All The Best

This week's stories call on us to humble ourselves before nature…and consider whether maybe …there are some things that animals know that we don’t.

The Great Dingo Debate by Andrea Dixon

In our first story, Andrea shares her love for Taz, a rescued dingo living on her family’s property in Hawkesbury, Darug country. As tensions rise between farmers, conservationists, and First Nations communities, the dingo emerges as a symbol of both conflict and kinship. Through cultural advocacy and calls for legislative change, Andrea and many others envision a future of respectful coexistence with dingoes.

‘Wild is not something to be feared’.

This story featured Steve Trist, Djirabitty: www.djirabittyptyltd.com.au  

Sonya Takau, Dingo Culture/Defend the Wild: https://www.dingoculture.com/ | www.defendthewild.org | (IG) @dingoculture |(IG) @defendthewild

To learn more about the parliamentary inquiry into dingo management, NSW visit: 

defendthewild.org/dingo-inquiry-nsw

The producer was Andrea Dixon.

The Supervising Producer was Thomas Phillips.

Special thanks to Barry Traill, Phoebe Adler-Ryan and the team of volunteers at fbi & Dingo Den Animal Rescue.

That moose shook me to my core by Seb and Sale

An impromptu conversation between two friends at the end of a public storytelling event at the Powerhouse Museum in 2023 involving a cottage in the woods and an encounter with a moose.

After all, who’s the wild one here?

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All The Best Credits

Executive Producer: Phoebe Adler-Ryan

Editorial Producer: Melanie Bakewell

Community Coordinator: Patrick McKenzie

Theme Music composed by Shining Bird 

Artwork by Minna Leunig

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The experience of exploring childhood memories can vary greatly from person to person. Sometimes, this emotional excavation can be painful, bringing up unwanted memories that you might not be ready to face. But it can also be a beautiful experience, allowing you to rediscover with fresh eyes the places or people you knew ... or thought you knew ... as a child.   

In this episode, we explore two very different stories about revisiting places and memories.   

Frequency by Kwame Slusher

In our first story, host Kwame speaks with his Dad about HAM Radio and some of the ways they always seemed to be on different frequencies...

Produced by Kwame Slusher.

The Supervising Producer was Thomas Lu.

Tacos by Dan Semo

Producer Dan Semo is back in the city he grew up in. A city he hasn’t been back to for over twenty years. And he’s in search of a really good taco. 

Produced by Dan Semo.

This piece is from the third season of Dan's project 14 Days, where he produces a short audio story every day, over two weeks. Check out his work here: https://www.danielsemo.com/14-days-cdmx

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All The Best Credits

Executive Producer: Phoebe Adler-Ryan

Editorial Producer: Melanie Bakewell

Host: Kwame Slusher

Mixed & Compiled by Emma Higgins

Artwork by Lindsey Vassalo

Community Coordinator Patrick McKenzie

Social Media Manager Sue Hong & Lindsey Vassalo

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This episode features voices from the story collection Povo edited by Adam Novaldy Anderson and produced by the Sweatshop Literacy Movement.

Australia is often referred to as The Lucky Country — a land of economic opportunity and vast natural resources. But how does this myth square up against the true experiences of Indigenous and culturally diverse Australians living in our nation’s most densely populated regions?

Please listen with care as some of these stories feature swears.

This episode features performances by Adam Novaldy Anderson, Sarah M Saleh, Adrian Mouhajer and Victor Guan Yi Zhou, recorded at the Blue Mountains Writers Festival 2024.

Povo is available through Sweatshop Literacy Movement. Visit www.sweatshop.ws/povo for details. 

Support emerging producers, artists & creatives by hitting follow or subscribe wherever you get your Podcasts.

Make, meet and learn with All The Best - follow our Substack for audio workshops, events and pitching opportunities.

