Welcome to BRAVE, a podcast from the Townsville Community Information Centre.

America's Old West remains a touchstone of our collective international culture. Michael Bethel grew up with those stories, which sparked a desire to be a cowboy. Today, he is one, making saddles and running Texas Longhorn Tours in Charters Towers. In this episode, Michael tells us all about his love for the Texas Longhorn breed of cattle, what it took for him to get started with them in Australia, and some of the stories he's collected over the years.

Michael's story is just one of the many from our local communities that we hope will inspire you.

BRAVE is jointly funded by the Australian and Queensland Governments under the Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA).
This series is produced by Damien Lawardorn.

Welcome to BRAVE, a podcast from the Townsville Community Information Centre.

A handful of business mistakes a few years ago landed Kirsty in prison. Once there, she was drawn into the community and culture, which made breaking free from its insidious influence difficult. Once released, she developed a drug habit, which saw her in and out of prison for quite some time. She lost her business, her career, and her family, but she eventually reached a tipping point that inspired her to fight for what really matters and get her life back on track.

Kirsty's story is just one of the many from our local community that we hope will inspire you.

BRAVE is jointly funded by the Australian and Queensland Governments under the Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA).
This series is produced by Damien Lawardorn.

Welcome to BRAVE, a podcast from the Townsville Community Information Centre.

As her seventh pregnancy neared its conclusion, Tiffany Hopkins began to have vision problems. Once she realised, her sight deteriorated rapidly, requiring a quick response. The medical journey that followed meant striking a balance between the needs of herself, her unborn child, her large family, and the organisation of which she remains the CEO. 

Tiffany's story is just one of the many from our local communities that we hope will inspire you.

BRAVE is jointly funded by the Australian and Queensland Governments under the Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA).
This series is produced by Damien Lawardorn.

Welcome to BRAVE, a podcast from the Townsville Community Information Centre.

Prospect Community Services is an invaluable part of the Charters Towers community, offering a wide range of support to anyone who needs it. Key to the organisation's long-term success has been a genuine, two-way engagement with the people who draw upon the services. It was that close relationship with clients that ensured Prospect was able to effectively pivot its approach when faced with the restrictions imposed to help combat the Covid-19 pandemic.

Prospect's story is just one of the many from our local communities that we hope will inspire you.

BRAVE is jointly funded by the Australian and Queensland Governments under the Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA).
This series is produced by Damien Lawardorn.

Welcome to BRAVE, a podcast from the Townsville Community Information Centre.

This episode takes BRAVE back to Charters Towers to talk to Tarja Barnes, realtor and former President of the Charters Towers Chamber of Commerce and Mines. A couple of years ago, Tarja started Gold City Realty, with a focus on being embedded in the local community. In this episode, she talks about some of the issues facing Charters Towers, as well as her own path so far.

Tarja's story is just one of the many from our local communities that we hope will inspire you.

BRAVE is jointly funded by the Australian and Queensland Governments under the Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA).
This series is produced by Damien Lawardorn.

Welcome to BRAVE, a podcast from the Townsville Community Information Centre.

Sharine Milne, better known as Spanner, is unforgettable. One day, in the midst of a long career in hospitality, her daughter asked a question that prompted Spanner to rethink her life, setting her on a course that today sees her owning and managing a motorcycle repair shop. On the way, she's had to face down sexist attitudes, structural obstacles, and disasters, but she's overcome all of them to stand out as a proud, Indigenous woman.

Spanner's story is just one of the many from our local community that we hope will inspire you.

BRAVE is jointly funded by the Australian and Queensland Governments under the Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA).
This series is produced by Damien Lawardorn.

Welcome to BRAVE, a podcast from the Townsville Community Information Centre.

Kath Hartas is one powerfully upbeat individual. Her relentless positivity has pulled her through events that would traumatise anyone. When Kath was 18, her vehicle was run over by a truck, causing life-changing injuries, but she's moved past that to now lead a fulfilling life as an unforgettable part of the Townsville community.

Kath's story is just one of the many from our local community that we hope will inspire you.

BRAVE is jointly funded by the Australian and Queensland Governments under the Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA).
This series is produced by Damien Lawardorn.

Welcome to BRAVE, a podcast from the Townsville Community Information Centre.

Sally Batt is our first guest from Charters Towers. She is a wedding photographer who grew up from a rural background. She's been through several versions of herself over the years, and has worked hard over the past decade to set aside self-limiting thoughts and behaviours to become someone she is truly happy with.

Sally's story is just one of the many from our local communities that we hope will inspire you.

BRAVE is jointly funded by the Australian and Queensland Governments under the Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA).
This series is produced by Damien Lawardorn.

Welcome to BRAVE, a podcast from the Townsville Community Information Centre.

Carl Lymburner was pulled into a life of drugs from a young age and spent years lost in their embrace. As he says, he's had a life of negatives, but he has learned from those painful experiences and is now dedicated to helping his community and sharing positivity.

Carl's story is just one of the many from our local community that we hope will inspire you.

BRAVE is jointly funded by the Australian and Queensland Governments under the Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA).
This series is produced by Damien Lawardorn.

Welcome to BRAVE, a podcast from the Townsville Community Information Centre.

Althea Projects is a local community service helping those in need. Among its core services are fostering, homelessness assistance, and emergency food relief. However, the 2019 floods and covid introduced new challenges and forced the organisation to change its processes to be able to continue helping people through disasters and social restrictions. In this episode, CEO Paula La Rosa and Wee Care Program Manager Lynne Josey share the recent history of Althea Projects.

This story is just one of the many from our local community that we hope will inspire you.

BRAVE is jointly funded by the Australian and Queensland Governments under the Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA).
This series is produced by Damien Lawardorn.