All The Best

  Clatter Tongue by K.A Ren Wild  You’ll hear a live reading of a short story written by Ren Wyld and performed by Katie Becket for Story Saloon – a live storytelling show and podcast. The story itself comes from the First Nation Anthology of speculative fiction, titled This All Come Back Now, edited by Koori and Lebanese writer Dr Mykaela Saunders.  This interplay between voice and voicelessness. The juxtaposition of the fantastic with the real world. Tackles the larger question of empowerment and disempowerment.  Written by K.A Ren Wyld, Read by Katie Beckett. It was performed at the Vanguard in 2025 for StorySALOON, a live storytelling show and podcast that combines Australia’s best written storytelling with electrifying live reads.    StorySALOON’s executive producer is Jane Messer, audio recording by Martin Gallagher at Echidna Audio.  Find out more by heading to storysaloon.com.au  Also, a link to the last time we featured a StorySALOON live reading.   All The Best Credits Program Manager & Host: Kwame Slusher Executive Producer: Melanie Bakewell Programming & Community Coordinator:  Catarina Fraga Matos  Community Coordinator: Patrick McKenzie Theme Music composed by Shining Bird Mixed & Compiled: Emma Higgins Cover Art: Ray Vo Special shout-out to our volunteers.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  In the Editorial to Debris Magazine Issue 06, editors Jon Tjhia and Cher Tan write, "Everywhere you look, the word is no—a word that stakes a powerful foothold as it pushes the walls closer around you. No time for ambivalence or ambiguity. No! And then you wake up." This episode features three excerpts from the Debris Magazine Issue 06: NO!   No Dogs by Luca Demetriadi  Luca's story is about a town that bans dogs after an incident, and how that changes the town forever. Written and read by Luca Demetriadi  Sound design by Mel Bakewell    Grand Theft Autism by Alex Creece  Alex Creece is openly neurodivergent, but their poem is not interested in confirming your suspected Autism diagnosis. Written and read by Alex Creece Sound design by Felicity Weaver    Personal by Claire Cao  An actor’s personal assistant wades through the blurred boundaries of life, work and performance on the day she’s going to quit.   Written and performed by Claire Cao Sound design by Catarina Fraga Matos   Substack  f you want more of what’s happening at All the Best, check out our Substack! It’s a roundup of all our activities with a little bit of BTS.   All The Best Credits  Host: Kwame Slusher Executive Producer: Melanie Bakewell Programming & Community Coordinator:  Catarina Fraga Matos  Community Coordinator: Patrick McKenzie Theme Music composed by Shining Bird Mixed & Compiled: Emma Higgins Cover Art: Ray Vo Special shout-out to our volunteers.      See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode, we dive into the archives to learn about the long history of pianos, a very unique guitar and maybe why we should start thinking of record stores as more than just places to buy music,  but to be a part of a community.   Donmo by Benjamin Erin It’s not quite the Delta … but our first story takes us to South Australia to meet Don Morrison… to talk about guitar making and why it’s so hard for musicians to break the pub ceiling.     That story was produced by Benjamin Erin in 2019 for the Transom Travelling Workshop. Special thanks to the CMTO.  Greg by Thomas Matijevic Our next story takes us into the story of a particular record shop in Naarm.  Thomas speaks to Greg, owner of Hub 301 Records and the founder of the Now Legendary Rhythm and Soul, about how the culture of consuming music has changed.   That story was produced by Thomas Matijevic. Special thanks to Dan Semo and Janak Rogers.   Joe Leaver by Olivia RosenmanIn our next story, we are asked to see that instruments are more than just things to be used to make music, but they have their complicated histories.   The next story is about pianos and a man who has made a career of tuning and restoring them. Substack  If you want more of what’s happening at All the Best, check out our Substack! It’s a roundup of all our activities with a little bit of BTS.   All The Best Credits Program Manager & Host: Kwame Slusher Executive Producer: Melanie Bakewell Programming & Community Coordinator:  Catarina Fraga Matos  Community Coordinator: Patrick McKenzie Theme Music composed by Shining Bird Special shout-out to our volunteers.