All The Best

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.

This week, two adventures into the uncharted seas of life. Serendipity 海上的人 by Sharon Wongosari After her lupus diagnosis, Sharon lost what she once held most precious: career opportunities, productivity, and the efficiency that once defined her. Yet in losing them, she discovered a self beyond those qualities and began to reclaim her life. She now credits her friends, family, and her spiritual guide - Mazu, the Taoist ocean goddess she prays to. As red crescent blocks strike the ground, fortune poems are revealed, and prayers are answered.  We are all 海上的人 (people on the ocean), drifting through uncharted seas, carried by chaotic waves of serendipity. Produced by: Sharon Wongosari Supervising Producer: Dan Semo   Antarctica by Dylin Hardcastle At 17, Dylin faced her first psychotic episode, learning too early that life is both fragile and finite.  Then writing became her vessel, carrying her from psych wards to Antarctica, where she witnessed glaciers breaking, whales surfacing, and history dissolving into the sea.  Her story is a reminder that even at the edge of endings, the tide always carries us toward more life. Written and performed by Dylin Hardcastle  music by Elizabeth Jigalin   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, stories about what’s going into your mouth.   Avocado by Michael Sun This story follows Michael’s bizarre coming-of-age journey - stuffed with avocados, awkward dates, and complicated moments with his mom. Born with a big mouth and having a “stronger-than-average immune system”, he went on to claim a Guinness World Record by devouring 20 avocados in a minute - and then so much more. So, are you ready to devour 21 avocados in a minute? Produced by Michael Sun  Supervising producer was Allison Chan Sound design by Mia Hull   Eating and Order by Rania Omar This story traces Rania’s journey through a lifelong struggle with eating disorders, shaped by racism, sexism, and impossible beauty standards. From childhood fears of food as an enemy, to panic attacks in the snack aisle, to a bowl of shish barak she made for herself, Rania slowly learns to reclaim her plate, her body, and her joy. You are not just what you eat, you are who you are.   Produced by Rania Omar Supervising producer was Sophie Ellis Additional mixing by Zac Pennington.   Dark Cherry, Limestone and Meat by Eugenia Zoubtchenko This is a story with lots of fermenting, sipping, and the drinkers ‘ahhhh’. Navigating the vineyard with Eugenia, we witness the magic as each barrel brews fermented potions of raspberries, dark cherries, smoky earth, and even fairy floss. P.S Next time, if a friend accuses you of being an alcoholic, be sure to tell them you are just ‘oenophilic’.   Produced by Eugenia Zoubtchenko   All The Best Credits Host: Kwame Slusher Executive Producer: Melanie Bakewell Programs and Community Coordinator: Phoebe Adler-Ryan Community Coordinator: Patrick McKenzie Artwork: Ruijie Tang  Mixed and Compiled by Emma Higgins Theme Music composed by Shining Bird Special shout out to Ray, Sue, Lindsay, Andrew and Ash  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  This week’s episode takes us through a war and typhoons in South East Asia and the Asia Pacific.  This week’s episode takes us through a war and typhoons in South East Asia and the Asia Pacific. We learn what a typhoon looks like through the eyes of a child and how even a story of war can be used to talk about the ones we love.     Tubig Lang  The first story takes us to the Philippines, where Merlinda sits down with her brother’s children—her niece and nephews —and learns to see the destructive power of typhoons through their innocent eyes.  Written and Performed by Merlinda Bobis Supervising Producer Phoebe Adler-Ryan Sound Design by Tala Issaoui   We Are Gathered Here Today In our second and final story, Annabella helps her mother reach back through time to (re)member and retell her story of the Vietnam War.   Written and Produced by Annabella Luu Supervising Producer Phoebe Adler-Ryan Sound Design by Ramon Briant   All The Best Credits Host: Kwame Slusher Executive Producer: Melanie Bakewell Programs and Community Coordinator: Phoebe Adler-Ryan Community Coordinator: Patrick McKenzie Artwork: Ruijie Tang Photo: Children survivors of superstorm Yolanda or Haiyan. At the Cabalawan Transitional Shelter, Tacloban, Philippines, 2015 Mixed and Compiled by Emma Higgins Theme Music composed by Shining Bird See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week’s episode asks us to pause. To pay attention to the world around us and to think of the power that nature has to heal damaged and abandoned spaces.     