All The Best Credits

Executive Producer: Phoebe Adler-Ryan

Editorial Producer: Melanie Bakewell

Host: Kwame Slusher

Recordist: Rylee O'Keefe

Mixed & Compiled by Emma Higgins

Artwork by Sweatshop

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week, three stories about connection: connection to the land and the sea, connection to history, connection to the divine and to ourselves.

Weaving Ancestral Voices by Shareeka Helaluddin

In our first story, Shareeka reconnects to faith and identity through the voice of the singer Sheila Chandra.

Growing up in an interfaith household, Shareeka was immersed in a diverse sonic landscape of Islamic recitations, Hindu chants, Bollywood, folk, and Western music.

It wasn’t until Sheila Chandra’s drone-based singing resonated deeply within her that she found solace in voice. 

“Songs that weave through past and present, a voice that pierces through discordance and uncertainty. An immersive journey of glossolalia and spiritual vocal gateways, reckoning with - and returning to - faith; all bound together by the voice of Sheila Chandra.”

This story was produced by Shareeka Helaluddin. The Supervising Producer was Mell Chun, with support from John Tjhia. The artwork was provided by Rekha Dhanaram who can be found @rekha.dhanaram on instagram. The story features the voices of Aarti Jadu and Sheila Chandra, on instagram @thesheilachandra.

Our next two stories are recordings from the Red Dirt Poetry Festival, an annual showcase of spoken word and poetry from Mparntwe, Central Australia.

Black Pearl of the Desert by Marie Ellis 

In the first story, Marie takes us into the very heart of the desert.

The Black Pearl’s coming - timeless and untamed.

Red Dirt by Melanie Mununngurr 

In the second story, Melanie confronts colonial violence, systemic oppression, and cultural erasure.

Through the enduring strength of saltwater people and the unbroken connection between land, water, and ancestry, we celebrate the resilience and defiant song of those who refuse to be forgotten.

The water remembers all—carrying echoes of ancestors, the weight of sorrow, and the rhythm of survival.

Black Pearl of the Desrt and Red Dirt were performed and recorded at the Red Dirt Poetry Festival, a celebration of spoken word and poetry from Mpartnwe, Central Australia. You can check them out over on their their YouTube or at their website reddirtpoetryfestival.com/

Support emerging producers, artists & creatives by hitting follow or subscribe wherever you get your Podcasts.

Make, meet and learn with All The Best - follow our Substack for audio workshops, events and pitching opportunities.

All The Best Credits

Executive Producer: Phoebe Adler-Ryan

Editorial Producer: Melanie Bakewell

Host: Kwame Slusher

Mixed & Compiled by Emma Higgins

Artwork by Rekha Dhanaram

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week, two evocative stories exploring the notion of divinity through history and poetry.

These stories were commissioned by guest editors Hasib Hourani and Adalya Nash for Issue 04: Illuminated Manuscript of Debris Magazine.

The Crystal World by Bella Li
There was, on the island of St John, a commonly sighted mirage, appearing to those afflicted by an excess of light: a sea of glass like unto crystal.

In our first story, an enchanting, meditative venture into the realm of lost knowledge, ancient civilizations, and the luminous mysteries of gemstones. From the emerald mines of Cleopatra to Galileo’s forbidden observations, truth is preserved, distorted, and rediscovered - on repeat.

Like light through stained glass, knowledge bends, fractures, and reemerges in unexpected colours.

Bella Li’s ‘The Crystal World,’ was also selected as part of Unesco's Reading the City of Literature, a snapshot of Melbourne's literary activity over the span of a year. Discover Bella's most recent book Theory of Colours.

Sound design by Tala Issaoui. Discover Tala's work here.

God is Trans by Lou Garcia-Dolnik

In our second story, a divine journey unfolds—like a whispered incantation. Against the weight of grief, through the landscapes of identity and remembrance, pain transforms into transcendent beauty; the fluidity of existence defies rigid confines, and despair metamorphoses into a luminous, boundless realm of self-discovery.

Sound design by Zac Pennington.

Support emerging producers, artists & creatives by hitting follow or subscribe wherever you get your Podcasts.

