The Lake Bolac Eel Festival is held at Lake Bolac in southwest Victoria in autumn to celebrate the Eel harvest. It continues a tradition that goes back tens of thousands of years when Indigenous peoples from the area gathered for important business; to trade goods, conduct ceremonies and share stories.Begun in 2005 by Neil Murray, singer/songwriter from the area and founding member of the Warumpi Band, the Festival recognises this historic gathering and attracts people from all walks of life to come to the shores of Lake Bolac for the eel harvest to share, learn, remember and celebrate. The festival is now held every two years.Earth Matters speaks to Indigenous Cultural Artist Brett Clarke, two of the Festival organisers, Ayesha Burdett and Gen Blades, Emily Innes from Worn Bundj Native Nursery, Talia Robertson-Wilson and James Flaherty from the Kirrae Health Service, Kim Thomson, eel enthusiast from Melbourne and Malcolm Johnson, an eel advocate, geographer, ecologist and PhD student.Music: Boorook 'Keep the Dream Alive'For more information about the Lake Bolac Eel Festival, go to the website: www.eelfestival.org.au.For more information on the Yoorrook Justice Commission go to the website here. Episode #1482

Buddy up with Bec and  experience this multifaceted Protestival.  We will be chatting to the people involved, hearing fab and funny speakers and  kicking  off  shoes to groove with Gurridyula. Aunty Sue s summary of the Australian Parliament is hilarious. Guests:  Frankie Kellie: School Strike for Climate, Aunty Sue Ellen: Gomeroi Elder, Bev Smiles: Hunter Community Activist, Rowan 7yo, George- Newcastle activistMusic: Gurridyulas song supporting Pilliga activists; a live recording with   permission to broadcast.Lots of information and pictures at Rising Tide Earth Matters  #1481 was produced on the lands of the Woromi  and Awabakal people  by Bec Horridge

Join the the circle of thousands and be challenged by a deep and unique Welcome to Country at the Peoples Blockade of the worlds largest coal port. Uncle Juduloo, didge and singing  melds to a deep plea to care for the land, before hundreds of people and canoes entered the coal port shipping channel to disrupt movements of coal ships. Over 170 people were arrested for blocking the coal shipping channels but that was only a fraction of what happened at this well organised and uplifting event. Guests:Renae Lamb: Wiradjuri & Wongibong woman; visionary artist with  Midnight Dreaming Judulu and  Woomera  Mob YARRABAH DANCERS - Yidaki And Traditional Cultural Singing | artist-bookings.com - 0428 785 000 Zac Schofield: Rising Tide  Gurridjula: Wangan & Jagalingou man reoccupying his country on Adani mine site, QLD Anasina Gray-Barberio is the first Samoan Member of Parliament in Victorian Parliament. Francis Nona: a proud  Badalaic man. Academic at Queensland University of Technology. Links:Rising Tide 170 arrests at Rising Tide 2024 – The Echo   Earth Matters #1481 was produced on the lands of the Woromi and Awabakal people in Mulubinba /Newcastle by Bec Horridge

Would you prefer gas, secrets or radioactivity with your cancer? The proposed Middle Arm Gas Hub in Darwin threatens residents with cancerous fumes and us all with global heating.  The ask is simple; redirect the 1.9 billion dollar subsidy and Stop Middle Arm. Nuclear power is at the heart of the Dutton opposition’s energy policy. His leadership style was exposed when he  tried to slip out a back door in Collie, Western Australia after excluding  traditional owners from discussion, on whose land he wants to build  radioactive towers. Guests:Dr Barry Trail director of Solutions for Climate Australia and with Vote Climate  Laura Sykes from Lock the Gate and Middle Arm Roadshow - Environment Centre NT Music:- The Gruff Pack; a Perth band with Birack from their Summer Rainbow release-Malleefowl (Leipoa ocellata)     · iNaturalist-Australian boobook - Wikipedia Earth Matters #1480 was produced on the beautiful lands of the Wulbunja in  Eurobodalla Shire, NSW by Bec HorridgeLinks:Opposition Leader Peter Dutton heckled by protesters opposed to building a nuclear power station in Collie - ABC NewsOpinions split in Collie over Peter Dutton's plan to build a nuclear reactor in mining town - ABC NewsAustralia nuclear energy: Liberals leader Peter Dutton has ‘frank’ meeting in first Collie visit since nuclear plan announced'Your job is to be impartial': Peter Dutton unleashes on ABC reporter over questions about nuclear plans during heated press conference | Sky News Australia‘Don’t care:’ Dutton clashes with ABC journoFormer NT deputy chief minister Nicole Manison takes up role with fracking company Tamboran ResourcesDarwin's planned Middle Arm industrial hub could face lengthy delays after Infrastructure Australia rejects business case