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Happy New Year, and here is our second ‘best of’ episode. But this time it’s the All the Best staff picks. Cockroach by Jin Hien Lau Kwame’s first pick comes from #659 Extra(ordinary) Tales – Part One. What begins as a chance encounter with a cockroach on an escalator spirals into a wild story of movie nights, pop culture, and a swarm of roaches bursting out of a DVD case.  Kwame loves this story for its humour and cockroach-themed 90s nostalgia. Produced by: Jin Hien Lau  Sound design by: Gregory Thorsby  The audio corpse Cat’s fav was the #641 The audio corpse. This piece is part of The Exquisite Audio Corpse, an ambitious international collaboration between 75 audio makers from around the globe run by Audio Club, creating a series of seven sonic “corpses” inspired by the surrealist game exquisite corpse. Cat loved seeing the individual styles of storytelling. The sample was from M. Cristina Marras and storytellers in that episode were Lezak, Pierre & Florence, Yhane, Ali, Darien, Arielle, Valdez & Hazel, Ellie, Cole &  Claudia.   The Love Game by Wing Kuang Mel’s pick was from #661 The Love Game. Wing Kuang guides us through a love story of two gamers —one in Melbourne and one in Shanghai —navigating the complexities of long-distance relationships and the bureaucracy of Australia’s immigration system.  This story came from the Jesse Cox Fellowship 2025, and Mel enjoyed seeing Wing explore how to include elements of bilingual storytelling and gamification. Produced by Wing Kuang  Supervising Producer: M. Cristina Marras Window by Danni Stewart Kwame’s second pick comes from #633 Small Audio Art. It came from a Small Audio Art challenge, and Danny’s story, The Window, follows a parasocial relationship with a neighbour. Produced by Danni Stewart Just Breathe by Ben Haywood Our final pick is Mel’s second pick. It’s another one from the Jesse Cox Fellowship 2025. This time it’s #662 Just Breathe Man. Ben suffers from depression after knee surgery. Searching for ways to heal online, he finds himself trapped in toxic ideas of masculinity. It’s only when a friend takes him to his breathwork class that he finally breaks down and begins to heal, learning that recovery can come through friendship, community, and space to breathe. Mel said  ’This story started out when Ben first pitched to the fellowship as a completely different idea. He had a kind of couple of story false starts in the making of this, and then yeah, sort of turned his audio story in on himself and the time that he was going through.’   Substack  If you want more of what’s happening at All the Best, check out our Substack! It’s a roundup of all our activities with a little bit of BTS.   All The Best Credits Program Manager & Host: Kwame Slusher Executive Producer: Melanie Bakewell Programming & Community Coordinator:  Catarina Fraga Matos  Community Coordinator: Patrick McKenzie Theme Music composed by Shining Bird Special shout-out to our volunteers.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

2025 is almost over, and it’s the time of year when everyone is sharing their ‘best of’s, ‘wrappeds, ‘rewinds’ or recaps of the year. In this episode, our amazing volunteers at All the Best share the stories that really resonated with them.     Second Hand Bandit by Ramon Briant  Episode #640 The Second Hand Bandit was all about community and second-hand op-shops, or in Patrick’s words, it was about those ‘comrad vibes’.  Ramon’s story focuses on how a second-hand shop community came together to solve a string of thefts.   Produced by Ramon Briant     Weaving Ancestral Voices by Shareeka Hellaludin  Sue chose Weaving Ancestral Voices from #629 Ancestral Voices, and the episode focused on that theme of connection and reconnection. The story is about the Shraeeka’s journey to reconnect the different parts of her identity. For Sue, it was the  delicate panning, whispered textures, and ‘really subtle shifts in tone’ that Shareeka uses in the piece.    This story was produced by Shareeka Helaluddin. The Supervising Producer was Mell Chun, with support from John Tjhia.   Wanted: Dunnart Alive by Xanthe Smith  This comes from #660 Wanted: Dunnart Alive. This is one of Jesse Cox Audio Fellowship Stories for 2025. Lindsey’s choice is all about looking for that elusive thing.  