New Australian Storytelling

  • #358 Getting Culture

    #358 Getting Culture

    We’re on a search for culture. We’ll be taking epic voyages on ferries, leaving theatres with a new appreciation for musicals, and finding our tribe on the internet. — Secret Theatre Secret by Sapphire Sheedy There’s nothing like seeing musical theatre live, right before your eyes. There’s also nothing like seeing musical theatre for the very […]

  • #357 No Clue

    #357 No Clue

    Put on your detective hats and eyeglasses, and join us as we investigate two cases of strange signs in public places. — ‘The Elusive Equinox of Eveleigh’ by Lili Occhiuto A poster taped to a telegraph pole sent Lili on a journey of uncertainty, suspicion and weirdness. This detective-in-training investigated the thread between the precession of […]

  • Jordan Fennell

    Jordan Fennell

    Jordan Fennell has loved audio and podcasts for as long as she can remember and started off by volunteering at SYN FM. She was the Executive producer of Panorama, the flagship current affairs radio show, and was the SYN Community Coordinator for All The Best. She’s mentored up and coming producers from University of Melbourne […]

  • Samantha Groth

    Samantha Groth

    Hi, I’m Samantha. Please add me on LinkedIn.

  • Chloe Gillespie

    Chloe Gillespie

    Chloe Gillespie has been the Community Coordinator since mid-2015. As a long standing member of the All The Best team, she has an excellent understanding of the show’s history as well as the Australian audio storytelling landscape. Chloe uses this knowledge to inform her social media and community coordinating duties. Chloe also works for Junkee Media […]

  • Erin Dick

    Erin Dick

    Erin Dick is a Melbourne-based digital content creative and freelance writer. She is a graduate from Collarts’ (Australian College of the Arts) Entertainment Journalism Diploma, and is currently undertaking a Bachelor in Communication (Media) at RMIT University. She trains young content makers at SYN Media, co-produces Arts Centre Melbourne’s Sound as Ever podcast, and produces 102.7FM Triple R’s […]

  • Matilda Fay

    Matilda Fay

    Matilda Fay is our social media producer and witch in residence. She accepts full responsibility for excessive emoji use on any of our channels.

  • Britta Jorgensen

    Britta Jorgensen

    Britta Jorgensen is a radio producer and postgrad researcher completing a practice-research PhD on independent podcast producers in Australia. She began producing and presenting community radio at 2SER in Sydney, and has since produced radio/podcasts for The Wire, ABC Radio Hobart, Edge Radio, the CBAA’s National Features and Documentary Series, the Emerging Writers Festival and […]

  • Evana Ho

    Evana Ho

    Evana Ho is the creator and one person team behind the independent podcast Love, Canberra, which involves intimate conversations about love, sex and relationships. She is the coordinator of the Canberra Podcasting group, and works at a university in communications.

  • Nina Enever

    Nina Enever

    Nina Enever got involved with All The Best in mid-2017 and became a Supervising Producer at the start of 2018. Her fictional and nonfictional audio work has been featured in Blood: Attract & Repel (Science Gallery Melbourne) and Composting Germaine Greer (Encounters with Writing Festival). She is always on the lookout for unbelievable tales to translate to audio. 

  • Sarah Mashman

    Sarah Mashman

    Sarah Mashman is an audio and content producer with ABC RN in Sydney. She’s currently producing season two of Cosmic Vertigo and Sum of All Parts. Sarah spent seven years working for the ABC in Tasmania while producing features for Earshot and History Listen. She is passionate about story telling, creative audio and sound design.

  • Selena Shannon

    Selena Shannon

    Selena Shannon began her radio adventures at FBi Radio in 2014, working as a reporter, producer and contributor for All The Best and politics show Backchat. In 2016, she took over as Executive Producer of All The Best and had the pleasure of leading the program for two years. Since stepping down as EP, she has worked with […]

  • Tegan Nicholls

    Tegan Nicholls

    Tegan Nicholls is a Sydney-based sound designer, music maker and podcast producer who has worked with All The Best since 2016 as a producer, supervising producer and weekly episode editor. Some favourite stories she has made for All The Best include Word Travels Fast; Standing Up, Saying Something; Chamber Pot Opera and Zedtown: Dead South. […]

  • Zacha Rosen

    Zacha Rosen

    Zacha Rosen is a radio producer and arts journalist. He has written for Concrete Playground, the Sydney Latin American Film Festival and the Carriageworks, and produces interviews, narratives and fiction at All the Best. You can check out his work at zacharosen.com. He takes requests.

