PODCASTS
Welcome to the StoryFest Podcast where you can catch up on sessions from the 2019, 2021 and 2023 festivals.
Guests include Markus Zusak, Tania Plibersek, Craig Silvey, Nikki Gemmell, Malcolm Knox, Charles Massy, Richard Fidler and many more, covering a wide range of topics and themes.
Browse the list below to find your favourites.
You can listen to our episodes on Spotify, Apple, Google or wherever you get your pods. You can also listen directly on your laptop here.
Embracing a Life of Crime
Nearly half of all Australians have read a crime, mystery or thriller novel in the past twelve months. Hear from some of the biggest names in Australian fictional crime writing when best-selling author Chris Hammer (Scrublands, The Tilt), Wollongong-based Hayley Scrivenor (Dirt Town), and former punk rocker turned crime writer Dave Warner (After the Flood) join journalist Philip Williams at StoryFest.
You can listen to the episode on Spotify, Apple, Google or wherever you get your pods. You can also listen directly on your laptop here.
The Wonder of Words
Pip Williams’ novel The Dictionary of Lost Words was the highest selling novel in Australia in 2022 and her follow-up, The Bookbinder of Jericho, is touted for similar success. In conversation with Michelle Barraclough, Pip discusses the motivations behind the novel, the magic of words - both common and those excluded from our everyday vocabulary - and why every word is so important.
You can listen to the episode on Spotify, Apple, Google or wherever you get your pods. You can also listen directly on your laptop here.
Where the Magic Lies
Join Robbie Arnott (Limberlost, The Rain Heron) and Inga Simpson (Willowman, The Last Woman in the World) for this intimate conversation between two of Australia’s leading authors with a shared love of our coast, our characters and our continent, as they explore how the magical properties of the natural world shape and shift their approach to storytelling.
You can listen to the episode on Spotify, Apple, Google or wherever you get your pods. You can also listen directly on your laptop here.
Live and Local
In this fast-paced storytellers shootout, David Hunt interviews six locals from the Shoalhaven who have recently published their work. You’ll hear a little from each storyteller and find out why you need their book on your shelf.
Featuring:
Patti Bartlett & Jenny Cleary - Five Villages
Helen Moody - Islands of the NSW South Coast
Marita Smith - Kindred Ties Trilogy
Julie Bozza - Writ in Blood
Robert Hollingworth - The Finding
Colin DeFries - Ulladulla Bush Poets
You can listen to the episode on Spotify, Apple, Google or wherever you get your pods. You can also listen directly on your laptop here.
The Antidote to Our Times
Romance novels are sometimes dismissed as a lesser genre compared to more critically acclaimed writing styles. Leading romance writers Penelope Janu (Shelter from the Storm, Clouds on the Horizon), Alice Boyle (Dancing Barefoot) and Clare Fletcher (Five Bush Weddings) join author and moderator Claudine Tinellis (Talking Aussie Books podcast) to discuss their latest novels and explore why romance writing has never been more important or more misunderstood.
Artists: Penelope Janu, Alice Boyle, Clare Fletcher
Host: Claudine Tinellis
You can listen to the episode on Spotify, Apple, Google or wherever you get your pods. You can also listen directly on your laptop here.
Lost for Words
The publication of the Dhurga Dictionary and Learner's Grammar in 2019 is the culmination of decades of work and a turning point in the revitalisation of one of the key indigenous languages on the NSW south coast. The journey began when Brinja-Yuin woman Kerry Boyenga, a teacher at Broulee Public School, approached the principal about teaching Dhurga as a language other than English. From these small beginnings, Kerry and her siblings, Waine Donovan and Patricia Ellis, developed the Dhurga language course as a Certificate 1 in Aboriginal Language/s, which they taught at TAFE campuses in Nowra, Narooma, Ulladulla, Jervis Bay and Moruya. Realising how hard it is to teach a language without a dictionary, Patricia Ellis spent more than ten years researching and compiling this valuable resource. Now, a new generation has the opportunity to learn their language and through that, reconnect with their culture, identity and country. Patricia Ellis joins Inga Simpson to talk about that journey and how a dictionary facilitates understanding of culture and connection.