Xanthe revisits her childhood memories of meeting ecologist Sue Churchill, whose stories of the rare marsupial stayed with her for decades.  She chose this story because  ’…the amount of effort it takes, even finding something so small.’ Produced by Xanthe Smith Supervising Producer was Karla Arnall All The Best turned 15 this year! And as part of our b-day party showcased stories from the JCAF fellows.    Tubig Lang by Merlinda Bobis   Ray’s choice is the first story in #653 Tubig Lang (Just Water). This takes us to the Philippines and explores what a typhoon looks like in the eyes of a child.   He chose this story because  ‘Even though these episodes moved through world typhoons … What stayed with me were the quieter, more personal details that shape how each person makes sense of the chaos’.  It was originally commissioned by Debris Magazine issue five, Prismatic Joy, and the sound design was by Tala Issaoui. The supervising producer was Phoebe Adler Ryan.    The Great Dingo Debate by Andrea Dixon  Our final pick comes from Imogen! And her choice came from the #623 Humanimal. Andrea shares her love for Taz, a rescued dingo living on her family’s property in Hawkesbury, Darug country. For Imogen, it represented a perspective she hadn’t heard before.   The producer was Andrea Dixon. The Supervising Producer was Thomas Phillips.   All The Best Credits Program Manager & Host: Kwame Slusher Executive Producer: Melanie Bakewell Programming & Community Coordinator:  Catarina Fraga Matos  Community Coordinator: Patrick McKenzie Theme Music composed by Shining Bird Special shout-out to our volunteers.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Our Stories Our Flats   I've lived in Carlton, in the Carlton Public housing estates for 30-plus years. So I know it like the back of my hand and I've come across very interesting people and I thought it would be important for me to, um, leave a document behind. Ayan Shirwa    This episode is all about community—specifically,  the importance of community in public housing.  Ayan Shirwa from 3CR is a longtime resident of the Carlton Public Housing and, in response to the Victorian government's decision to demolish the flats in 2023, decided to record the stories of residents for future generations.   This is the first episode of Our Stories, Our Flats, but you can listen to the full series on 3CR.    Produced and written by Ayan Shirwa Narrated by Raven    Substack  If you want more of what's happening at All the Best, check out our Substack! It's a roundup of all our activities with a little bit of BTS.   All The Best Credits Program Manager & Host: Kwame Slusher Executive Producer: Melanie Bakewell Programming & Community Coordinator:  Catarina Fraga Matos  Community Coordinator: Patrick McKenzie Theme Music composed by Shining Bird Cover Art: Ray Vo Special shout-out to our volunteers.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    A Slow Death Our first story comes from our Westwords and All the Best collaboration. Westwords in the centre for creative writing based in Parramatta, where a small group of writers were paired with producers and sound designers to bring their stories to life. Lee Mckerrecher was one of these writers.   For our first Westwords episode, you can click here.   A story that shows what happens when we ignore those who have protected the environment for thousands of years. Written and Performed by Lee McKerrecher  Sound Design by Ramon Briant.      Keep Moving   We've all faced some form of impostor syndrome. Or maybe struggled to finish something because we felt it could just be a little better than it is. Catarina figures out how to just keep moving.  Produced by Catarina Fraga Matos      Teresa  Sometimes there might be something that slows you down and makes it hard to keep moving. Teresa had a lung transplant, and Beth follows her journey to recovery.   This story was created as part of an audio storytelling course for regional community radio producers. It was delivered in collaboration with the CMTO, with thanks to the generous support of Creative Australia.  Produced by Beth Baillie  Supervising Producer was Maddy Macquine.   