Stars and Stories: The Black Star Radio Podcast

Stars and Stories

Broadcasting straight from the heart of Remote Communities, Black Star Radio brings a fresh twist to local radio with stories, music, and connections that matter. Powered by Queensland Remote Aboriginal Media (QRAM), we’re here to amplify voices, celebrate culture, and bring you the latest from Far North Queensland.

Learn more: https://blackstarradio.com.au

In this episode, MJ speaks with David Kempton MP, State Member for Cook, about some of the biggest concerns currently facing Far North Queensland communities.

The conversation explores the growing frustration around youth crime in Mareeba and the Tablelands, including the challenges of repeat offending, rehabilitation, and what support systems are needed to create long-term change.

David also shares his views on detention, mentorship programs, and the importance of giving young people structure, purpose, and direction.

The discussion then shifts to ongoing concerns around major roadworks and infrastructure delays, including the Kuranda Range Road upgrades and the bridge situation, with questions being raised about timelines, planning, and the impact on locals and tourism.

Listen now to the full interview.

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Stars and Stories

Broadcasting straight from the heart of Remote Communities, Black Star Radio brings a fresh twist to local radio with stories, music, and connections that matter. Powered by Queensland Remote Aboriginal Media (QRAM), we’re here to amplify voices, celebrate culture, and bring you the latest from Far North Queensland.

Learn more: https://blackstarradio.com.au

In this episode, Lauren Grace speaks with Dr. Grace Lillian Lee, founder of First Nations Fashion and Design, about the journey behind her work and the purpose driving it forward.

Grace shares how FNFD began, not as a brand, but as a collective of First Nations designers creating together and exploring identity through fashion, art, and culture.

From early showcases on Country in Yarrabah to the first all-Indigenous runway at Australian Fashion Week, this conversation reflects on what it means to walk in two worlds, holding cultural responsibility while navigating the fashion industry.

Grace also reflects on her time in Paris, from working with Jean Paul Gaultier to completing a residency and launching her own couture collection,  and how that experience sparked a stronger focus on showing up globally, knowing those opportunities won’t always come to Cairns.

At the centre of Grace’s journey is a clear focus, creating space, building pathways, and supporting the next generation of First Nations designers to step into the industry with confidence.

Listen now to the full interview.

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Stars and Stories

Broadcasting straight from the heart of Remote Communities, Black Star Radio brings a fresh twist to local radio with stories, music, and connections that matter. Powered by Queensland Remote Aboriginal Media (QRAM), we’re here to amplify voices, celebrate culture, and bring you the latest from Far North Queensland.

Learn more: https://blackstarradio.com.au

Meet Grace

Dr. Grace Lillian Lee is a multicultural Australian artist and leader, known for her unique blend of traditional and contemporary art forms. She graduated with Honors in Fashion Design from RMIT in 2010 and received an honorary doctorate from the University of Technology, Sydney in 2025. Lee's artistic journey began with "grasshopper weaving," taught by her mentor, Dr. Uncle Ken Thaiday, leading to her large-scale and wearable body sculptures that reflect family stories and cultural heritage.

In 2017, she founded First Nations Fashion Design, promoting Indigenous cultural expression in fashion and art. Her work is showcased in notable institutions like the National Gallery of Australia and the Kluge-Ruhe Collection. Lee has collaborated with renowned artists and was named Indigenous Designer of the Year at the Australian Fashion Laureate Award in 2024. She made history in 2025 as the first Indigenous Australian to present at Paris Couture Fashion Week, earning recognition on the Business of Fashion 500 list.

FNFD Web: https://firstnationsfashiondesign.com/pages/about-us

FNFD Insta: https://www.instagram.com/first.nations.fashion.design/

FNFD FB: https://www.facebook.com/firstnationsfashiondesign

Stars and Stories

Broadcasting straight from the heart of Remote Communities, Black Star Radio brings a fresh twist to local radio with stories, music, and connections that matter. Powered by Queensland Remote Aboriginal Media (QRAM), we’re here to amplify voices, celebrate culture, and bring you the latest from Far North Queensland.