Make, meet and learn with All The Best - follow our Substack for audio workshops, events and pitching opportunities.

All The Best Credits

Executive Producer: Phoebe Adler-Ryan

Editorial Producer: Melanie Bakewell

Host: Kwame Slusher

Mixed & Compiled by Emma Higgins

Artwork by Bella Li.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

"That’s the nature of movement, isn’t it? We are pulled from one thing to another and these things themselves transform into something else. In that vein, I’m once again moving on from something I love dearly to somewhere else my passions lie. It’s time for me to say goodbye to hosting All The Best and to you all." - Madhuraa Prakash

This week, a farewell to our multi-talented host, Mads.

Then, two stories about “moving(literally)’, as we all look forward to hopeful beginnings.

To Kwame Slusher, our new host, the baton’s now yours!

Dance is my Salvation by Catarina Fraga Matos

To Cheryl, Salsa is not just an art but a straw she clutched to.

Surrounded by the glamour of her parents’ dance studio in Sri Lanka, Cheryl grew up with music in the air and a privileged life beneath her feet. Everything took a downturn after migrating to Australia, where her mother (then herself) had to navigate single parenthood. Through Catarina’s interview with Cheryl, we trace Cheryl’s journey from a dance studio in 1960s Colombo, to finding identity and transformation in the rhythm of salsa.

Beneath the tapping heels and the booming salsa tunes is a childhood reminisced, a life reshaped, and the salvation Cheryl seeked.

Produced by Catarina Fraga Matos.

The supervising producer was Shelby Traynor. 

Thank you to the Sydney Dance Company and Arthur Murray Inner West for allowing Catarina to record sound during their dance classes. 

Doug’s Hill by Jacqui Pham

Jacqui goes for a run up a hill with a trail runner waiting for a knee reconstruction.

This story was produced by Jacqui Pham (FAM) as part of the Transom Travelling Workshop in 2019, in partnership with the CMTO. 

Support emerging producers, artists & creatives by hitting follow or subscribe wherever you get your Podcasts.

Make, meet and learn with All The Best - follow our Substack for audio workshops, events and pitching opportunities.

All The Best Credits

Executive Producer: Phoebe Adler-Ryan

Editorial Producer: Melanie Bakewell

Host: Madhuraa Prakash & Kwame Slusher

Mixed & Compiled by Zac Pennington

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week, stories about how ADHD can impact a person’s life, relationships and identity.

Partners In Time by Felicity Weaver 

Are you a Type A, always-on-time kinda person? Or are you the one who is always last to arrive at a social gathering?

In our first story, often-late Felicity speaks to her slightly frustrated husband about how ADHD has impacted their relationship dynamic. Through a cheeky husband-and-wife exchange, Paul recalls Felicity’s lateness and disorganization, while she finds relief (and soon self-compassion) in her ADHD diagnosis. The episode also highlights the complexities of living with ADHD, the challenges of support, and the impact of societal misconceptions.

Studying Abroad with ADHD by Shixin Wang

In our next story, experiences of ADHD from students in the Chinese community.  

Through accounts of three Chinese young adults, we navigate late ADHD diagnoses caused by cultural stigma, treatment barriers, the emotional toll of self-blame - and the hope for a more inclusive future.

"Embrace ADHD, your future is full of hope."

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Make, meet and learn with All The Best - follow our Substack for audio workshops, events and pitching opportunities.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week, a specifically Australian take on magical realism weaving a mystery involving a baby, a potentially poisonous mushroom, and the mysterious disappearance of a friend, Chia.

Through rich symbolisms and tension, this episode explores truth, lies, friendship, and vulnerability.

Shhh…Listen. Banksia’s tell two truths, one lie. The game starts now.

Written and read by Leo Alder.

Composition and sound design by Suzanne Derry.

With production support by Zacha Rosen & Phoebe Adler-Ryan.

Recorded at Echidna Audio.