Mending More Than Things: The Heart of Ringwood Repair Café  When was the last time you had something fixed? And have you ever heard of a repair cafe? One Saturday afternoon, Boya Yang takes a trip to the Ringwood Repair Cafe. Produced by Boya Yang.  A special thanks to the University of Melbourne, Louisa Lim, Dan Semo and Thomas Phillips.    If you want more of what's happening at All the Best, check out our Substack! It's a roundup of all our activities with a little bit of BTS.   All The Best Credits Host: Kwame Slusher Executive Producer: Melanie Bakewell Programming & Community Coordinator:  Catarina Fraga Matos  Community Coordinator: Patrick McKenzie Theme Music composed by Shining Bird Cover Art: Ray Vo Special shout-out to our volunteers.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In many cultures around the world, water is sacred. In this episode we see bodies of water as conduits for memory, history and, of course, stories.     Pitjantjatjara and Gurintji man talkin’ stories by the river  Think of the anatomy of a river. Our first story is the upper course. Caleb and Orlando reflect on history, their own lives and the families while sitting by a river on Gurintji land.  Produced by Caleb Doolan and Orlando Rubuntja Supervising Producer: Helene Thomas  Interview conducted by Brenton Woods   When I Lived Our next episode meanders into the middle course. Indigenous Papua New Guinean writer and organiser Lungol reflects on a history of colonial violence, and looks forward to a revolutionary future. Written and Read by Lungol Wekina. You can find more of his work here.   Sound design and Original Composition by Danni Stewart.    Bodies of Water Our final story is the lower course of the river. It's where everything slows down. Campbell recreates what life was like  along the Derbarl Yerrigan (Swan River). He demonstrates the way thoughts flow together through time. This story was initially a comics installation and can read the original comic here.   Written and performed by Campbell Whyte.   Sound design by Ryan Pemberton   If you want more of what is happening at All the Best, check out our Substack! It's a roundup of all our activities with a little bit of BTS.     All The Best Credits Host: Kwame Slusher Executive Producer: Melanie Bakewell Programming & Community Coordinator:  Catarina Fraga Matos  Community Coordinator: Patrick McKenzie Theme Music composed by Shining Bird Cover Art: Ray Vo Special shout-out to our volunteers.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The act of rebellion can take many forms. Sometimes resistance can be found in the music we listen to and the way we present ourselves to the world.      The Vanishing Culture of Saigon  Our first story deals directly with music, censorship and the history of Vietnam. Ray finds a story resistance in the history of 'yellow music'.   Produced by Ray Vo Supervising Producer: Thomas Lu    Pedal to the Metal  Our next story takes us to Croatia, when it was still part of the former Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. It's a journey including long hair, the love metal, military service, family and immigration to Australia.  Produced by Allison Chan    If you want more of what is happening at All the Best, check out Substack! It's a roundup of all our activities with a little bit of BTS.   All The Best Credits Host: Kwame Slusher Executive Producer: Melanie Bakewell Programming & Community Coordinator:  Caterina Fraga Matos  Community Coordinator: Patrick McKenzie Theme Music composed by Shining Bird Cover Art: Ray Vo Special shout-out to our volunteers.      See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  Lagpas Tao by Neen Ramos When a storm surge swallows a coastal town in the Philippines, a daughter in Sydney receives a shaky phone call from her mother calling from a patchy Wi-Fi.  The floodwaters would recede, but they can’t take away a daughter’s worry from thousands of kilometres away. “ I've been so worried about you. I guess what I really want is to be there, even if I don't know how to say it out loud.”   Produced by Aswathi Matthews Written and performed by Neen Ramos  Mother voiced by: Liza Caliao Special thanks to Amanda Caliao, who generously recommended her mom to voice this piece.    