Learn more: https://blackstarradio.com.au

This week on Stars and Stories, Gerald Quigley unpacks surprising findings from a large hospital study on vitamin C levels.

Out of 12,000 tests, around one-third of people had low levels, something many wouldn’t expect.

There aren’t always obvious symptoms, but signs can include:

• Fatigue

• Slow wound healing

The solution is often simple, fresh fruit, vegetables, and consistent intake.

Listen now where you get your podcasts or head to our website to learn more.

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Stars and Stories

Broadcasting straight from the heart of Remote Communities, Black Star Radio brings a fresh twist to local radio with stories, music, and connections that matter. Powered by Queensland Remote Aboriginal Media (QRAM), we’re here to amplify voices, celebrate culture, and bring you the latest from Far North Queensland.

Learn more: https://blackstarradio.com.au

Meet Gerald

Gerald Quigley is a practising Community Pharmacist, as well as an Accredited Herbalist.

Gerald is a Pharmacist and Master Herbalist based in Melbourne. He is a media health commentator heard each week on many radio stations.   

He is co-hosts the House of Wellness radio program heard each Sunday on the Nine Radio Network live across Australia. 

Gerald is a Fellow of the Naturopaths and Herbalists Association of Australia and Fellow of the Australian Traditional Medicine Society. 

Gerald’s passion is to empower each person to make sensible health decisions, and to continually maintain and improve their quality of life, especially as they age. 

Contact: https://www.geraldquigley.com/contact

In this episode, Lauren Grace speaks with Alex Price-Busch, a First Nations financial counsellor from ICAN, about the scams currently affecting communities across Far North Queensland and the Cape.

Alex explains how scams are evolving and why they can be hard to spot,  especially when they come from people pretending to be someone you know, government agencies, or even online relationships.

He shares some of the common scams being seen right now, including:

Alex also offers practical advice on how to protect yourself, from checking who you’re speaking to, to avoiding links and payment requests that don’t feel right.

The key message? If something feels off, trust your gut.

Listen now to the full interview.

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Stars and Stories

Broadcasting straight from the heart of Remote Communities, Black Star Radio brings a fresh twist to local radio with stories, music, and connections that matter. Powered by Queensland Remote Aboriginal Media (QRAM), we’re here to amplify voices, celebrate culture, and bring you the latest from Far North Queensland.

Learn more: https://blackstarradio.com.au

Meet Alex

Alex Price-Busch is a First Nations Financial Counsellor and systemic advocate who works at the Indigenous Consumer Assistance Network (ICAN). Alex provides financial counselling to services to mob across Far North Queensland and throughout the Cape.

In nearly 6 years of working at ICAN, he has assisted many people to work through their financial issues and participated in advocacy campaigns such as Save Sorry Business, which resulted in the government establishing a remediation program for First Nations people who were left with nothing after the funeral insurance company, Youpla, collapsed.

Contact ICAN here for more information:

https://ican.org.au/

Old Faithful: Alive and Accounted For

In this episode of Stars and Stories, MJ speaks with David Kempton MP, State Member for Cook to get an update on Old Faithful, the crocodile at the centre of recent discussion in Far North Queensland.

According to David, Old Faithful is alive, well, and currently being cared for at the Australia Zoo.

He shares that the crocodile was relocated due to safety concerns, following reports it had been fed by people and was becoming a risk in the area.

The conversation also touches on:

Listen now to the full interview.

This interview is in response to a recent episode: What’s Happened to Old Faithful? Questions Without Answers where MJ spoke with Elder Alwyn Lyall about a situation unfolding in Lakefield National Park and concerns he has raised about the removal of crocodiles from the area.

To listen to that interview click here. 

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Stars and Stories

Broadcasting straight from the heart of Remote Communities, Black Star Radio brings a fresh twist to local radio with stories, music, and connections that matter. Powered by Queensland Remote Aboriginal Media (QRAM), we’re here to amplify voices, celebrate culture, and bring you the latest from Far North Queensland.

