Talking Australia

In 2017 Lisa Blair became the first woman to sail solo around Antarctica. Earlier this year she set sail again, determined to become the fastest person ever to complete the journey.On this episode of Talking Australia we catch up with Lisa as she rounds Cape Horn, her journey's halfway point, ahead of schedule and discover she's involved in all manner of scientific research onboard when she's not battling 10m swells and 50 knot winds.  This episode of Talking Australia is hosted by Liz Ginis (AG Digital Managing Editor) and produced by Ben Kanthak (Podcast Producer at Australian Geographic) You can also follow us on Instagram @australiangeographicSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Engineer and professional adventurer Chris Bray turned his passion for nature photography into a thriving business - teaching people how to photograph animals around the globe. His adventurous life started early on a boat with his parents and sister as they sailed around the world.  On this episode of Talking Australia Chris chats about his upbringing and how he discovered his passion for photography, and about a hair-raising, high-risk sailing trip through the North West Passage on an old wooden junk, which could have ended his career before it even started. Currently he lives on Christmas Island where he has established an eco-lodge. With the sea at his front door and a wild and remote Indian Ocean island as his playground, Chris has a story you won't want to miss! This Episode of Talking Australia is hosted by Liz Ginis (Managing Editor Digital at Australian Geographic) and produced by Ben Kanthak (www.beachshackpodcasts.com) You can also follow us on Instagram @australiangeographicSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Aymeric Maudous grew up in the French countryside of the Bordeaux region and moved to Australia 17 years ago. After years of being a successful marketer in the US he eventually decided to follow his childhood passion for the environment. Aymeric launched “Lord of the Trees” in 2019 – a company that uses drone technology to help reforest landscapes. On this episode Aymeric talks about drones, the benefits of high- and low-tech to tackle current environmental challenges and why Indigenous knowledge and support from local communities is key to the success of his company's work. This episode of Talking Australia is hosted and produced by Ben Kanthak (Podcast Producer at Australian Geographic) You can also follow us on Instagram @australiangeographicSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tim Jarvis had his fair share of suffering being a polar adventurer and going through extremes. But in order to recreate two epic journeys by Sir Douglas Mawson and Sir Ernest Shackleton, from the Heroic Age of Antarctic Exploration, Tim willingly stripped himself of all modern equipment and finished these expeditions with the same clothes and gear that his predecessors used in the early 1900s. On this episode of Talking Australia Tim talks about his adventures and how he since then has become a climate change advocate, public speaker and as of late started the “Forktree Project”, a non-profit demonstration site in South Australia to show large scale rewildering of agricultural land. This Episode of Talking Australia is hosted by Chrissie Goldrick (Editor-in-chief at Australian Geographic) and produced by Ben Kanthak (www.beachshackpodcasts.com) You can also follow us on Instagram @australiangeographicSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Greg Mortimer is one of Australia’s best known and highly respected mountaineers. In 1984 Greg was one of the first two Australians to ever summit Everest. He also climbed the world’s most dangerous mountain, K2, as well as two of the highest peaks in Antarctica. He later became a pioneer of Antarctic tourism and even has a new ship named after him. On this episode of Talking Australia Greg talks about his mountaineering days and how his groundbreaking summit of Everest was also due to his liberal parents and a free upbringing, as well as a bit of naivety and sheer will.This is part one of our conversation with Greg. Make sure to check out part two. This Episode of Talking Australia is hosted by Chrissie Goldrick (Editor-in-chief at Australian Geographic) and produced by Ben Kanthak (www.beachshackpodcasts.com) You can also follow us on Instagram @australiangeographicSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sophie Matterson took a break from her work in the film industry and the constraints of city life to find new inspiration in the outdoors. She ended up mustering feral camels in the Red Centre, which gave her an idea for an epic adventure. During the midst of the global pandemic she embarked on a 5000km, solo, coast-to-coast trek, accompanied only by her beloved camels. 2 years after embarking on her adventure at shark bay in Western Australia Sophie finished her journey in Byron Bay on the East coast. This Episode of Talking Australia is hosted by Chrissie Goldrick (Editor-in-chief at Australian Geographic) and produced by Ben Kanthak (www.beachshackpodcasts.com) You can also follow us on Instagram @australiangeographicSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Craig Leeson began his life in a small community in Northern Tasmania but today he works out of Hong Kong from where he operates an award-winning international documentary making operation.   