Podcasts about Cooma

*India v Pakistan. *Cooma pest punished. *Locals v backpackers.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

*India v Pakistan. *Cooma pest punished. *Locals v backpackers.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

*India v Pakistan. *Cooma pest punished. *Locals v backpackers.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Enkonduko: La fina triono de aprilo”. Legado:  Brendan  el Esperanto sub la suda Kruco de marto 2025 “Decimala tempo” de Marc Schmidt el Cooma . Kanto: “Pola” de JoMo el la albumo JoMo slavumas. Legado: Franciska eltiraĵoj el la artikolo de Alksander Korĵenkov, aperinta en la Ondo de Esperanto de aprilo 2017, okaze de la […]

Former senior constable Kristian James Samuel White has been spared jail and will serve a two-year sentence in the community following the fatal Tasering of 95-year-old Clare Nowland, a great-grandmother with dementia, in the southern NSW town of Cooma.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the early hours of 17 May 2023, Senior Constable Kristian White shot 95-year-old Clare Nowland with his Taser in a Cooma nursing home. Last week, after a high-profile trial in which he pleaded not guilty, a jury found White guilty of the manslaughter of the great-grandmother. He now awaits sentencing. Reged Ahmad speaks to reporter Jordyn Beazely about the unresolved questions surrounding how police officers interact with vulnerable people

Migrants changed Cooma forever when they arrived to work on the Snowy Hydro Project 70 years ago. Now Snowy 2.0 is attracting more families from different countries, and the women are thriving.  

Casey Gates - Homosexual PrisonsAn hour agoCasey Gates joins Ed Opperman to talk about the existance, belive it or not, of 'gay prisons'From BBC NewsSet in one of the coldest and windiest small towns in Australia, Cooma prison holds a dark secret.Not only was it reopened in 1957 with the specific purpose of incarcerating men for "homosexual offences", it was also said to be used as a human testing ground with the ultimate goal of eradicating homosexuality from society.Cooma's jail is believed to have been the only known homosexual prison in the world, according to a new podcast.Until now, even some prison staff say they didn't know the real reason gay prisoners were segregated there.Les Strzelecki, 66, started as a custodial services officer at the prison in 1979, and later set up the Corrective Services Museum in Cooma. He believed inmates were sent there for their own safety."Cooma was a protective institution. We'd red stamp homosexual prisoners with 'N/A': non-association with mainstream prisons," he tells the BBC. "They were at risk of violence at bigger prisons like Long Bay [in Sydney]."But another former employee, Cliff New, claims it was for less compassionate reasons. He told Audible's podcast series The Greatest Menace that psychologists and psychiatrists were "coming in all the time" after the jail reopened in 1957.He understood these as attempts to convert them: "They were trying to get them on the 'right' track… They reckoned they could cure them."It's also why prisoners were in single cells, he said. "You wouldn't bunk two in together… that was one of our biggest problems - keeping an eye on them," says Mr New, now 94.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-opperman-report--1198501/support.

In this episode, I sat with Tim Williams, the founder of SC Playbook and a cult figure in the NRL fantasy world. Tim started as a journalist at the Daily Telegraph but turned his love for sports into a full-time career. Now, he runs one of Australia's biggest and most loyal fantasy sports community appears as a weekly guest on the largest sports podcast in the country!Tim grew up in Cooma, a small town at the foot of the snowy mountains in NSW, and for Tim and his brothers, sport was life. While he always dreamed of following in his brother Sam's footsteps and becoming a professional athlete, Tim quickly realised he was better at talking about sports than playing them. After years of working at the Daily Telegraph, where he covered everything from NRL games to cricket matches, Tim saw how huge fantasy sports were becoming. He decided to leave his job and start SC Playbook, a platform for fantasy sports fans to get the best tips and advice.We talk about the challenges he faced, the risks he took, and the moments he had to pinch himself to believe his success. Tim also gives practical advice on how to turn your passion into a career, build a loyal community, and stay motivated even when things get tough. Tim Williams' story is a powerful reminder that should never settle for anything other what excites you most and that dreams do come true, regardless of how niche you may think they are!In this episode:Early Life: Tim recounts what life was like up in Cooma: Sports, family and what would come next.Tim's Journey from Journalist to Founder: How Tim transitioned from working at the Daily Telegraph to founding SC Playbook and why he made the leap.Overcoming Challenges and Financial Restrictions:" The obstacles Tim faced when leaving a stable job to start his own business and how he overcame them.The Power of Passion: How Tim turned his love for fantasy sports into a thriving full-time career.Building a Community: Tim shares how he built the largest and most loyal fantasy sports community in Australia.Advice for Aspiring Entrepreneurs: Tim's practical tips for anyone looking to turn their passion into a business.The Importance of Networking: How building strong relationships helped Tim in his career and business ventures.Monetising a Niche Market: How Tim found ways to monetize his expertise in fantasy sports and grow his business.---Apply to be mentored by Dylan to start & scale your own E-commerce brand, Limited spots available!

In this episode of Stories of Us, join Sarah Grynberg as she chats with Jane Cay, founder of Bird's Nest, about her journey from Cooma's high street to building one of Australia's top online retailers. Jane shares how her small Cooma clothing store blossomed into a nationwide platform, offering women a unique shopping experience. Despite initially leaving Cooma, she returned, fell in love, and discovered her passion for entrepreneurship. Through Bird's Nest, Jane redefined fashion as empowerment for women, focusing on inclusivity and personalized styling. Join Sarah and Jane as they explore the Bird's Nest story—a testament to community, resilience, and pursuing one's passion. If you've enjoyed hearing Jane's story today and would like to hear about the growth of another iconic Australian franchise – listen to our episode of Stories of Us with Murray Cook, The red-skivvy Wiggle. You can find his episode here: https://listnr.com/podcasts/stories-of-us/episodes/murray-cook-on-the-young-wiggles-fan-who-left-a-la?utm_source=listnr&utm_medium=web&utm_campaign=internal_share&utm_content=f7657954-164a-4388-b6ef-e53c17109df6%3B8e74707c-a9d2-4116-be05-b0f0017e81b4See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

GUEST 1 OVERVIEW: Andrew Thaler is community advocate from the Monaro region in New South Wales and campaigner supporting the "No" vote for the Indigenous Voice to Parliament. Andrew is the victim of an alleged spitting attack Yes to the Voice campaigner Professor Denise Ferris. In this episode Andrew accuses the NSW Police of a deliberate cover up of the investigation surrounding the multiple assaults Yes campaigners in the town of Cooma. GUEST 2 OVERVIEW: Emma and Alison are two activists who are part of a group called Team Assange. They have been protesting every week for the last 4 years to bring awareness and attention to the case of Julian Assange.

Tiff Genders joined Joe Hildebrand to discuss the latest from the courtrooms of Cooma, with big news regarding the accused officer. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

While Adam & Symon are living it up on their Euro Trip, we're taking a look back at some of our favourite moments from the podcast!    Today we're reflecting on some of our most iconic segemnts:  Walk to Cooma Topic Thunder: Cereals Toxic traits  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Subscribe to Crime X+ today. The new police commissioner starts to really earn her salary after two sudden deaths, one on the street and one in a nursing homeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hey BlurtstarsWe have another busy show for you today.First up, on Sports of All Sorts, we cover both the conventional and wacky sports that are played on this planet. Today we will talk about the FIFA World Cup 2023 and also a Japanese sport called Bo-Taoshi, gesundheit.Then we go back in the annals of time (really dangerous word that) On This Day. Food will be a focus tonight.And to top off the show, we talk Science this week. The Kegsta will be doing mushrooms and Wencee is sweeping the marine floor.Nearly forgot Joke of the week this week, wahey !Tune in and find out on https://thenewblurt.substack.com, with Wencee and the Kegsta.Subscribe to our newsletter: https://thenewblurt.substack.com or contact us at blurtstar@gmail.com.BanterMalaysian comedian, Nigel Ng, aka Uncle Roger, has his social media accounts in China →Guardian News | Comedian Uncle Roger has social media accounts suspended in ChinaUncle Roger's offending video that lead to his Chinese social media accounts to be suspended →YouTube | Uncle Roger cancelledIt was sad to hear that Clare Nowland, 95 year old women tasered by NSW police, lost her life since we went to air. Vale Clare Nowland →ABC News | Clare Nowland, 95-year-old woman tasered at Cooma nursing home, dies in hospitalHow is the Yes vote going #voteyesaustralia #referendumABC News | What is the Indigenous Voice to Parliament? Here's how it would work and who's for and against itABC News | There are 11 First Nations MPs and senators. Here's what they think of a Voice to Parliament.We stand with Stan Grant as he steps away from journalism →Guardian News | Q+A presenter cites ‘poison' of the media as he steps away from ABC showSports of All SortsWomen's Soccer World Cup will be played in Australia and New Zealand →FIFA | Women's Soccer World Cup 2023Australia's Sam Kerr helps secure Chelsea win fourth WSL title in a row →ABC News | Sam Kerr claims another trophy as Chelsea secure fourth-straight WSL titleBo-taoshi, pole toppling, was created by the Japanese National Defence Academy during WWII. Here are some YouTube videos explaining the rules and also videos of actual “gameplay” →YouTube | Rules of Bo-TaoshiYouTube | Japanese Dangerous Sport, Bo-TaoshiScienceAustralian scientists announce new ocean floor map →ABC News | Scientists unveil mass online mapping tool revealing marine life on ocean floorsTo access the map, click the following link →Seamap AustraliaWhat a load of mushrooms! Why are we seeing gigantic sized mushrooms? Here's an explainer →ABC News | Giant bolete mushrooms pop up in a nature reserve near Naracoorte to the delight of localsOn This DayIn the US it is national Taffy Day on 23 May:National Taffy DayIt's also national donut week (23 - 28 May) in the UK →UK national donut weekFollow us on our socials:YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@thenewblurt7773Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/blurtstar/Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/blurtstar/Twitter - @BlurtNew This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thenewblurt.substack.com

The Hoot is here to take a look at the biggest news in Ngunnawal country with Genevieve Jacobs and Ross Solly. This week, the whole community is talking about the tragic tasering incident at Cooma. But are there deeper questions to be asked about aged care, staff training and safety? There are proposals for an emissions free zone in Civic - how likely is that? And did you think e-scooters were slow? Think again!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Great-grandmother Clare Nowland  passed away in hospital last night, one week after she was tasered by a NSW Police officer in her Cooma nursing home.  The former NSW multiculturalism minister has been forced into an apology after making a comment  about a Vietnamese-Australian MP, which has been labelled “offensive” and “racist”.  A Centrelink worker stabbed in a bloody ambush in Melbourne is planning to launch legal action against the welfare agency for failing to protect her.  All parents at an Adelaide Hills school were only notified yesterday that a student who allegedly had a gun and a “kill list” of classmates was arrested and charged last week. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Great-grandmother Clare Nowland  passed away in hospital last night, one week after she was tasered by a NSW Police officer in her Cooma nursing home.  The former NSW multiculturalism minister has been forced into an apology after making a comment  about a Vietnamese-Australian MP, which has been labelled “offensive” and “racist”.  A Centrelink worker stabbed in a bloody ambush in Melbourne is planning to launch legal action against the welfare agency for failing to protect her.  All parents at an Adelaide Hills school were only notified yesterday that a student who allegedly had a gun and a “kill list” of classmates was arrested and charged last week. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Great-grandmother Clare Nowland  passed away in hospital last night, one week after she was tasered by a NSW Police officer in her Cooma nursing home.  The former NSW multiculturalism minister has been forced into an apology after making a comment  about a Vietnamese-Australian MP, which has been labelled “offensive” and “racist”.  A Centrelink worker stabbed in a bloody ambush in Melbourne is planning to launch legal action against the welfare agency for failing to protect her.  All parents at an Adelaide Hills school were only notified yesterday that a student who allegedly had a gun and a “kill list” of classmates was arrested and charged last week. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Great-grandmother Clare Nowland  passed away in hospital last night, one week after she was tasered by a NSW Police officer in her Cooma nursing home.  The former NSW multiculturalism minister has been forced into an apology after making a comment  about a Vietnamese-Australian MP, which has been labelled “offensive” and “racist”.  A Centrelink worker stabbed in a bloody ambush in Melbourne is planning to launch legal action against the welfare agency for failing to protect her.  All parents at an Adelaide Hills school were only notified yesterday that a student who allegedly had a gun and a “kill list” of classmates was arrested and charged last week. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

NSW Police have addressed the media after an elderly woman was allegedly tasered at a nursing home in Cooma.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this week's show, Maddi and Jenna are here to set the record straight and to share some more in depth stories about their recent Cooma trip. The girls share a pretty epic story, with much in depth focus on their good intentions, involving an 80” full of firewood, groceries, and all of Linus' possessions

Last month, Cooma, Australia played host to the largest celebration for Land Rover's 75th Anniversary.  The Pangolin crew of Ike, Linus, Jenna and Maddie made the pilgrimage to the land down under for this momentous occasion. But, before they could get to the Cooma festivities, first they had to embark on an epic drive from Melbourne to Cooma in an impressive assortment of vintage Series One Land Rovers (with a few black sheep). Hear tales of misadventure, told the way only Linus and Ike can tell it, from exploding drive shafts, swapping out gas tanks, perilous water crossings, and a mysterious Button Man…

As the Pangolin crew travel home from Australia, Steve is joined by Liza to talk all about the exciting events coming up on the show this summer.   3:20: Full Sail University hosting Liza & the Dream Machine on campus this week 4:50: Liza updates us on how Rebelle prep is going for 2023. They talk about training with Nena Barlow of Barlow Jeep Adventures last month, and upcoming trainings in 2023 for her and Jenna, including Rebelle Trials. 9:20: Liza will be joining a convoy next weekend to recreate the American leg of the 2003 G4 Challenge with four of the original six Range Rovers that did the original event. 13:30: While Liza will be in Utah, Steve will be bringing his Series 2A 109” NADA “Ted” to the Queen's English Car Show in Woodley Park on April 23 14:50: Of course, Steve and Ike will be at ANARC's 75th Anniversary Celebration in June in Greek Peak. 17:40: Speaking of other podcasts, we talk about an exciting cross over episode with the Centre Steer podcast that will be coming out soon! 19:30: Did you get your copy of Rover's Magazine yet? Liza and Jenna and the Dream Machine are featured pretty prominently in a great article about the Rebelle Rally. 20:30: Of course, we'll have a few episodes dedicated to catching up with Ike, Jenna, Linus and Maddie about their Cooma adventures. 22:40: Liza and Steve will be in Scotland this year, and hope to meet some of our Scottish listeners if we can make it happen 24:50: Be sure to check out our new website over at www.underpoweredhour.com, or check out our Patreon! Watch full length episodes on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@theunderpoweredhour9893/featured