Would they survive without humans? The first story is about resilience. Not human resilience, but about the persistence of trees growing in places that you might not expect.  Raihanah takes us on a journey to toxic places reclaimed by trees.   Produced by Raihanah Raihanah as part of a collaboration between All the Best, the University of Melbourne and the Science Gallery.  Supervising Producer Persephone Waxman.    The Forest and the Trees  Have you heard of Shirin-Yoku?  Ruth, who volunteers in palliative care, by helping people record their stories,  learns about the therapeutic benefits of listening to trees from a certified forest therapy guide,  Mayu Kataoka.  Produced by Ruth Melville, Supervising Producer Sarah Mashman.    Between nature and the sound of the guqin  So far, we’ve heard about the resilience of trees and the way nature teaches us to live fully in the moment. In our final story, Jiaen Pan teaches us about Guquin   Produced by Jiaen Pan, another collaboration between All the Best, the University of Melbourne and the Science Gallery.  Supervising Producer Thomas Phillips    All The Best Credits Host Kwame Slusher Executive Producer: Melanie Bakewell Programs and Community Coordinator: Phoebe Adler-Ryan Community Coordinator: Patrick McKenzie Artwork: Ruijie Tang Mixed and Compiled by Emma Higgins Theme Music composed by Shining Bird See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Our stories this week look at this dissonance between thinking of COVID-19 in the past tense, while also knowing that it is still a very real threat to many vulnerable people in our community.  Just becasue it isn't in the news isn’t giving us a count of Covid infections anymore doesn’t mean that it's gone away.   Hug In our first story, Cristina talks about the desire and the danger of touch with the lingering threat of COVID-19 Produced by Cristina Marras for Audio Playground.   All We’ve Got In our second story, Laura looks at how COVID-19 is still impacting many people today, even though the world seems to have forgotten about it. Produced by Laura Pettenuzzo  Supervising Producer Persephone Waxman   Horror Story: Dawn of the Covid  In the final story, David channels his inner George Romero and digs deep into the classic horror genre to tackle the real-life terrors of COVID-19 and his own MS diagnosis.     Written and Performed by David Maney  Produced and Composed by Ben Keene.    All The Best Credits Host Kwame Slusher Executive Producer: Melanie Bakewell Programs and Community Coordinator: Phoebe Adler-Ryan Community Coordinator: Patrick McKenzie Artwork: Ray Vo Theme Music composed by Shining Bird See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week, we get outside and get our hands dirty as we take a closer look at the world around us, whether that involves rethinking the uses of the land or trying to protect it. This week's stories don't just call on us to pay attention to the environment around us.  It's also a cautionary tale of what can happen when we don't.    The Weedy One  Are weeds just misunderstood? Society has been conditioned to think about what's good and bad in our gardens. But the what of those surprise guests in our flowerbeds is useful.   In our first story, Diego encourages us to strip away our preconceptions and look at weeds differently. Produced by Catarina Fraga Matos.    The conservation and community of Merri Creek In our second story, we head to Melbourne’s northern suburbs. Maxine Forde follows the Friends of the Merry Creek, who worked hard to rehabilitate spaces around the waterway. Produced by Maxine Ford Supervising Producer Persephone Waxman Special thanks to Dan Semo and Louisa Lim.    Martha  Our final story was a recording of a live performance at a Read to Me event in March this year.  It is an elegy to the last passenger pigeon, Martha,  who died in the United States in 1914.  You can find out more about Read to Me here.     Performed by Zoe Sadokierski Recorded by Zacha Rosen   All The Best Credits Host Kwame Slusher Executive Producer: Phoebe Adler-Ryan Editorial Producer: Melanie Bakewell Community Coordinator: Patrick McKenzie Artwork: Ray Vo Theme Music composed by Shining Bird See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this week’s episode, we continue with stories from the students at the University of Melbourne and explore the idea of having a sustainability mindset – not just when it comes to the environment around us,  but also when it comes to activities that bring communities together or online platforms that try to divide us.  