On June 23, 2000, the Childers Backpacker Hostel fire was the biggest news story in the world. It would have a profound impact on the lives and careers of some of Australia's most prominent journalists. At the forefront, two rival commercial television stations, led by the Seven Network's Kim Skubris and Nine's Karl Stefanovic. This is their story

Written and produced by Paul Cochrane

Original music, sound design & editing by Zoltan Fecso

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Just two days before the fire, Keith O'Brien celebrated his 22nd birthday with guests of the Hostel. By week's end that same circle of friends would draw strength from each other as they mourned the loss of 15 young lives and questioned why there were no smoke alarms sounding as the fire raged through the Palace.

Written and produced by Paul Cochrane

Original music, sound design & editing by Zoltan Fecso

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/childers.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/childers.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When it came to media spotlight, Childers was no shrinking violet, but it certainly wasn't overrun with regular requests. Nothing could prepare it for the avalanche of media that was about to quickly descend on the town though, led by a local news crew and its intrepid cameraman.

Written and produced by Paul Cochrane

Original music, sound design & editing by Zoltan Fecso

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/childers.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/childers.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Just three months before the Palace Backpackers Hostel fire, the O'Keeffe family, who were visiting from Ireland, met for dinner at a popular Sydney hotel. It was the night before their daughter Julie and her two travel companions were heading north to work on the farms in Childers and they'd never seen her happier. It was the last time they would see her alive.

Written and produced by Paul Cochrane

Original music, sound design & editing by Zoltan Fecso

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/childers.

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Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Childers was Bill Trevor's town and he led his community with pride and purpose. But his leadership would face its sternest test when the centrepiece of the main street - the Palace Backpackers Hostel - was set alight in an arson attack on 23 June, 2000. But with the help of an army of community volunteers, the local Mayor would put measures in place to ensure the backpackers were taken care of and Childers wouldn't be defeated.

Written and produced by Paul Cochrane

Original music, sound design & editing by Zoltan Fecso

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/childers.

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Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

New Zealander Tia Pou had Childers in her travel plans and the Palace Backpackers Hostel was where she wanted to stay. And when she got there, it was everything she anticipated, until things took a sudden, unexpected twist. But what happened in Childers was just the start of her horrifying ordeal.

Written and produced by Paul Cochrane

Original music, sound design & editing by Zoltan Fecso

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/childers.

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It took Jessica Wiegand 8 months waitressing in a London restaurant to earn enough money to get her visa for Australia. And when she arrived it was everything she hoped for. Travel and sightseeing. She headed north to spend a few weeks working on the farms in Childers and had just started to make new acquaintances when her world was turned upside down.

Written and produced by Paul Cochrane

Original music, sound design & editing by Zoltan Fecso

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/childers.

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Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As a young man, Ken Morris dreamed of packing up and leaving Wales to take up life in Australia. It didn't quite pan out that way. So when his youngest daughter Natalie and her friends set their sights on a working holiday down under, he fully supported her fulfilling her dreams. But it would be the start of a recurring nightmare that changed his family forever.

Written and produced by Paul Cochrane

Original music, sound design & editing by Zoltan Fecso

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/childers.

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Sarah Mahoney headed to Childers seeking new adventures while she waited on the outcome of job and education prospects. She figured a few weeks picking on the local small crop farms and earning a few dollars would be valuable life experience. She could never have anticipated how quickly those plans would change.

Written and produced by Paul Cochrane

Original music, sound design & editing by Zoltan Fecso

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/childers.

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It's just after midnight. June 23, 2000. Fire station officer in charge Curl Santacaterina is fast asleep when he's paged to attend a job a few streets away from his Childers home. His crew, which includes Hayden Whittaker, is about to attend the biggest job of their careers. A fire which would forever change the small Queensland highway town, its residents and the lives of everyone staying at the Palace Backpackers Hostel.

Written and produced by Paul Cochrane

Original music, sound design & editing by Zoltan Fecso

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/childers.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/childers.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.