  • All The Best

    All The Best

    Jamie van Geldermalsen – Production Co-ordinator  | Kath Lim – Studio Producer | Gina McKeon – SP | Alex Storey – SP | Emilia Terzon – SP | Grace Dalton – SP | Que Minh Luu – Literary Editor | Jess O’Callaghan – Features Executive Producer | Belinda Lopez – Features Executive Producer | Merran Winchester – Features Executive Producer | Giordana Caputo – Features Executive Producer | Leona Hameed – SP | Kate Montague – SP | Tiger Webb – SP | Michael Brydon – Host […]

  • #356 Flesh And Bone

    #356 Flesh And Bone

    Our bodies hold our stories. We’ve got a medical mystery, a late night tale about addiction and a yarn told in the flesh. — ‘A Collection of Small Plastic Containers’ by Seranna Shutt Seranna Shutt always wanted to be a mother. However, there came a time where she had to let go of her dreams. This […]

  • #355 Where Are You From

    #355 Where Are You From

    Asking ‘where are you from?’ can be loaded. It can cast doubt on whether or not someone belongs to where they are now. But so many Australians were born in another country. And their journey to becoming Australian has had both highs and lows. — ‘Pedal To The Metal’ by Allison Chan Dean grew up in […]

  • #354 Behind The Sound

    #354 Behind The Sound

    We’re pulling back the curtain. We’re lifting the lid. We’re showing you how we make an All The Best story. — ‘How We Do What We Do’ by Allison Chan and Danni Stewart All The Best is a training ground for producers to learn how to make narrative audio documentaries. We want to be transparent about what […]

  • #353 Let It B

    #353 Let It B

    To make this episode an actual episode, we needed a theme to tie our stories together. We decided to call on a backup: a Plan B. It’s that letter that comes after A. — ‘Iron Mistress’ by Romy Sher If you drive out of the small town of Traverse City in Michigan and into the […]

  • #352 Work In Progress

    #352 Work In Progress

    As we get to work, you’ll hear about our previous work experience and our ability to remain calm under pressure in a fast-paced environment. — ‘Dodgy Jobs’ by Angela Moran When Sarah arrived in Melbourne from Belgium on a working holiday visa she was told it would be easy to find a good part time […]

  • #351 Neighbourhood Vibe

    #351 Neighbourhood Vibe

    Some neighbourhoods have backwards road signs, while others are known for their cul de sacs. Join us as we travel into the small enclaves of Australia where people have whole lives and whole communities. — ‘The Glebe Community Op Shop’ by Karishma Tanvi In the inner city suburb of Glebe, there’s an op shop run by volunteers […]

  • #350 Reality Check

    #350 Reality Check

    Sometimes internal differences lead to changes in political leadership in Australia. And sometimes we just need to escape from the banter and find our escape in books, films and fan clubs. — ‘Bibliotherapy’ by Sarath Chandra Sarath isn’t into reading anymore and decides to talk to two authors to rekindle his love of books. He also […]

  • #349 This Much I Know

    #349 This Much I Know

    A lot of the lessons we learn in childhood stay with us. Like riding a bike. Or if you’re one of the talented ones, whistling. On this episode, we’re talking about the things we learned at a young age, and what that means when you’re grown up. — Like Mother, Like Daughter by Honor Marino […]

  • #348 Past Tense

    #348 Past Tense

    We have two stories from people recapturing moments that made a mark. The first story deals with issues of consent and may be triggering for some listeners. There is also some strong language. — ‘Humbug’ by Sidney Shaw Trying to blend in with the scenery at a bar is difficult when you’re easily the youngest person […]

  • #347 School Of Thought

    #347 School Of Thought

    We’re handing over the mic to a Year 8 class from Bossley Park High School, a school in the Western suburbs of Sydney. We’ll be hearing their interviews with family members and their English teacher, Angie Sari. The first two stories were produced and edited by Lucia and Adam. Aldana, Aymen, Jonathan, Kaylene, Ronin also contributed interviews. […]