What if nothing matters? With all the crises happening, many young people feel helpless and become nihilistic, thinking life as meaningless. Sometimes, I have a similar feeling. Am I nihilistic, or as many people said, pessimistic?Through chatting with the author of The Romanticism of Contemporary Theory: Institution, Aesthetics, Nihilism, Associate Professor Justin Clemens, and my Gen Z friends, we discuss what nihilism could be for young people, and our way pursuing the “meaning of life”. Produced by Tin Yan Wong Supervising Producer Thomas Phillips    Sharing the city with possums As cities continue to expand, more native wildlife have to adapt to urban life. The possum is one of the most familiar urban wildlife species in Australia. In this story, reporter Peiyao Xu has “a conversation with a possum” to explore residents' views on possums, and an interview with Dr Kylie Soanes to understand the living situations of urban possums and explore the future of people and urban wildlife as “neighbours”. Produced by Peiyao Xu Supervisign Producer  Persephone Waxman    Gender Online Debate Young men and women are getting increasingly socially and politically engaged online – but seemingly in opposing ways. Ava Morrison investigates, by speaking to a digital communications expert and a feminist TikToker, about incels, feminism, and online hostility. Produced by Ava Morrison Supervising Producer Thomas Phillips   Beyond the Needle The tattoo industry in Melbourne is facing a complex challenge. While the city remains a hub for ink culture, artists are grappling with a growing demand for sustainability in a sector dominated by single-use plastics and strict health regulations. As artists innovate and clients become more conscious of their environmental impact, the industry is at a crossroads. Can tattooing evolve without compromising safety? Preeshita Shah reports. Produced by Preeshita Shah Supervising Producer  Thomas Phillips   Forest Food Gardens According to the Foodbank Australia Report, 3.5 million households are experiencing food insecurity. While climate change and social disconnection deepen the crisis, Melbourne Skyfarm transforms a rooftop car park into an urban farm to grow food and build community. So far, it has produced 3.4 tonnes of food worth $118,000, directly to food relief charity OzHarvest.Our reporter Cheuk Lam Li spoke to project leader Zarah Copeland and urban farmer Dario Rivero on how Melbourne Skyfarm is bringing changes in these challenging times and why it matters. Produced by Cheuk Lam Li  Supervising Producer Thomas Phillips   All The Best Credits Host Kwame Slusher Executive Producer: Phoebe Adler-Ryan Editorial Producer: Melanie Bakewell Community Coordinator: Patrick McKenzie Artwork: Ray Vo Mixed and Compiled by Ramon Briant  Theme Music composed by Shining Bird   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week, we’re hearing about climate crises and what we can do about them, from students at the University of Melbourne.   All of them challenge us to rethink our relationship to the land, plants and animals around us. It also asks us to consider the impact that the changing climate is having on our health.      Water Is More Than a Resource  Dr Clint Hansen is fighting to protect the cultural and ecological values of water in sites affected by coal seam gas mining in Central Queensland. Clint asks us to reflect on the conflict between ownership and stewardship when thinking about one of our most precious resources: water. Produced by Ruby Perryman Supervising Producer Thomas Phillips Original Music by Sammy Perryman   Helmeted Honeyeaters Qian Dong takes us on a journey to save the species that emits a sound between a song and a chirp.   Produced by Qian Dong Supervisign Producer  Persephone Waxman    Harvesting Harmony  David wants us to rethink farming’s relationship with nature and farm in a way that improves biodiversity.    Produced by Xianghan Meng Supervising Producer Thomas Phillips.   Asthma and the Impacts of Climate Change Have you thought about the impact of climate change and health? In our next story, Daniel looks at the impact of the changing climate and asthma.   Produced by Daniel Gawne Supervising Producer  Persephone Waxman   Bug Appetit Would you let your pet eat bugs? In our final story,  we look at how we can feed our pets in an environmentally sustainable way …so … instead of meat, your little furbabies … it's insects.  Produced by Kelli Li Supervising Producer Persephone Waxman       All The Best Credits Host Kwame Slusher Executive Producer: Phoebe Adler-Ryan Editorial Producer: Melanie Bakewell Community Coordinator: Patrick McKenzie Artwork: Ray Vo Mixed and Compiled by Ramon Briant  Theme Music composed by Shining Bird   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.