because it ate other marine reptiles like plesiosaurs that were themselves very fast swimmers. It undoubtedly also ate sea turtles and fish, and probably pretty much anything else it could catch. It didn't eat whales because this was long, long before whales evolved. Predator X got its nickname from reporters back when the paleontologists thought it was 50 feet long. It didn't have a name yet so it got called Predator X because that sounded impressive (and it is), but it isn't the only giant pliosaur known. Kronosaurus was originally described in 1924 from fossils discovered in Australia, and current estimates of its size agree that it could probably grow to around 33 feet long, or 10 meters. This may be a low estimate, though, because the size of the biggest skull found might have been over 9 feet long, or 2.85 meters, although the skull isn't complete so its full size is just an estimate. Pliosaurs do have big heads, but if Kronosaurus's skull really is longer than predator X's skull, it was probably a bigger animal overall. Kronosaurus's fossils have only been found in an ancient inland sea that covered most of Queensland and Central Australia until about 100 million years ago. It was probably a relatively shallow, cold sea, and although it had all the marine animals you'd expect for the time, like sharks, ammonites, ichthyosaurs, plesiosaurs, lungfish, sea turtles, and lots more, Kronosaurus was the apex predator. It was so big and deadly that a full-grown Kronosaurus didn't have to worry ...

#OZWATCH: Heat dome over Central Australia. JEREMY ZAKIS, NEW SOUTH WALES. #FRIENDSOFHISTORYDEBATINGSOCIETY https://au.news.yahoo.com/dire-warning-for-five-million-aussies-as-weather-heats-up-significant-trigger-074204491.html 1940 Brisbane