  • #346 Listen To Me

    #346 Listen To Me

    We have a feature episode of creative audio responses: people making a different kind of noise in response to gendered violence in Australia. Sydney composer and vocalist, Andrée Greenwell, invited lyric contributions from a number of female Australian writers: Donna Abela, Eunice Andrada, Ali Cobby Eckermann, Alison Croggon, and Candy Royalle. With five other vocalists […]

  • #345 Perfection

    #345 Perfection

    Perfection comes in different shapes, forms and sizes. — ‘Biohacking’ by Steph Doole Smart drugs, saunas and supplements. These are some of the techniques biohackers use to try to perfect their mind and body. Supervising Producer: Bec Fary Music: ‘Steppin’ In’ by Podington Bear  — ‘The Future is Meow’ by Josie Hess Meet Meow-Ludo Disco Gamma Meow-Meow. He’s […]

  • #344 The Bridge

    #344 The Bridge

    Bridges can close the gap between people who disagree, or between the past and the future. You can cross a bridge, burn a bridge, be a bridge. — ‘The West Gate’ by Rijn Collins Up to 200 000 cars travel over the West Gate bridge every day – going between Melbourne’s CBD and the Western […]

  • #343 Because Of Her, We Can

    #343 Because Of Her, We Can

    The theme of NAIDOC Week this year is ‘Because Of Her, We Can’. We’ll be hearing from two influential storytellers, both Aboriginal women, who share about how Indigenous Australians have understood the mysterious workings of the land and the sky for tens of thousands of years. We first meet Kirsten Banks, a proud Wiradjuri woman and astronomer. […]

  • #342 Thrifty

    #342 Thrifty

    You might have started thinking about your tax return but there’s still a pinch in a lot of our pockets. In this episode, we’re thinking about the different ways people get thrifty. We’re talking side hustles and sticky situations that come with being short on cash.  — ‘The Art of the Side Hustle’ by Yvonne Lam […]

  • #341 Making Perfect

    #341 Making Perfect

    We’re looking for something that’s perfect. Hear stories about a precise brew of coffee, breeding for perfection, the ideal planet and perfect skin.   — Coffee Science by Jenina Ibañez Melbourne’s coffee connoisseurs are always searching for the perfect cup. With technical precision, Rocky the barista is quickly making a name for himself in the coffee-making […]

  • #340 Gotta Go

    #340 Gotta Go

    We’re talking about the urgency that comes from within. When you gotta go, you gotta go. Talking Bodies by Faith Chaza Faith Chaza tells a story about finding clothes and spaces where your body fits. Music: ‘Sad Marimba Planet’ by Lee Rosevere, ‘Lumber Down’ by Blue Dot Sessions, ‘Idle Ways’ by Blue Dot Sessions, ‘The Molerat’ […]

  • #339 Hometowns

    #339 Hometowns

    Some of us have stayed in our hometown, while others have left. We visit our memories of hometowns around Australia and the world.  — Hometowns Across The Globe Thinking back to toasting nuts with sugar at 3am in Buenos Aires and running around until midnight in Norway because the sun is still up. Ambika, Daren, Jules, and Sybilla […]

  • #338 To Laugh and To Learn

    #338 To Laugh and To Learn

    We find out how comedy and education shape the history of multiculturalism in Australia. Sarath Chandra talks to two comedians about how their backgrounds inform their material. Sheila Pham talks to Dung Dinh who came to Australia as an international student when the White Australia Policy was still in place. — Funny Voices by Sarath Chandra It’s a really interesting […]

  • #337 On My Own

    #337 On My Own

    We’re flying solo. A poet goes on a solitary road trip through the American southwest and a self-confessed extrovert takes on the challenge of being by himself. — Only Child by Tom Joyner Only children can have the reputation of being selfish, entitled and bratty – like Little Emperors. Tom Joyner gives us his take on that […]

  • #336Postcard From A City

    #336Postcard From A City

    We share our memories and impressions of growing up and living in Sydney. — Tourist In Your Own City by Martyn Reyes If you had family or friends visiting your home city from overseas, which places would you show off to ultimately impress them? Martyn Reyes didn’t know either, which is why he embarked on a […]

  • What does it mean “Clash Royale”: Part 1

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  • #335 Say My Name

    #335 Say My Name

    Everyone has a name. But sometimes we find ourselves wanting to change our names. It’s a tricky process. And it’s even more complicated when an entire country’s name is in question. — ‘Name Change’ by Daniel Semo Our names are one of the most basic portals into who we are. They help to define us legally, […]

