Australia Talks

Australia Talks - 25 Dec 2025: Merry Christmas and see you 8 Jan 2026 DarkestKnight and Ardeet wish all of our listeners a Merry Christmas. We really appreciate the support over the year.      We'll be back on deck for regular programming 8 Jan 2026. #Australia #Australian

This is the Two Ticks Town Talk on Christmas Island, Christmas Island Territory from the 18 Dec 2025 full episode of 'Australia Talks'.   Sources: Wikipedia - Christmas Island  Christmas Island  The birds of Christmas Island, Indian Ocean: A review North West Point Immigration Detention Centre Christmas Island - A natural wonder Guide to Christmas Island     #Australia #Australian

A weekly podcast with relaxed discussion of Australian topics, history, a featured town and a couple of trivia questions.   Contact us at AustraliaTalks@proton.me   DarkestKnight and Ardeet discuss:   00:00:00 - Introduction 00:10:23 – US plans to order foreign tourists, including Australians, to disclose social media histories 00:36:34 – Two Ticks Town Talk – Christmas Island, Territory of Christmas Island 01:06:04 – Australia’s senior politicians can claim ‘unlimited’ travel expenses for their spouse, watchdog rules say 01:29:31 – This week in Australian history 5-11 Dec 01:41:24 – XXXX bottle top quiz   Sources: US plans to order foreign tourists, including Australians, to disclose social media histories  Tech workers face new H-1B scrutiny as Trump targets ‘censorship’ U.S. Visa Services ‘The whole thing disgusts me’: Australians ditch US travel as new rules require social media to be declared Australia’s senior politicians can claim ‘unlimited’ travel expenses for their spouse, watchdog rules say Attorney-General Michelle Rowland to repay family travel expenses after independent review Trade Minister Don Farrell flies family using $90,000 of taxpayer funds Wikipedia - Christmas Island  Christmas Island  The birds of Christmas Island, Indian Ocean: A review North West Point Immigration Detention Centre Christmas Island - A natural wonder Guide to Christmas Island Wikipedia - Australian anniversaries   #Australia #Australian

This is the Two Ticks Town Talk on Jamberoo, New South Wales from the 11 Dec 2025 full episode of 'Australia Talks'.   Sources:   First Nations Kiama  Kevin Richardson and Geoff Boxsell changed the way we spread  Wikipedia - Jamberoo Aussietowns - Jamberoo, New South Wales Dairy 'disrupter' wins science award for inventing spreadable butter in 1970s The Old Jamberoo Dairy Coop 1992 Margarine outsells butter three to one Margarine vs butter: how what we spread on our toast became a weapon of class war Aboriginal people and place Wikipedia - Margarine   #Australia #Australian

A weekly podcast with relaxed discussion of Australian topics, history, a featured town and a couple of trivia questions.   Contact us at AustraliaTalks@proton.me   DarkestKnight and Ardeet discuss:   00:00:00 - Introduction 00:09:10 – Australia's grand social media experiment is finally live. Teens say nothing has changed 00:33:58 – Two Ticks Town Talk – Jamberoo, New South Wales 00:49:50 – The tiny clue that reveals if an animal has been illegally smuggled 01:09:48 – This week in Australian history 5-11 Dec 01:22:35 – XXXX bottle top quiz   Sources: Australia's grand social media experiment is finally live. Teens say nothing has changed  Kids locked out of social media apps after Australia's world-first ban Australia’s teen social media ban: How day one unfolded — and the world’s response The social media ban is just the start of Australia’s forthcoming restrictions – and teens have legitimate concerns The tiny clue that reveals if an animal has been illegally smuggled Stable isotope analysis successfully identifies wild-caught individuals of threatened Asian freshwater turtles in illegal trade The ecological drivers and consequences of wildlife trade First Nations Kiama  Kevin Richardson and Geoff Boxsell changed the way we spread  Wikipedia - Jamberoo Aussietowns - Jamberoo, New South Wales Dairy 'disrupter' wins science award for inventing spreadable butter in 1970s The Old Jamberoo Dairy Coop 1992 Margarine outsells butter three to one Margarine vs butter: how what we spread on our toast became a weapon of class war Aboriginal people and place Wikipedia - Margarine Wikipedia - Australian anniversaries Wikipedia - Perentie   #Australia #Australian

This is the Two Ticks Town Talk segment on the Devils Marbles, Northern Territory from the 4 Dec 2025 full episode of 'Australia Talks'.   Sources: Karlu Karlu / Devils Marbles Conservation Reserve Wikipedia - Karlu Karlu / Devils Marbles Conservation Reserve Fact sheet - Karlu Karlu / Devils Marbles Conservation Reserve   Visit Devils Marbles  How were the Devils Marbles formed? Managing visitors     #Australia #Australian

