Voice of Real Australia: Recent Episodes
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Discover new people, places and perspectives with Voice of Real Australia. Each episode showcases stories from rural and regional Australia. A podcast from ACM -- Australia's largest independent media network.
Tasmania has earned a reputation as the roadkill capital of Australia. The stats say 32 animals are killed every hour - that's more than 500,000 marsupials, reptiles and birds killed on the state's roads every single year. And this is despite Tasmania being an island that's known for its unique biodiversity and world heritage wilderness. You could argue that there're more animals here so there's going to be more dead ones. But when you look closer you see holes in animal protection policy that leaves even endangered species exposed.Read about it: https://www.examiner.com.au/story/7780267/This podcast was produced by Laura Corrigan and Tom Melville. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
During the gold rush Chinese immigrants made up a quarter of Bendigo’s population, but now only one percent trace their ancestry back to these diggers. The goldfields were a dangerous place in the 19th century particularly for Chinese miners who faced inhibitory discrimination and suffered xenophobic attacks. Despite this many made Bendigo their home and helped shape the city it is today. Their legacy can be seen in the annual Chinese Dragon parade, Golden Dragon Museum, and Chinese gardens. And some miners still haunt the Chinese section of a local cemetery although many of the bodies were exhumed.
Reporting by Bendigo Advertiser journalists Petula Bowa and Tom O’Callaghan who writes a semi-regular history series on his hometown, called ‘What Happened?’
Read the feature article: https://www.bendigoadvertiser.com.au/story/7763262/
This podcast was produced by Laura Corrigan and Tom Melville.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
A simple policy change to allow camping on public land - Crown river frontages - has become a divisive issue among farmers and recreational fishers. Fishers say it's public land and everyone should be allowed to enjoy it. But the sites in question are licensed to nearby farmers for livestock grazing. Farmers are worried about the impact of the camping policy on their businesses and homes. Who will clean up the mess? Who is blamed if someone gets hurt? What impact will it have on biosecurity? The policy change was a 2018 election promise which raised questions about the political power of recreational fishers. Read the article: https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/7743340/ This podcast is produced by Laura Corrigan and tom Melville. Reporting by Annabelle Cleeland.
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When a disaster strikes it's amazing to see the number of people who are ready to lend a helping hand. Neighbours saving neighbours, community-run relief centres, and fund raisers.These spontaneous volunteers have proven essential in the aftermath. So how do we support that unofficial support network? In part 2 of Disaster Country we’re going to look to the future, to try and understand how you prepare for devastating climate disasters -- how you survive.We speak to people who've learned about resilience the hard way and experts who say we would be lost if communities didn’t step up.For more Disaster Country stories, photos and videos head to canberratimes.com.au or your local ACM masthead.This podcast was produced by Laura Corrigan and Tom Melville.
Floods, fires, drought, and blistering heat have always been a part of Australian life. But, with rising global temperatures, are they getting worse? Are Black Summer and the floods in Queensland and northern NSW just a taste of what’s to come?Prime Minister Scott Morrison declared during a tour of the Northern Rivers in March that “Australia is getting hard to live in because of these disasters”, so we travelled up and down the east coast talking to people who have lost everything as we try to figure out how to live in a Disaster Country.For more Disaster Country stories, photos and videos head to canberratimes.com.au or your local ACM masthead.This podcast was produced by Laura Corrigan and Tom Melville.
The recent floods in the northern rivers were the worst on record, by around two whole metres in some places.Floods, fires, drought, and blistering heat have always been a part of Australian life.But, with rising global temperatures, are they getting worse? Are Black Summer and the floods in Queensland and northern NSW just a taste of what’s to come?In Disaster Country, a two part Voice of Real Australia series, we travel up and down the east coast talking to victims of fires and floods, trying to figure out how we live in a world more prone to wild weather and unprecedented disasters.
What have goats got to do with yoga? And what does any of it have to do with mental health? It can be tough to get mental health support In regional areas: there are fewer in-person services available, costs attached to getting help can be higher, and everyday stressors mean health can often get pushed to the side. That's why this resident in Smithton, Tasmania, has come up with a unique way to get the conversation started about mental health.Read the article: https://www.theadvocate.com.au/story/7705821/ If you found any of this podcast triggering you can find help, at any time at:Lifeline: 13 11 14 www.lifeline.org.auSuicide Call Back Service: 1300 659 467 www.suicidecallbackservice.org.auBeyondblue: 1300 22 4636 www.beyondblue.org.auThis podcast was produced by Laura Corrigan and Tom Melville. Reporting by Meg Whitfield.