Learn more: https://blackstarradio.com.au

In this episode, MJ speaks with Elder Alwyn Lyall about a situation unfolding in Lakefield National Park and concerns he has raised about the removal of crocodiles from the area.

Alwyn describes two crocodiles being taken from the park. He says one appeared to be in poor condition and that he has been told it was euthanised. He says the status of the other, known locally as Old Faithful, remains unclear.

In this conversation, Alwyn also shares concerns including:

Alwyn also shares his perspective on how decisions are made on Country, and the role Traditional Owners play in those processes.

Listen now to the full interview now. 

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Stars and Stories

Broadcasting straight from the heart of Remote Communities, Black Star Radio brings a fresh twist to local radio with stories, music, and connections that matter. Powered by Queensland Remote Aboriginal Media (QRAM), we’re here to amplify voices, celebrate culture, and bring you the latest from Far North Queensland.

Learn more: https://blackstarradio.com.au

This week on Stars and Stories, Gerald Quigley explores something simple many of us grew up with, having a cup of tea to wind down.

But there’s more to it than just habit.

Tea contains an amino acid called L-theanine, which helps calm a busy mind. When combined with magnesium (known for supporting muscle relaxation), it may help improve sleep quality over time.

This combination can be useful for people who:

• Struggle to fall asleep

• Wake during the night and can’t switch off

• Feel like their mind is constantly racing

Gerald explains that it’s not an instant fix,  but with consistent use, many people notice better sleep within a few weeks.

Listen now where you get your podcasts or head to our website to learn more.

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Stars and Stories

Broadcasting straight from the heart of Remote Communities, Black Star Radio brings a fresh twist to local radio with stories, music, and connections that matter. Powered by Queensland Remote Aboriginal Media (QRAM), we’re here to amplify voices, celebrate culture, and bring you the latest from Far North Queensland.

Learn more: https://blackstarradio.com.au

Meet Gerald

Gerald Quigley is a practising Community Pharmacist, as well as an Accredited Herbalist.

Gerald is a Pharmacist and Master Herbalist based in Melbourne. He is a media health commentator heard each week on many radio stations.   

He is co-hosts the House of Wellness radio program heard each Sunday on the Nine Radio Network live across Australia. 

Gerald is a Fellow of the Naturopaths and Herbalists Association of Australia and Fellow of the Australian Traditional Medicine Society. 

Gerald’s passion is to empower each person to make sensible health decisions, and to continually maintain and improve their quality of life, especially as they age. 

Contact: https://www.geraldquigley.com/contact

This week on Stars and Stories, Gerald Quigley shares a powerful reminder about heart health , and why feeling “fine” doesn’t always mean you are.

He recounts stories of two men, both symptom-free, who went for routine checks:

• One needed a double bypass within days

• The other underwent a quadruple bypass shortly after testing

Neither expected it.

Both had family histories of heart disease but it was something they hadn’t acted on early enough.

The takeaway? A simple heart health check with your GP can give you a clearer picture of your risk and help prevent something more serious.

Sometimes it’s not about symptoms, it’s about what’s happening quietly in the background.

Listen now where you get your podcasts or head to our website to learn more.

----more----

Stars and Stories

Broadcasting straight from the heart of Remote Communities, Black Star Radio brings a fresh twist to local radio with stories, music, and connections that matter. Powered by Queensland Remote Aboriginal Media (QRAM), we’re here to amplify voices, celebrate culture, and bring you the latest from Far North Queensland.

Learn more: https://blackstarradio.com.au

Meet Gerald

Gerald Quigley is a practising Community Pharmacist, as well as an Accredited Herbalist.

Gerald is a Pharmacist and Master Herbalist based in Melbourne. He is a media health commentator heard each week on many radio stations.   

He is co-hosts the House of Wellness radio program heard each Sunday on the Nine Radio Network live across Australia. 

Gerald is a Fellow of the Naturopaths and Herbalists Association of Australia and Fellow of the Australian Traditional Medicine Society. 

Gerald’s passion is to empower each person to make sensible health decisions, and to continually maintain and improve their quality of life, especially as they age. 

Contact: https://www.geraldquigley.com/contact