On this week's episode, Chris (who doesn't listen to the show) is filling in for Ike while he and the Pangolin crew continue their Cooma adventures down under.  Long time friend of the Beres family, Chris has joined Steve for many if not most of his hair brained adventures, and has had a long history with many of the cars in the collection. Today, Chris has a graph and a chart, and we're ranking Steve's Rovers, past & present, and grading them on a scale.  With categories like BEST, PRETTY OKAY, AMAZING (BUT MIGHT NEVER LEAVE THE WORKSHOP), DAILY DRIVERIEST, AND OFF-ROADIEST.  They break down fifteen different vehicles Steve has or currently owns, and ranks them accordingly, with some fun stories of misadventure over the years.  It's like picking your favorite child… Highlights: 5:00: Introducing the chart and categories 7:40: 1970s British Military 109” Pickup  9:50: Range Rover Classic 12:00: 1993 Camel Trophy Discovery 18:20: Stage One x 2 20:20: 2003 G4 Edition Freelander (the #undisputedkingoflandrovers) 22:40: 1951 Series One 80” 25:20: 2021 Land Rover Defender 110 TReK edition 26:50: 1957 Series One Station Wagon 28:00: Late 90s/Early 2000s Discovery I and Discovery II 31:40: 1969 Series 2A “Bugeye” 33:10: 1973 Series 3 35:30: 1967 Series 2A 109 NADA 6 cylinder, lovingly known as Ted (Chris didn't know why we call it that…) 38:00: 2009 TDCI Defender 110 Puma 41:40: 1994 Defender 90 V8 NAS - The Dream Machine 46:20: More information about Chris and his Mini Cooper and International Harvester Scout (which is certainly not an underpowered vehicle by any means!) 49:20: The Lightning Round  #cameltrophy #landrover #landroverseries #landrover80inch #underpoweredhour #landroverdefender #landroverdiscovery #landroverenthusiast #landroverlover

Ike and Steve are back, and have lots to talk about this week. (1:18): Doug DeMuro is selling his new-ish Defender, and we're not totally buying that long repair times are necessarily the reason. Doesn't every luxury brand have extraordinary lead times on repairs these days? (7:05): A heartwarming story out of the Land Rover Service Awards, one of the recipients of a Defender 130 at last year's Destination Defender event was able to rescue a bear cub in their new vehicle. Shout out to Appalachian Bear Rescue on their great work! (10:05): JLR has a new interim CEO, and we're not sure that Patrick McGillicutty isn't just two kids in a trench coat pretending to be a grown up… But good luck to Patrick! (11:55) Steve gives us a shop update, and tells us all about his new CNC Plasma Cutter that he got for a pretty reasonable entry cost all things considered. Ike asks some great questions to think about before making a purchase of your own. (18:26) The widow maker is the world's scariest forklift, and Steve's industrial HOA wants him to get rid of it. We can't imagine why… (19:32) The moment we've all been waiting for, we have a very important update about the #undisputedkingoflandrovers that you won't want to miss, including some number crunching to calculate the ratio of money to purchase vs. money to fix this god forsaken car… (26:15) Ike is Cooma bound, and Steve catches up with him before they left to see how their prep for the trip to Australia is going. We can't wait to catch up with them when they return Stateside in a couple of weeks. The boys also digress into a lot of discussion of koalas that no one needs… (33:22): The newest issue of Rovers Magazine started hitting mailboxes, and Team 155: Full Sail Dream Team is featured prominently, along with the other four Land Rovers that ran the 2022 Rebelle. Huge shoutout to @landroverwriter Jeff Aronson for the great coverage. (34:59) Instagram shoutouts to @Sheepish_Overlander and @the_canadian_freelander for living the life of Defenders, Jimnys and functioning Freelanders Steve can only experience in his dreams…

Seven years ago, Sarah Atkinson a 27-year-old hairdresser, lived with her husband in the small town of Cooma, near the Snowy Mountains. After the devastating loss of her mother, Sarah decided it was time to take control of her future and embrace the things that scared her – so she set out to completely change her life. Now, 33-year-old and mum to three beautiful kids, Sarah runs a successful business with her husband, and has recently graduated with a Bachelor of Psychological Science from Swinburne Online and now has her heart set on becoming a Life Coach and has just started her graduate diploma in Coaching.I loved Sarah's story and she proves there really are enough hours in the day when you want something bad enough! Enjoy. x Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, we welcome a special guest all the way from the land down under, Geoff Lewis from Seriously Series in Australia! But before that, they dive into the world of Japanese K cars with Land Rover body kits and review the latest and greatest kit called the “Dafunder”. This innovative creation is designed for Honda N vans, magically transforming them into something that kind of resembles the new Defender. They may not be as great as a Little D, but who cares? We're loving them just the same! Finally, it's time to bring on our good friend and fellow Land Rover nerd, Geoff Lewis. He's a creator, enthusiast, and all around knowledgeable Rover guy, which is perfect because we couldn't find anyone else who would tolerate our tomfoolery. We'll be talking about his upcoming screening of his film "Road to Ruin" at the Land Rover 75th Anniversary in Cooma this April, which we're sure is going to be the event of the century for everyone except Steve (its killing him that he can't go). Get ready for a deep dive into Rovers of all kind, including Geoff's own vehicles. By the end of this conversation, you'll know more about Freelanders, Utes, and Stage Ones than you ever wanted to know… Don't miss out on Geoff's screening. Get tickets here: https://tinyurl.com/5x2yw3e9 Be sure to check out Seriously Series on YouTube: https://youtu.be/iQ0mqlc6qVA

Jane Cay is an Australian entrepreneur and founder of the fashion retailer, Birdsnest. She launched the company in 2004 from her hometown of Cooma in rural New South Wales, and it has since grown into one of Australia's most successful e-commerce businesses, with a strong focus on customer service, personal styling and body positivity. In mid 2022, Jane and the team at Birdsnest opened Nest Stays, two lovingly renovated, sustainably-minded heritage terrace homes, each accommodating up to 6 guests, also located in Cooma. The properties are designed to provide guests with a comfortable and stylish home away from home, drawing on Birdsnest's signature modern, understated aesthetic. In a relatively short period of time, Jane has achieved more than most could expect to achieve in a lifetime, and it was an absolute pleasure to chat with her earlier this week.

In this episode, Neil chats to best-selling author and agri-creative, Alice Mabin from Cooma in New South Wales. Local Government Area: Snowy Monaro Website: www.almabin.com / www.agrishots.com This episode is proudly supported by our season sponsor - Nufarm. Australian Through and Through. Visit their web site at www.nufarm.com.au

Paula Duncan is one of Australia's most loved and recognisable TV actors, and we're thrilled to have her join us on the Food Bytes podcast this week. The six-time Logie winner takes us from her childhood days in Cooma to behind the scenes of Cop Shop. We also have a good giggle over those famous Spray ‘n Wipe commercials. Paula also just happens to be a very skilled and passionate cook. Her dinner parties are legendary. This week's Friday Food Poll puts snags up against hot dogs. Is that even fair? Tune in to find out -- Presented by Sarah Patterson & Kevin Hillier Broadcast each Sunday on the ACE Radio Network - https://aceradio.com.au/ Subscribe in iTunes!https://apple.co/2M43hOS Find us on Spotifyhttps://spoti.fi/2PPAoEB Prefer iHeart Radio?https://ihr.fm/2LqCbQ2 Follow us on Facebook...https://www.facebook.com/foodbyteswithsarahpatterson/ Twitter & Instagram - @sarahfoodbytes Post-production by Steve Visscher | Southern Skies Media for Howdy Partners Media | www.howdypartnersmedia.com.au/podcasts © 2022See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

25 OCT [9:45am] The Bureau of Meteorology advises MAJOR FLOODING IS OCCURRING AT COOMA. Heavy rainfall in the Cooma area has caused rapid creek rises and major flooding at Cooma. Rainfall is expected to ease today, and creek levels are currently peaking. Major flooding is occurring along the Cooma Creek. The Cooma Back Creek at SMEC is currently peaking around 2.15 metres with major flooding. The Cooma Creek at Koolaroo is currently peaking around 4.0 metres with major flooding.

Sandra and I have been friends for many years, but it went to a whole new level when I was on the support crew for a 50K Oxfam walk she did a few years ago and I needed to massage her feet.  Sandra and her husband Tony married late in life and now are the Salvo leaders in Cooma.  There is never a dull moment in her story and apart from being a mad keen Carlton supporter, she is a fabulous human being.  

Jane Cay, doesn't run her business like most entrepreneurs. She's like the anti-entrepreneur, doing the opposite of what most business owners do, which is spend a ton of time and money in parts of the business that traditionally don't “make” money. Ironically, it's precisely that laser focus on team, culture, customer experience and sustainability over the last 14 years that's enabled Birdsnest, Jane's online and retail fashion business, to grow 30 times in size from it's infancy and employ 150 fabulous “nesters” (or team members to anyone who's not familiar with the famous in-house Birdsnest terminology.) But when Jane first purchased a retail business on the high-street of Cooma in 2008, then under a different name, she had no particular interest in fashion. The daughter of an accountant, Jane had a knack for numbers, but what she did discover, as she found herself in daily changeroom conversation with her customers, was that she was passionate about ‘inspiring confidence' in her clients. So, she made it her mission then and there to discover new ways to solve their wardrobe dilemma's using the most insane level of customer service, listening to feedback and utilising the latest technology. I mean…there's a lifetime return policy on every purchase at Birdsnest! With T's & C's this good, theres no doubt Jane's disrupting the fashion game, in more ways that one. There's nothing more inspiring for other women in business, than hearing a story like Jane Kay's and the building, bird by bird, of Birdsnest. I for one, am so glad she trusted her instincts on this one.

North, South, East and West. Regional online retail powerhouse Jane Cay, founder and CEO Birdsnest is here to talk us through her morning walking mediation for this latest episode of Daily Routines. There's also talk about habit stacking, removing rubbish from the car, audible stories on the way to work, public speaking and being home in time for dinner. Jane is a truly under celebrated trailblazer for rural Australia. BirdsNest employs over 200 locals in its retail shop in Cooma, most of them are women and the business has been awarded for its innovative approach to staff management many times over. Jane recorded this segment for a very special live recording of Company at The Collective Grenfell earlier this year. You can find BirdsNest at birdsnext.com.au or @birdsnestonline If you're loving this podcast please feel free to rate and review it if you're listening via Apple Podcasts. If you're loving it so much that you can wait until next Tuesday - you can become a paid subscriber to our newsletter, Company on Sunday, for early dispatches released on Sunday morning.

Another interview featured on Lara's fantastic show, Joanne van der Plaat is the keynote speaker for UNEs Law Students' Society Law Ball Charity Gala on the 23rd July 2022. Joanne is a solicitor with more than 10 years' experience in general practice, acting in workplace relations disputes, property and planning and wills and estates. Joanne was a long-standing partner of Blaxland Mawson & Rose, in Cooma, and is a prominent advocate for the recruitment and retention of lawyers in rural, regional and remote areas and the importance of business development and succession planning in rural and small firms.Joanne has been a member of the Law Society since 2009 and actively involved with the Society for more than a decade. She currently serves on the Audit, Risk and Finance Committee, the Disclosure Committee and Rural Issues Committee and has previously chaired or been a member of the Professional Conduct Committee, Employment Law Committee, Property Law Committee and Human Rights Committee.Joanne holds a Bachelor of Laws from Macquarie University and is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, a Director of Lawcover, and has previously held board positions in the aged care, early childhood and education and social justice sectors. Questions Asked of Joanne1. Did you always want to be a lawyer when you were growing up?2. What is your most favourite job you've ever held?3. If you could go back in time to meet the person you were when you were studying law, what advice would you give yourself?4. What was your biggest career failure - what did you learn from that experience?5. Where was one place that your career took you that you didn't expect?6. In your opinion, what is the most important strength someone would need to have to be a successful lawyer?7. What do you think the legal industry will look like in 5 years? What about 50 years?8. If you could have dinner with any historical figure who would it be and why?9. If you had to write a book tomorrow, what would you write about?10. If you could be remembered for one thing, what would it be?Tickets to the UNELSS Charity Law Ball can be purchased HERE up until Saturday, July 16.

How do you design a building to house a nation's cultural and social history? The new home of the Australian National Archives has been purpose built for this extremely demanding role. With enough shelving to stretch from Canberra to Cooma the purpose-built facility is environmentally controlled, environmentally friendly and energy-efficient. Jonathan Green takes a stroll through its corridors with Sean Debenham, Assistant Director Storage and Lending to check out what's in there.

Once regarded as a fringe movement, more designers and architects are looking to nature-based systems to build our lives while reducing carbon emissions. Claire Beale, Executive Manager at LCI Melbourne and a former Design Institute of Australia President, takes us through the Three Bs of organic design; biomorphic, biomimetic and biophilic. The National Archives of Australia records and stores key events and decisions that have shaped Australian history and after one heck of a move has opened the doors of its new facility. With enough shelving to stretch from Canberra to Cooma the purpose-built facility is environmentally controlled, environmentally friendly and energy-efficient. Jonathan Green takes a stroll through its corridors with Sean Debenham, Assistant Director Storage and Lending to check out what's in there. You sick of potatoes yet? We're not.  Annie Smithers continues Kitchen Rudimental this week by tempting us to have a crack at making potato cakes (that's a potato scallop for any Queenslanders and New South Welshfolk). And Colin Bisset takes a strike at the little magic fire stick with a red tip for this week's Iconic Design. If civilization started when we learned how to create fire then what a link to our beginnings the arrival of the humble match was.