In Tamworth, Melissa Reinikka is struggling to get her son into the right class at school. Eight-year-old Jacob has autism, anxiety and some intellectual delay and was assessed as eligible for a support class. Yet he remains in a mainstream class. In regional towns it's harder to get access to diagnosis, support and special education than in the city. We talk to parents, educators, and an autistic woman to examine the unique challenges and benefits of being different in the bush.Read the article: https://www.northerndailyleader.com.au/story/7688174/Story from Eva Baxter. This podcast is produced by Laura Corrigan and Tom Melville.
Carbon farming is being touted as a way to slow down and reverse climate change. The idea is that you can suck carbon from the atmosphere and store it in plants and the soil, and farmers are being paid to change the way they farm to promote carbon storage. Advocates of carbon farming say we can literally bury the problem of carbon emissions, and pay farmers at the same time. But critics say the amount of carbon farmers can store is limited and difficult to measure, and that leaning on farmers is not the solution to the climate crisis. This podcast was reported by Soofia Tariq, and produced by Laura Corrigan and Tom Melville.
Plastic waste is a huge and growing problem in Australia. What can't be reused or recycled ends up in landfill. An alternative is to burn it to produce electricity. One of these waste to energy incinerators has been proposed for the small town of Tarago in the NSW southern tablelands, about an hour from Canberra. But the prospect has some locals concerned for their health and their livelihoods. And they question whether setting fire to the problem is the best solution for the waste crisis.Read the article: https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/7647566/This podcast was produced by Laura Corrigan and Tom Melville.
Coal employs around 14,000 people in the Hunter Valley. Whole communities have risen up out of the dark soil, established on lucrative and consistent mining money. But as Australia and the world move away from coal-fired power what will happen to those jobs and those communities? Despite the imminent decommissioning of power stations in the region, the industry still has a few decades left and so many people on the ground aren't worried. But the question is whether we push on with coal until there’s no more market, or we use this time to prepare the region for the future.For more stories about energy transition check out the Newcastle Herald special series - Power and the Passion - which investigates Australia’s rapidly changing energy sector and what it will mean for Hunter residents, workers and the communities they love. Find it at: https://www.newcastleherald.com.au/news/power-passion/This podcast was produced by Laura Corrigan and Tom Melville.
School should be a safe space, not a peadophile's playground. The community was in shock after the 2013 Royal Commission revealed widespread child sex abuse at Ballarat Catholic schools - St Alipius and St Patrick's colleges. How had this been allowed to happen to our children? Many offenders have since been convicted and jailed. But victims, and the wider community, are still dealing with the trauma and betrayal.Read the article: https://www.standard.net.au/story/7613556/Buy Monique's book: https://geniusbookpublishing.com/products/the-boy-in-the-presbyteryThis story from Monique Patterson, produced by Laura Corrigan and Tom Melville.Victoria — Sexual Assault Crisis Line 1800 806 292 https://www.sacl.com.au/ACT — Canberra Rape Crisis Centre 6247 2525 http://www.crcc.org.au/New South Wales — NSW Rape Crisis Centre 1800 424 017 https://www.rape-dvservices.org.au or NSW Health Sexual Assault Services https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/parvan/sexualassault/ Pages/health-sas-services.aspx (visit web page to find the number in your local area)Northern Territory — Department of Health, Sexual Assault Referral Centres https://nt.gov.au/wellbeing/hospitals-health-services/ sexual-assault-referral-centresQueensland — Sexual Assault Helpline 1800 010 120 https://www.dvconnect.org/queensland-sexualassault-helpline/South Australia — Yarrow Place Rape and Sexual Assault Service (08) 8226 8777 or 1800 817 421 free callTasmania — Sexual Assault Support Service 1800 697 877 https://www.sass.org.au/Western Australia — Sexual Assault Resource Centre (08) 6458 1828 or free call 1800 199 888 https://www.kemh.health.wa.gov.au/Our-services/ Statewide-Services/SARCBeyond Blue 1300 22 4636Lifeline 13 11 14In the United States — Rape, Abuse, and Incest National Network (RAINN) – National Sexual Assault Hotline 1 (800) 656-4673 https://www. rainn.org/In the United Kingdom Support Line 01708 765200
The surfer's getaway Don Hearn's Cabins is a throwback to when a break was a break on the South Coast. The cabins at Cunjurong Point are a time capsule, unchanged and unrenovated since the 1960s. The sand and mint coloured cabins provide direct access to the Green Island surf break. But the regulars at Donnie's keep coming back year after year, decade after decade, for more than just the cheap accommodation and good surf. These surfers, artists and misfits come for something long-lost, transcendental, and imbued in the legend of Don Hearn.Read the article: https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/7595298/A story from Kathy Sharpe, produced by Laura Corrigan and Tom Melville.