Rapture by Christopher Sammut After losing his job, a young man in Sydney ends up working at his uncle’s chicken farm, where the daily violence of slaughter and the weight of family expectations trigger a crushing anxiety attack. His only comfort comes from Lorenzo, a Sudanese coworker who offers faith, hope, and an unexpected kind of tenderness in a place built on brutality. The smell he’s trying to escape isn’t on his clothes - it’s in his bones.   Produced by: Persephone Waxman  Written and performed by Christopher Sammut  Sound design by Lana Lusina    My childhood is split into Inside Outside by Cathy Stirling What are the small, ordinary moments when you feel safe enough to connect with your body, with others, with place? Cathay’s childhood is split between two worlds: the fear-soaked “inside,” where her father’s rage fills the air, and the bright “outside,” where magpies call, bare feet hit the grass, and the rhythm of games, laughter, lizards, and sunshine offer a taste of freedom. And with every step between inside and outside, she begins to realise that light can live in her too.   Production and sound design by Catarina Fraga Matos Written and Performed by Cathy Stirling  Mark Williamson voiced ‘Dad’   All The Best Credits Host: Kwame Slusher Executive Producer: Melanie Bakewell Programming & Community Coordinator:  Caterina Fraga Matos  Community Coordinator: Patrick McKenzie Theme Music composed by Shining Bird Cover Art: Ray Vo Special shout-out to our volunteers:  Sue, Sharon, Lindsey, Andrew, Ash, and Emma.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week’s episode is all about suspending your disbelief! Whether you're dressed for a Renaissance Fair or watching a magician and their assistant on stage.   A Lady Knight by in Kryal Castle by Persephone Waxman In our first story, you will follow the Knight, Lady Molly,  into the heat of battle just 10 minutes outside the Ballarat CBD in Victoria.  Producer : Persephone Waxman  Supervising Producer: Mark Yin   $5 Magic Show by Mel Bakewell With just a recorder and $5, Mel Bakewell will not actually pull a rabbit out of a hat, but instead a story of magic in Adelaide.   Producer: Mel Bakewell If you love audio stories, the Jesse Cox Audio Fellowship 2026 is now open until November 18. That's next week! An opportunity to take a deep dive into a story idea you are passionate about for six months, with access to mentors and a range of workshops related to all things audiocraft.      All The Best Credits Host: Kwame Slusher Executive Producer: Melanie Bakewell Community Coordinator: Patrick McKenzie Theme Music composed by Shining Bird Cover Art: Ray Vo Special shout-out to our volunteers:  Sue, Sharon, Lindsey, Andrew, Ash, and Emma.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Has a friend ever told you they think you have ADHD?   In this episode of Peer Review Diagnosis, host Felicity Weaver explores the humorous yet heartfelt world of “peer-reviewed ADHD”. Through personal stories and insights from psychiatrist Dr. Mohsen Mirzaie, she explores the role casual, “peer-reviewed” observations can play alongside formal diagnosis, and how greater awareness can foster understanding rather than offense. Sometimes, your friends might spot your ADHD before your doctor does - but no, you still can’t try their meds.   Produced by: Felicity Weaver  Supervising Producer: Shelby Traynor.    The other voices that you hear in the story are  Maya, Geronimo and Dr Mohsen Mirzaie.   Cop A Wist by Evie Hilliar In this story, what begins as a funny story about worsening eyesight unfolds into a vulnerable exploration of sincerity, shame, and the layers we build to protect ourselves. Both tender and irreverent, it’s a rallying cry to strip away the armor, face your fears, and as the speaker dares - “flash them your truths and tell them to love you.” Performed by Evie Hillier  Recorded by Zacha Rosen The Jesse Cox Audio Fellowship 2026 is open until 18 November. An opportunity to take a deep dive into a story idea you are passionate about for six months and you will have access  to mentors and a range of workshops related to all things audiocraft.     All The Best Credits Host: Kwame Slusher Executive Producer: Melanie Bakewell Community Coordinator: Patrick McKenzie Theme Music composed by Shining Bird Special shout-out to our volunteers: Ray, Sue, Sharon, Lindsay, Andrew, Ash, and Emma.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Halloween.  A time when many when mischievous spirits are going from door to door saying 'trick or treat?'