A weekly podcast with relaxed discussion of Australian topics, history, a featured town and a couple of trivia questions.   Contact us at AustraliaTalks@proton.me   DarkestKnight and Ardeet discuss:   00:00:00 - Introduction 00:10:22 – Mussels and clams recruited as undercover agents 00:27:49 – Two Ticks Town Talk – Devil’s Marbles, Northern Territory 00:53:55 – TGA says some vitamin B6 to be removed, prescriptions needed after toxicity cases 01:24:03 – This week in Australian history 28-30 Nov & 1-4 Dec 01:36:19 – XXXX bottle top quiz   Sources: Mussels and clams recruited as undercover agents  Water monitoring using cybernetic mussels TGA says some vitamin B6 to be removed, prescriptions needed after toxicity cases Vitamin B6 products are set to be restricted. Here’s what you need to know Vitamin B6 Karlu Karlu / Devils Marbles Conservation Reserve Wikipedia - Karlu Karlu / Devils Marbles Conservation Reserve Fact sheet - Karlu Karlu / Devils Marbles Conservation Reserve   Visit Devils Marbles  How were the Devils Marbles formed? Managing visitors Wikipedia - Australian anniversaries   #Australia #Australian

A weekly podcast with relaxed discussion of Australian topics, history, a featured town and a couple of trivia questions.   Contact us at AustraliaTalks@proton.me   DarkestKnight and Ardeet discuss:   00:00:00 - Introduction 00:01:02 – Croc Watch 00:15:15 – Australia has some of highest consumption rates of ultra-processed foods, researchers say 00:46:10 – Two Ticks Town Talk – Stansbury, South Australia 01:11:08 – Judges have become ‘human filters’ as AI in Australian courts reaches ‘unsustainable phase’, chief justice says 01:38:28 – This week in Australian history 21-27 Nov 01:46:13 – XXXX bottle top quiz   Sources: Paleontologists Unearthed Australia's Oldest Known Crocodile Eggshells. The Reptiles' Relatives May Have Hunted From the Trees  Ultra-Processed Foods and Human Health Ultra-processed foods: time to put health before profit Australia has some of highest consumption rates of ultra-processed foods, researchers say Premature Mortality Attributable to Ultraprocessed Food Consumption in 8 Countries Ultra-processed food is global health threat, experts warn Many of today’s unhealthy foods were brought to you by Big Tobacco From AI to declining public trust: Chief Justice Gageler flags urgent challenges for judiciary  Judges have become ‘human filters’ as AI in Australian courts reaches ‘unsustainable phase’, chief justice says  Lawyer caught using AI-generated false citations in court case penalised in Australian first Oyster growing regions Sydney Rock Oysters Wikipedia - Stansbury, South Australia Thomas Holt (Australian politician) Australian Food Timeline Tasmanian Aquaculture Aussietowns - Stansbury, SA Wikipedia - Australian anniversaries   #Australia #Australian

This is the Two Ticks Town Talk on South West Queensland from the 20 Nov 2025 full episode of 'Australia Talks'.   Sources:   The prickly pear story Prickly pear was conquered 90 years ago. Here's how it was done Prickly pear eradication Waging war on the prickly pear Wikipedia - Cactoblastis cactorum   #Australia #Australian

A weekly podcast with relaxed discussion of Australian topics, history, a featured town and a couple of trivia questions.   Contact us at AustraliaTalks@proton.me   DarkestKnight and Ardeet discuss:   00:00:00 - Introduction 00:10:47 – Liberal Party formally abandons net zero by 2050 climate target 00:35:19 – Two Ticks Town Talk – South West Queensland 01:09:45 – Australia and Indonesia strike landmark security treaty 01:32:11 – This week in Australian history 14-20 Nov 01:38:35 – XXXX bottle top quiz   Sources: Australia and Indonesia strike landmark security treaty  Albanese puts deals with Vanuatu and Fiji next on the agenda  Australia's AUKUS base to connect to subsea cables as US allies boost AI pipes Liberal Party formally abandons net zero by 2050 climate target Ley to announce final position on net zero after Liberals clear path to dump target The prickly pear story Prickly pear was conquered 90 years ago. Here's how it was done Prickly pear eradication Waging war on the prickly pear Wikipedia - Cactoblastis cactorum Wikipedia - Australian anniversaries   #Australia #Australian

This is the Two Ticks Town Talk on Coolgardie, Western Australia from the 13 Nov 2025 full episode of 'Australia Talks'.   Sources: Aussietowns - Coolgardie, WA Wikipedia - Ernest Giles Australian Dictionary of Biography - Ernest Giles Internet Archive - The Roaring Nineties Katherine Susannah Prichard Trove - Geographic travels in central Australia from 1872 to 1874 Trove - The journal of a forgotten expedition Gutenberg - Australia twice traversed Wikipedia - Australian anniversaries   #Australia #Australian