  • #334 Ghosting

    #334 Ghosting

    Three tales about ghosting: hauntings in the nation’s capital, an abandoned smoothie shop and unanswered text messages. — ‘Running The Show’ by Nina Enever Everyone remembers their first part time job: dirty work, nasty customers, an overbearing boss. But what if your boss disappeared and everything was left up to you? That’s what happened at […]

  • #333 Word Travels Fast: Gosford Speaks Up

    #333 Word Travels Fast: Gosford Speaks Up

    We travel to Gosford on the NSW Central Coast with our friends from Word Travels Fast. In search of the city’s best spoken word poets, we meet Brooke Scobie, Elham Hafiz, Max Liberto and Lewis Janter. These wordsmiths cover topics that range from racism to fast food. There is a poem that deals with sexual abuse and […]

  • #332 Family Ties

    #332 Family Ties

    We’ve got three stories about understanding your family in ways that you didn’t realise. A comic book artist asks questions about grief at different ages of his life. And a lawyer in the Northern Territory discovers a truth about her family history. — ‘Migrant Mums: Far From Ordinary’ by Heidi Tai Growing up, Heidi always […]

  • #331 Right Up My Street

    #331 Right Up My Street

    Let’s talk about the things that we love, which might initially seem strange to other people. We also ask a cat if he enjoys going for walks. — ‘Something you love’ by Joseph Ware Watches, etymology, rejuvenating old furniture, the music of Felix Mendelssohn…four people talk about something they love that others might not. Music: Sinfonia […]

  • #330 The Long Weekend

    #330 The Long Weekend

    What does Australia do over a four day weekend? We’ll be sharing in a birthday celebration, Easter egg hunts, a belated Lunar New Year dinner and creative backseat antics on family road trips. — ‘Are we there yet?’ by Jordan Fennell We discover how Jordan and her family make it through a six-hour road trip. — […]

  • #329 The Forest and The Sea

    #329 The Forest and The Sea

    Let’s go outside. We chase the birdsong of a nightingale in a Berlin forest. We sit with the silence and sounds of nature, as we try to articulate the grief of losing someone you love. Both of these stories were produced and first broadcast in 2017. They were made for an All The Best listening event of nocturnal […]

  • #328 Let’s Get Physical

    #328 Let’s Get Physical

    We’re not going to the Commonwealth Games or running marathons, and we’re certainly not getting an A in PE class. But we are getting active: using our bodies to connect with ourselves and each other. — ‘Meet me at the pool’ by Allison Chan We revisit our memories of learning how to swim and dive […]

  • #327 Self-Preservation

    #327 Self-Preservation

    As our world changes, our idea of self preservation has to change with it. We’ve got stories of different ways we try to keep existing. — ‘Hello whoever you are’ by Shelby Traynor In 1995, Greg Wilkinson wrote a letter to the future and buried it in a wall. At the time of writing, Paul […]

  • #326 Women of the Holocaust say #MeToo

    #326 Women of the Holocaust say #MeToo

    In 2017, women around world came forward to talk about their experiences of sexual violence and harassment. Since then, women everywhere have spoken out… including Holocaust survivors. Francine Lazarus repressed memories of sexual assault for decades. During the Holocaust, one of her protectors became what she feared the most: a predator. But it wasn’t until, […]

  • #325 Call me Ange

    #325 Call me Ange

    When Ange was five years old, she called a Spice Girl sexy. When she saw the looks on her parents’ faces, it gave her an early taste of the power that words can hold. Twenty years later, she has a different problem – sometimes words just don’t cut it. Especially when she starts talking about […]

  • #324 High Tide

    #324 High Tide

    We’ve seen so many waves of feminism over the years, but right now it feels like high tide. Around the world, women are rising up in a coordinated movement that feels like its biggest yet. But we know feminism wasn’t born yesterday. From an 80 year old to a 10 year old, Laura La Rosa spoke […]

  • #323 Dad Who

    #323 Dad Who

    This week: stories of tracking down our dads, from Sydney to New York, from off the coast of Darwin and all across Ecuador. — Edgar, Edgar, donde estas? By Selena Shannon When Elizabeth was a toddler and she wanted her dad’s attention, she would play a silly game. She would travel around the house and […]