Dimity Smith has decided to share a very private battle of hers, very publicly for the first time. At 35 she says she'd always imagined she'd be a mum by now, raising her children in a loving home with a husband by her side. She wants nothing more. But a couple of years ago, after waiting and waiting for a proposal that never came, the long term relationship she was in fell apart, and so did she. But with the support of her family, she decided to jump in the driver's seat and take control, and she's just started the process of freezing her eggs. Mr right might be just around the corner. But if he's not, Dimity is prepared to go it alone. This is her story.GOLD SPONSOR: At birdsnest you can shop online the way you want whether it's by body shape, occassion, or even by the fibres you might be growing on your farm. Browse thousands of curated outfits to inspire your wardrobe or fill out your own Style Profile to receive personalised style recommendations and a free Style guide just for you. As a mum-led business based in Cooma, Birdsnest understands how busy you are but how much you deserve to treat yourself. It's a shopping experience like no other with 365 day returns and a handwritten note from one of the team with your precious parcel. Visit birdsnest.com.au

Anne and Renata have been investigating paranormal occurrences for the past twenty years. Join them for a weekly wrap up of everything paranormal, supernatural, and mystical including Tarot readings, haunted object discovery and the history of weird and bizarre happenings. Listen live on Sunday nights from 8pm! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ethereal weaving their way into the studio, Australia's Jono Pech and Cooma's Brendan White come together to deep dive and review Tango Gameworks' 2022 action horror release, #GhostwireTokyo. The episode is spoiler-free for the first 53 minutes but after that NOTHING is off limits, you have been warned! **Thanks to Bethesda for providing us with 2x PlayStation 5 game keys for review purposes** Gaming Harry's story explanation video can be watched https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=im7N2B4uCQc (HERE) Be sure to follow The Gamers on Twitter: http://twitter.com/missallyheart (Ally) http://twitter.com/brendanatebit (Brendan) http://twitter.com/weareATEBIT (ATEBIT) Follow us on the socials: https://discord.gg/qNRumhgUMM (DISCORD) | http://instagram.com/weareATEBIT (INSTAGRAM) | http://twitter.com/weareATEBIT (TWITTER) Visit our http://atebit.net/ (WEBSITE) and official http://shopatebit.net/ (WEBSTORE) Much love, #stayhumble and #stayhungry

Coming in hot on the back of rival sunwings, Australia's Jono Pech and Cooma's Brendan White settle in around the fast travel campfire to breakdown their time with Guerrilla's follow up to their 2017 smash hit, #HorizonForbidden West. Put the kettle on and get comfortable as this is our longest SPOILERCAST to date, clocking in at over 137 minutes of post-apocalyptic robo-battley goodness. The episode is spoiler-free for the first 67 minutes but after that NOTHING is off limits, you have been warned! Be sure to follow the boys on Twitter and continue the Spider-Man discussion via our Discord and socials: http://twitter.com/missallyheart (Ally) http://twitter.com/brendanatebit (Brendan) https://my.captivate.fm/twitter.com/jonohimself (Jono) http://twitter.com/weareATEBIT (ATEBIT) Follow us on the socials: https://discord.gg/qNRumhgUMM (DISCORD) | http://instagram.com/weareATEBIT (INSTAGRAM) | http://twitter.com/weareATEBIT (TWITTER) Visit our http://atebit.net/ (WEBSITE) and official http://shopatebit.net/ (WEBSTORE) Much love, #stayhumble and #stayhungry

I'm really chuffed to be bringing you this very special live recording of the Company podcast from regional co-working space, The Collective, Grenfell run by Belinda Mahwinney and Ant Dixon. Jane Cay grew up in Cooma, she went away to boarding school in Mittagong, her first ‘big girl' job was at IBM in Sydney, then she fell in love, with Oli, quit her job and moved her life to Cooma. In a way it was the beginning of the rest of her life as the Big Bird of BirdsNest, and it was a path she never envisaged.She moved her life to Cooma. Bought retail clothing shop, High Country Outfitters.In 2008 she took the business Online, everyone said she was crazy. Online wasn't a thing back then. The business grew and grew and grew, Jane and Oli had three children and life was busy. At some point Jane googled ‘How do I calm down?' and alongside a survey of staff, Jane was set off on a new trajectory of self awareness, that ultimately has seen her family owned business and Jane's leadership journey, go from strength to strength to strength.In 2017 BirdsNest came 4th in the BRW Great Places to Work Awards and then nest year Jane was awarded number one in the Top 50 People in E-commerce in Internet Retailing. Today we're going to delve into this journey, with a particular focus on Jane's journey of leadership and self awareness.

In a small town called Cooma, just south of Canberra in rural NSW, in an old house just on the outskirts of town a man in his early 30s has a private gloryhole. It's modestly made from a bed sheet strung up in the hall in front the screen door. James replied to an advert which advertise a discreet gloryhole service one a personals website, much like Craigslist. He described himself as 37, Aussie with a 7 inch dick that urgently needed draining. It would be his first time at a gloryhole and was nervous. It was 11am on a Saturday morning. After a short back n forth, James' horniness directed him to pull up in a beaten up white Hilux. He wore faded jeans and work boots, which I could see through the hole. Pausing for a moment, he unbuckled his belt and unzipped his pants. Twitter: https://twitter.com/KobyFalksXXX Instagram: https://Instagram.com/KobyFalks Something more cheeky: https://linktr.ee/KobyFalks You can subscribe here: https://anchor.fm/KobyFalksXXX/subscribe --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/kobyfalksxxx/message

The shock exit of Australia‘s Test captain Tim Paine hits global news. The Federal Government is trying to claw back more than $191 million for overpayment of the childcare subsidy. Unaffordable property prices have led to the emergence of “mortgage mates”. Former NSW Labor minister and powerbroker Eddie Obeid is expected to head back to jail in Cooma. For updates and breaking news throughout the day take out a subscription atdailytelegraph.com.au See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

While growing up in the regional NSW town of Cooma, Maddison Howes (Saga) took a part time job in a local café. Although destined for university and a career in another field the connections and camaraderie in hospitality. After she moved to Sydney and completing her degree, she realised the energy of the industry was calling her, and after managing one of the Sydney's best new wave restaurants she opened her own café with her husband, and pastry whiz Andy Bowdy to build one of Sydney's most popular venues.https://www.instagram.com/maddsagram/?hl=enFollow Deep In The Weeds on Instagramhttps://www.instagram.com/deepintheweedspodcast/?hl=enFollow Huckhttps://www.instagram.com/huckstergram/Follow Rob Locke (Executive Producer)https://www.instagram.com/foodwinedine/LISTEN TO OUR OTHER FOOD PODCASTShttps://linktr.ee/DeepintheWeedsNetwork

Ft: Jo Clay MLA, November this year will mark the centenary of the opening of the train line from Cooma to Bombala. It's a sad anniversary, to be honest, because trains stopped running beyond Cooma 35 years ago this month. An enormous amount of work and expense went into creating a major piece of transport infrastructure that was only used for 65 years. We need to start asking serious questions about what we want to see happen with this important infrastructure.

It’s unlikely there’s a busier jockey in Australia currently than Hunter Valley based Mikayla Weir. As this podcast is posted Mikayla has had 32 race rides on 8 different race tracks in 10 days. Just for practice she rode in 11 barrier trials at Scone last Wednesday.  In an interview recorded on Good Friday she takes us through that horrendous schedule. The young jockey logs enormous mileage to honour commitments in the North Eastern corner of the state. She explains how she comes to terms with the travelling. Mikayla takes us back to early days on the South Coast and her introduction to rodeo. She explains the fundamentals of some of her favourite rodeo pursuits. Mikayla recalls the fateful day at a Cooma rodeo when she met her partner, professional rodeo star Jock Bone-Langdon. The 27 year old looks back on her first racing stable job with Kembla trainer Kerry Parker. It was a year before Kerry allowed her to ride trackwork. She was “hooked” from the first moment. Mikayla reflects on her successful application for an apprenticeship with Hunter Valley trainer Todd Howlett- an apprenticeship which only recently concluded. The hard working jockey remembers her first race ride and the magical moment of her initial win. Mikayla acknowledges some of the nice horses who’ve helped to lift her profile in recent times. She makes special mention of her role model Kathy O’Hara, and expresses her gratitude to the trainers who’ve given her regular support. The popular jockey talks of the support she receives from partner Jock who gives her the latitude to pursue her chosen career. Mikayla outlines the improvements she and Jock have made to their Jerry’s Plains property. She hints at a future as a trainer.

A prison governor becomes good mates with a former inmate and even gives a speech at his wedding. In the fourth episode of Behind the Walls: Rehabilitation, crime author and former journalist Michael Duffy talks to former inmate Damian Cuff about the friendship he has formed with Governor Mark Kennedy. Damian spent 19 years in-and-out of prison for a range of crimes including armed robbery, kidnapping and drug use.  “Normally blokes get out and they go back to the same area, the same people that they always hung with and got in trouble with,” Damian says. “I was given an opportunity before I got out here. I did works release and I still work for that company now - they offered me a position if I was willing to stay in Bathurst and what better opportunity than to start fresh. “I'm still mates with Kenno (Mark) because Kenno, he knew about me, but he didn't want to make me feel like I was a criminal, or I was different. I was just one of the boys playing football.” Behind the Walls is produced by Corrective Services NSW, part of the Department of Communities and Justice. If you like our show, please give us a rating or a review. Host: Michael DuffyTechnical Production and Design: Ben CorkWith thanks to the following guests: Wayne Bywater, Jacqueline Forbes, Karen Allen, India McMillan, Mark Kennedy, Rowena Mustard, Charles Heath and Damian Cuff.We are grateful for the assistance of staff at Glen Innes, Cessnock, Dawn de Loas, Macquarie, Bathurst, Cooma and Kirkconnell correctional centres.For more stories on prison and parole:Like us on FacebookFollow us on Instagram, YouTube or TwitterListen on SimplecastContact us: podcast@justice.nsw.gov.au

If you treat inmates like animals, they'll act like animals. What happens when they get out of jail? Would you want them living in your suburb? In the third episode of Behind the Walls: Daily Life, crime author and former journalist Michael Duffy learns how inmates – and staff – spend a typical day at prisons including Cessnock, Dawn de Loas and Bathurst correctional centres. Macquarie Correctional Centre prison officer Liz Sears tells Michael: “Essentially our job as a prison officer is to make our community safer, and in order to do that we need to give these inmates as much chance as possible to re-enter society and be safe, because they will be living next door to us. “We are not giving them any more than what they deserve or any more than anyone else on the outside deserves, we are just giving our community as a whole, the chance to be safe.” Behind the Walls is produced by Corrective Services NSW, part of the Department of Communities and Justice. If you like our show, please give us a rating or a review. Host: Michael DuffyTechnical Production and Design: Ben CorkWith thanks to the following guests: Charles Heath, Craig Smith, Paul Coyne, Angela Feeney, Liz Sears, Faith Slatcher, Mick Chesworth and Glen Wharton.We are grateful for the assistance of staff at Glen Innes, Cessnock, Dawn de Loas, Macquarie, Bathurst, Cooma and Kirkconnell correctional centres. For more stories on prison and parole:Like us on FacebookFollow us on Instagram, YouTube or TwitterListen on SimplecastContact us: podcast@justice.nsw.gov.au

Would you believe that some inmates actually ask to be sent to Australia's toughest and most regimented prison, Supermax?  In the second episode of Behind the Walls: Security, crime author and former journalist Michael Duffy learns about prison-yard hierarchies and how to stop inmates from attacking each other. “There's no doubt that security is the core function of a prison, but security means much more than just locking people up and watching them from towers so they don't escape,” Michael says.  “It means keeping inmates from attacking each other, or rioting, or attacking our officers or prison property.  “That means our officers need to know what's going on among the inmate population. To do that, they have to walk among the inmates, talk to them, gather and respond to intelligence.”Behind the Walls is produced by Corrective Services NSW, part of the Department of Communities and Justice. If you like our show, please give us a rating or a review.Host: Michael DuffyTechnical Production and Design: Ben CorkWith thanks to the following guests: Dale Ashcroft, Craig Smith, Angela Feeney, Lee Caines, Sarah, Shae Field, Andrew Guffogg, Todd Williams, Paul Coyne.We are grateful for the assistance of staff at Cooma, Dawn De Loas, Lithgow, Bathurst, Kirkconnell and Cessnock correctional centres. For more stories on prison and parole:Like us on FacebookFollow us on Instagram, YouTube or TwitterListen on SimplecastContact us: podcast@justice.nsw.gov.au

Dean Lynch is the Snowy 2.0 Relations Manager for the Snowy Hydro project. A fifth-generation resident of the Monaro and Snowy Mountains region, Dean has been a leader in the community as Mayor of the Cooma Monaro Shire and administrator of the Snowy Monaro Regional Council. He also has extensive experience in business as the former owner and operator of a chain of electrical retail stores, and in civil earthworks and contracting. Dean remains a retail business owner in Cooma and owns and manages Kunuma Stud.

Flexible granular pavements protected by sprayed seal surfacings are the backbone of the Australian and New Zealand road networks. Road agencies in Australia and New Zealand have therefore been focused on producing quality, long-lasting sprayed seal surfacings. Such efforts include conducting research into bituminous binders as a key component of sprayed seals. A landmark achievement in this area was the Austroads sprayed seal trial sites at Coober Pedy in South Australia and Cooma in New South Wales. These trials were established to evaluate the relative performance of seals constructed using various grades of binders, from their placement through to long-term service. This was a significant research investment made to ensure that the national specifications and test methods that are used for the procurement of sealing binders are contemporary and robust, and incorporate performance requirements to ensure that the bituminous binders that are being procured are of suitable quality and are not prone to premature ageing. This webinar presents the outcomes of the Austroads research project which was conducted to monitor the performance of the trial sites up to about 8 years since construction. The project work includes comprehensive studies on the ageing properties of trial binders and their effects on the life of sprayed seal surfacings. Presented by Young Choi and Steve Patrick.

