Talking Australia

Lauren Tischendorf took on a special challenge and became the first woman to swim around Lord Howe Island. The gruesome 35km ocean swim took her 13 hours, negotiating large swells and shark-studded waters throughout. South African-born Lauren became a regular swimmer at Sydney’s beaches but got sparked on by belittling remarks of fellow, primarily male, swimmers about her ability to keep up. This motivated her to push even harder.

Lauren has a penchant for testing her physical and mental resilience; she has participated in ultra-marathon races before eventually eying off Lord Howe. In preparation for her island circumnavigation, the 37 year old swam 35km a week for the past three years.

This Episode of Talking Australia is hosted by Liz Ginis (Managing Editor Digital at Australian Geographic) and produced by Ben Kanthak (www.beachshackpodcasts.com).
 
You can also follow us on Instagram @australiangeographic

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Peggy Rismiller made it her calling to slowly unravel the mysteries of the world’s oldest species of mammal – the echidna. In the late 80s she joined the team at the Pelican Lagoon Research and Wildlife Centre on Kangaroo Island and since then her work has earned her international recognition.

On this episode she shares some amazing facts about these fascinating animals that we still know so little about. She also talks about the effects of the raging 2019 bushfires on the island and its echidna population.

This Episode of Talking Australia is hosted by Angela Heathcote (Digital Producer at Australian Geographic) and produced by Ben Kanthak (www.beachshackpodcasts.com).
 
You can also follow us on Instagram @australiangeographic

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Reaching up to 3m in length the giant Gippsland earthworm may be the world's largest of its kind. Often mistaken for a snake due to its size, this creature can only be found in a few locations in Victoria. The worms are under serious pressure by agricultural use of their habitat so, for the last 30 years, ecologist Beverley van Praagh and her team at the Giant Earthworm Project have been working closely with the Victorian government and local farmers to find ways to ensure the survival of this fascinating species.

This Episode of Talking Australia is hosted by Angela Heathcote (Digital Producer at Australian Geographic) and produced by Ben Kanthak (www.beachshackpodcasts.com).
 
You can also follow us on Instagram @australiangeographic

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Outback travel expert Ron Moon has seen more of Australia than most. He has spent much of his life exploring and writing about Australia’s remote areas and adventures, including retracing journeys of early European explorers. He fashioned a life based on his love for 4WD touring, camping, bird watching, diving, hunting, canoeing and fishing. He has also ignited that flame for multitudes of people through his writing.

This Episode of Talking Australia is hosted by Justin Walker (Editor Australian Geographic Adventure) and produced by Ben Kanthak (www.beachshackpodcasts.com).

You can also follow us on Instagram @australiangeographic

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sophie Matterson took a break from her work in the film industry and the constraints of city life to find new inspiration in the outdoors. She ended up mustering feral camels in the Red Centre, which gave her an idea for an epic adventure. Last year during the midst of the global pandemic she embarked on a 5000km, solo, coast-to-coast trek, accompanied only by her beloved camels.

This Episode of Talking Australia is hosted by Chrissie Goldrick (Editor-in-chief at Australian Geographic) and produced by Ben Kanthak (www.beachshackpodcasts.com)
 
You can also follow us on Instagram @australiangeographic

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Albert Wiggan is an inspiration.
A traditional owner and Bardi-Kija-Nyul Nyul man from the Dampier Peninsula of Western Australia, he's also an Indigenous ranger and sees himself as a translator between Western science and Aboriginal teachings. "I feel part of both worlds," the 38 year old says.

His knowledge and love for nature led him to fight the government's plans for the world’s largest LNG gas export terminal at James Price Point (a vital marine sanctuary, home to songlines and dinosaur footprints). Albert lobbied the Supreme Court and fronted a blockade until the developer withdrew from the project.

On this episode of Talking Australia, Albert discusses his concerns for the future of the Kimberley and how the entire nation can benefit from the region - without extraction and potential devastation of one of country's most pristine areas.

This episode of Talking Australia is hosted by Chrissie Goldrick (Editor-in-chief at Australian Geographic) and produced by Ben Kanthak (www.beachshackpodcasts.com).

You can also follow us on Instagram @australiangeographic

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Darryl Jones is a bird scientist who opened up the debate about bird feeding in Australia. He went from anti-bird-feeder to becoming a responsible voice for an activity a large number of Australians enjoy doing. He is also loves colourful Hawaiian shirts and is a real treat to talk to.

On this episode he says why feeding birds isn’t as bad as we were told if done right and what to look out for. His newest book “Feeding the birds at your table” is a courageous step forward to approaching a topic that has been deemed highly contagious.

This Episode of Talking Australia is hosted by Angela Heathcote (Digital Producer at Australian Geographic) and produced by Ben Kanthak (www.beachshackpodcasts.com).

You can also follow us on Instagram @australiangeographic

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

At only 18 years of age, passionate cyclist and outdoor enthusiast Jimmy Ashby jumped on his bike and set off on a life-changing trip that even the most devoted cyclists would balk at.

The South Australian teenager wanted to fulfil his dream to cycle around the whole world all by himself. Thirteen months later, Jimmy had cycled 39,000km, crossing 32 countries on four continents before arriving back home in Adelaide.

In this episode he shares some of the fascinating stories and talks about people he met along the way and how the adventure helped him to find the “true Jimmy”.


This Episode of Talking Australia is hosted by Liz Ginis (Managing Editor Digital at Australian Geographic) and produced by Ben Kanthak (www.beachshackpodcasts.com)

You can also follow us on Instagram @australiangeographic

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Charles Massy is one of the most important voices of Australia's regenerative farming movement. A farmer, scientist and author, he experienced the devastating effects of traditional farming methods firsthand on his family farm. For years Charles unwittingly contributed to its decline, using chemicals and pesticides that degraded the soil. After years of drought turned the property into a dustbowl, he turned to other, more holistic, methods. These ideas helped him to carefully nurse the 2000-hectare property back to natural health and led him to share his knowledge of regenerative farming in his ground-breaking book, Call of the Reed Warbler.

This Episode of Talking Australia is hosted by Liz Ginis (Managing Editor Digital at Australian Geographic) and produced by Ben Kanthak (www.beachshackpodcasts.com).
 
You can also follow us on Instagram @australiangeographic

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Leila Jeffreys is a fine art photographer famous for her Australian bird portraits. Rather than capturing her motives in the outdoors she brings them into a photo studio environment and creates truly unique pictures of local birds. This gives her the ability to capture incredible detail and the results are pictures that bend the idea of where nature photography ends and fine art begins.

On this episode she talks about how she ended up in photography, what motivated her to focus on bird portraits and her most special photo shoot ever.

Here you can find out more about Leila´s work:
https://www.leilajeffreys.com/

This Episode of Talking Australia is hosted by Angela Heathcote (Digital Producer at Australian Geographic) and produced by Ben Kanthak (www.beachshackpodcasts.com).

You can also follow us on Instagram @australiangeographic

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.