  • #322 Feature: Or It Didnt Happen

    #322 Feature: Or It Didnt Happen

    Time to get cosy with Sydney’s live fiction scene. This week, we’re featuring a new podcast from a dear friend of the show, Zacha Rosen. His series ‘Or it didn’t happen‘ brings together unique, eclectic and thought-provoking fiction pieces from live fiction nights around the city. ‘Read To Me’ At Read to Me, comics authors put their comics […]

  • #321 Healing

    #321 Healing

    It’s 2018 and we’re back baby! To kick things off, we’re talking Healing. We rely on doctors and specialists to help us heal, but when they don’t have the answers the journey takes a different turn. — ‘Light at the end of the tunnel’ by Karishma Tanvi For years now, Karishma has known something wasn’t right… […]

  • #320 The Bubble

    #320 The Bubble

    We’re told we all live in our own bubbles, reinforced by our friends, our beliefs, our Facebook news feeds, and that very few of us can break free. This week, stories of people who popped their bubbles. — ‘Raised by Atheists’ by Nina Enever Before Nina started primary school, she didn’t realise her new school […]

  • #319 Mum’s the word

    #319 Mum’s the word

    The mental load, the unpaid labour, the unconditional love – not to mention pushing us out. Our mums deserve a lot more credit than they get. So this week we’re peeling back the curtain on this whole motherhood thing and taking a moment to acknowledge them properly. — ‘Flashforward’ by Martyn Reyes Two years ago, […]

  • #318 Loyalty

    #318 Loyalty

    This week, stories about what it means to be loyal – to your job, to a partner or to yourself. ‘A chat with a garbo’ by Bridget Harilaou Ian Hankinson has been committed to his job for the last 28 years. It’s a job people aren’t exactly queuing up to do, and yet our society often […]

  • #317 Faith in love

    #317 Faith in love

    Religious communities and Queer communities have historically had a difficult relationship. Many of us treat this dichotomy as having no clear path to mutual understanding and celebration. But this week we bring you stories of the grey area between the black and white, and the people trying to evolve their religious institutions. Rev. Keith Mascord made headlines in 2016 when […]

  • #316 Four Generations of Black Storytellers

    #316 Four Generations of Black Storytellers

    This week, four generations of activists, poets, storytellers, actors, humanitarians and educators. We share the untold story of one family who helped create Radio Redfern, The Black Theatre, the first black newspaper in Australia, the Brisbane Indigenous Media Association, and the Murri School, an Independent Aboriginal and Islander Community School. ‘Four Generations of Black Storytellers’ was brought […]

  • #315 Analogue

    #315 Analogue

    This week, we’re talking about old and new media. Past and present family traditions. Digital and analogue technology. So which way was better? – ‘Imperfect tools’ by Daniel Semo Music, podcasts, radio shows… almost everything we listen to these days is created, edited and shared digitally. Yet some artists, engineers, and technicians still choose to […]

  • #314 The Chase

    #314 The Chase

    Horse racing, serial dating and following your dreams. This week we’re all about the CHASE! ‘For the love of horses’ by Elina Godwin A day in the life of a track rider, behind the glitz and glam of race day. Tessa is both a Clerk Of The Course on race days and a morning track-rider at […]

  • #313 Word Travels Fast

    #313 Word Travels Fast

    A new series from All The Best and Word Travels, premiered right here. Tegan Nicholls in on a quest across NSW, meeting young slam poets at the crossroads of race, access and recognition. From small country towns to beachside writer’s festivals, Tegan road trips across the state recording stories, rehearsals and conversations all leading up to […]

  • #312 Assumptions

    #312 Assumptions

    A first impression can kill a job interview, delight a first date or… let’s face it, be the product of racism. This week, stories of assumptions that range from an awkward misunderstanding, to a world in the violent throws of political division. ‘I’m Sorry’ by Joseph Aklilu Whether this story feels alien, or painfully familiar, will say […]

  • #311 Eviction

    #311 Eviction

    Anna has lived in her tower apartment for 45 years. In fact, she was the fifth person to move in when the building was completed in the 70’s. It wasn’t long after the Queen herself cut the ribbon, officially opening the two Waterloo Towers. Now, Anna is facing eviction, along with thousands of other residents. But […]