The name Jane Cay is synonymous with trailblazing success. The mum of three is the founder of Birdsnest, the little Cooma shop which has turned into a digital commerce giant, turning over $25 million a year. With nearly 150 staff, the accolades have rolled in. Jane has been named number one in the Top 50 people in E-Commerce, and Birdsnest has been named the fourth best place to work in Australia. The business also now boasts nine in-house brands. All this, while raising her kids alongside husband Oli, on their Merino property 65-kilometres outsideCooma. Yet on March 16, 2020, everything was tumbling down. It’s a day seared into Jane’s memory as one where the store was receiving more packages returned than what they were sending out. Listen to hear her story.Thank you to the Sponsor for this episode SG Off Road. Life on the Land is an independant podcast of the Graziher magazine, if you like what you are hearing then please encourage others to subscribe and tune into these amazing women's stories.You can purchase a subscription to the quarterly magazine for yourself or a friend at graziher.com.au

Kerry Cochrane speaks to regenerative farming revolutionary and author Dr Charles Massy, a well known grazier from Cooma in Southern NSW. Dr Massy realised through a paradigm shift in a very tough drought, the ignorance of conventional and industrial farming. This is episode 2 of Ground Cover, an Australian podcast series created for farmers by farmers. These podcasts were recorded in 2019 with Kerry Cochrane, President of the Australian Institute of Ecological Agriculture Cooperatives. Proudly produced by the Regenerative Agricultural Alliance (RAA) and Southern Cross University.

Rosanna Mosely has seen that increasingly, engineers require a more diverse range of skills.  No longer is it just about maths and problem solving.  Engineers must be able to broaden their scope of what is required of an engineer to include the soft skills that are so often spoken about.  This is a podcast about the engineering challenges that are facing today’s society. These are our Engineering Heroes. A podcast from Engineers Australia. Your hosts are Melanie and Dominic De Gioia See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode #44 with Andrew NottSupport the RFS bushfire fundraiser Andrew organised - Link to donate!Message to GarciaPlease note, this episode was recorded in January 2020 and I felt there was enough relevant conversation to be released now in May 2020. But the world has changed so much. Bushfires into COVID-19. The points are still applicable and above all, we need to be kind to one another. If you're able to donate to the RFS bushfire appeal, then great - if not, no stress! Thanks for being here and keep on going!Love always, RienHow you can stay in touch and help the podcast grow!If you enjoyed this episode or any of the others so far, please subscribe! If you've done that already, I'd love for you think of someone you know and care about who would enjoy it, and send them the link or take a screenshot - word of mouth is how this thing will grow - your support means a lot! Lastly, if you've done both of the above, a 5 star review on Apple Podcasts would be immense, but no pressure, if you don't think 5 stars is fair then let me know what you think I can improve to earn those stars. Much love! Rien :DFOLLOW;The Hope Initiative on InstagramThe Hope Initiative on FacebookEmail me any questions or feedback you have or even guest ideas - I'd love to hear from you! rien.macdonald@gmail.com 

People move to Cooma for the landscape, to walk through forests, to farm, to be embraced in a small community that welcomes outsiders.  But in the summer of 2019, danger was lurking in the hills around Cooma and as the year ticked over, Cooma was visited by an unexpected disaster. Guests: Yvi Henderson Sujeed Bosco Louise Jenkins Jodi Brooks Credits: Producer Lisa Burns Executive Producer and Sound Design Sarah Mashman Production Management Team Vicky Rouse and Abe Killian Engineering Tegan Nichols Script consultant Zoe Ferguson Theme Oliver Beard This podcast has been brought to you by the Community Broadcasting Association of Australia and is supported by The Judith Neilson Institute for Journalism and Ideas and The Paul Ramsay Foundation. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This weeks episode is a little different, it's a Live Recording! Pip speaks with Jane Cay, CEO and Founder of Birdsnest at The Huddle event in Orange in Feb 2020. Jane is total powerhouse in online business and we were blwon away by how humble and insightful she is. She is the epitome of the kind of woman we wanted to learn from at our kick-arse women in business event. We think you are absolutely going to L.O.V.E. this chat! The Jumbled-Loves-A-Chat Podcast is simply a fun chat over a glass of bubbles with someone that we find very interesting.We will be launching a fresh episode of Jumbled-Loves-A-Chat every Monday until almost May 2020 and hope that you love listening to it as much as we enjoyed making it.Production and editing by Skye Manson of the Company podcast.

The NSW Premier has confirmed three crew members died when a Large Air Tanker crashed while fighting a bushfire west of Cooma

Andrew Kuuse presents RSN 'Racetracks Everywhere" this week on the show its Kumbia RC & Texas RC in QLD and Cooma RC in NSW

Today, on Ground Cover, Kerry Cochrane speaks to renown author and regenerative farming revolutionary, Dr Charles Massy; a well known grazier from Cooma in the southern Snowies of NSW. A man, who through a paradigm shift in a very tough drought, realised his ignorance as a conventional and industrial farmer, to go on and become a famous author and academic.In this episode Charlie talks about:the time for change being ripe and farmers being intimate with their own landscape and environmentchallenging powerful paradigms and how we have de-stabilised the planet, due to: capitalism, economic rationalism, endless growth and, of course, industrialisationthe anthropocene: the greatest challenge our species has ever confronted and regenerative practices as the solutionthe importance of regenerative agriculture in capturing carbonthe five basic functions of healthy landscapes: solar energy, water, soil, mineral cycles and biodiversity, and humansthe importance of ecological literacy within the education systemCharlie goes on to refer to regenerative agriculture as a revolution. One that can only happen from the bottom up.A little more about Dr Charles Massy:Dr Massy gained a Bachelor of Science (Zoology, Human Ecology) at ANU (1976), before going farming for 35 years, developing the prominent Merino sheep stud 'Severn Park'. Concern at ongoing land degradation and humanity's sustainability challenge led him to return to ANU in 2009 to undertake a PhD in Human Ecology. He was awarded an Order of Australia Medal for his service as Chair and Director of a number of research organisations and statutory wool boards. He has also served on national and international review panels in sheep and wool research and development and genomics.Charles has authored serval books, including Breaking the Sheeps Back and the best selling Call of the Reed Warbler.Charles has managed an almost 2000ha sheep and cattle property; running an average of 8000 - 10000 stock units, for over 40 years. In addition he has managed other properties totally 7000ha for city business interests. In the course of this he has led various local rural organisations plus was a regional bushfire captain.Charles has conducted public speaking, lecturing and education over many years, initially in the fields of transformation and innovation in the Merino sheep and wool industries, and more recently in regenerative landscape management, grazing systems for healthy landscape function and addressing climate change and the current global ecological challenges for our species - including for such organisations as Greening Australia, Regional Landcare groups, and the Federal Governments Carbon Farming Initiative; plus lecture to Human Ecology students at ANU.

Emma moves from Cooma to Sydney and calls the wrong station.

In today's episode we had a sit down with Marlene Miller from DOROTHY DICKENS BOOKS & MUSIC located in Cooma, New South Wales, Australia. After an unsuccessful job application to her local library, Marlene thought it was meant to be when she saw a local bookstore for sale on Gumtree.We learned more about DOROTHY DICKENS BOOKS & MUSIC, the town of Cooma and what you can expect walking into her store.Marlene discussed the swing back to books, and how people who love books are forever loyal to books and the bookstore business. We briefly discussed the e-reader phenomenon, but we really dived into how some parents are having screen free time and are opting to buy books, games, and puzzles for family time.Marlene shared her biggest challenge being a bookseller, and what she loves most. We also talked about her current reads, favorite go-to-genre, and she even offers up some advice for individuals who are considering opening an independent bookstore in their town!Thank you so much Marlene for coming on the show!Listen to the FULL EPISODE over on on our Patreon Page - https://www.patreon.com/bibliofinder CONNECT with DOROTHY DICKENS BOOKS & MUSIChttps://bibliofinder.com/listing/dorothy-dickens-books-music/ CONNECT with BIBLIO HAPPY HOURPATREON PAGE - https://www.patreon.com/bibliofinderBIBLIOFINDER - https://bibliofinder.comBIBLIO HAPPY HOUR - https://bibliohappyhour.com 

Sam (Willy) Williams is a professional rugby league player and the current halfback at the Canberra Raiders. Sam grew up in the small town of Cooma and fell in love with all things sport. After making his professional debut in 2011, Sam has gone on to play over 120 games at the top level. Today we sat down and had a chat about his journey. Enjoy 

What's the best thing about Easter being over? The Adam and Symon Show is back!Symon's got a segment idea that celebrates the best day of the week (02:45), Adam got an unsuprisingly eventful UberPool with his dad (10:45). We also discuss what a bomboniere is (28:10).Subscribe, rate the show ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️, tell your friends, nominate your #WayneOfTheWeek and/or discuss naming your unborn child Wayne with your partner.

THE ONE' Episode 6 In todays episode, I'm in a car hurtling down a highway looking out for kangaroos, brumbies - YES BRUMBIES - and bulk other wildlife whilst 3 of my best mates chat about what makes and breaks a relationship. Alex, Ben and Sam have been 3 of my closest mates for many years, and whilst they may not be perfect in every sense (I mean who is?!) their honesty and vulnerability here to share with me and all you listening on a topic that can be treacherous at the best of times, is something I greatly appreciate. I'm trying something different in this episode. It's somewhat of a Roaming Rien style set up which I envision for the future (if it works well), so please excuse the background noise and odd jolt of the car, and hopefully the chat proves to be up to the standard that you're all coming to know. Thanks as always for taking the time! I hope you enjoy. :D Find me on Instagram @hopeinitiativepod, email me via rien.macdonald@gmail.com or visit the website which is thehopeinitiative.simplecast.fm Please note, there is a slight increase in crude language in this episode - par for the course really when 4 close mates are on a road trip! SHOW NOTES The James Smith Podcast Song - 'Enough', by Jess Fairlie #TPFAlumni

We’re set for a premiership defining clash this weekend in the Capital NPL thanks to Canberra Olympic smashing Cooma Tigers 7 nil last night. The win takes Olympic within 2 points of Canberra FC, who they play this Sunday. The winner takes all. Perth Glory owner Tony Sage has reminded four disagreeing state federations of the “serious consequences” facing Australian football should they block sweeping democratic changes recommended by the FIFA-endorsed Congress Review Working Group. The world governing body would be left with little alternative other than to suspend Australia, which would threaten the Socceroos’ participation in January’s 2019 AFC Asian Cup and the Matildas’ 2019 FIFA World Cup campaign, if the four state federations stick to their guns and join forces with FFA to veto Congress reform at a meeting on September 7.

Hamish and Andy join us for an experiment that involves Liam's girlfriend. We got a bloke called Richard to look for aliens in Cooma and we talk about bathrooms alot for some reason.

Internationally renowned Cooma-based artist Imants Tillers honours his Latvian roots in an exhibition in Riga, Claire Nichols with news from the arts world, we meet two young gun Young Archie winners, Neil Haddon on his Hadley's Prize-winning painting, and is the Melbourne Art Fair making a strong comeback?

Internationally renowned Cooma-based artist Imants Tillers honours his Latvian roots in an exhibition in Riga, Claire Nichols with news from the arts world, we meet two young gun Young Archie winners, Neil Haddon on his Hadley's Prize-winning painting, and is the Melbourne Art Fair making a strong comeback?

More international rugby league please! Alby Talarico, Brad Walter and Sam Williams.

Charles Massy gained a Bachelor of Science in the 70s before returning to the family farm near Cooma and the Snowy Mountains. He has been farming since, and in 2009 Charles Massy returned to ANU to complete a PhD in Human Ecology. In his latest book Call of the Reed Warbler he explores regenerative agriculture; an approach to farming that rebuilds topsoil, increases biodiversity, and importantly for Australia, resurrects eroded land and combats climate change. Charles joins us in the studio. Here's Sarah's review of the book.

Stream episodes on demand from www.bitesz.com (mobile friendly) About Regional – podcast 16, July 16 2017 Welcome to About Regional – a new place for the stories of South East NSW. This podcast is brought to you by Julie Rutherford Real Estate at Bermagui, Doug Reckord, Wendy Gorton and Shan Watts – thanks for your support. About Regional Memberships are now open and come packed with perks! Find out more at www.aboutregional.com.au Charly Thorn is the talk of the town, not only in her home town of Cooma but also on the other side of the world in Vancouver and Los Angeles. Charly is a young fashion designer, not long out of high school, learning her trade and so much more at Birdsnest Cooma. FashFest 2016 in Canberra was her big break and has led to a spot on the catwalk for Charly’s garments at Vancouver Fashion Week in less than 9 weeks. Cooma has been helping Charly raise the money she needs to get there. Since Charly and I spoke on a cold Cooma day, she has also been invited to show at LA Fashion Week in October. As you are about to hear, Charly has all the ingredients of success. You can stay in touch with Charly via her Facebook page. Your feedback, story ideas and advertising inquiries are always welcome, just click on the contact tab. Thanks for your interest, see you out and about is South East NSW. Cheers Ian Subscribe, rate and review About Regional with Ian Campbell at all good pod-catcher apps, including Apple Podcasts (formerly iTunes), audioBoom, Stitcher, PocketCasts, Podbean etc. #regional #life #stories #people #Cooma #Bega #NSW

Stream episodes on demand fro www.bitesz.com (mobile friendly). About Regional – a new place for the stories of South East NSW… Long before Donald Trump turned America’s back on the Paris Agreement, Australian families decided that investing in solar energy for their homes and businesses made sense – Australia has the highest take up rate in the world. The NSW Office of Environment and Heritage (OEH) have just been in the region, dropping in on towns where the take up of solar panels hasn’t been as great as it has been in other communities. Free community seminars were held in Queanbeyan, Cooma, Eden and Ulladulla under the banner of ‘Demystifying Solar Power’ OEH staff were on hand to answer questions and lead discussion – explaining the different options for businesses and households wanting to switch to solar and save money and save the planet. The Paris Agreement was part of the conversation, but it all happened before Trump quite, but I don’t think that would have changed a thing. Lisa Miller, is a confessed solar geek from the NSW Office of Environment and Heritage. Thanks to my partners in this program – Light to Light Camps rolling out the red carpet on the 31 km track between Boyd’s Tower and Greencape Lighthouse south of Eden. Feedback, story ideas and advertising enquires are really welcome – send your email to hello@aboutregional.com.au Thanks for tuning in, see you out and about in South East NSW. Cheers Ian #bega #southeast #NSW #Australia #regional #stores #life #solar #solarpower

