The Incredible Journey

In 2023 the oldest Hebrew Bible in the world sold at Sotheby’s New York for over $38 million USD, making it the most valuable manuscript sold at auction. It is called the Codex Sassoon and is thought to have been written about 1,100 years ago. It is the earliest surviving example of the Hebrew Bible. The Codex Sassoon Bible is a veritable treasure. However, there are older ancient Bibles, scrolls, and manuscripts that are even more valuable and involve amazing stories of discovery. Join us in the Bible Lands as we search for the oldest scrolls, manuscripts, codices, and Bibles and discover the profound influence they’ve had on Western civilisation and cultures around the world.

In August 1864, three young children went missing in the bushland of Victoria’s Wimmera District. Isaac, Jane, and Frank Duff, aged between four and nine, had become lost in the rugged wilderness. Their father, John Duff, launched a desperate search that stretched over nine days and eight nights. Just before sunset on the ninth day, the children were found alive—exhausted, malnourished, but miraculously still clinging to life. Their survival captured the hearts and imagination of the entire community. In this program, we explore the extraordinary story of these resilient children and their remarkable endurance in the harsh and unforgiving Australian bush.

On Christmas Eve, 1953, New Zealand’s holiday celebrations were shattered by tragedy. The Wellington to Auckland night express, filled with passengers eager to be home for Christmas, was making its way north when disaster struck. A lahar (volcanic mudflow) had swept away the Tangiwai Rail Bridge, plunging the train into the raging Whangaehu River below. The result was catastrophic — lives were lost, and the nation was left in shock.

It was one of the darkest moments in New Zealand’s history. At the time, it ranked as the eighth-deadliest rail disaster in the world and captured international headlines. With a population of just over two million, nearly everyone in the country knew someone affected. The fact that it occurred on Christmas Eve only deepened the collective sorrow. To this day, it remains far more than a local railway accident — it is a national tragedy.

Join Gary Kent as he explores the story of the Tangiwai disaster, uncovering its profound impact on the people involved and the country as a whole. In the midst of grief and loss, perhaps we too can find comfort and strength as we reflect on how to navigate sorrow and hardship in our own lives.

The value of the global trade of goods today is approximately 30 trillion US dollars. That’s 83 billion dollars per day of goods being transported all over the world across land, air, and sea. But trade is nothing new. In ancient times, trade began as a barter system in which people exchanged one object for another. People traded animal skins or services for food, weapons, clothing, and spices. Some primitive societies even used shells or pearls as currency, but during the 18th century, coins and money currencies became more prominent. 

Trade has boomed over the last two centuries to the point where we are all involved in it every day of our lives. Most of us regularly trade in the local supermarket, where we can find almost anything we need in one place rather than having to visit multiple stores. It’s made shopping so much more convenient. These self-service super shops offer a wide variety of food, beverages, and household products under one roof. They offer a huge range of brands and product types. In fact, on average, there are around 40K items in the store. The main supermarkets in Australia are Woolworths, Coles, IGA, and Aldi.

But have you ever wondered how they began? So, how did one of Australia’s largest supermarket chains begin? Well, Gary Kent, as we follow in the footsteps of Sir George James Coles, a businessman and philanthropist, who changed how we shop, do business, and live. His story will amaze and inspire you.

Virtually all ancient civilisations considered the celestial bodies and their movements of great importance, even incorporating astronomical events into the design of their sacred temples and monuments. The Egyptians, Babylonians, Mesopotamians, Chinese, Incas, Mayans and Aztecs worshipped the sun, moon, and stars. They built splendid sacred monuments that reflected astronomical events associated with the movement of the planets and stars. They were revered as gods to be worshipped and considered vital to people’s day-to-day lives. These ancient people believed the stars carried an important message for humanity. Interestingly, these majestic stars do have a message for us today. Join Gary on a journey to some of the most magnificent sacred sites in the ancient world to discover the message of the stars – a message that will hold you spellbound.

In 1932, Lennie Gwyther was nine years old when he and his horse Ginger Mick embarked on a 1000-kilometre journey to Sydney to see the newly constructed harbour bridge. At the time, Australia was in the throes of economic depression, and Lennie’s journey resonated with many Australians. At the end of his journey, Lennie was dubbed a legend and given a hero’s welcome in both Sydney and his native town of Leongatha. Join us as we follow in the footsteps of Lennie the Legend and his incredible journey.

He is one of the most reviled and hated men in history. He was the king of the Holy Land during the time of Jesus and is best known for ordering the massacre in Bethlehem of all male children under 2 years old. His name? Herod the Great

But Herod’s cruel reputation has always hidden another side of one of the Bible’s greatest villains. He was a prolific builder and architectural mastermind of breathtaking proportions. He built new cities, fortresses, palaces, harbours, aqueducts, theatres, and other public buildings. His most grandiose creation was the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem, which he wholly rebuilt. Herod built more and larger monuments than virtually anyone in ancient times, perhaps in all time.

Herod the Great, also known as Herod 1, was the Roman-appointed Jewish king of Judea, who was referred to at the time as the Herodian Kingdom. He reigned for 33 years between 37 to 4 BC. 

Join Gary on a journey back through time as we follow the footsteps of Herod the Great and discover what made him tick, and what made him crazy, and in doing so we’ll discover one of the simplest and most successful ways to find lasting inner-peace and happiness. 

Operation Barbarossa and the area which fell under it became the site of some of the largest and most brutal battles, deadliest atrocities, terrible loss of life, and horrific conditions for Soviets and Germans alike – all of which influenced the course of World War 2.  The defeat of Operation Barbarossa led to the end of that war and all the pain, suffering that accompanied it. In this program we investigate its connection with a young Australian engineer and consider the insights Operation Barbarossa provides into the Universal War, the War behind all wars that is still raging today and involves all of us, yes, even you and me.

In August 1925, two young adventurous missionaries set off from Perth, Western Australia, in their small Citroën with a plan to drive to Darwin, selling books and collecting donations along the way. If they made it that far, they would be the first motorists to complete that journey. But adventure took on a life of its own and, by the end of the year, Nevill Westwood and the little car 'Bubsie' had driven into the history books and completed the first journey around Australia.

Did you know that the foods we eat daily determine our brain's health and well-being? And here’s what’s important. There are superfoods and lifestyle choices that can heal our brains. It’s a question that lurks in our minds. Could the foods we eat really affect our ability to concentrate, focus, learn, and remember? Can the foods we eat really harm our brains? Every day, when we choose foods to eat, do we ask ourselves, "Is this food good for my brain, my body, and my well-being?"

Well, nutritionists tell us that parts of the brain linked to learning, memory, and mental health are smaller in people who have lots of fast foods, hamburgers, fries, potato chips, and soft drinks in their diet. However, their research shows that berries, whole grains, nuts, and green leafy vegetables preserve brain function and slow mental decline. So, what does this mean for us? There is a lot of discussion today about healthy food choices, plant-based options, and food for our well-being. How do we determine the best foods for our brains and our health?
 
Join Gary as he and a nutritional neuroscientist discuss the impact of food on our brains, the best foods for our brains and the foods that harm our brains.