Type 2 diabetes is everywhere in this country and around the world – there could be 700 million cases worldwide in the next 25 years. The type 2 diabetes epidemic is getting worse, and it already costs our health system $20 billion a year. Sufferers face a whole range of terrifying complications – including amputation, strokes, heart attacks, and blindness. Experts say the rise of type 2 diabetes coincides with the explosion of ultra-processed foods over the last forty years. We're getting sicker and sicker every year but despite the huge burden and rising cases, it’s largely preventable.Find more Type 2 diabetes stories and resources: https://www.canberratimes.com.au/news/silent-assassin/Produced by Laura Corrigan and Tom Melville.
Kangaroos are an Aussie emblem, but they're also a source of native red meat. Roo harvesting divides Australians but there's evidence that a regulated commercial industry could be the best thing for ensuring a sustainable kangaroo population. Even critics of the industry agree the current state of kangaroo management needs to change.Read the article: https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/7552363/Produced by Laura Corrigan and Tom Melville.
Aboriginal people are being prosecuted on the South Coast of NSW for fishing, something their ancestors had done there for thousands of years. Cultural fishing is a protected practice under Native Title at a commonwealth level, but it hasn't been translated into state legislation. Cultural fishers say they feel persecuted and harassed, and recent crime data supports these claims.Read the article: https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/7534338/This podcast was produced by Laura Corrigan and Tom Melville.
Mange riddled wombats die an agonising death without treatment, but governments don't consider the parasite a conservation issue. This means that the only thing standing between an infested wombat and certain death is an army of volunteers administering medication often at their own expense. On this week's episode of Voice of Real Australia meet the people fighting for this iconic species' future.To donate to the Wombat Protection Society of Australia go to https://www.wombatprotection.org.au/donate/To donate to the Blue Mountains Wildlife Volunteers go to https://www.facebook.com/donate/2641281062844022/Read more about it: https://www.newcastleherald.com.au/story/7514850/Get the transcript: https://www.newcastleherald.com.au/story/7516143/This podcast is produced by Laura Corrigan and Tom Melville.
Some Aboriginal place names are so iconic, like Noosa or Wollongong, that we don’t even think about them. But over two centuries of displacement many names have been lost or erased, along with the languages and the people who originally spoke them. You can read about this country’s brutal history through a map of its place names. But there’s a growing push for more of Australia's old names to be restored, particularly when the story their new name tells is one of hate and violence.Read the article: https://www.newcastleherald.com.au/story/7495767/Get the transcript: https://www.newcastleherald.com.au/story/7495716/Produced by Laura Corrigan and Tom Melville
Bylong's population dwindled after a coal mine bought up family farms, the school, the general store and the Catholic church. Over a decade the Korean coal company KEPCO now owns 13 hectares of the valley a couple of hours west of Newcastle. But the mine was rejected and three appeals dismissed. KEPCO continues to exhaust all avenues to get the mine greenlit, but the community, what's left of it, wants their valley back. They want the valley's agricultural potential realised. Read the article: https://www.newcastleherald.com.au/story/7476727/This podcast was produced by Laura Corrigan, Tom Melville and Ethan Hamilton.
It’s been nearly a decade since the river at Kallara Station broke its banks and Justin McClure had to get around his property by boat. When there’s no water in the river flowing past his house, Justin looks north. In the fourth and final episode of Forgotten River we reach the top end of the Darling, quite literally at the Back of Bourke, next door to the cotton farmers blamed for syphoning off unsustainable levels of water into massive private dams.