Stream eisodes on demand from www.bitesz.com (mobile friendly). About Regional – podcast 10, March 30 2017. Welcome to About Regional – a new place for the stories of South East NSW. My partners for this week’s program are Light to Light Camps, who let you explore the track between Boyd’s Tower and Green Cape Lighthouse in style, check their website for more info. The Gang Gang Cockatoos have arrived in the bush around my place, a sure sign autumn is here. Mind you I was in Cooma this week and the trees in Centennial Park aren’t showing any signs of it. Given that we are about to tick over in to April, those leaves will soon be changing. Autumn is a theme that runs through our conversation today. In August 2013 many in the Bega community were outraged when Bega Valley Shire Council cut down a stand of mature Blue Gums in the town’s park. Council felt the risk of falling limbs was too great, and to be fair some in the community backed them. Littleton Gardens was levelled to make way for a new civic precinct. New trees were planted but the site has been the victim of vandalism a number of times – on one night in May last year around 50 mature trees were snapped, hacked or pulled out of the ground – the communities love and connection with the space had been broken. In the last 6 months Littleton Gardens has got its mojo back, a partnership between Bega Valley Shire Council and SCPA – South East Producers - who use the space for a weekly farmer’s market, has seen leafy greens and other vegetables planted in the park. The community is invited to pick the crop free of charge. With autumn plantings going in a local charity will soon start grazing in the park, taking ingredients for the weekly meals they cook and serve to people and families doing it tough. I caught up with the two volunteer gardeners working this space, Geoffrey Grigg and Marshall Campbell, also joining the conversation Sharon Zweck Coordinator of Ricky’s Place. Thanks for tuning. Your feedback and stories ideas are always welcome – flick me a note to hello@aboutregional.com.au About Regional – a new place for the stories of South East NSW. Cheers Ian

Stream episodes on demand from www.bitesz.com (mobile friendly) Show notes, episode 9 Welcome to About Regional, a new place for the stories of South East NSW. My partners in this week’s podcast are Light to Light Camps – pristine beaches, great food, hot showers and comfy beds. This is your chance to explore the Wilderness Coast in style. More at www.lighttolightcamps.com.au Thanks to Jen, Arthur and Jake for your support. Today an interview that was a real surprise to me. I stuck a microphone in front of Andrew Weglarz at the NSW Corrective Services Museum at Cooma recently – with no real plan for the conversation. Andrew’s insight and intellect took hold and I was just a passenger. Andrew’s passion masks the fact that he is only new to the job and new to Australia. Andrew and the Museum hosted the launch of MoSE – The Museum of the South East, an online collection of significant artefacts from museums of the Bega Valley, Eurobodalla and Snowy Monaro. Feedback, story ideas and advertising enquiries are always welcome to hello@aboutregional.com.au, my contact detail and more local stories are available on the About Regional website and Facebook page. Talk to you again soon or see you out and about. Cheers Ian Subscribe to About Regional via any good podcatcher app..including iTunes, Stitcher, audioBoom, Pocketcasts etc.

Show notes – Ep 8 March 7th 2017 About Regional – a new place for the stories of South East NSW, in episode 8… *Show season in South East NSW is coming to an end with Cooma and Bemboka Show on March 11 and Bombala Show on March 18. Bega Show is the biggest in the region, 3 days and 3 nights in the middle of February. The sideshows are a big part of show time, but at the heart of any country show are the people, produce and animals that grow on this land. Tilba Dairy farmer Robyn Lucas and her son Charles claimed the prestigious supreme champion dairy cattle award at the Bega Show – the best of the best in the dairy ring. The win was bittersweet for Robyn, who after 15 years is being forced off her beloved Sherringham Farm through family circumstances. I spoke with Robyn just after her Bega Show win. Hope you enjoy the new snappier version of the program. Feedback, story ideas, and advertising enquiries are welcome - hello@aboutregional.com.au Cheers Ian Subscribe, rate and review About Regional at iTunes, audioBoom, Stitcher, Pocketcasts or any good podcatcher app. Stream episodes on demand from www.bitesz.com (mobile friendly). Website: http://aboutregional.com.au/ Email: hello@aboutregional.com.au

