Conversations

As a child, the superstar swim coach lived with a chronic lung condition, and had part of a lung removed. In 1956, a huge event held in his family's backyard changed the course of his life

Louise Burton has worked with the Royal Flying Doctor Service Qld for twenty years

Hugh White on the conundrum of how Australia can defend itself in the Asian century

Psychologist Jessica Grisham on working with people whose wellbeing is threatened by their attachment to 'stuff' (R)

Sound designer and naturalist Douglas Quin makes field recordings from everywhere on Earth and uses them to create soundscapes for film and tv, galleries and museums

From Antarctica to Arnhem Land, the pages of the books of this prolific author and illustrator are fuelled by adventure (R)

Jan’s work as a champion of young people has its roots in her own story (R)

Barbara Laidlaw pieces together the mystery of what her parents endured as internees in Hong Kong (R)

Bernie was a wild teenager who became a jackeroo and a dingo trapper. Then he began helping kids in trouble (R)

As a child Trent was a quiet observer of the drama of his family and his neighbourhood. He grew up to become an award-winning writer (R)

Bricklaying takes him around the world as a teacher and expert, but Troy Everett still finds deep satisfaction in laying bricks 

Stephanie Wood was an acclaimed newspaper journalist when she fell for a romantic fraudster Stephanie Wood was a successful and well-travelled journalist when she met a sweet man online. They spent many romantic weekends away and discussed a future where they would live together in the country. But after months of his last minute cancellations and no shows, Stephanie finally ended the relationship...

After decades as a marine ecologist, Pia Winberg began her own seaweed farm. One ordinary working day there was a terrible accident

Mandy Sayer has uncovered the history of a thriving Gypsy community (R)

Left totally blind by treatment he received as a premature baby, Ron credits technology, love, and good timing with his success in life and the law 

When she rode her motorbike solo across the Silk Road, Heather thought she had nothing to lose. Her HIV positive diagnosis was far more serious in the 1990s than it is today

Zak Grieve was 19 when he was found guilty of murder, although the judge said he wasn't at the scene of the crime. Steven Schubert tells his story

The astounding fate of Narcisse Pelletier, taken in by the people of Night Island after being abandoned on the coast of far north Queensland in 1858

After a stroke at age 31, Lavinia Codd lost part of her memory, and half her vision. Then she became fascinated by her brain's ability to regenerate (R)

'Becardiganed polymath' Robin Ince on the fascinating brains of stand-up comics

Patrice Newell was a model and a TV host before she began again as a biodynamic farmer

Richard Tognetti was a boy when he first showed a brilliant talent for playing the violin. But in the town where he grew up, his talent made him a target

Angela Hamilton was raised by a tyrannical father, who terrorised his family. Decades later, she found out the truth about what he'd done during WWII

How a shy Mormon girl named Sharon became Poh Ling Yeow (R)

Australia through the eyes of The New York Times Australia bureau chief, Damien Cave