  • #310 Hindsight

    #310 Hindsight

    Meet kids and teenagers who have grown up, and can now see the world through their parents’ eyes. In two stories, we look back on important choices from childhood, and ask if the lens of adulthood always make things clearer. — ‘Blueprint’ by Rachel Mcfadden Lying awake in bed at night, Rachel’s mind wanders back to […]

  • #309 Door knocking

    #309 Door knocking

    Time to go off road. Jump the fence. Peak into some houses slated for demolition, or explore a well-known old building that’s home to the little-known story of an unsolved crime. This week we’re knocking on the doors of homes, buildings and stories that might not be around forever. ‘Suburban Decay’ by Britta Jorgensen More than […]

  • #308 Garry’s Dream

    #308 Garry’s Dream

    ‘Garry’s Dream’ by Kayleen Bell This week, we’re devoting a full episode to one love story. A young love story. But even though our protagonists are young, they are facing something normally reserved for people in their 80’s. Kayleen Bell first visited Mandy and Garry in 2014, now she finally gets to share their story. September is […]

  • #307 The Powder Room

    #307 The Powder Room

    Come join us in a private space we’ve filled with mysticism, discretion, and secrecy. The Powder Room. ~~~ ‘Menstruation: Then and now’ by Nina Enever Stock up the chocolate, boil the kettle, and put on your trackies – you’re about to have your very first period. Except it’s the 1940’s, there are no disposable tampons, and […]

  • #306 Trouble on the inside

    #306 Trouble on the inside

    Things can look pretty peachy when you’re on the outside looking in. But this week, we’re bringing you stories of trouble on the inside. Whether that’s in your average 7/11, or in gender specific clubs on Facebook. ~~~ ‘Not so sweet’ by Emma Nobel Emma Nobel used to associate convenience stores with one thing: Slurpees. But […]

  • #305 ATB Presents ‘The King’ by The Headstone Series

    #305 ATB Presents ‘The King’ by The Headstone Series

    “And I asked her, would you know which Hearse had Elvis in the back? She said “no”, so I touched all of them”. In the Melbourne General Cemetery is a memorial for a man buried far away, at Graceland, in Memphis Tennessee. This is a memorial for Elvis Presley, and our feature episode this week meets the […]

  • #304 First cup of the day

    #304 First cup of the day

    We’re pretty proud of our coffee culture in Australia. The taste, the quality, the ritual of making it in the morning, the chemistry between caffeine and our brains. For a lot of us coffee is the perfect way to start the day – maybe even the only way to start the day. So this week […]

  • #303 Beneath The Surface

    #303 Beneath The Surface

    A group of change-makers open up about a tragedy in their community, sharing how they stay afloat when darkness bubbles beneath the surface. A woman encounters a stranger, struggling to swim offshore. The experience connects her to a man on the other side of the world. ~~~ ‘Dear Von’ By Sasha Abram Looking at the brave faces of our most […]

  • #302 The Story of Us

    #302 The Story of Us

    In movies, books, and art, the greatest love stories are often romances. Their infinity is celebrated, aspired to, and put on a pedestal. The idea of BFFs, on the other hand, is somewhat trivialised by society. How could besties be a heart-stopping love story? But for quite a few people, the focus on traditional love stories overshadows their real […]

  • #301 Feeling Small

    #301 Feeling Small

    A few years ago Moi escaped his home in Iran by boat, but when he arrived in Australia he decided to rewrite his relationship with the ocean. This week we’ve got stories about facing unknown environments that might – at first – make us feel a little small. Mountains, oceans, and big cities. ~~~ ‘Compression’ by Made […]

  • #300 Breath and Bone

    #300 Breath and Bone

    This week, we’re devoting the whole show to one story about the year one woman hit rock bottom, then pulled herself back up again. Just a heads up that this story deals with loss and can be hard to listen to in parts, but it’s a beautiful, intimate, story about healing, and we can promise it has […]

  • #299 First Love

    #299 First Love

    This week we’re looking at first love. ~~~ Baby’s First Love Our awareness of love and relationships starts to take shape at an early age, before we . So we asked people to send us some recordings of themselves, recounting their earliest memories of when they first became aware of, or exposed, to the social constructs […]

  • #298 The Desert

    #298 The Desert

    On the highway down to Alice Springs there are very few places to stop and refuel. A couple of small towns, a few roadhouses. But then you have Wycliffe Well. This week All The Best is disappearing into the desert and bringing back stories from campfires, state borders and Alien themed roadhouses. ~~~ ‘Red Sand Country’ […]