Elizabeth Harris visits Michael Salmon's studio in Kooyong, Melbourne, and learns from the children's author, illustrator, and entertainer of school children, what 50 years in the arts has taught him about -  Learning to trust your instincts about what early readers find funny. The importance of branching out and diversifying if you want to thrive as an author and illustrator in the long term. How your personality and people skills (or lack thereof) can influence your success in the arts. The pleasure of giving back to the community when you've attained a measure of professional success. How did a beloved children's book make it to the centre page of a newspaper, and its main character become 600 kilos of bronze outside a public library in the nation's capital? What's the connection between Michael, Healthy Harold (the Life Education giraffe that visits schools), and the Alannah and Madeline Foundation? Follow Michael as he travels around Australia visiting Indigenous schools and schools with students of diverse ethnicities, backgrounds, and levels of English fluency. Find out more about Michael Salmon's work at MichaelSalmon.com.au. Notes:Robyn Payne is an award-winning multi-instrumentalist, composer, producer and audio engineer of 25 years’ experience in the album, film, TV and advertising industries. She composed the music for the theme song 'Victoria Dances', which is featured in host Elizabeth Harris' children's book, Chantelle's Wish, available for sale on Elizabeth's website at ElizabethHarris.net.au. The lyrics for 'Victoria Dances' were written by Elizabeth Harris. FULL TRANSCRIPT  Elizabeth:        Welcome to Writers’ Tête-à-Tête with Elizabeth Harris, the global show that connects authors, songwriters and poets with their global audience. So I can continue to bring you high-calibre guests, I invite you to go to iTunes, click Subscribe, leave a review, and share this podcast with your friends. Today I’m delighted to introduce the highly creative and entertaining children’s author and illustrator, Michael Salmon. Michael Salmon has been involved in graphics, children’s literature, TV and theatre since 1967. He started his career with surfing cartoons, and exhibitions of his psychedelic art, and then joined the famous marionette troupe – The Tintookies – as a trainee set designer stage manager in 1968 (the Elizabethan Theatre Trust, Sydney). Since then his work has been solely for young people, both here in Australia and overseas. His many credits include his Alexander Bunyip Show (ABC TV 1978-1988), pantomimes, fabric and merchandise design, toy and board game invention, writing and illustrating of 176 picture story books – which Michael I’m absolutely flabbergasted and astonished and in wonderment at, and everybody’s laughing at that, or maybe he’s laughing at me, I don’t know. (Laughter) I’ll say it again – 176 picture story books for young readers. Several million copies of his titles have been sold worldwide. Michael has been visiting Australian primary schools for over 40 years. His hour-long sessions are interesting, fun, humorous and entertaining, with the focus on students developing their own creativity, which is just fantastic. Suitable for all years, many of these school visits can be seen on Michael’s website, which I will ask you to repeat later. Michael:          Okay. Elizabeth:        Several trips have been up to the Gulf of Carpentaria Savannah Schools and to the remote Aboriginal community Schools on Cape York Peninsula, as a guest of EDU. EDU – what is that? Michael:          Education Department, Queensland. Elizabeth:        The Australian Government honoured his work in 2004 by printing a 32nd Centenary, special edition of his first book The Monster that ate Canberra – I like that - as a Commonwealth publication … for both residents and visitors to our Capital. Every Federal Politician received a copy. Michael:          Even if they didn’t want it, they got one. (Laughter) Elizabeth: Michael was also the designer of ‘Buddy Bear’ for the Alannah and Madeline Foundation (Port Arthur 1996). The Foundation financially supports Children/Families who are victims of violence/violent crime; they are currently running an anti-bullying campaign in Australian Schools. In 2010 the ACT Government further recognized his work by commissioning a bronze statue of his first book character ‘Alexander Bunyip’. Unveiled in April 2011, it stands next to the new – and I’ll get you to say this, Michael … Michael:          GUN-GAH-LIN. Elizabeth:        Gungahlin Library in our Federal Capital. Thank you for saying that. Michael has presented ‘Bunyip-themed history sessions’ for audiences of School Children at the National Library of Australia since 2011. School touring and book titles continue, which I’m blown away by, because you’ve written and illustrated 176 books! Michael:          Some of those were activity books, to be fair, but they were necessitated – writing, the requirements of children, and illustrations, so they were all lumped in together, basically. Elizabeth:        So Michael Salmon, welcome to Writers’ Tête-à-Tête with Elizabeth Harris. Michael: Thank you very much. It’s a pleasure, and thank you for visiting my studio here in downtown Kooyong, Melbourne. Elizabeth:        We are delighted to be here – Serena Low and I, everybody – Serena being my wonderful tech support. Michael, we have been Facebook friends for some time now, which is a wonderful way to keep in contact with people. But do you think social media has affected children adversely, and stopped them from reading and enjoying children’s literature? Michael:          Do you know, in order to answer some of the questions you asked, I probably pondered this one the most. It’s strange times. I’m 67 years old now. If I go back to when I was a teenager … Elizabeth:        Looking very dapper, I may say. Michael:          Yes, thank you, thank you. (Laughter) It’s amazing what no exercise will do. (Laughter) Things have changed so much. If you go back to the fifties and sixties – which both you ladies will have to look at the old films and see reruns of Gidget and all that kind of stuff – however, the main communication of young people several, several decades ago, socially, would have been the telephone. Invariably, houses only had one line that mums and dads would need. But the girls mostly – and perhaps the boys too – would be on the line talking to their friends and all this kind of stuff. And that was the only direction of communication. Perhaps letters and whatever, but certainly the telephone was the main thing. Now how things have changed these days. Having 12 grandchildren ranging from – what are they now, 2 to 24 – I’ve seen a whole gamut, and I see daily just how much social media – the iPads, tablets and things – are taking up their time and the manners in which they take up their time. Elizabeth:        What a wonderful family to have! Michael:          Well, it’s certainly a bit like a zoo (laughter) – I hope they don’t mind me saying that – and I’m the head monkey, but that’s about it. That’s true. But if you think of a child – and one of the main loves in life is visiting schools, and over the many years in Australia I’ve visited many, many schools – and just see what the teachers are up against these days. And often the teachers are – it’s well-known – surrogate parents on many occasions. Often it’s left to teachers, whether it be librarians or very kind teachers … Elizabeth:        Challenging job. Michael:          … To instill in the children a love of literature and how important reading is. But I think of going back to my youth and my toy soldier collection and making and making balsa wood castles and Ormond keeps and whatever it may be, playing in my room with this fantasy world I had grown up in. Elizabeth:        What an imagination! Michael:          Well, my father read to me – when it first came out, back in the fifties, and I was quite young, but – The Hobbit, C.S. Lewis and the Narnian … – beautiful. I was brought up in those kind of – and he also read most of Dickens to me, as well as Kipling. Quite incredible stuff. So my father was a major player in my love of literature. And I’m not sure that it happens hugely these days, but I grew up in a world of imagination. And it wasn’t any great surprise to my parents that I entered the world I’m in, which is the fantasy world of children, because I never got out of it, basically. 67 years we’re looking at at the moment. I would say mental age is about 8 or 9. (Laughter) Elizabeth:        But you make very good coffee for a 9-year-old, Michael. Michael:          But it did eventuate that sitting in my studio in the early hours of the morning, if I start laughing at a concept or whatever, I know full well through the passage of time that preppies or Grade Ones or Twos or kinders will start laughing at it too. So you get to trust your judgement after a while in the arts. You get to know where your strengths are. But going back to your original question, I have a couple of grandchildren who are absolute whizzes on their tablets. They’ve gone through the Minecraft thing; they’ve gone this, they’ve gone that. Almost an obsessive kind of stuff there. Elizabeth:        It’s an addiction, I think. Michael:          Sometimes, you must take time away from the use of imagination. Because let’s face it, in using our imagination, our creativity – and creativity can be cooking a magnificent meal, it can be keeping a well-balanced house. There’s all kinds of creativity, or it could be the artist creativity, but that’s such an important thing, of finding who we are. Elizabeth:        Yes. Michael:          And to have children taken away to a certain extent Magic Land which is absolutely fine until they become obsessive or addictive, as some of these things are, there’s a great danger that children are – shall we say – not able to evaluate or to progress their natural talents etcetera coming through, especially in the arts. Elizabeth:        I totally agree with you. Michael, you’ve written and illustrated so many books. As I’ve mentioned a couple of times, 176. How do you decide what to write about? Michael:          Well, it’s probably – I’ve always written from a cover idea. There’s a book of mine going way back. It’s one of my old favourites, a very simple one, which is called The Pirate Who Wouldn’t Wash. And when I talk to children and they say where do you get your ideas from, I say sometimes you get two ideas that are unrelated and you put them together, and because hopefully my books are rather funny and I was brought up in the fifties on things like The Fabulous Goon Show, Peter Sellers, and Spike Milligan. I loved Monty Python which was a direct sort of baby from The Goon Show. So my love of comedy has always been UK-based. And so that strange juxtaposition of whatever, so I thought, okay, a pirate, and perhaps a person who doesn’t like to wash. And you put them together and you have the pirate who wouldn’t wash. And then you simply – it’s easy if you have a vivid imagination – you list a whole lot of encounters or what could happen to a pirate who wouldn’t wash. Elizabeth:        Could we talk about that? I’d love to talk about that. Michael:          A monster, and then someone who doesn’t like vegetables. Which was one of my stepsons, William, and he was ‘Grunt the Monster’, which was one of my early characters. Refused to eat his vegetables. His teachers went to great lengths to find out how he could eat them, disguise them in milkshakes or whatever it may be. So it was William I was writing about, one of my younger stepsons at that stage. And at university when he went through Architectural course, he was called Grunt, because they knew full well the book was based on him. So it’s good sometimes to disguise – but nonetheless feature things you see around you. Elizabeth:        How did he cope with it? Michael:          He loved it, he loved it, he loved it. Elizabeth:        He got attention? Michael:          He got attention, all that kind of stuff, and he had one of his best mates who let everyone know that he was called ‘Grunt’ – that was sort of his name. But at some stage, I think he uses that – he lectures in Architecture around the country these days. He’s gone and done very well, dear William, and he will sometimes use that as a joke. Elizabeth:        Yes. Icebreaker. Michael:          Icebreaker, exactly. Elizabeth:        Was there a pivotal person who influenced your career? And if so, can you tell us how they inspired you? Michael:          Probably apart from the people I’ve mentioned previously, the Tolkiens and the Hobbits and the Lord of the Rings and the C.S. Lewises and that sort of thing, I’ve always loved the classic British thing like Arthur Ransome’s Swallows and Amazons. These are very famous books that everyone read at one stage. Back in those early fifties, my father was at Cambridge University so we were hoisted out of New Zealand; we went to live in the UK, and it was such a great time for a child to be in the UK. It’s still suffering war damage from Second World War, and London still roped off sections of it - the Doodlebugs, the flying bombs that the Germans sent over to hit London. So it was a rather strange place, but the television was brilliant. I was a Enid Blyton fan, a foundation member of the Secret Seven Club. Elizabeth:        Were you really. Michael:          Even though based in Cambridge, we looked forward to every month of the Enid Blyton magazines, so I grew up on The Faraway Tree and the Secret Seven and the Famous Five. I had my badges, I had all the merchandise. But also on the television in those days was a show we never got to hear in Australia – Muffin the Mule. There was also Sooty the Sweep, Bill and Ben the Flowerpot Men. Andy Pandy was another one. Most of those were for kindies and little bubs. Basil Brush was a little bit later on. And British television was always superb, especially for children. Blue Peter and some of those famous shows was a little bit later on. I mention this because I had ten years of my own show on ABC which you’ll learn later on, and used puppets and things which I’d seen being used on British television. Elizabeth:        Can you tell us about that show please? Michael:          The show itself … When Alexander first became a character, it was a Michael 'Smartypants book', a little book I had published in 1972. This is The Monster That Ate Canberra. And this basically the genesis of the television show. I thought I would do a – I wasn’t a university student but it was like a smartypants university student publication, because the bunyip himself was not the Kangaroo – was in fact an oversized pink bunyip, more like a Chinese dragon. However, the monster was the public service, and so it was like a joke about the public service. Because back in those seventies and late sixties, large departments were being taken from Melbourne and Sydney and relocated in Canberra, Melbourne Commonwealth finance and other things, so Canberra was being flooded with the public service. And that was why Canberra was being set up, but anyway, as a youngster back in 1972 when I first wrote that book, I envisaged this large King Kong kind of character over Civic, which was the main principal shopping centre, the oldest shopping centre, going on Northbourne Avenue as you come in from Sydney. There’s this large monster devouring things, but this monster has a problem: he is short-sighted. Anyway, he saw the buildings – the famous, iconic buildings of Canberra as objects of food. So put them into – like the Academy of Science, a gigantic apple pie; the National Library, which was recently built, at that stage and still looks like a gigantic birthday cake; and I had the Carillon looking like a Paddle Pop or something like that, which are all to do with objects of food. And the bunyip devoured them. And the Prime Minister – the original Prime Minister back then was (William) “Billy” McMahon, and when he chucked, we had then changed to Gough Whitlam. So Prime Minsters changed within the reprints of this book. The best thing about this … way way back when Gough Whitlam became our Prime Minister, one of the first things he did was institute an office that had never been there before, called the Department of Women. It was there specially to consider and to aid passage of women in Australia into jobs and a whole range of things that had never been heard before in a male-dominated kind of world. Elizabeth:        I’ve always been a fan of Gough, so I must say … (Laughter) Michael:          Well, Gough appointed a single mum called Elizabeth Reid – Liz Reid – and she was a very famous lady and she really championed the cause of women, you know, equal rights, and these ridiculous things that should have been fixed a long time but hadn’t. So Liz Reid was pictured in the centre page of the Woman’s Weekly, soon after Gough – this was one of his first appointments, Liz Reid. And there was Liz with her little bub – so she was a brand new single mum. Elizabeth:        Oh wow. Which in those days would have been scandalous, wouldn’t it. Michael:          Oh yes, but Gough was famous for that. He already went out specially with the arts. Regardless of how he was considered as a Prime Minister, he was certainly a great patron of the arts, Gough Whitlam. Elizabeth:        As I said, I’m a fan. Michael:          In this picture, centre pages of Woman’s Weekly, double spread, was little bubba. And in little bubba’s hands, supported by his mother, was a copy of The Monster That Ate Canberra. Elizabeth:        Wow! How did you feel? Michael:          I thought, “Fantastic!” I got a call within a week from one of the biggest educational publishers in the world, called McGraw-Hill, asking “Can you tell us a little bit about this? And I was described as this is probably not how I would think, and I said “No, but thank you very much for calling.” So the most unusual thing sort of kicked up, and we were reprinting this book again and again for Canberra, because Canberra was laughing its head off. Elizabeth:        Good on you Ms Reid – and baby. Michael:          So we had a theatrical presentation, pantomimes based on it with the local Canberra youth theatre. ABC then serialized it on radio, and then came to me – this was about 1977 or so – saying, “Would you consider having Alexander Bunyip on television?” Elizabeth:        Wow. Michael:          And I said “Yes please, thank you very much.” And it was through a mate of mine, quite a well-known scriptwriter for Australian films called John Stevens, and also director of plays and whatever around Australia, and he was one of the directors of the young people’s programs in ABC, who were based at that stage in Sydney. Anyway, Alexander got on television through this rather, uh, strange path he led, entertaining the people of Canberra. Elizabeth:        Can I ask you with that, and throughout your life, you have enjoyed such great success, and certainly rightly so. Have you found that there’s been what has been seen as insignificant moments, turn into huge, huge achievements for you? Michael:          Well, (I) try to step away from cliché but sometimes it’s hard to, when I say you make your own luck. But the fact that that for example, one of my main – I love it – the statue of Alexander Bunyip, 600 kilograms of bronze outside the library. Elizabeth:        In that place I can’t pronounce. Michael:          Gungahlin, that’s right, Gungahlin. Elizabeth:        I’ll practise it. Michael:          I’ll tell you how that happened. Sometimes on Google if you’re an artistic person and you’re an author or illustrator, if you just put your name in and see what’s the latest thing, are there any new entries. Sometimes schools put in things in comments or whatever. Sometimes odd things about your life come up – business life, work life. And there was a situation that occurred, when Gungahlin Community Council had discussed whether – because John Stanhope, who was the chief minister of the ACT at that stage was putting up statues left right and centre, because he wanted a lot of edifices in Canberra to entertain people. Elizabeth:        He was a visual. Michael:          Yeah, visual person. And someone said, “Why don’t we have Alexander Bunyip?” and there was general laughter. But that was supported in the Council vote of Hansard, you know, the documented notes taken in that particular Council session, and I saw this online. And so I merely wrote to this person, sent them one of the more recent copies of The Monster That Ate Canberra, and said “That sounds great. Let me know if I can help.” Elizabeth:        Absolutely! Michael:          Gosh, one thing after another happened, and the head of the Council Alan Kirlin, with John Stanhope, got it organized, and within a year there was a brand new statue being launched by John Stanhope, one of the last things he did before he resigned. He’d done some magnificent work in Canberra. So new ministers were appointed etcetera, so John – the statue was launched, and I made a speech which was dedicated to my mum, who had died the year before. She was a Canberra girl, and I thought that would be nice to dedicate, at least mention her. I’m sure if she were around - in ethereal style - she wouldn’t miss out on that one, I can assure you. Elizabeth:        I’m sure. Michael:          But when the statue was dedicated – the statue stands there – Elizabeth:        Can we go back, because I would like to talk about that speech about your mum. Can we talk about that? Michael:          Yes. Well, my mother Judy, as I said who passed on in 2010 – the statue was put up in 2011 – was a very … went bush Port Douglas many years ago, before Christopher Skase was up there. (Laughter) So I used to go up there and visit her. A hurricane holiday house, which is simply a house in Port Douglas without any windows. It was up in the hills towards the Mosman River valley. Elizabeth:        For those who don’t know Christoper Skase, can you please touch on him briefly. Michael:          Christopher Skase was one of our major financial entrepreneurs who died over in a Spanish location owing millions of dollars to many people. He was like a younger brother of Alan Bond. That’s where Christopher Skase fitted in. I don’t think New York or Spain ever really sort of – Elizabeth:        Recovered. Michael:          Recovered from the Australian paparazzi to see whether Skase was in fact dying or whether he was in a wheelchair with breathing apparatus, wheeled out by his ever-loving wife Pixie, who is back safely in the country now. But that’s by the by. (Laughter) Michael:          My mother was a fairly gregarious character. Elizabeth:        Bit like yourself. Michael:          (Laughter) Pushy. Elizabeth:        No, no, no. Delightful, and entertaining. Michael:          Judy was one of the younger daughters of her father, my grandfather, Canon W. Edwards – Bill Edwards. He was a young Anglican curate who’d been badly gassed on the fields of Flanders and the Somme in the First World War. Elizabeth:        Oh dear. Michael:          But he was an educationalist, as well as a very strong Anglican within the church. So he was sent on his return out to Grammar School looking after that in Cooma. When Canberra was designated as the place to have our new capital, the Anglican Church from Sydney said, “Please harness up one of the buggies, and take six of your seniors and go look at four different venues in Canberra that we are looking at to have a brand new school.” Elizabeth:        Wow. Michael:          And they chose the most beautiful place, in a road called Mugga Way just at the bottom of Red Hill, which is Canberra Boys’ Grammar. He was their founding Headmaster. Elizabeth:        Was he! Michael:          But the fact was that they settled on that because they pitched their tents under the gum trees. They woke up with the sound of intense kookaburra noise, and thought this was perfect for a grammar school, or any other school for that matter. Elizabeth:        Oh, beautiful. Michael:          They were all talking and whatever it was. Elizabeth:        Bit like sounding the bell, you know. Michael:          (Laughter) So going back to those days, that was the start of Canberra and my family going back there to the thirties of last century. However, back in those days in the Second World War, my father had graduated from school in New Zealand, and was sent across as one of those New Zealand young soldiers to become an officer at Duntroon, the training college. The Defence Academy they call it now, but good old Duntroon. So when he graduated, it was the end of World War Two, and he was sent up to war crimes trials in Japan, as one of his first things the Aus-New Zealand ANZAC forces when they went up there to look after things for a while. But my mother was quite a brilliant lady, and she would always be the one painting and decorating and doing all this kind of stuff. Always a dynamic kind of person. And apart from loving her very much as a mum, she instilled in me this gregarious, rather exhibitionist kind of thing. Elizabeth:        (Laughter) Thank you Judy. It’s Judy, isn’t it. Thank you Judy. I know you’re here. Michael:          So Judy was responsible for – in younger, thinner days, long hair, beads, not necessarily hippie stuff but just total exhibitionist kind of stuff. Elizabeth:        Oh I’ve seen photographs of this man, everybody. My goodness, what a heartthrob. Michael:          I looked like I could have been another guitarist in Led Zeppelin or something. Elizabeth:        I’m actually just fanning myself with my paper. (Laughter) Michael:          But anyway, it’s all a bit of fun. Elizabeth:        Did you ever sing? Michael:          No, no, no. I was actually a drummer at one of the schools I attended. Elizabeth:        Were you? I like drummers. Michael:          Yes, but not this kind of drummer. In the pipe bands at Scotch College, Sydney. I was a tenor drummer. Elizabeth:        Okay. Michael:          So they have the big, the double bass drum or whatever and the tenor drums and the drumsticks - I forget the name – like the Poi they have in New Zealand. And the tenor drums – you have to have coordination if you want to play the tenor drums as you march along in your dress: the Black Watch dress. Elizabeth:        Isn’t learning music so important, which reflects in other areas? Michael:          It is, it is. Elizabeth:        Can we talk about that? Michael:          Well, I think that – not being musical but having written lyrics in my pantomimes – and down at a very amateur level worked out what a bunyip would sing about, or go back to an early blues song or doo-wop kind of song when Alexander is stuck in a zoo in the pantomime. So I had great fun. So my musical experience – I was lucky to have some very clever people, including one gentleman who until a few years ago was one of the Heads of Tutors at Canberra School of Music called Jim Cotter. Now Jim Cotter and I – he wrote my first music for me, for the pantomimes I used to do way back in the early days. And then Peter Scriven – he was the head of the Tintookies Marionette Theatre, who were all under the auspices of the Elizabethan Theatre Trust in Sydney at Potts Point. And Peter had engaged him to do – I was doing some sets – it was the first show, our first children’s show at the Opera House – and I did the costumes for Tintookies. It was a revamp of what Peter Scriven had been doing back in the fifties. And Jim had some brand new music, and so my musical experience was purely admiring music and talented people who did that, realizing that it was not my forte. Elizabeth:        Aren’t they clever. Michael:          Nonetheless, by writing lyrics and giving some vague, vague “rock ‘n roll and I like it” -like, you know. Not exactly “Stairway to Heaven”, you know what I’m saying? Elizabeth:        (Laughter) Who was your favourite band at that stage? Michael:          Ahh, I grew up in the Sixties. I got myself a hearing aid the other day. You can hardly see it – one of these new things. But essentially, I’ve had to, because I spent a lot of my younger life surfing in the eastern beaches of Sydney. The promotion of bone growth over the ear – there’s some kind of term for it – and they had to cut away the bone if I were to hear properly. And I thought, I don’t want my ear cut, so I’ll just leave it as it is at 67. But also too, I do attribute some of those early groups to my lack of hearing these days, because I did study for my exams with The Beatles, The Rolling Stones. Pretty much one of my favourite groups of all time was a group that spread, with different members going to different other groups, were The Byrds in America. Dylan songs. “Mr Tambourine”. Elizabeth:        Yes. Was it Eric – Eric somebody? Or did I get the wrong group. Michael:          We’re talking about David Crosby, Gene Clark, Jim McGuinn who changed his name and became Roger, or was it the other way round. But they had the Dylan. They came out with “Mr. Tambourine Man”. Elizabeth:        Yes, I know that song. Michael:          Their next one was ‘Turn, Turn, Turn’. Then they went into more Dylan of, “All I Really Want to Do”. And these are hits of the Sixties. Elizabeth:        You could sing a few bars. Michael:          No I couldn’t. Not even Dylan-style. (Laughter) But I love those songs, mainly because - Elizabeth:        They’re great. Michael:          Jim McGuinn had a 12-string guitar, and it was this jingly-jangly feel to their songs that I loved dearly. But another group which I must tell you, because I met up with them in real life, which is one of my favourite groups, is The Seekers. Elizabeth:        Oh! Miss Judith! Michael:          Now Keith Potger is a good mate of mine. We go for gentlemen’s clubs like Savage Club; he’s a member of Savage, enjoy long lunches, and often with some other guests. Elizabeth:        Athol Guy? Michael:          Yes. And Judith Durham – where you’re sitting there – came and sat down there with her manager a few years ago. Elizabeth:        My goodness! Michael:          She’d seen a presentation – Elizabeth:        She’s beautiful. Michael:          Oh, magnificent. And her voice! Elizabeth:        Angel. Michael:          Judith had seen a production by Garry Ginivan, who is one of the principal Australian children’s entrepreneurs for theatrics, theatres. He’s just finished doing Hazel E.’s Hippopotamus on the Roof kind of stuff, and I’m not sure if he’s doing Leigh Hobbs’ Horrible Harriet. Now that’s going to the Opera House. I’m not sure if Garry Ginivan’s doing that for Leigh. He did for Graeme Base. He did My Grandma Lived in Gooligulch, and also brought packaged stuff like Noddy and Toyland, Enid Blyton and other stuff like The Faraway Tree. So anyway he was presenting Puff the Magic Dragon – and I’m just looking around the room to find a graphic of the poster, because I’d designed Puff the Magic Dragon. Elizabeth:        Did you? Michael:          And they used that for all the promotional material and stuff there, but it was the puppet that I designed. And Judith went along to see – it was at The Athenaum Theatre here in Melbourne, a few years ago now. Elizabeth:        Lovely theatre. Michael:          And she liked the whole idea of the dragon, and she rang me. And so here was this most beautiful angel on the other line … Anyway, she was round a couple of days with her management. She was at that time – this was before The Seekers got back together and did all that magnificent tours they did over the last five or six years, Andre Rieu included. Judith is a honky-tonk girl; she loves the music of spiritual and going across to honky-tonk, like Scott Joplin, the ragtime, and all this sort of stuff. Elizabeth:        Oh, fun! Michael:          And she had written several things that she wanted the sheet music to be illustrated to sell, as part of the Judith Durham empire. And she did the ‘Banana Rag’. So immediately I did the illustration for her. I didn’t take any payment. I said, “Look, Judith, might I be impertinent and ask you to come to one of my clubs and sing – come to dinner?” She was a very strict vegetarian and looked after herself incredibly well after a terrible accident where she had to look after her whole system and she’s done that magnificently. So there she was singing, and this was when The Seekers had just released one of their LP’s, called “Morning Town Ride to Christmas”, which was for children’s songs, and there wasn’t a dry eye in the house of these senior gentlemen at the club I was talking about, one of these good old Melbourne clubs, when she sang “The Carnival’s Over”. Elizabeth:        Oh yes. Michael:          Absolutely superb, so that was more than enough payment for doing some artwork. But since then, I continued … and met the desperate Keith Potger. Elizabeth:        Weren’t you lucky. Weren’t you lucky. Weren’t you lucky to have that gorgeous woman. Michael:          I was lucky. I was lucky. But I had to tell you, Judith - they had an article on her website, and she’s on Facebook as well - had at that time recorded with The Lord Mayor’s Orchestra here in Melbourne. It was called “The Australian Cities Suite”, and she had written a song for every major city in Australia. And I remember she and I were trying to do a book together, a book based on a song that her husband – who passed on through, oh gosh, what was it – the wasting disease, muscular disease … Elizabeth:        MS? Muscular Dystrophy? Michael:          Muscular Dystrophy. I’m sure that must be it. He put in a song called “Billy the Bug and Sylvia Slug”, and so we put that into a book. And I took Judith along to see some of the heads of various publishing firms in Sydney as well as the head of ABC merchandising in their ivory tower down in Haymarket area. Beautiful beautiful premises they have there, ABC Studios. And so Judith was much heralded in both places when I took her as my guest to introduce this book to her. The book didn’t work unfortunately, but she did start singing in the car as we’d arrived early in the carpark of the ABC citadel in Haymarket. She started singing. And we were all sitting there. And she started singing songs again from The Seekers. Elizabeth:        I don’t think I’m ever going to stand up again. Michael:          So here we are in Kooyong, and there’s the beautiful strains of Judith Durham singing songs, and I thought, “It doesn’t get much better than this.” Elizabeth:        Oh wow. Michael:          I don’t think Deborah Harry could have done the same. Elizabeth:        Do you think Judith Durham would speak with me on this podcast? Michael:          Judith is a very accommodating person, and I’m sure that if you ask through her management, Graham her manager would – I’m sure - she would look at that favourably. Elizabeth:        Would I have to wear a ball gown? I have a couple. To meet the Queen. Michael:          Meet the Queen. (Laughter) But anyway, I suppose too, in my business – and Australia is not a huge place really, when it comes to who knows what and we talked before about the degrees of separation. Elizabeth:        Absolutely. Michael:          And so, a lot of my stuff has been … involved with, because of my work, a lot of singers and whatever via The Hat Books. I remember Russell Morris, not in this place but a previous place. Elizabeth:        “The Real Thing”? Michael:          “The Real Thing” Russell Morris. Brilliant, brilliant, and had the two LP’s as well. Elizabeth:        And Molly, Molly is attached to that – he produced it, didn’t he. Michael:          Yeah, but Russell Morris had this concept that he came up with his wife 30 years ago. It was about a toy that was pre-broken and you had to fix it. The whole idea of the toy was that you had to re-glue this broken toy. Elizabeth:        Right. Michael:          It was ceramic, and he was so keen on it, but I just didn’t think it was going to work. He was a man with an incredible imagination – Elizabeth:        Russell Morris? Michael:          Russell Morris. He had this toy concept, but it didn’t work, because I don’t think kids want to sit around re-gluing a toy that has been broken. I don’t know what he was on. Elizabeth:        He was quite resourceful. Michael:          Ah, he is. Look at the way Russell Morris has revived in recent times. And he’ll have to excuse me. I don’t remember, but I’ve certainly listened to his two LP’s – albums as we used to call them, back in the old days – that he did. All bluesy and whatever, and he’s still got a magnificent voice. Elizabeth:        You know, there are so many Australians that are not – what should I say – recognized as they should be, I think. And such talent. Michael:          Ah, yeah. Elizabeth:        And do you think we need to go overseas, like in the old day. I was listening to a program last night, actually, and Brian Cadd was on it. Love Brian Cadd. Beautiful, beautiful music. And he said you know, back in the day you had to go to London. Michael:          Yes, yes. Well, look at Easybeats and stuff like that. Elizabeth:        Do you think people need to go? Michael:          Brian Cadd and The (Bootleg) Family (Band), that’s what he calls his group, they are reappearing at – they are doing an Australian tour this month in February – I saw it on Facebook, actually. Elizabeth:        You know, a friend of mine who’s a pastel artist, highly acclaimed – we were talking about this, and she said in this country, she’s just not recognized and she really needs … She’s working in a boutique! Michael:          It is a problem. You know on Facebook, which is one of the loves of my life, you see a good deal of Australian up-and-coming authors and illustrators, and ones that you dearly wish would … And I do believe that you if you earn it, you deserve a place in the sun – your ten minutes, twelve minutes of fame, all that kind of stuff. And if you’re smart enough, after your time has been, you then start doing things which reinvent yourself. I’m not talking about Madonna-style, but I’m talking about coming up with new things, being aware of new trends and seeing whether you can adapt your talents. Elizabeth:        Being a survivor. Michael:          Being a survivor, absolutely. Because let’s face it, and I’m very grateful – for example, the schools around Australia – 45 years… Elizabeth:        I’m sure they’re grateful to you too. Michael:          I go into the schools and there are teachers there that say, “Look, the last time I saw you Michael, was when I was in Prep or Grade One, and I loved your books then and I still love them." I’m just so thankful. Elizabeth:        How do you feel, other than gratitude? Michael:          Well, this is one of those major things, of feedback you get. And some of them come up and say “I started drawing because of you drawing”. Elizabeth:        You’re inspirational! Michael:          There are just those things there that I … and also entertaining. Doing a bit of stand-up comedy, giving out very silly prizes like Barbie books to Grade Six boys for good behaviour. I know Preppies will never forget those things. Elizabeth:        Can you talk us through – when you present to the school, how do you do that? Michael:          This year I’ve got a ‘Michael Salmon’s Monster Show’ which is talking about more or less the same thing, but some different pictures to ones I’ve been doing before. Essentially what I realized right at the start is if I do some speed cartooning, right in the very first picture I draw there, and do it so quickly in a great show-off manner, you get the kids hooked.  Elizabeth:        It’s magic; it’s in front of us. Michael:          Because the little ones, they say “Look what he did! Look how fast he drew!” And I always knew that that particular facet, if you did it correctly, the little Preppies in the front – because we do try to get mixed grades, with the Grade Sixes at the back – is that you would have their attention if you kept on. So I sort of talked about the way I invented characters and how it happened. Bobo my dog who is not here today – dear Bobo in the book I wrote called Bobo My Super Dog, where I sort of – he saves the world a bit. Elizabeth:        Of course he would. (Laughter) Michael:          Oh, I don’t know. Let’s just go back to the bit about Australia and the people who are trying to make it, and they are doing their very best and you see their brilliant talent. And it’s very evident on Facebook – it’s one of my major purveyors of talent – the ideas that people come up with and all that sort of stuff. I mean, you’ve got some brilliant people here in Australia. You look at Leigh Hobbs for a start. Now he belongs to the Savage Club as I do, so I catch up with him for lunch on occasions. And there he is with his two-year tenure in his position championing children’s books and children’s literature around Australia. His cartoons are very much like Ronald Searle, the famous British cartoonist, who did the original cartoons that accompanied the original published books and also the film versions of St Trinian’s movies, of schoolgirls and things like that – the naughty schoolgirls. And Ronald Searle was a brilliant, brilliant artist, and he had the kind of nuttiness in his cartooning that Leigh Hobbs had. You look at Leigh Hobbs’ stuff – they are very, very sparse, great placement of colour, they are done in a very slapdash manner. It all works together beautifully – from Horrible Harriet, to Old Tom and whatever. And if you’ve got other people – what’s that book by Aaron Blabey – something or other Pug? (Pig the Pug) I bought some books for my very young grandchildren for Christmas, and I thought, “I haven’t seen these books before.” And here he is winning awards and YABBA (Young Australians Best Book Awards) Awards and all this kind of stuff. And so much talent around. And it’s hard in Australia to make a living as an author, because the royalties and stuff, even if you are one of the top ones, may suffice for a while but aren’t continuing. Elizabeth:        And yet Michael you’ve done that – for 50 years – haven’t you. Michael:          Only because of schools. 45 years in schools and 50 years in the arts. But mainly because I branched out and did things like theatre – the television show. You saw when you first entered the merchandise for 'Alexander Bunyip'. Spotlight stores were behind me for fabrics for a decade, and they finished not a huge many years ago. And that had nothing to do with 'Alexander Bunyip'. But the fact of really, of diversifying. Elizabeth:        Okay. Michael:          And the books for me lay a platform. When Mum or Dad read a book at night to their children, and it happens to be one of yours, and it’s something they like, and they happen to be one of the lead buyers of Spotlight stores and they say “We must do something about this guy”, and they came round and sat where you’re sitting, and they said “We’d like to offer you a deal.” And I thought, “Oh thank you. That’s great!” Elizabeth:        But can I interject? The vital part of that is certainly that there is talent and diversification, but it’s also the ability to connect with people - which you are very skilled at. And the warmth that you have … Michael:          Well, thanks to my mother, because she was a people person. Yes, you’re quite right – it does help to be a people person if you’re an artistic person. Of course sometimes it doesn’t flow. Some of the best children’s authors are not people persons. So you can’t expect to do anything. I learned long ago of creating an impact on your audience – start and hold them if you can from then on, and then you can impart any message you want. And the only message I really impart to the children is about developing their creativity, for them to start working on the things they’re good at, or keep drawing or singing or whatever it may be. Elizabeth:        I really want to segue into something from those comments about your work for the Alannah and Madeline Foundation. That is so, so pivotal. Can we talk about that? Michael:          Yes. Do you know, in general terms, it’s really good if you’ve had success, I’ve found, especially in the arts, to find venues and areas and avenues to give back to society. I hope that doesn’t sound too corny. Elizabeth:        It sounds beautiful. Michael:          Up here, I’ve got some – when I was one of the patrons of “Life Be In It” for the Victorian – Elizabeth:        Oh yes! Michael:          And I designed – not the vans, those large pantechnicon vans that went around and advertised anti-drugs and – Elizabeth:        It was Norm, wasn’t it. Norm. Michael:          Norm was “Life Be In It”. This was the Life Education Centre, the one started up by Ted Knox at King’s Cross Chapel, but they went to a huge thing. Large pantechnicon trailers filled with the latest kind of things, and all round Australia, but particularly in Victoria – because that’s where my expertise was, helping them design big wheels to go on, painted by local mums and dads. And I also do it to do some fundraising. But Life Education had a Harold Giraffe as their logo, and it’s still going gangbusters. So these things would go to schools, and like the dental van they locked you in that, and they would see these incredible digital displays of bodies and drugs and anti-drugs, things like that. Magnificent, magnificent. That was one thing I was involved in. A good mate of mine, a school librarian called Marie Stanley, who’s since not a school teacher anymore – a school librarian – she rang up soon after 1996 when the horrific Port Arthur thing had occurred. She had been seconded – Walter Mikac, whose wife Nanette and two daughters Alannah and Madeline were shot dead – he knew he had to do something. So he went to see the Victorian Premier at that stage, Steve Bracks, and also saw John Howard. And between them he got funding to set up a St Kilda Road office and start the Alannah and Madeline Foundation which is purely there to help the victims of violent crime – the families, the children – provide them with some kind of accommodation or support or clothing, needs, or toiletries – a whole range of stuff there. So they seconded Marie Stanley from Williamstown North Primary School. Because I’d visited her school many times, she rang me up and said, “Look, Michael, I’m doing this, I’m on salary, but I need your help. Could you help me invent a character?” So I came on board with Alannah and Madeline (Foundation) on a purely voluntary basis, which is my pleasure, and we invented a character called Buddy Bear as a very safe little bear and a spokes figure, whereby – and there are behind me as we speak in this interview – there are Buddy Bear chocolates up there. And they did something like five million chocolates with my name and my design on it through Coles stores and Target stores … Elizabeth:        You know Michael, next time we meet I need a camera. (Laughter) Michael:          That’s just 'Buddy Bear' stuff. And 'Buddy Bear' has gone on strongly and it’s now part of the Alannah and Madeline Foundation. But they got involved in a very important … the main focus of anti-bullying. And I was the person – I want to say one thing, because it’s true – I suggested that they should go – violence and all this stuff for families was terrible enough – but if they wanted to go to the bully, they really should get into the heart of the matter. And to me, I said to them once, “Look, please. I’ve seen what we’re doing. We’ve got Buddy Bear as the spokes figure for violence in the home. But we really should be hitting schools and things with something that centers around bullying and have an anti-bullying campaign. And you know, it is one of those things which is said at the right time and the right place. And now we’ve got Princess Mary of Denmark who is the international head of 'Buddy Bear' and they’ve got their own thing over there because of her Australian connection with Tasmania. We have the National Bank who are the sponsors of the 'Buddy Bear' program of the Alannah and Madeline (Foundation), so we have a fully-fledged charity. But the early days of inventing 'Buddy Bear', and a lot of people who gave their time and effort for no cost as I did, and pleasure to get the whole thing going. But it was all through initially Walter Mikac, thinking that with his deceased wife and two little girls, he had to do something. He was a pharmacist by trade and he was a smart man – he is a smart man – and he set the wheels in motion. And so it was a - ‘pleasure’ is not the right word. It was satisfying to be involved with a program that was ultimately going to help children feel better and safe and especially with this bullying thing, of being able to … Elizabeth:        Personally, I love fundraising and I do a lot of it. And actually we have on the agenda this year a fundraiser for another children’s author: Pat Guest. His son Noah, and Noah has Duchenne’s Muscular Dystrophy, and the family need a wheelchair-accessible vehicle. Michael:          Yes, yes, yes. Elizabeth:        Pat’s a wonderful person. He’s published five books and counting, and has written one about Noah called That’s What Wings Are For. He has actually podcasted with me. So I’m going to put you on the spot now and ask you if you would like to create something – Michael:          Absolutely! Let me know … Elizabeth:        I haven’t even finished my sentence! Michael:          No, no, no, the answer’s yes. The answer’s yes. Elizabeth:        The generosity! Thank you. Michael:          No, no, my pleasure. You talk about the – do you pronounce it ‘Duchenne’? There was a very famous fundraiser with that society up in Cairns several years ago, where various artists and musicians and illustrators were asked to provide – and they said a ukulele – so you had very famous artists and musicians and illustrators creating and painting their own version on this practical ukulele that was sent back to Cairns and auctioned off for charity and raised a whole lot of money. Elizabeth:        You know Pat, I think, would love to meet you. And I know Noah – the whole family are just beautiful people. Michael:          But I’ll have you know, only because of that connection where they contacted me saying “Would you like to …” and I had no knowledge whatever of the disease and the toll it took. Elizabeth:        I’ve nursed a couple of boys with it. Michael:          From my recollection, would it be quite correct to say it’s quite gender-specific? It hits boys more than girls? Elizabeth:        Yes. The two children that I nursed were brothers, and they passed. So we want to focus on the positive side, and this Saturday, actually there’s a trivia night which is sold out – Michael:          Oh good! Good, good. Elizabeth:        And it’s Eighties music which is my thing – I love that – so hopefully I will win, everybody. Don’t bet on me, Michael, but if there was a ticket, I’d invite you. But we’re looking at later in the year and we have some great people. Dave O’Neil wants to do a spot – Michael:          Oh yeah, good, good, good. Elizabeth:        And he podcasted with me. And like yourself, pretty much before I got my sentence out, he said 'yes'. Robyn Payne whom I wrote my song with for my children’s book – she wants to write a song. So we’ve got many … and Robyn Payne was in Hey Hey, It’s Saturday for many years. She was in that band, and Robyn’s incredible – she plays eight instruments. Michael:          Right, right, yes, yes. Elizabeth:        She’s performed at the Grand Final; incredibly talented lady. I just ran into her the other night with Neil, her husband, and Steph who’s a good friend of mine and recently performed with her on stage as well, they’re looking at writing a song for Noah. So it’s taking off. Michael:          One of the best fundraisers I’ve been to is a yearly event – still going – the Alannah and Madeline (Foundation) did. I don’t keep in contact with them directly; it was just a pleasure to work in, but what they did at the Palladium Ballroom – have 'Starry Starry Night'. Now 'Starry Starry Night' would have almost anyone who’s anyone in show business, on television and the media, would be there, from the jockeys at Melbourne Cup who would be singing Village People and whatever. Quite brilliant. And they had a huge host. We’re talking about – and I’m not exaggerating – 50 or so celebrities attended that. Black Night night and it really was a “starry starry night”. I haven’t attended for a long time, but I did my duty and it was a great pleasure to be there and part of it. But that was a brilliant fundraiser, and still continues as a fundraiser for the Alannah and Madeline Foundation. Elizabeth:        Oh, I’m so honoured that you said yes to me before I even finished my sentence. Thank you so much! Talking about stars, I’d like to go to my signature question, and then we’ll say adieu to you. Michael, this is a signature question I ask all my guests: what do you wish for, for the world, and most importantly for yourself? Michael:          Well, as we’re sitting here in early February of 2017, because of all these incredible events that are going on every quarter of the day from the United States there, where the world order seems to be rapidly changing, and oddities occurring there and without going into it too heavily we all know what we’re talking about, I have a hope that the situation in America remedies itself, and that the situations change rapidly, and that America gets back, because as the biggest country in the world for what it is and known as, because we need the stability of America etcetera, so it’s a fairly direct sort of wish that America gets its act together again soon, and maintains something that we can trust in. Because America really is being that main country in the world. Elizabeth:        Do you see a way – does that start one person at a time? Is that how things start to change? Michael:          Gosh, as we’ve evidenced with the Women’s March and a whole range of stuff now that the immigration – oh dear – it just goes on, goes on. And without going into a full-scale discussion of that, my wish is that America gets back together quickly, and maintains and gets someone new in charge. I don’t know how that’s going to happen – impeachment or … but something has to happen, so that the world can feel stable again. And that’s not grandiose, but that’s probably affecting a lot of people in the world. As every new edict or special signatory thing is signed in the White House, the ripples it sends across for instability is quite amazing. We’ve never seen it before, unless you were there during Chamberlain days when Neville Chamberlain was talking to Hitler, and some of those – not grandiose or high-flying stuff, but it does affect especially Aussies who love America dearly, and America loves us. Elizabeth:        But to me your books so beautifully reflect history. Michael:          Some of them do, some of them do. It’s like a Facebook page – I really do love entertaining people and making them laugh. And that’s probably the last part of your question – I really would like every child in the mass audiences I encounter, we’re talking about 500 or so -  I would like to think that every child had an opportunity – not because of anything to do with my talk that may be instrumental , it doesn’t really matter – the children of today can reach their potential, and the energy and the talents they have are recognized. Not squashed, quashed, forgotten, put to one side by society or families, issues, whatever it may be. Elizabeth:        You know, that reminds me of a good friend of mine, Andrew Eggelton. So Andrew Eggelton is an interesting man – he’s a New Zealander actually; he’s a Kiwi – and he believes in the Art of Play. So his wish is that everybody gets to use their God-given talents. Michael:          Ditto, ditto, absolutely. Because you do see the children out there. Just to give you an example: I spoke to close to 12,000 children during a tour that I organized myself – I do have some other agents organizing other states … Elizabeth:        How do you look after your throat? Michael:          Thank goodness I’ve always had a voice that can throw – a loud voice – I was captain of a rugby team in my machismo days. I was in New Zealand, and as a front row forward you don’t usually have a shy, retiring kind of personality. When you go out to tour, and on that tour we toured everything around the Riverina, we did places like West Wyalong, places you normally drive through as you are going up the back roads to Dubbo or some place like that. Then we went to Sydney, the western suburbs schools, and even this morning I had a phone call from one of the agents for a school near Loganlea. The school called and they want a couple of sessions. Most of their students are refugees with English ESL, so English Second Language. I would say English third or fourth language. Elizabeth:        How many children at that school? Michael:          Seven hundred. She said – the agent who rang me – and this is the first one in the tour that’s coming up late July for southeastern Queensland – “The reason no doubt that you’ve been invited to this particular school” which I know well, is because my act is highly visual. You don’t need a lot of language to understand it, because I draw all the cartoons. Or I’m caricaturing children, or getting them to caricature me. It’s almost like – ‘international language’ is not the right phrase – but it’s almost like a human comedy or whatever you call it. Elizabeth:        It’s like smiling. Michael:          It’s like smiling, and the more the merrier. So up there you’ve got the refugee children. You’ve got a lot of – and I really enjoy going to the Tongan or Samoan or Fijian or Maori schools or New Zealand, because I used to play rugby and I played with so many Islanders over the years and I’ve got some good mates there. And especially up there in southern parts of Brisbane, before you hit the Gold Coast, it’s always challenging, and I love to go up there, so it’s great to hear that. And the same thing applies to Indigenous schools up on the Gulf of Carpentaria, they call them, the Gulf Savannah schools up in Cape York, where you go to places like Weipa and stuff like that. And some of the notorious – notorious because of the troubles that have occurred – there’s a couple of places along the Peninsula there – they are trouble spots and have been for many years. Elizabeth:        You know Michael, that just says so much about you, because so many people would not go within cooee of those places, and it reflects your beautiful generosity. So I want to thank you very much for guesting on Writers’ Tête-à-Tête with Elizabeth Harris. And I think we need a Part Two. It’s been an absolute delight and thank you so much. Michael:          Thank you very much, and thank you Serena too. I babbled on a bit, but fifty years – fifty years of working in this country – there’s been a lot of water under the bridge. A lot of people, a lot of children, and I’m just very lucky. I consider myself very lucky to be in that position, to have that rapport with kids, and to just get on with them and entertain them and enjoy them. Elizabeth:        I consider those children and us very, very lucky to have met you today. Thank you so much. Michael:          Thank you guys. Thank you. [END OF TRANSCRIPT]