We all have to respond to climate extremes yet many groups are still cant  find seats at climate negotiation tables.  This Earth Matters gets into the nitty gritty of inclusion issues at the  global heating international negotiations known as COP. Guests: Dr Sally Box,  Australia's Chief negotiator at the UNFCCC Conference of the Parties (COP) conferences. Kesaya Baba a Senior Manager for COP31 Strategy and Partnerships with  WWF-Australia and  Tamara Inkster-Draper; Programme Manager of the International Climate Politics Hub  With Womens Climate Conversation host: Janet Salisbury  Earth Matters is grateful for this collaboration with the Womens Climate Conversations Earth Matters #1478 was produced by Bec Horridge

Sonia Randhawa  interviews Radost Stanimirov;a  a geospatial analyst with the World Resources Institute hear about the loss of forest cover related to mining https://www.wri.org/insights/how-mining-impacts-forests Samoan climate justice activist Suluafi Brianna Fruean interviewed by Priya Kunjan speaks with us about centring Pacific climate priorities during this year's Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, which was  held in Apia, Samoa, the first time that the gathering has been hosted by a Pacific Island Nation.  Brianna also talks about presenting The Coconet's documentary series 'The Forgotten Pacific', which travels across five Pacific Islands to discover how communities are weaving Indigenous knowledges into their ongoing fight to save their homes from climate change impacts. Brianna launched a report for the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty initiative, hosted by government leaders leading the initiative from Tuvalu, Vanuatu and Fiji.

A small community are putting their bodies on the line to save Greater Gliders before they are gone forever their homes felled by Forestry Corp.  Even the local retired school principal has been arrested.Susie Russel almost flys with the Greater Gliders as she describes how they live in the forest, their plight and the deaf ears of the government.Then long time campainer Dailan Pugh from the North East Forest Alliance (NEFA) unpicks the vested interests in the Northern NSW native forests logging industry: the people and companies profiting from the destruction of the homes of our unique and threatened animals and plants. Susie Russell:  Facebook : Save Bulga Forest on Biripi Country 2429                            Website:     savebulgaforest.org                           Fundraiser:  https://chuffed.org/project/115308-save-bulga-forest   Music: Garra                 by DRMNGNOWEarth Matters #1426 was produced by Bec Horridge on the lands of the Nunnawal and Ngambri in Canberra and on the land of the Kalibai people in Murwillumbah  and Widjibul lands of the  Bundjalung Nation

Warmly, three skilled and powerful women share what they actually do in their jobs as international climate negotiators and advocates. Dr Sally Box, explains her role as Australia's Chief negotiator at the UNFCCC Conference of the Parties (COP) conferences. Kesaya Baba a Senior Manager for COP31 Strategy and Partnerships with  WWF-Australia and  Tamara Inkster-Draper; Programme Manager of the International Climate Politics Hub joins the conversation.. With Womens Climate Conversation host: Janet Salisbury  Music: Visionary artist ZOE from Earth with her fourth single, This Too Shall Pass, completing the release of the Sun EP. Earth Matters is grateful for this collaboration with the Womens Climate Conversations Earth Matters #1475 was produced by Bec Horridge on Ngunnawal and Ngambri Lands in Canberra, Australia.

Today on Earth Matters, in the lead up to an upcoming Federal Election, we are looking at how so called fake news is slowing down the environmental action in Australia. We explore how traditional media, and its newer social media cousin, is driving a twin crises that threatens not only the environment, but our minds aswell.Thanks to ABC Friends for their assistance.Check out the Climate of Misinformation report here.Featuring music from Australian artists, Monkey Marc and Combat Wombat. Earth Matters #1474 was produced by Phil Evans on Whadjuk Noongar boodja.

Today's show features an interview from the 26th of September this year with members of Cook Islands grassroots collective Ocean Ancestors Louisa Castledine and Dr Teina Rongo, who spoke about Cook Islanders' concerns about and resistance to deep sea mining in their waters. On the 18th of September, Ocean Ancestors were involved in organising a sail-out rally to demonstrate community support for the fight to protect marine environments, ecosystems and kin from the threat posed by offshore extractive industries, as well as climate change, pollution and overfishing. During this interview, Louisa and Dr Rongo also discuss the community and economic impacts of mineral exploration on the fabric of Cook Islands society.This episode of Earth Matters also includes two beautiful renditions of classic Cook Islands songs performed by Kura Happ - 'Manea' and 'Aue Oki Koe Te Purotu'. These performances were recorded as part of the Poly Songbook by thecoconet.tv.Earth Matters #1473 was produced by Priya Kunjan on the lands of the Wurundjeri People of the Kulin Nation.