Aidan Meets Interesting People

Paul Watkins is a self-described "nerdy Dad, of average height and poor eyesight....much closer to Harry Potter than Bear Grylls".  So how does a Harry Potter-esque guy from Warrnambool find himself in -30° in the Arctic Circle, leading a 600kms footrace?  Does he jump out of bed every morning ready to train (spoiler alert....he doesn't)?  And why has he climbed the highest peaks on every continent, but has no interest in Mt Everest?

Also available in HD on our Aidan Meets Interesting People YouTube channel.

In 2023, Ted Collins signed with Livson Racing for the Australian Superbike Championship. Ted grew up in Warrnambool and wanted nothing else but to race road bikes. At the age of 12, he was doing over 150km/h on his first bike and now does over 300km/h, alongside the best racers in the country.

We talk about how a boy from Warrnambool reached the top despite not having a track nearby, about his battles with Delayed Concussion following two crashes in 2019 and I ask him stupid questions like "Can I just buy the same bike from BMW and race it?"

Also available in HD on YouTube!

Sam Munro bought a home brew kit at the end of 2019, and by the middle of 2022 is co-founder of the Middle Island Brewing Co. The Warrnambool-based brewery has four beers to it's name and is stocked in over 30 pubs, restaurants and bottleshops.

But how did Sam and Co go from a simple home brew kit to that in such a short time, what goes into brewing a beer and can you patent a beer recipe?

Also available in Full HD video on our YouTube channel.

Jon Vertigan has just celebrated 30 years in the world of radio broadcasting. His voice has been heard all over Australia, either on the airwaves or on one of his viral 'Phantom Horserace Calls' which have been watched millions of times!

Jon and I chat about the early days of radio broadcasting compared to the technological world we live in now, has he ever made any on-air gaffes and can he remember the first song he played way back in 1982?

Also available in Full HD on our YouTube channel- https://youtu.be/5_jsXyCtLIk

Don't look into his eyes!  J Hicks is a Hypnotherpist who uses his skills for both comedy and self-improvement.  J has been seen on stages around South West Victoria making people do all sorts of crazy stuff, but he also helps others quit smoking, lose weight, study better.  We had a great chat about how Hypnosis can help others, can he really make people do whatever he wants, and what happens if a hypnotist forgets to take someone out of the trance?

Also available in video format on YouTube @Aidan Meets Interesting People.

As well as being an award winning accountant (a 2 year degree he did in 9 months), Tim is also the owner of Tower Hill Beekeeping and knows just about anything worth knowing when it comes to bee hives and beekeeping, but knows surprisingly very little about The Bee Movie. We chat about why you should have a hive in your backyard, what you need to get started and get a rough indication on how many times Tim has been stung!

Also available in HD video on our YouTube channel - https://youtu.be/ofTtNtQVgRE

At just 17 years of age, Lily Maglaras spent her recent school holidays performing under the Big Top with Circus Royale! We chatted about how she got the gig as a circus performer and how 'Pole Dancing' doesn't deserve the stigma is has. We also talked about the best way to eat fire (please don't actually do it...).

Mel Steffensen is a First Nations woman from Peek Whurrong land in the Gunditjamara/Maar Nation which surrounds Warrnambool in South-West Victoria.  We chatted about Mel growing up with a largely 'white' upbringing, before embracing her Indigenous background later in life.  I learn (butcher!) a few words in the Peek Whurrong language, ask if Aboriginal people prefer to be called Indigenous, Koorie or something else, and learn a few stories about the amazing Gunditjamara/Maar Nation.

Once a young, energetic, tear-around kid, Chris Gillin was diagnosed with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, a condition which slowly caused his muscles to weaken, which has left him unable to walk. But Chris hasn't let that stop him. We chatted about what he's been able to achieve, his late brother Aaron, and the rise of the Gillin Boys Foundation.

Rachael is a tattoo artist who works out of the Lady and Anvil studios in Warrnambool.  We had a great chat about how she made the transition from butchering to tattooing (yeah I know, right?), what it's like sticking a tattoo machine on someone for the very first time AND I come up with the greatest tattoo design Rachael has every heard of.  Kinda.