Artist: Patricia Ellis
Host: Inga Simpson
You can listen to the episode on Spotify, Apple, Google or wherever you get your pods. You can also listen directly on your laptop here.
Brave New Worlds
In their latest novels, Charlotte McConaghy and Kate Mildenhall have imagined the future. One where climate change has resulted in mass extinctions of threatened species. The other, an Australia ruled by the ominously named The Department which tracks every move you make. They are both novels that ask questions about love, loyalty and what drives us to commit desperate acts. Join them as they discuss what setting a novel in the future allows a storyteller to do and the attraction of speculating about how the world might be.
Artists: Kate Mildenhall, Charlotte McConaghy
Host: Inga Simpson
You can listen to the episode on Spotify, Apple, Google or wherever you get your pods. You can also listen directly on your laptop here.
Brazen Hussies - Sue Maslin & Jane Caro
BRAZEN HUSSIES reveals a revolutionary chapter in Australian history, when the bold women of the Women's Liberation Movement reignited Australia’s feminist revolution. Interweaving freshly uncovered archival footage, personal photographs, memorabilia and lively personal accounts from activists, BRAZEN HUSSIES shows us how a daring and diverse group of women joined forces to defy the status quo, demand equality and create profound social change - contributing to one of the greatest social movements of the 20th Century. Following the screening, producer Sue Maslin joins Jane Caro in a conversation exploring why it was so important to make this documentary now and what it says about the current state of feminism in this country.
Artist: Sue Maslin
Host: Jane Caro
You can listen to the episode on Spotify, Apple, Google or wherever you get your pods. You can also listen directly on your laptop here.
Call of the Reed Warbler - Charles Massy & Jane McCredie
Charles Massy OAM gained a Bachelor of Science (Zoology, Human Ecology) at ANU, before going farming for 35 years, developing the prominent Merino sheep stud ‘Severn Park’. Concern at ongoing land degradation and humanity’s sustainability challenge saw him return to ANU to undertake a PhD in Human Ecology. Using his personal farming experience as a touchstone, Call of the Reed Warbler tells the real story behind industrial agriculture and the global profit-obsessed corporations driving it. Massy shows how innovative farmers are finding a new way, regenerating their land and witnessing astounding transformations that evidence the vital connection between our soil and our health. Charles Massy discusses his life’s work with science writer and journalist, Jane McCredie.
Artist: Charles Massy
Host: Jane McCredie
You can listen to the episode on Spotify, Apple, Google or wherever you get your pods. You can also listen directly on your laptop here.
Honeybee - Craig Silvey & Suzanne Leal
Craig Silvey is the author of the bestselling multi-award winning novel, Jasper Jones. Released in 2009, it went on to be turned into an acclaimed play and film. His third novel, Honeybee, was published in 2020 and has already won legions of fans. Honeybee is a heartbreaking, life-affirming novel that throws readers headlong into a world of petty thefts, extortion plots, botched bank robberies, daring dog rescues and one spectacular drag show. It has garnered recognition from the independent booksellers market, winning the prestigious 2021 Indie Book Award for Fiction. Join Craig Silvey as he discusses the inspiration behind Honeybee and find out how he created two such vivid and heartwarming characters in Sam and Vic.
Artist: Craig Silvey
Host: Suzanne Leal
You can listen to the episode on Spotify, Apple, Google or wherever you get your pods. You can also listen directly on your laptop here.
The Dressmaker’s Secret - Rosalie Ham & Nicole Abadee
In her debut novel, The Dressmaker, Rosalie Ham introduced the world to the outback town Dungatar with its eccentric residents, petty politics and haute couture through the wonderful character, Tilly Dunnage. It became an international bestseller and its reputation cemented with the release of the film of the same name. But what happened to Tilly after she left town remained an unanswered question. That is, until last year with the release of The Dressmaker's Secret. Find out why Rosalie Ham wrote a sequel to her famous book, what challenges that posed and why she thinks these characters have lived on in readers’ memories.