Stream episodes on demand from www.bitesz.com or www.aboutregional.com (both mobile friendly). Show notes, episode 4, WC November 21 2016 There’s a sea side feel to About Regional – the podcast, episode 4. Recorded at Guerrilla Bay, just south of Batemans Bay, the day and the water were warm, it’s starting to feel like summer holiday time! In this program: *Tathra’s Indi Wood chats to us from Fiji about his aid work at a Lautoka radio station. It’s a real twist on what you think Australian foreign aid looks like. Read more here… http://aboutregional.com.au/tathras-indi-wood-making-waves-in-fiji *Staying with foreign aid, you will meet the ‘Accidental Aid Worker’ Sue Liu. Just weeks after returning home from Sri Lanka in 2004, Sue watched as the people and the communities she had just left were hit hard. Her response changed the direction of her life. Her story is a good read for the summer holidays. http://accidentalaidworker.com.au/ *The Australian National Busking Championships are moving beyond their Cooma base, next year the competition will include finals in three states and six regional locations. We chat to the founder Allan Spencer. Read more HERE….http://aboutregional.com.au/cooma-busking-championships-become-truly-national/ Feedback and story ideas to hello@aboutregional.com.au This program is also available for sponsorship. About Regional – a new place for the people, issues and colour of South East NSW. Cheers Ian Subscribe to About Regional at audioBoom , Stitcher, Pocket Casts, Podbean. Coming to iTunes shortly. For more...visit www.aboutregional.com.au #regional #NSW #Australia #Southeast #aboutregional