. This week is not a trick, but a treat of three haunting audio stories that might just keep you up at night.   Almost A Ghost Story by Yebu ji There is always good reason to carefully research a place before you there. Our first story, its not just an apartment you have to worry about, but even a blog or a reddit thread can be a haunted space.   That story was produced by Yebu Ji  Editor was Sayre Quevedo   The Weeping Wall by Mel Bakewell Our second story definitely falls more into the unexplainable category.  Be wary of those recurring  stains that seem to defy explanation.   Produced by Mel Bakewell Music by Blue Dot Sessions   Highway to Hell by Felicity Weaver Driving in big cities can be pain. Sydney is not exception. If you drive, or have driven in Sydney then you can probably relate with having to deal with confusing street signs, or the stress of missing your exit ... but this story takes a bit of a diabolical turn.   Produced by Felicity Weaver  Music by Blue Dot Sessions    All The Best Credits Host: Kwame Slusher Executive Producer: Melanie Bakewell Community Coordinator: Patrick McKenzie Theme Music composed by Shining Bird Special shout-out to our volunteers: Ray, Sue, Sharon, Lindsay, Andrew, Ash, and Emma.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Just Breath Man by Ben Haywood  This story is a step closer to embracing men’s tears and a step away from toxic masculinity. Ben suffers from depression after knee surgery. Searching for ways to heal online, he finds himself trapped in toxic ideas of masculinity. It’s only when a friend takes him to his breathwork class that he finally breaks down and begins to heal, learning that recovery can come through friendship, community, and space to breathe. Sometimes, not all healing comes with words. Sometimes it’s in the silence between breaths, in the rise and fall of your chest, as the world eases and the universe reminds you: you’re safe.   Produced by: Ben Haywood Supervising producer: Sam Loy  Music: Blue Dot Sessions   This story was made possible by the Jesse Cox Audio Fellowship. For over six months, Ben worked with an industry mentor and got access to guest workshops on audio craft.  Thank you to everyone who participated in the Jesse Cox Audio Fellowship 2025, and a very special thank you to Jesse Cox’s family and friends, and to the incredible legacy he left A very special thank you to our mentors, Karla Arnall, Sam Loy, Cristina Marras, and Miles Martignoni.  And thank you to our guest facilitators Belinda Lopez, Jay Gasser, Jesse Lou Lawson, Michelle Macklem, Claudia Taranto, Karishma Luthria, Mike Williams, Dan Semo, Tiffany Dimmack and Cinnamon Nippard.  Applications to the Jesse Cox Audio Fellowship 2026 are live! Apply here. Applications close November 18.   All The Best Credits Host: Kwame Slusher Executive Producer: Melanie Bakewell Events and Partnership Coordinator: Phoebe Adler-Ryan Community Coordinator: Patrick McKenzie Theme Music composed by Shining Bird Special shout-out to our volunteers: Ray, Sue, Sharon, Lindsay, Andrew, Ash, Emma and Miles.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

So what do gaming and immigration have in common?    The Love Game by Wing Kuang In our second story from the Jesse Cox Audio Fellowship 2025, Wing Kuang guides us through a love story of two gamers,  one in Melbourne and one in Shanghai, navigating the complexities of long-distance relationships and the bureaucracy of Australia’s immigration system.    Produced by Wing Kuang  Supervising Producer: M. Cristina Marras   This story was made possible by the Jesse Cox Audio Fellowship. For over six months, Wing worked with an industry mentor and got access to guest workshops on audio craft.  Thank you to everyone who participated in the Jesse Cox Audio Fellowship 2025, and a very special thank you to Jesse Cox’s family and friends, and to the incredible legacy he left A very special thank you to our mentors, Karla Arnall, Sam Loy, Cristina Marras, and Miles Martignoni.  And thank you to our guest facilitators Belinda Lopez, Jay Gasser, Jesse Lou Lawson, Michelle Macklem, Claudia Taranto, Karishma Luthria, Mike Williams, Dan Semo, Tiffany Dimmack and Cinnamon Nippard.  Applications to the Jesse Cox Audio Fellowship 2026 are opening up soon! Watch this space!   