Artist: Rosalie Ham
Host: Nicole Abadee
You can listen to the episode on Spotify, Apple, Google or wherever you get your pods. You can also listen directly on your laptop here.
Truth is Trouble - Wendy Harmer, Malcolm Knox, Nikki Gemmell, David Hunt
Freedom of expression is often touted as the right of individuals to espouse publicly views that were once held privately. No more so than in times where social media has dominated the public conversation on everything from sexuality, race, religion, politics and monarchy. But what responsibilities are inherent in the phrase ‘free speech’ and how hard is it to put the truth at the centre of the public discourse?
Artists: Malcolm Knox, Nikki Gemmell, David Hunt
Host: Wendy Harmer
You can listen to the episode on Spotify, Apple, Google or wherever you get your pods. You can also listen directly on your laptop here.
The Golden Maze - Richard Fidler in conversation with Nicole Abadee
Richard Fidler first visited Prague in 1989, the moment in history when the decrepit police state was being overthrown by its people in what became known as the Velvet Revolution. The experience never left him. Thirty years later, Fidler returned to Prague to uncover the glorious and grotesque history of Europe's most instagrammed and uncanny city. And, in his inimitable style, he has brought story and history together in a personally curated history of one of the world’s most magical cities, Prague. Beloved ABC broadcaster and bestselling author of Ghost Empire and Saga Land, Richard Fidler joins Nicole Abadee in conversation about his passion for Prague and his passion for story.
You can listen to the episode on Spotify, Apple, Google or wherever you get your pods. You can also listen directly on your laptop here.
Love Objects - Emily Maguire in conversation with Caroline Baum
Nic is a forty-five-year-old trivia buff, amateur nail artist and fairy godmother to the neighbourhood's stray cats. She's also the owner of a decade's worth of daily newspapers, enough clothes and shoes to fill Big W three times over and a pen collection which, if laid end-to-end, would probably circle her house twice. Every Sunday, she meets her beloved niece Lena for lunch. Except for one Sunday when Nic fails to show up. Worried, Lena goes to Nic’s house to see if her aunt is all right and gets the shock of her life.
In her chat with Caroline Baum, Emily Maguire talks about love and family, betrayal and forgiveness, and the things we do to fill our empty spaces.
You can listen to the episode on Spotify, Apple, Google or wherever you get your pods. You can also listen directly on your laptop here.
Podcast - Markus Zusak - The Books That Change Us
The Opening Night event at StoryFest 2021 featured the inaugural Garry Evans Memorial Address, delivered by StoryFest patron and international bestselling author, Markus Zusak. In the spirit of the late, great Garry Evans - South Coast bookseller, publisher, and booklover extraordinaire - Markus spoke about and read from the books that opened up entire new worlds, and made him want to be a writer.
Introduction by David Hunt.
Content Warning: Contains swearing.
You can listen to the episode on Spotify, Apple, Google or wherever you get your pods. You can also listen directly on your laptop here.
Podcast - Weaving History Through Stories
Female highwaywomen and the Estonian underground may not sound like they have much in common but each reveals a story of women tested by adversity. One when transported to Australia where she must forge a new life and a new identity. The other when Stalin’s brutal red army crushes everything in its path. Join Lauren Chater, author of the bestseller The Lace Weaver and Meg Keneally with her debut solo novel Fled, an epic adventure based on the extraordinary life of convict Mary Bryant, as they discuss the amazing woman at the centre of their stories. Hosted by Nicole Abadee.
You can listen to the episode on Spotify, Apple, Google or wherever you get your pods. You can also listen directly on your laptop here.
Podcast - The Power of Sound
David Hunt’s narration of Girt is one of Audible Australia's bestselling audio books of all time. Rolling Stone declared his Australian history podcast, Rum, Rebels & Ratbags, one of 2016’s hottest podcasts. Katherine Collette documented her path to publication in The First Time Podcast. Allison Tait is co-host, of the top-rating podcast So You Want To Be A Writer. Join them as they discuss why the publishing industry is no longer just about printing books and why we're turning to sound. Hosted by Pamela Cook.
You can listen to the episode on Spotify, Apple, Google or wherever you get your pods. You can also listen directly on your laptop here.