To see photos, videos, and read more about the Darling visit https://www.canberratimes.com.au/news/forgotten-river/
The fate of the Barkindji is tied to the fate of the river - the Barka. When it is flowing, the mostly Aboriginal town of Wilcannia in the NSW Far West can practice its traditions again. But too often in recent years the river has ceased to flow, and the people of the river have suffered. As they say in town, when the river is up, the town is up. In episode three of Forgotten River, we introduce you to the people who have made their homes along this river for 40,000 years and who worry that if it dies, they’ll go with it.
To see photos, videos, and read more about the Darling visit https://www.canberratimes.com.au/news/forgotten-river/
To hear every episode right now, search Forgotten River in your podcast player.
Caught between thirsty cash croppers upstream and down, the people who live along the Darling/Barka are fighting a battle on two fronts. Years of drought and no flow events build an underlying stress and tension along the river, which is only relieved when flow is restored. In episode two of Forgotten River we meet the communities between Wentworth and Pooncarie who are tired of their environment and livelihoods being overlooked.
To see photos, videos, and read more about the Darling visit https://www.canberratimes.com.au/news/forgotten-river/
To hear every episode right now, search Forgotten River in your podcast player.
The sudden death of over a million fish around the Menindee Lakes focused international attention on the plight of the Darling River. The dead fish are another sign of the peril the environment of the Lower Darling faces. In the first episode of our special four part mini-series, Forgotten River, we explore what factors contributed to the mass fish kills and how they affected the ecology and communities along the Darling/Barka.
To see photos, videos, and read more about the Darling visit https://www.canberratimes.com.au/news/forgotten-river/
To hear every episode right now, search Forgotten River in your podcast player.
From September 16 Voice of Real Australia brings you a very special mini-series, Forgotten River: An outback tragedy. This three part series showcases the voices of communities in the most forgotten parts of the Darling River. The Darling River wends its way through 1500 kilometres of Australian Outback. To the Barkindji people of far western New South Wales, the river channel marks the course of the Naatji -- the rainbow serpent. It has sustained cultures and communities for thousands of years. But the River is in danger, and the people along its course face an uncertain future. In a four part series Voice of Real Australia takes you up the Darling River, the Forgotten River, and introduces you to the people who are fighting for its life.Listen here from September 16 or find the Forgotten River feed athttps://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/forgotten-river/id1579849902https://open.spotify.com/show/0JAhxdKv731lngtUE7lIHgor search "Forgotten River" wherever you listen to podcasts
All towns have their legends, Mudgee is no exception. In 1959, a six-year-old boy was rescued during a flood on the town's main street by a migrant cafe owner. The story has evolved over the years. We meet the boy at the centre of the story and introduce him to his hero's family.Get the transcript: https://www.newcastleherald.com.au/story/7393532/This podcast is produced by Laura Corrigan and Tom Melville.
In this remote town lives a woman in her 70s who delivered mail across 3500km of outback. It's also home to three mates in their 20s looking for a windfall in the world's oldest opal field. We meet people who left the the city behind for a completely different world.More about Gaye Nicholls: https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/7366453/Get the transcript: https://www.newcastleherald.com.au/story/7375054/Take part in our listener survey: https://forms.gle/yYyasc9Pxy4FVhXL7This podcast was produced by Laura Corrigan and Tom Melville.
A new mine in Boggabri was at the centre of a landmark court ruling that found the Environment Minister has a duty of care to protect children from climate change. Eight highschoolers from around Australia took on the government and won, but what does this ruling mean for the people on the ground?Take part in our listener survey: https://forms.gle/yYyasc9Pxy4FVhXL7Read the article: https://www.northerndailyleader.com.au/story/7351375/Get the transcript: https://www.newcastleherald.com.au/story/7353566/This podcast is produced by Laura Corrigan and Tom Melville.
In Jindabyne, ongoing staff shortages mean businesses struggle to keep up with demand. We speak to Jindabyne business owners to understand why no one is applying for seasonal work, and what this means for the snow country.Get the transcript: https://www.newcastleherald.com.au/story/7330517/This podcast is produced by Laura Corrigan and Tom Melville.