A weekly podcast with relaxed discussion of Australian topics, history, a featured town and a couple of trivia questions.   Contact us at AustraliaTalks@proton.me   DarkestKnight and Ardeet discuss:   00:00:00 - Introduction 00:09:10 – Australians to get three hours of free electricity every day under solar scheme 00:33:59 – Two Ticks Town Talk – Coolgardie, Western Australia 00:55:14 – Queensland considers allowing dingoes to be kept as pets 01:19:19 – This week in Australian history 7-13 Nov 01:30:06 – XXXX bottle top quiz   Sources: Australians to get three hours of free electricity every day under solar scheme  Renters to tap into solar boom with government's 'free power' plan  Three hours of free power sounds great – but it could raise other costs and hamstring rooftop solar Queensland considers allowing dingoes to be kept as pets Dingo populations more closely related to ancient ancestors than modern dogs, DNA study suggests Ancient genomes reveal over two thousand years of dingo population structure ‘Dingoes are not dogs’: Queensland could soon allow dingoes as pets under new biosecurity rules Aussietowns - Coolgardie, WA Wikipedia - Ernest Giles Australian Dictionary of Biography - Ernest Giles Internet Archive - The Roaring Nineties Katherine Susannah Prichard Trove - Geographic travels in central Australia from 1872 to 1874 Trove - The journal of a forgotten expedition Gutenberg - Australia twice traversed Wikipedia - Australian anniversaries   #Australia #Australian

This is the Two Ticks Town Talk on Heard Islands and McDonald Island, Australian external territory from the 6 Nov 2025 full episode of Australia Talks. Sources: Wikipedia - Heard Island and McDonald Islands Heard Island and McDonald Islands Wikipedia - Big Ben (Heard Island) ANARE research notes   #Australia #Australian

A weekly podcast with relaxed discussion of Australian topics, history, a featured town and a couple of trivia questions.   Contact us at AustraliaTalks@proton.me   DarkestKnight and Ardeet discuss:   00:00:00 - Introduction 00:07:38 – Anduril opens Australian factory to build undersea 'Ghost Shark' drones 00:37:50 – Two Ticks Town Talk– Heard Islands and McDonald Island, Australian external territory 01:09:37 – Bureau of Meteorology ordered to fix new website after torrent of complaints 01:29:11 – This week in Australian history 31 Oct & 1-6 Nov 01:40:39 – XXXX bottle top quiz   Sources: Anduril opens Australian factory to build undersea 'Ghost Shark' drones  Anduril Australia to Build Ghost Shark Factory  Plans for $1.7 billion underwater 'Ghost Shark' drone fleet unveiled Bureau of Meteorology ordered to fix new website after torrent of complaints Cost of BoM’s website revamp revealed after deluge of public criticism Is the new BOM site really a disaster? We don’t know (yet) Wikipedia - Heard Island and McDonald Islands Heard Island and McDonald Islands Wikipedia - Big Ben (Heard Island) ANARE research notes Wikipedia - Australian anniversaries   #Australia #Australian

This is the Two Ticks Town Talk segment on Cape Otway, Victoria from the 30 Oct 2025 full episode of 'Australia Talks'.   Sources:   Competition a key to VPP development: ACCC report Wikipedia - Cape Otway Trove - Extermination of the Cape Otway tribe of Aborigines Wikipedia - Disappearance of Frederick Valentich  Mystery or Tragedy: The Frederick Valentich Disappearance Frederick Valentich disappearance: How UFO helped inspire The Kettering Incident The Audio of the Frederick Valentich Disappearance Snopes - Frederick Valentich's 'UFO' Sighting and Disappearance Frederick Valentich Memorial Plaque Roy Manifold Cape Otway photo Wikipedia - Australian anniversaries   #Australia #Australian