Podcast - Unforgettable Settings
So often, we talk about landscape as character and how setting informs the story. Join Candice Fox, Robert Hollingworth and Karen Viggers as they discuss how place is central to their storytelling and is so much more than a mere location. Hosted by Inga Simpson.
You can listen to the episode on Spotify, Apple, Google or wherever you get your pods. You can also listen directly on your laptop here.
Podcast - We’re Not Getting Any Younger
They call it the Sandwich Generation. Adult children juggling children of their own, work and ageing parents. In her latest book, journalist Amal Awad reveals society’s discomfort with the stark realities of ageing, disease and death in a culture that celebrates eternal youth. As a GP, Joanna Nell knows only too well what ageing looks like. Drawing on personal experience, these two writers share insights into what we are facing as our parents age, as we age, and how to navigate that path with compassion and humour. Hosted by Pamela Cook.
You can listen to the episode on Spotify, Apple, Google or wherever you get your pods. You can also listen directly on your laptop here.
Podcast - The Art of Forgetting
In a live version of his popular 2017 TedX talk, The Art of Forgetting, David Hunt argues that in order for Australia to understand who we are, we must embrace the good and bad in our history.
David is the author of the bestselling, award-winning, Girt: The Unauthorised History of Australia and the sequel, True Girt. He writes regularly about Australia’s past for the national newspapers and talks about the same on radio and in his podcast Rum, Rebels and Ratbags. He is also the presenter for Foxtel History Channel’s 2019 documentary series, Aussie Inventions That Changed the World.
You can listen to the episode on Spotify, Apple, Google or wherever you get your pods. You can also listen directly on your laptop here.
Podcast - The Accidental Feminist
Accidental Feminists is the story of a generation of women who unintentionally changed the world. Born in the 50s and 60s, they faced the future armed with the pill, free education and the chance to earn their own pay cheque. But it's been a long row to hoe and there's still plenty of work to do to make this a better, fairer world. Join Jane Caro AM in conversation with Meredith Jaffé as they discuss Jane’s latest non-fiction book Accidental Feminists.
You can listen to the episode on Spotify, Apple, Google or wherever you get your pods. You can also listen directly on your laptop here.
Podcast - Becoming a Bestseller
Natasha Lester swapped a career in marketing to become a writer. Her first two novels were works of literary fiction but Lester found her passion lay in writing historical fiction.
Since 2016, she has published a string of novels but it is The Paris Seamstress and now her latest novel The French Photographer that have rocketed Lester to international acclaim.
Natasha chats with Suzanne Leal about the journey, the surprises, the joys and the secrets to her success.
You can listen to the episode on Spotify, Apple, Google or wherever you get your pods. You can also listen directly on your laptop here.
Podcast - Searching out The Bundian Way
Naturalist, poet and seasoned bushwalker John Blay worked for over a decade to uncover the Bundian Way, a 380-kilometre ancient pathway from Mount Kosciuszko to the New South Wales far south coast, used by both the Aboriginal people of the area and the earliest British arrivals. John collaborated with the Eden Aboriginal Land Council to survey and researching the history of the ancient pathway. Thanks to their efforts, today the Bundian Way is heritage listed. But what is it about the Bundian Way that makes it less like a walk and more like a pilgrimage? John chats with Inga Simpson.
You can listen to the episode on Spotify, Apple, Google or wherever you get your pods. You can also listen directly on your laptop here.
Podcast - Criminal Minds
One of the most well-attended sessions at StoryFest was Criminal Minds. With three hugely successful crime authors – Michael Robotham, Candice Fox and Christian White – it’s not hard to see why. Meredith Jaffé spoke to the crime-writing trio about what goes on inside their minds when coming up with their storylines. And some of the answers (including an inter-galactic slug!) might surprise you. As a bonus the audience was treated to readings from each author’s latest book, including Good Girl, Bad Girl, the soon-to-be-released first book of Michael Robotham’s brand new series.
You can listen to the episode on Spotify, Apple, Google or wherever you get your pods. You can also listen directly on your laptop here.