Recovering drug addict Steven is looking forward to a holiday with his kids. But this couldn't have been possible if he was put behind bars. Under Tasmania’s Court Mandated Diversion program Steven was given the opportunity to avoid jail time. We go behind the scenes of the program.Read the story: https://www.theadvocate.com.au/story/7315150/Get the transcript: https://www.newcastleherald.com.au/story/7311936/Take part in our listener survey: https://forms.gle/yYyasc9Pxy4FVhXL7This podcast is produced by Laura Corrigan and Tom Melville.Not his real name
Regional NSW is under attack. So what's with the mouse plague and is there an end in sight? And how long exactly have humans occupied Australia? The answer might be found at a geological site on the Great Ocean Road, and it's a lot longer than we thought.Tell us what you think of the podcast. Take part in our listener survey: https://forms.gle/yYyasc9Pxy4FVhXL7Read more about Moyjil: https://www.standard.net.au/story/7287157/Get the transcript: https://www.newcastleherald.com.au/story/7292469/This podcast is produced by Laura Corrigan and Tom Melville.
For over 100 years coal has ruled Latrobe Valley. But now as power stations close down the community is being left behind. The people of Latrobe offer themselves as a warning of what happens when a transition fails.Read the transcript: https://www.newcastleherald.com.au/story/7247034/Produced by Laura Corrigan and Tom Melville.
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The mass murder of 35 people at Port Arthur is a difficult subject to broach in Tasmania, the shooting is surrounded by an unofficial vow of silence. But some people think we should talk about it, in order to help the country heal. We spoke to first responders who were there 25 years ago, some of which have never spoken publicly about the tragedy before.Trigger warning: this podcast contains descriptions of violence and discusses suicide and Post-traumatic stress disorder. If you need someone to speak to call Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636.Read the article: https://www.examiner.com.au/story/7226899/Get the transcript: https://www.newcastleherald.com.au/story/7229673/This podcast is produced by Laura Corrigan and Tom Melville.
The way Australia produces electricity is changing. The traditional one-way, centralised market is being disrupted. Small communities are taking part in their energy future, getting together to produce electricity in their own towns. These communities want cheaper, cleaner electricity as well as local opportunities, and they’re tired of waiting.Read the story: https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/7208720/ Get the transcript: https://www.newcastleherald.com.au/story/7209759/Produced by Tom Melville, Laura Corrigan and Ethan Hamilton.
Before wheat was wheat, it was an introduced grass. Every year it battles our fickle climate. But we do have native grasses that First Nations Australians have cultivated for years, like kangaroo grass. There are experiments taking place around the country, led by First Nations people, to test the viability of native plants as a sustainable, desirable and profitable crop.Get the transcript: https://www.newcastleherald.com.au/story/7189998/This podcast was produced by Laura Corrigan and Tom Melville.
A beloved pig and calf saleyard in Beaudesert, south east Queensland, was recently given heritage status. But in an unusual case, Scenic Rim Regional Council is challenging the heritage listing. The move has outraged some members of the community leading to calls for an investigation into the dealings of the council.Get the transcript: https://www.newcastleherald.com.au/story/7171502/Produced by Laura Corrigan and Tom Melville.
Offshore gas rigs have been touted as a solution for the pandemic recession and energy transition. But the PEP 11 exploration licence has received a lot of opposition from coastal communities in NSW. And Launceston tries to find a balance between environment and lifestyle as it grapples with mud build up in the Tamar River.Read the article: https://www.newcastleherald.com.au/story/7150139/disgraceful-shocking-indigenous-community-appalled-over-gas-plans/Get the transcript: https://www.newcastleherald.com.au/story/7154490/voice-of-real-australia-episode-13-transcript/This episode was produced by Laura Corrigan and Tom Melville.
Dr Liz Allen is now a top academic at the ANU in Canberra, but she might have ended up in the gutter with a needle in her arm.From the Canberra Times, Talk of The Times is a weekly podcast in which journalists Alex Crowe and Steve Evans dissect the news from Canberra and beyond.Listen and subscribe to Talk of the Times: https://urlgeni.us/TimesPod
The iconic snow gum is dying out. Scientists believe a beetle is killing off the trees in the Snowy Mountains and throughout the region. But it's not clear why the trees have become vulnerable, nor how to stop the dieback. If the snow gum were lost it would impact an entire ecosystem. We investigate.Get the transcript: https://www.newcastleherald.com.au/story/7128590/voice-of-real-australia-episode-12-transcript/Read the story: https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/7129513/whats-killing-the-snow-gums/ This episode was produced by Laura Corrigan and Tom Melville.