All The Best Credits Host: Kwame Slusher Executive Producer: Melanie Bakewell Events and Partnership Coordinator: Phoebe Adler-Ryan Community Coordinator: Patrick McKenzie Theme Music composed by Shining Bird Special shout-out to our volunteers: Ray, Sue, Sharon, Lindsay, Andrew, Ash, and Emma.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  Wanted: Dunnart Alive by Xanthe Smith This week, a story about searching, both for the elusive Sandhill Dunnart and for a long-lost connection. Xanthe revisits her childhood memories of meeting ecologist Sue Churchill, whose stories of the rare marsupial stayed with her for decades. From Sue’s years of digging pitfall traps in the desert to becoming the world Dunnart expert, their conversation explores Australia’s fragile biodiversity, the politics of conservation, and the search for something in the unknown - something you might never even find.   Produced by Xanthe Smith Supervising Producer was Karla Arnall   This story was made possible by the Jesse Cox Audio Fellowship. For over six months, Xanthe worked with an industry mentor and got access to guest workshops on audio craft.  Thank you to everyone who participated in the Jesse Cox Audio Fellowship 2025, and a very special thank you to Jesse Cox’s family and friends, and to the incredible legacy he left.   All The Best Credits Host: Kwame Slusher Executive Producer: Melanie Bakewell Events and Partnership Coordinator: Phoebe Adler-Ryan Community Coordinator: Patrick McKenzie Theme Music composed by Shining Bird Special shout-out to our volunteers: Ray, Sue, Sharon, Lindsay, Andrew, Ash, and Emma.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  This week, some beef, friendship, and strange run-ins with some humans and creatures. Magpie by Millie Jones In this story,  a stroll through suburban Mudgee turns into an encounter with the swooping monarchs of the blue gums.  Here’s your ultimate how-to-survive-magpies manual.  Tip: If you cross paths with a magpie, skip the two-hands-above-your-head surrender - just give a friendly nod and keep walking with dignity. Produced by: Millie Jones  Sound design by: Ramon Briant   Gordons Bay by Lucie Towers  Gordon’s Bay was a beach under the rule of a fearsome “King of Crabs.”  Among the seaweed and tide-washed rubbish, Lucie scavenged for lost toys and trinkets, treasures in her eyes.  Today, the bay is pristine and beloved. Watch out, King Gordon may still be lurking. Produced by: Lucie Towers  Sound design by: Hethre Contant   Cockroach by Jin Hien Lau In our third story, what begins as a chance encounter with a cockroach on an escalator spirals into a wild story of movie nights, pop culture, and a swarm of roaches bursting out of a DVD case.  It’s proof that even cockroaches can steal the show and your pizza. Produced by: Jin Hien Lau  Sound design by: Gregory Thorsby    Raindrop Tiara by Giddy Pillai  In this story, a rainy-day memory becomes a fairytale when a stranger shares his umbrella and walks the narrator home.  To the stranger with the umbrella: we hope you enjoyed Giddy’s song and know that you’ve been great. Special thanks to the City of Sydney for supporting this event.  Event producers were Phoebe Adler-Ryan, Evie Hilliar, Fionn McCabe, Gabe Clark, and Patrick McKenzie.  These stories were from the live storytelling event Extra(Ordinary) Tales, presented by All The Best and Read To Me. It's a storytelling night that brings together audio and visual artists to explore the magic, humour, heartbreak and mystery hidden in everyday life. And a special thanks to the City of Sydney for their support for this event. And we have another free Extra(Ordinary)Tales at the Greensquare Library on the 14th November. Get your tickets here!   All The Best Credits Host: Kwame Slusher Executive Producer: Melanie Bakewell Events and Partnership Coordinator: Phoebe Adler-Ryan Community Coordinator: Patrick McKenzie Theme Music composed by Shining Bird Special shout out to our volunteers, Ray, Sue, Sharon, Lindsay, Andrew, Ash and Emma.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  Dome Sweet Dome by Year 8 students  In this story, Year 8 students  imagine a world where meteors poison the skies and zombies spread from Bankstown to Campbelltown. Trapped inside a glass dome with zombies banging on the walls outside, they piece together what makes life worth living. And in the end, humanity is saved by Kendrick Lamar’s zombie-proof backboard and a slam dunk from LeBron James. Written by: Year 8 students  Produced by: Year 8 students and Philip Wilcox.   