  • #297 Picking up the pieces

    #297 Picking up the pieces

    Stephen hasn’t seen his high school girlfriend in nearly 30 years. Things didn’t end so well when they were teenagers, but suddenly he has the opportunity to reconnect with her. The only thing is something has changed in Stephen, something very big, and he’s not sure if his high school sweetheart is ready to find […]

  • #296 ATB features: SPUN

    #296 ATB features: SPUN

    This week, we’re featuring SPUN! A fresh live storytelling podcast straight out of the Northern Territory. ~~~ “A full belly or smelly pits?” by Clare Callaghan There are times in life when small, seemingly insignificant decisions impact you in unimaginable ways. Clare Callaghan is a remote area nurse in an indigenous community and one day […]

  • #295 Take me as I am

    #295 Take me as I am

    Most of our life, we’re bending to the expectations of others. How we look, how we behave, where we work, the life choices we make. It’s like all these little decisions were made without us and we’re expected follow the choreography, hope we don’t screw it up and stack it. But wouldn’t it be liberating, […]

  • #294 In on it

    #294 In on it

    In-jokes, classroom cliques and family secrets. It sucks to feel like you’re on the outside. This week we’ve got stories about being in on it, because either you are or you aren’t. Usually. But under stranger circumstances, you might find yourself in on something you didn’t even know you were a part of. ‘Rainbow Mining’ […]

  • #293 Paws and Reflect

    #293 Paws and Reflect

    The President of the Holy Cow Club was fond of her pet calf Belinda. She would read Belinda picture books and penned the club’s official anthem in her honour. She was also eight years old. Claudia’s short lived relationship with Belinda lead to a life long obsession with cows, but she’s not the only person […]

  • #292 Sleeping with a mosquito

    #292 Sleeping with a mosquito

    James Brechney chalks rainbows for equality. It started as a bit of a joke, but the sentiment spread and, before he knew it, chalk rainbows were popping up all over the world and Facebook was flying him to America. Quickly, the rainbow chalkings became a recurring symbol in the queer community, a peaceful message of solidarity. But is […]

  • #291 Together, Alone

    #291 Together, Alone

    Inga identifies as Solo Poly, which kinda sounds like an oxymoron: someone who leads a life of polyamory, but one that is distinctly… solo. It’s the kind of thing she finds herself explaining over and over again to people outside of the poly community. How can you be alone and together at the same time? This […]

  • #290 Going Offline

    #290 Going Offline

    A few years ago, Patrick from New Zealand discovered an unknown American band online and decided to connect with the members via Twitter. As the friendship progressed, the band got bigger and a tri-continental twitter bond was born. What happens when internet relationships, communities or online versions of ourselves log off and start to interact with the real […]

  • #289 So you think I’m sick?

    #289 So you think I’m sick?

    #1712 So you think I’m sick? This week: stories of sickness and health, and how to convince the rest of the world you’re one not the other. ~ ‘Presence of mind’ by Darius Sawyer “To be defined as less human than a robot was really jarring, I’d taken an assumption of my humanity for granted.” What […]

  • #288 Remotely Intimate

    #288 Remotely Intimate

    #1711 Remotely Intimate: By Thanh Hằng Phạm. What do you think of when you think of home? Is it where you are now or where you grew up? Is it a place you long for, somewhere in your family’s history, far from the roads and towns you move through today? And what do you think of… […]

  • #287 Life After

    #287 Life After

    #1710 Life After What does life feel like in the wake of death? How do we cope, who do we turn to, and what can we do to make it better when we’re left behind? This week we’re looking at life after loss. ~ ‘Where the sky meets the sea’ by Bethany Atkinson-Quinton When you stare at […]

  • #286 A Night Away

    #286 A Night Away

    A lost sex toy, the persistence of nightingales, and the choices about life and love we make after the sun goes down. This week is our second instalment of stories from our listening party in Sydney, where we invited an audience to spend a night with All The Best. In this episode we’ll be taking you […]

  • #285 What keeps me up at night

    #285 What keeps me up at night

    Stories straight from our Audiocraft listening party! If you missed the midnight garden gathering, here is the first instalment of nocturnal tales we made for our Sydney relaunch event “Spend a night with All The Best”. Four pieces from contributors who just can’t sleep, all for different reasons, and want you to lie awake with them. This […]