In 1993 near Canowindra, in the Central West of New South Wales, paleontologist Dr Alex Ritchie was given just 10 days for an exploratory fossil dig. He found thousands of 300 million year old fish specimens, helping to fill gaps in our knowledge. But with limited time and resources he could only scratch the surface. We explore why the fossil site has been buried for decades and how the sale of the land will affect its future.Get the transcript: https://www.newcastleherald.com.au/story/7110884/voice-of-real-australia-episode-11-transcript/Read the story: https://www.newcastleherald.com.au/story/7111827/digging-deeper-australias-forgotten-fossils/This episode was produced by Laura Corrigan and Tom Melville.
There are now 26 Tasmanian Devils calling Barrington Tops home. They're the first wild mainland devils since they were wiped out 3000 years ago. We find out why these marsupials are being released outside Tasmania. We also go to the island's West Coast to learn more about the stranding of 470 pilot whales that made international headlines last year. It's an animal episode!Enjoy the article: https://www.theadvocate.com.au/story/7087889/looking-at-the-impact-of-australias-largest-whale-stranding/Read the transcript: https://www.newcastleherald.com.au/story/7085407/voice-of-real-australia-episode-10-transcript/This podcast was produced by Laura Corrigan and Tom Melville.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders have a long and complicated relationship with cricket. A team of Indigenous players was the first Australian team ever to tour England in 1868. But, today there is a clear underrepresentation of First Nations players in cricket compared to AFL and NRL. We explore the racist policies that whitewashed cricket and see what's being done to redress the historical exclusion of First Nations people in Australia's favourite sport.Read more about it: https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/7076209/its-time-to-redress-a-sporting-imbalance/Get the transcript: https://www.newcastleherald.com.au/story/7073748/voice-of-real-australia-episode-9-transcript/This podcast was produced by Laura Corrigan and Tom Melville
Most people know Mike Wilson as the bloke at the bull sale with a pen in his hand and notepad in his back pocket. On the outside you'd hardly think there was anything different with the 70-year-old livestock agent.But beneath the surface there is a scar across his stomach that tells a different story.From The Land's Lucy Kinbacher, Hear Them Raw tells inspiring personal stories of resilience in the bush.Read Mike's story: https://www.theland.com.au/story/6948417/doctors-told-me-i-had-six-weeks-to-live/Listen and subscribe to Hear Them Raw: https://podfollow.com/1468983781
Bawley Point was one of the first South Coast villages to be threatened by the ferocious Currowan fire that ravaged the region. Residents consider themselves lucky they were hit early in Black Summer because it meant they were provided with a lot of resources. In the wake of the fires the local RFS brigade has seen an influx of new recruits, including women and teenagers, eager to help out next time. We speak to new members about how they're fighting fear with fire.See the transcript: https://www.newcastleherald.com.au/story/7045896/voice-of-real-australia-episode-8-transcript/Produced by Laura Corrigan and Tom Melville (c) ACM
On November 8 2019 there were a record 17 fires burning at emergency level in New South Wales. The New England region of New South Wales was hit hard before summer even began. In the town of Torrington homes over a century old burned. In Wytaliba, an alternative commune, two people died. Homes among the gum trees became fodder for fire. We speak to residents from Torrington and Wytaliba about that devastating day and how their communities have changed since.Read the transcript: https://www.newcastleherald.com.au/story/7025960/voice-of-real-australia-episode-7-transcript/More on the impact of the fires: https://www.northerndailyleader.com.au/story/7028218/bushfire-smoke-caused-spike-in-hospitalisations-asthma-deaths-research/This podcast is produced by Laura Corrigan and Tom Melville with reporting by Andrew Messenger.
In Dubbo, drugs are everywhere. The crisis here has brought with it an epidemic of mental health struggles, homelessness, family violence and crime that is only getting worse. The NSW government has committed to funding a local rehabilitation and detox centre in town. It is something locals have been petitioning for for decades. However, there was no mention of a corresponding "Drug Court". We spoke to people affected by the drug crisis in Dubbo who believe more needs to be done to give people the help they need. We also go to Cobargo the small Far South Coast town which was devastated by fires on New Year's Eve last year. We talk to a community still recovering from the blaze.This episode discusses suicide. If you need somebody to talk to Lifeline can help call 1311 14 or visit https://www.lifeline.org.au/Read the transcript: https://www.newcastleherald.com.au/story/7008678/voice-of-real-australia-episode-6-transcript/This episode was produced by Laura Corrigan and Tom Melville.