Sound design and production by: Milku.   Apocalypse, Then ? by Jake Dean  In our second story, the world collapses the day before Henry’s short story is published in The New Yorker. Henry, a jaded Adelaide teacher, embarks on one final mission: to find proof his masterpiece exists. Joined by Felix, a naïve but enthusiastic survivor, they sail amidst chaos, navigate a turbulent friendship, and grasp at fleeting glimpses of hope in a post-apocalyptic time. Literary glory, baked beans, and not killing the man who saved your dictionary - the ultimate survival guide for a writer at the end of the world.   Written by: Jake Dean  Performed by: Adam Dunn.  Produced by: Jane Messer.   Audio engineer: Martin Gallagher.  It’s part of a fabulous live storytelling show and podcast called StorySALOON   All The Best Credits Host: Kwame Slusher Executive Producer: Melanie Bakewell Events and Partnership Coordinator: Phoebe Adler-Ryan Community Coordinator: Patrick McKenzie Theme Music composed by Shining Bird Special shout out to our volunteers, Ray, Sue, Sharon, Lindsay, Andrew, Ash and Emma.      See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  Black people can be disabled: breaking the cycle of disability stereotypes - Khadija Gbla by Carey Scheer  From surviving a civil war in Sierra Leone to classrooms in Australia, Khadija carried chaos in her body long after the bombs stopped. Her autism was dismissed as a cultural difference by white Australians, scorned as “not Black enough” within her community, and punished by chronic pain no one believed. For years, the world told her she was broken — until her diagnosis gave her the power to name who she had always been. Now, as she raises her autistic son, she also heals her younger self — creating a better world for them both, and for others yet to come.  Perhaps, the real danger was never their difference, but a world that refused to see it.   Produced by: Carey Scheer Featuring: Khadija Gbla  For more stories like Khadija’s, check out the Purple Orange podcast.    Untitled by Keras Marszalek “ Growing up, gay and Muslim felt like oil and water, two parts of himself that were never meant to mix, but he carried both at school, at home, and in prayer.” This story follows Kaan’s journey navigating the clash between his Turkish Muslim upbringing and his identity as a gay man. From hiding behind humour and secrecy to finding the courage to come out, his story reveals both the weight of religious guilt and the relief of honesty. “Faith told him who he was supposed to be. His heart told him who he already was.” Perhaps, faith guided Kaan in his prayers, but truth set him free.   Produced by: Keras Marszalek  Special thanks to Janak Rogers.      All The Best Credits Host: Kwame Slusher Executive Producer: Melanie Bakewell Events and Partnership Coordinator: Phoebe Adler-Ryan Community Coordinator: Patrick McKenzie Artwork by Annie Hamilton Theme Music composed by Shining Bird Special shout out to our volunteers Ray, Sue, Sharon, Lindsay, Andrew and Ash      See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  This week’s episode is one of those love stories that spans years and countries.    177 Nations of Tasmania: Ana From Panama  First, Ana fell in love with ballet at her home in Panama City.  This passion for dance will take her all over Cuba in the Caribbean, where, at an arts college, she would meet her second love, Elias.   This beautiful story will take you from the closed borders and cancelled flights of COVID to seeing Anna as a young mother in Tasmania trying to make a new life while preserving her culture and identity.  This story was originally published on 177 Nations of Tasmania, produced by Mark Thomson. To hear the full episode, head to www.markthomsonmedia.com or search ‘177 Nations’ wherever you get your podcasts. With additional editing by Jespher Wen.   All The Best Credits Host: Kwame Slusher Executive Producer: Melanie Bakewell Events and Partnership Coordinator: Phoebe Adler-Ryan Community Coordinator: Patrick McKenzie Artwork by Annie Hamilton Theme Music composed by Shining Bird Special shout out to our volunteers Ray, Sue, Sharon, Lindsay, Andrew and AshSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.