Conversations

ABC Australia

Conversations draws you deeper into the life story of someone you may have heard about, but never met. Journey into their world, joining them on epic adventures to unfamiliar places, back in time to wild moments of history, and into their deepest memories, to be moved by personal stories of resilience and redemption.

Hosted by Richard Fidler and Sarah Kanowski, Conversations is the ABC's most popular long-form interview program. Every day we explore the vast tapestry of human experience, weaving together narratives from history, science, art, and personal storytelling.

Conversations Live is coming to the stage! Join Sarah Kanowski and Richard Fidler for an unmissable night of unforgettable stories, behind-the-scenes secrets, and surprise guests. Australia’s most-loved podcast — live, up close, and in the moment. Find out more at the Conversations website.

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2,001 episodes
Updated Today

Episodes2001

Newest first

Jul 29, 2019 · 51 min
The arachnologist with a fear of spiders
Robert Raven puts aside his long-held fear of spiders to collect them and uncover hundreds of new species. (R)
Jul 26, 2019 · 54 min
Candy Devine: from a cabaret in Cairns to Belfast's Downtown Radio
Faye McLeod took on a stage name when she became a performer, and followed her star to the UK in the 1960s (R)
Jul 25, 2019 · 54 min
Against the death penalty: barrister Julian McMahon
When Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran were executed by the Indonesian Government, their lawyer of 9 years was not far away. Theirs are among the deaths which continue to drive Julian’s efforts to have capital punishment abolished worldwide
Jul 24, 2019 · 48 min
The deep time dreaming of an ancient continent
Historian Billy Griffiths on the complex history of Australia's indigenous archaeology
Jul 23, 2019 · 52 min
John Marsden's manifesto on teaching and raising children
John on what he's learned in more than 30 years as an educator, parent, and founder and principal of Candlebark and Alice Miller schools
Jul 22, 2019 · 51 min
Micro-dosing, magic mushrooms, and Michael Pollan
At 59, Michael became a 'reluctant psychonaut'. While on LSD he felt his sense of self disintegrate into a storm of Post-it notes
Jul 19, 2019 · 50 min
The silver medal that changed Laurie Lawrence
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
Jul 18, 2019 · 51 min
Nursing at altitude: the story of a Royal Flying Doctor flight nurse
Louise Burton has worked with the Royal Flying Doctor Service Qld for twenty years
Jul 17, 2019 · 52 min
Why Australia should prepare to fight alone
Hugh White on the conundrum of how Australia can defend itself in the Asian century
Jul 16, 2019 · 51 min
Helping hoarders let go
Psychologist Jessica Grisham on working with people whose wellbeing is threatened by their attachment to 'stuff' (R)
Jul 15, 2019 · 52 min
Voicing velociraptors and capturing the dawn chorus
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
Jul 12, 2019 · 51 min
A magical country childhood: Alison Lester
From Antarctica to Arnhem Land, the pages of the books of this prolific author and illustrator are fuelled by adventure (R)
Jul 11, 2019 · 52 min
Backing the wild dreams of youth: Jan Owen
Jan’s work as a champion of young people has its roots in her own story (R)
Jul 10, 2019 · 52 min
A Hong Kong childhood during WWII
Barbara Laidlaw pieces together the mystery of what her parents endured as internees in Hong Kong (R)
Jul 9, 2019 · 53 min
Helping troubled kids find a way back: Bernie Shakeshaft
Bernie was a wild teenager who became a jackeroo and a dingo trapper. Then he began helping kids in trouble (R)
Jul 8, 2019 · 51 min
Trent Dalton: the rise of a watchful boy
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)
Jul 5, 2019 · 51 min
International brickie
Bricklaying takes him around the world as a teacher and expert, but Troy Everett still finds deep satisfaction in laying bricks
Jul 4, 2019 · 51 min
Falling for a fake - the journalist and the romantic manipulator
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. What she discovered next was a shocking tale of deceit and manipulation. Once she began telli
Jul 3, 2019 · 48 min
The seaweed scientist who survived being scalped
After decades as a marine ecologist, Pia Winberg began her own seaweed farm. One ordinary working day there was a terrible accident
Jul 2, 2019 · 51 min
Australia's Romani Gypsies
Mandy Sayer has uncovered the history of a thriving Gypsy community (R)