This story was originally published by Spineless Wonders. Special thanks goes to Bronwyn Mehan.

Meet the Author Leo Alder: https://shortaustralianstories.com.au/meet-the-slinkies-leo-alder/

Cover Art by Ashleigh Green.

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See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week, we're sharing stories performed at our live storytelling night (Un)Intended Consequences last October with live music composed and performed by Matthew Forbes.

Explore influential encounters, moments and ideas - and if you're eager for more, you can find three more stories in our 'Part I' Episode.

Highly Strung - 'Neverland'
Emily Suine and Oliver Durbidge are part of the lively puppeteering group Highly
Strung. Together, they tell a comical fantasy about the emotional waves of puberty.
Along this whimsical journey, the dashing boy from Neverland becomes our guide
through this tumultuous period of life.

Ruth Melville - 'Americana'
Ruth Melville is a nurse by trade and a literary artist by heart. She has published
numerous stories enriched with interpersonal details and it is here that she shares
one of these stories. A tale combining the enchanted wonder of Disney movies and
the unfiltered facets of reality. All in one big queer American road trip.

Jumaana Abdu - 'Children Go Straight to Heaven When They Die'
Jumaana Abdu is an award-winning writer exploring the friction between Islamic and
Australian culture. Through the reading of one of her short stories, Jumaana details
the bloody ordeal of adult prejudice and its impact on two childhood friends.

Support emerging producers, artists & creatives by hitting follow or subscribe wherever you get your Podcasts. 

Make, meet and learn with All The Best - follow our Substack for audio workshops, events and pitching opportunities.

All The Best Credits

Executive Producer: Phoebe Adler-Ryan

Editorial Producer: Melanie Bakewell

Host: Madhuraa Prakash

Special thanks to the City of Sydney for helping us pay the artists involved, and to Knox Street Bar for hosting us!

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week, words by First Nations people on January 26, Sovereignty and Identity. 

'Australia Day'

In our first story, people at the 2012 Yabun festival speak about what so-called ‘Australia day’ means to them. 

That story was produced by Lauren Carroll Harris, with interviews gathered by Lauren Carroll Harris, Carly Anne Kenneally & Jesse Cox.

Unwelcome to Country by Dominic Guerrera

Written and performed by Dominic Guerrera, with production by Mel Bakewell. Unwelcome to Country is featured in a poetry and story collection co-edited by Dominic and Karen Wyld, called The Rocks Remain, available through Wakefield Press. 

Music: Submerging Green by Podington Bear. 

Murrumu - Selena Shannon

Produced by Selena Shannon in 2015. Murrumu’s goal was to return to his Country, return to his Elders, and to the law of Yidindji Nation. In many ways he has been successful, and as of 2023, there were 200 citizens of Yidindji Sovereign Nation. 

Finally, a piece about lost language and the difficulty of reconnecting to culture. 

 Bigger than School Stuff - Declan Furber Gillick

Written and performed by Declan Furber Gillick in 2020. Sound design was by Ryan Pemberton.

All The Best is recorded on stolen Gadigal land and we pay our respects to Gadigal elders past and present and also recognise that the area where fbi.radio is situated, Redfern, has long been a place of storytelling, strength, resistance and resilience for First Nations communities.

Yabun Day Broadcast

Bigger than ever, Yabun Festival is back January 26 live from Victoria Park, Gadigal Country.

This year, fbi radio is teaming up with Koori Radio, National Indigenous Radio Service, One Mob Radio, and the Community Radio Network to bring you a special live broadcast of the largest community led, one-day festival of Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander cultures.

Join us from the Yabun main stage to hear knockout performances from Barkaa, Electric Fields, Miss Kanina, JK-47, Dameeela and many more.

Yabun Festival, live on-air! This January 26 from 12pm on fbi radio.

Support emerging producers, artists & creatives by hitting follow or subscribe wherever you get your Podcasts.

Make, meet and learn with All The Best - follow our Substack for audio workshops, events and pitching opportunities.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.