About half an hour north of Mudgee, on the Ulan Road, is a stunning natural sandstone formation which runs along the Goulburn River.It's called The Drip Gorge, and it gets its name from the perennial trickle of water which runs down its face into the water below.The Drip was added to the Goulburn River National Park a couple of years ago, but some locals are anxious that the nearby Moolarben coal mine and its plans for expansion could damage the cliffs, impact the water table, and render this unique and beloved spot too dangerous to visit.We spoke to the women campaigning to save The Drip to find out what's at stake.Read the transcript: https://www.newcastleherald.com.au/story/6989286/voice-of-real-australia-episode-five-transcript/ Produced by Laura Corrigan and Tom Melville
The retired Aurora Australis was built at Carrington Slipways upriver from Newcastle and is the only Australian-made icebreaker.During its 30 years of service it made 150 of voyages, taking thousands of Australians to Antarctica and the Southern Ocean.This year the ship was decommissioned. There was a push to preserve the Aurora for its heritage value and use it as the centrepiece of an Antarctic museum in Hobart. But its owner has been granted the permit needed to sell the icebreaker overseas.We talk to scientists, passengers and crew about their experiences on board the Aurora Australis, including the engine room fire of 1998 and the rescue of a private vessel in 2013.Read more about the ship: https://www.newcastleherald.com.au/story/6965920/whats-next-for-the-only-australian-made-icebreaker/Read the transcript: https://www.newcastleherald.com.au/story/6968060/voice-of-real-australia-episode-4-transcript/This podcast was produced by Laura Corrigan and Tom Melville.
Have you used telehealth before? Around 30 million Australians have since March. The uptick was made possible because of changes to Medicare support of telehealth prompted by the coronavirus pandemic. There's a lot of positive feedback to the changes but there's also anxiety around what impact it will have on rural health provision. We spoke to doctors and patients in the bush to see what they want from telehealth going forward. Everyone's eager to see better health outcomes for rural and regional Australians but not everyone's convinced telehealth is a panacea. And we go for a ride in Dungog. The Hunter Valley town of 2000 has seen a recent tourism boom thanks to mountain biking.Enjoy the print version of this story by write Scott Bevan: https://www.newcastleherald.com.au/story/6944376/dungog-riding-the-bumps-out-of-covid-valley/Transcript: https://www.newcastleherald.com.au/story/6941436/voice-of-real-australia-episode-three-transcript/This episode was produced by Laura Corrigan and Tom Melville.
You have heard of the Barossa Valley, Hunter Valley and Yarra Valley. These are regions praised for their boutique produce and immersive agricultural tourism. But have you ever been to the Majura Valley? It's a pocket of farmland ten minutes from Canberra and close to an international airport. You'd think is was a prime location for tourists. After all, it boasts a truffle farm, a winery and other artisan delights. But farmers in Majura Valley face a unique problem. We talked to local farmers about lease insecurity and the arrested potential of the land they love.Transcript: https://www.newcastleherald.com.au/story/6928411/voice-of-real-australia-episode-two-transcript/This episode was produced by Laura Corrigan and Tom Melville.
Ever been to Dimboola? The town on the Wimmera River in western Victoria is attracting tree-changers from far and wide. We take a tour of the quirky town to see what all the fuss is about. We also hear from Lake Macquarie locals concerned about the impact of coal-ash pollution on waterways. The byproduct of coal-fired power generation is stored in unlined dams on the lake's edge. But we discover the waste product can also be a resource. And, at a time when we're all struggling to get on top of what's happening in the world, a Tumut pre-school teacher has written a children's book to explain the COVID-19 pandemic.Transcript: https://www.newcastleherald.com.au/story/6903467/voice-of-real-australia-episode-one-transcript/This episode was produced by Laura Corrigan and Tom Melville.
From September 3 2020 discover people, places and perspectives from regional and rural Australia. Voice of Real Australia is a new storytelling podcast from ACM - a network of more than 160 newspapers across the country.