Craig is a man who understands the power of storytelling to create awareness and has made films with the likes of David Attenborough and the National Geographic channel. In 2017 he released “A Plastic Ocean”, a landmark documentary that has seen Craig become an activist and outspoken advocate for political and social change on ocean health and climate change. He has been named Tasmanian Australian of the Year 2022 and just released a new documentary about the loss of the world’s glaciers. This Episode of Talking Australia is hosted by Chrissie Goldrick (Editor-in-chief at Australian Geographic) and produced by Ben Kanthak (www.beachshackpodcasts.com) You can also follow us on Instagram @australiangeographicSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Glen Jacobs is the Director of World Trail and the first and only Australian to be inducted into the Mountain Bike Hall of Fame. With his company Glen has designed, planned and constructed hundreds of projects in 20 countries and created more than 300km of purpose-built mountain bike trails in Australia. At the age of 12 the Queenslander began exploring the rainforest and building trails in Cairns. In the early 1990s Glen made a name for himself by producing some of the first ever Freeride videos and heavily influenced the sport of mountain biking as we know it today. This Episode of Talking Australia is hosted by Justin Walker (Editor Australian Geographic Adventure) and produced by Ben Kanthak at www.beachshackpodcasts.com You can also follow us on Instagram @australiangeographicSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Annette Rypalski is the Biodiversity Director at Mt Rothwell, the largest feral-free ecosystem in Victoria – just 50km outside of Melbourne. Within the fenced-off, predator-free area, Annette and her team work hard to ensure the survival of some of Australia’s most critically endangered species. On this episode she shares her journey, explains how dingoes are a vital help with her efforts and also reflects on the deadly bushfires that almost wiped out the entire southern brush-tailed rock-wallaby population. This episode of Talking Australia is hosted by Ben Kanthak (Podcast Producer at Australian Geographic) and produced by www.beachshackpodcasts.com You can also follow us on Instagram @australiangeographicSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bryan Lessard, better known as “Bry the Fly Guy”, is an entomologist who's dedicated to changing our perception of flies and other insects. He has discovered many new fly species and had the privilege of naming them, often having fun along the way with names such as Scaptia beyonceae, aka Beyoncé fly.  On this episode of Talking Australia Bryan explains why flies and other insects are crucial to pollination and why insects in particular are becoming a billion dollar industry. This Episode of Talking Australia is hosted by Angela Heathcote (Digital Producer at Australian Geographic) and produced by Ben Kanthak (www.beachshackpodcasts.com). You can also follow us on Instagram @australiangeographicSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dick Smith is described by Paul Hogan as part Bill Gates and part Bear Grylls on the cover of his new autobiography, My Adventurous Life. He is an entrepreneur, philanthropist, explorer, political activist and the founder of Australian Geographic. This proud true-blue Aussie also holds several aviation records, including the first solo circumnavigation of the planet by helicopter, the first circumnavigation of the planet landing at both poles and the first helicopter to the North Pole. He continues to support causes close to his heart and helped many Australian explorers and adventurers to achieve their goals. On this episode Dick talks about his inspiring life, achievements and the importance of knowing when to stop chasing the next big adventure. This Episode of Talking Australia is hosted by Chrissie Goldrick (Editor-in-chief at Australian Geographic) and produced by Ben Kanthak (www.beachshackpodcasts.com) You can also follow us on Instagram @australiangeographicSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After his life-changing bike ride around the world, Jimmy Ashby was looking for his next big adventure and found it right on his doorstep. With the world going into lockdown Jimmy and his mate Chad Freak decided to take on a 3000km desert ride into the Outback. The duo cycled from Perth to Coober Pedy in South Australia through some of the most remote areas of the continent. The majority of the way they rode the famous 1325km Anne Beadell Highway, which only a handful of cyclists have done over the past half century.  This Episode of Talking Australia is hosted by Liz Ginis (Managing Editor Digital at Australian Geographic) and produced by Ben Kanthak (www.beachshackpodcasts.com). You can also follow us on Instagram @australiangeographicSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Douglas Gimesy is an award-winning conservation photographer who made a name for himself with powerful images capturing a wide range of conservation issues. From the illegal wildlife trade to the Black Summer bushfires and the plight of our iconic platypus, he spends most of his time capturing the Australian environment in crisis. On this episode Doug discusses his favourite images, shares tips for aspiring photographers and explains why conservation photography is much more than just doom and gloom. This Episode of Talking Australia is hosted by Angela Heathcote (Senior Digital Producer at Australian Geographic) and produced by Ben Kanthak (www.beachshackpodcasts.com). You can also follow us on Instagram @australiangeographicSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.