  • #284 Art as therapy

    #284 Art as therapy

    “He said to me once, ‘just as I’m getting good they’re going to kill me’.” How do art teachers adapt to working in prisons? Can standing in a room full of artists, completely naked, change how you see your own body? These are the questions we tackle this week, as we explore the true powers of art […]

  • #283 Black Sheep

    #283 Black Sheep

    Kevin draws huge crowds to his cafe in Alexandria, Sydney. He’s usually asleep, flopped on the ground like a bloated hairy beanbag in his pen. But it doesn’t take much to be a celebrity pig in Sydney, and so even when dozing he’s working his public profile. Kevin goes for daily walks around the neighbourhood, has a […]

  • #282 Repeated Collision

    #282 Repeated Collision

    _ We’re dipping into our archives this week to bring you two stories of forces coming together, like a hard wooden cricket bat and a mouth full of baby teeth, or our first story, which takes place on the frontline of a battle between two passionate groups in duck hunting season. ‘Duck Season’ by Leona […]

  • #281 Breasted Experience by Private Parts

    #281 Breasted Experience by Private Parts

    _ Breasted Experience by Beth Gibson “I want you to imagine that one day you get a blank email with an MP3 file with your name on it. You have no idea what’s in the file. You put on your headphones, lie down and press play.” Breasts. They’re pretty hard to miss. But our genuine, […]

  • #280 Family Fingerprints

    #280 Family Fingerprints

    _ “Two hip replacements and a stuffed knee didn’t quite allow him to make it out of the boat. So he was swept out to the open ocean…” Nobody likes thinking about losing their parents or grandparents (including us). So to avoid dwelling on the grief too much, this week we bring you stories about lessons […]

  • #279 If I make it till Monday

    #279 If I make it till Monday

    – “If he went to a home he would have lasted a week. That would have been it, because he wouldn’t have his painting, his music, none of those things.” ‘If I make it till Monday’ by Sally Zwartz For many of us, the idea of turning 100 is a far off, unimaginable and abstract […]

  • #278 Over the neighbour’s fence

    #278 Over the neighbour’s fence

    _ “I’m expecting to join just a handful of other people for the class, but I arrive to find a huge queue, leading up to a hardwood fairy lit space. Turns out this is a serious community. Mostly white, and almost all middle aged and older.” Do you ever pause and fantasise about your neighbours’ lives? […]

  • #1640 I thought this was what you wanted?

    #1640 I thought this was what you wanted?

    _ Does Christmas content in December disturb or excite you? The All The Best team is divided on the issue. Some love riding the Christmas wave all the way to December 25th, others wish they could mute every overbearing TV ad, silly season radio segment, or cheesy holiday movie. In this week’s episode we decided to […]

  • #1639 ATB presents: Contact Mic

    #1639 ATB presents: Contact Mic

    _ This week we’ve got something a little different on the show. At All The Best we love celebrating and showcasing great Australian audio, so we’re handing over the show to our friends at Contact Mic. It’s a monthly podcast made in Melbourne about the things that make us human – like moments of change, […]

  • #1638 Goodbye Comfort Zone

    #1638 Goodbye Comfort Zone

    “I said I’d pass. I’m not going to lie, I’m a little scared of the dark… But they insisted I did. They said it was tradition.” This week we’re talking about leaving your comfort zone behind and embarking on something new. Facing your fears, rising to the occasion, and then discovering something amazing on the […]

  • #1637 On the other side of the glass

    #1637 On the other side of the glass

    A controversial series of photographs by artist Arne Svenson has been the subject of much discussion lately. In it, Svenson exhibits photos of his neighbours, images he captured without their consent through the windows of their New York apartments. This is more than ethically ambiguous, it’s pretty straight up wrong. But it doesn’t discount our secret […]

  • #1636 Like Oil and Water

    #1636 Like Oil and Water

    Some things mix like oil and water, forever a slippery co-existence stuck in separation. Like an oil spill in the ocean, this mostly ends in disaster and heartbreak, but occasionally – against all odds – two opposites just click. This week we bring you both kinds: stories of operas in bathrooms, unlikely friendships, and love + heartbreak. ‘Chamber Pot […]

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