Stream episodes on demand from www.bitesz.com Subscribe, rate and review at audioBoom, Stitcher, Pocketcast (coming to iTunes soon). About Regional strives to capture the colour, wisdom, and issues of South East NSW, this time round... * Long time Eurobodalla Council watcher Keith Dance wants to change the way Local Government is elected in NSW. Having served two terms on Council and contested every election between 2000 and 2010, Keith believes the system encourages too many candidates to stand, which makes it impossible for voters to make an informed choice. Keith reckons part of the solution comes from Victoria. * The small Monaro town of Nimmitabel, south-east of Cooma is heading into summer with more water security than ever before. A new dam has just opened on the outskirts of town. Howard Charles and John Alcock are two of the fathers of the Lake Wallace Dam, both were keen to jump the fence and show me around. * The Archibald Prize has just wrapped up for another year at the Art Gallery of NSW in Sydney. But these famous faces aren't being put away, they are hitting the road for a tour of regional NSW and Victoria - including the Bega Valley Regional Gallery. Gallery Director, Iain Dawson gives us a preview. And a bush dance to finish with, the Kameruka Bush Orchestra in full flight. #Australia #NSW #regional #life #SENSW

In episode seventy-nine of Paul and Rach, Paul Murray and Rachel Corbett are live via Skype while Paulie is living it large in Cooma.  They discuss Paulie's entourage, why Rach is OCD, the Oscars, the mounted police and how you can be too clean.  They chat why Paulie is pro-Trump, why Rach feels like a meth head, the reality of one word reviews and why small weddings are the way of the future.  They wrap it up with a five star shout out so Paulie can finally get to eating his chicken schnitzel. www.paulandrach.com.au

In episode seventy-nine of Paul and Rach, Paul Murray and Rachel Corbett are live via Skype while Paulie is living it large in Cooma.  They discuss Paulie's entourage, why Rach is OCD, the Oscars, the mounted police and how you can be too clean.  They chat why Paulie is pro-Trump, why Rach feels like a meth head, the reality of one word reviews and why small weddings are the way of the future.  They wrap it up with a five star shout out so Paulie can finally get to eating his chicken schnitzel. www.paulandrach.com.au