A weekly podcast with relaxed discussion of Australian topics, history, a featured town and a couple of trivia questions.   Contact us at AustraliaTalks@proton.me   DarkestKnight and Ardeet discuss:   00:00:00 - Introduction 00:11:43 – 'Castle Law' petition closes with record support in Queensland 00:41:07 – Two Ticks Town Talk – Cape Otway, Victoria 01:00:14 – Households are making their own power, but they don’t want to share it 01:29:55 – This week in Australian history 24-30 Oct 01:39:22 – XXXX bottle top quiz   Sources: 'Castle Law' petition closes with record support in Queensland  Queeensland Rum Day  Queensland parliament Castle Law petition Petition calls for law allowing homeowners to defend their property with ‘whatever force is deemed appropriate’ against invaders Households are making their own power, but they don’t want to share it Competition a key to VPP development: ACCC report Wikipedia - Cape Otway Trove - Extermination of the Cape Otway tribe of Aborigines Wikipedia - Disappearance of Frederick Valentich  Mystery or Tragedy: The Frederick Valentich Disappearance Frederick Valentich disappearance: How UFO helped inspire The Kettering Incident The Audio of the Frederick Valentich Disappearance Snopes - Frederick Valentich's 'UFO' Sighting and Disappearance Frederick Valentich Memorial Plaque Roy Manifold Cape Otway photo Wikipedia - Australian anniversaries   #Australia #Australian

This is the Two Ticks Town Talk on Cowra, New South Wales segment from the 23 Oct 2025 full episode of Australia Talks.   Sources: Cowra - The great escape The National Library of Australia Wikipedia - Cowra Wikipedia - Cowra breakout Frank Murray - My early pioneers and their lives Cowra Council Perth mint - world's largest gold coin Wikipedia - Australian anniversaries   #Australia #Australian

A weekly podcast with relaxed discussion of Australian topics, history, a featured town and a couple of trivia questions.   Contact us at AustraliaTalks@proton.me   DarkestKnight and Ardeet discuss:   00:00:00 - Introduction 00:54:56 – Croc watch 00:09:40 – Albanese-Trump meeting at White House 00:32:58 – Two Ticks Town Talk – Cowra, New South Wales 01:00:37 – High Court of Australia denies Candace Owens visa appeal against Immigration Minister Tony Burke 01:22:49 – This week in Australian history 17-23 Oct 01:33:05 – XXXX bottle top quiz   Sources: Boat Guide Comes Across Crocodile Playing With A Delicate 'Toy' In The River  High Court of Australia denies Candace Owens visa appeal against Immigration Minister Tony Burke High Court upholds minister's decision to block visa for American commentator Candace Owens VIDEO: IN FULL: Albanese-Trump meeting at White House Trump tells Rudd 'I don't like you', reportedly offers forgiveness off-camera Trump praises Australia and takes swipe at Rudd during White House meeting with Albanese Cowra - The great escape The National Library of Australia Wikipedia - Cowra Wikipedia - Cowra breakout Frank Murray - My early pioneers and their lives Cowra Council Perth mint - world's largest gold coin   Australia Talks - 2 Oct 2025: Albanese, Trump, AUKUS & Covid Vax injury Wikipedia - Australian anniversaries     #Australia #Australian

This is the Two Ticks Town Talk segment on Coonabarabran, New South Wales from the 16 Oct 2025 full episode of Australia Talks.   Sources: Aussietowns - Coonabarabran, NSW Wikipedia - Anglo-Australian Telescope Wikipedia - Siding Spring Observatory Wikipedia - Warrumbungles Wikipedia - Coonabarabran Donna the astronomer Wikipedia - Coonabarabran Milroy observatory Welcome to the Anglo-Australian Telescope     #Australia #Australian

A weekly podcast with relaxed discussion of Australian topics, history, a featured town and a couple of trivia questions.   Contact us at AustraliaTalks@proton.me   DarkestKnight and Ardeet discuss:   00:00:00 - Introduction 00:06:20 – ADF targets popular games like FIFA to recruit young Australians with shiny ads 00:26:06 – Two Ticks Town Talk – Coonabarabran, New South Wales 00:42:48 – Australia's parliament is likely to grow for the first time in 40 years 01:05:42 – This week in Australian history 10-16 Oct 01:13:08 – XXXX bottle top quiz   Sources:   Australia's parliament is likely to grow for the first time in 40 years Parliamentary Budget Office - Increasing the size of Federal Parliament A larger parliament makes sense but that's why Albanese wants one ADF targets popular games like FIFA to recruit young Australians with shiny ads TikTok and online games driving surge in Defence Force recruitment Australian Defence Force recruitment to be opened to foreign citizens, causes government confusion Aussietowns - Coonabarabran, NSW Wikipedia - Anglo-Australian Telescope Wikipedia - Siding Spring Observatory Wikipedia - Warrumbungles Wikipedia - Coonabarabran Donna the astronomer Wikipedia - Coonabarabran Milroy observatory Welcome to the Anglo-Australian Telescope Two Ticks Town Talk segment on Bermagui, New South Wales from the 13 Mar 2025 full episode of 'Australia Talks'.  Two Ticks Town Talk segment on Woomera (1 of 6), South Australia from the 24 Jul 2025 full episode of 'Australia Talks' Wikipedia - Australian anniversaries   #Australia #Australian