In this episode — the first in a two-part focus on Health — we hear people's reflections on those first days of the pandemic. The complexities and nuances in how people in a single rural shire prepare for, confront and live through the pandemic is telling. Even in a local bushfire crisis, many people were already tracking COVID-19 closely.

These rural stories, that are rarely told, show how the pandemic was interwoven with the realities of life — set against the backdrop of the bushfires and drought.

The story of COVID-19 in the Bega Valley isn't a single crisis but a compounding cumulative one: these are stories of grief and ingenuity, told with humour, warmth or rawness. In these stories we explore the different ways people stay hopeful, deal with loss, and remain resilient and connected.

________

© Bega Valley Shire Council and Bega Valley Shire Library 2019-2024

Acknowledgement of Country

Bega Valley Shire Library acknowledges and pays respect to the traditional custodians of the lands, waterways and airspace on which we live.

Help if you need

Mental Health Line (NSW Health): 1800 011 511

Lifeline: 13 11 14; SMS: 0477 13 11 14; W: lifeline.org.au

Acknowledgement of funding

The Talking Together oral histories project made possible by funding from the NSW Reconstruction Authority (Resilience NSW). The NSW Reconstruction Authority is dedicated to disaster prevention, preparedness, recovery & reconstruction.

Funded under the joint Australian Government–NSW Government Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements 2018. The views expressed do not necessarily represent those of the NSW Government.

All music

“Rocks and Snow” David Ross Macdonald: Bandcamp

“3XQ” Baron Grand: Epidemic Sound

“Fairy Tale” Livio Amato: Epidemic Sound

“Glitch in Reality” David Celeste: Epidemic Sound 

Image Credits

Series

Episodes

Further Audio:

Archive Audio

ABC: Original broadcast material from the South East Breakfast Program supplied by ABC, your Emergency Broadcaster.

Podcasts

Website design

Natalie Martin-Remmert

Project Officer

Craig Garrett

Project Lead & Management:

Linda Albertson

Sugita Wahl (and coffee partner-in-crime)

Podcast production:

Craig Garrett (Producer, Sound Design, Audio Editing, Scripting)

Shona Hawkes (Producer, Scripting)

Oral Histories production

Craig Garrett (Interviewer, Workshop Facilitator, Audio Editing)

The complete Talking Together Oral Histories interviews are available at the Bega Valley Shire Library Catalogue

Interview transcription

Jo Oastler

Alexander Mercieca

Trish Dive

Janet Reynolds

SeedPod Audio Collective

Shona Hawkes

Craig Garrett

Anita Coakley

Pamela Cleo Goddard

Lisa Herbert

Stephen Bayliss

Oral Histories extra organisation

Anita Coakley for organising interviews and workshops in Towamba.

Carly McDonald at Headspace for organising the Youth Reference Group interview.

Emma Woolley and Vanessa Barratt (both Southern NSW Local Health District).