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.
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.
Episodes
Mentioned books
Apr 2, 2026 • 47min
Encore: Remembering cultural leader and storyteller Rhoda Roberts
Rhoda Roberts, a Widjabul-Waybal woman of the Bundjalung nation and celebrated cultural leader who coined 'Welcome to Country'. She recalls country, family and keeping language alive. She speaks about caring for her twin after traumatic brain injury, creating the Awakening segment for the 2000 Olympics, and confronting systemic racism and missing women in her region.
Apr 1, 2026 • 53min
Burnout and the 'Bureaucrapper' — how Nick went from the edge of homelessness to helping others
Nick Orchard, a burnout coach and former government executive who rose from homelessness and Melbourne’s hip-hop scene to senior public service roles. He talks about finding identity in hip hop, navigating homelessness and family mental illness, surviving a career-shattering burnout, and how those experiences shaped his work helping people and organisations prevent and recover from burnout.
Mar 31, 2026 • 53min
Encore: The real life story behind 'Looking for Alibrandi'
Melina Marchetta, an award-winning Australian writer who drew on her Sicilian-Australian upbringing, talks about the making of Looking for Alibrandi. She recounts family migration, secret letters, cultural hiding at school, first trip to Italy, repeated rejections before publication, and the book's surprising reach. The conversation also touches on foster care, open adoption, and passing on Sicilian traditions.
15 snips
Mar 30, 2026 • 50min
The giant spacecraft on its way to Jupiter's icy moon
Tracy Drain, aerospace engineer and chief engineer for NASA's Europa Clipper with two decades at JPL and a National Geographic Explorer, talks about the giant spacecraft's big solar arrays, why it must be large, and the clever flyby trajectory using gravity assists. She explains radiation shielding, autonomous fault protection, instruments that probe Europa's ice and ocean, and the timeline to reach Jupiter's icy moon.
Mar 27, 2026 • 53min
The secret life of a matchmaker—love, listening and telling the truth
Vinko Anthony, a matchmaker for gay men and author of All In, grew up in Dubrovnik learning deep listening from his Nonna. He recounts migration to Australia, falling in love across countries, keeping and revealing an HIV diagnosis, and how he builds a matchmaking practice focused on communication, curated monogamy, and lasting commitment.
Mar 26, 2026 • 0sec
Encore: falling in love with a charming fake farmer
Stephanie Wood, journalist and author of the memoir Fake, tells a true tale of online romance gone wrong. She recounts meeting a charming farmer who repeatedly cancelled and deceived her. The conversation explores catfishing, discovery of a double life, investigative sleuthing and the wider pattern of online manipulation.
Mar 25, 2026 • 53min
Encore: The barber who helps boys become good men
Charles Lomu, a Sydney-based barber and youth worker from Tonga, shares his journey from island childhood to community mentor. He talks about his garage barbershop, the craft and meaning behind fades, using haircuts to build trust, his path through loss and detention, and training young men in skills and communication.
Mar 24, 2026 • 53min
Encore: After triple zero — a paramedic's tale
Benjamin Gilmour, filmmaker and former inner‑city Sydney paramedic, reflects on decades on the frontline and his book The Gap. He describes lifesaving calls, rescuing people from cliff jumps, the chaos of weekend nights, the toll of repeated trauma and how colleagues cope. Short, sharp stories capture danger, grief and the strange rituals that help crews keep going.
Mar 23, 2026 • 53min
Anna the anxiety coach on surviving a roller coaster accident and healing her nervous system
Anna Ferguson, counsellor and author who specialises in nervous-system regulation, recounts surviving a childhood rollercoaster crash and finding healing through Muay Thai and body-based therapies. She discusses trauma’s effects on the nervous system, the role of the vagus nerve, movement and breath techniques, cold exposure, and balancing intense caregiving with practical regulation tools.
13 snips
Mar 20, 2026 • 52min
Iran's position of power in the Strait of Hormuz
Jennifer Parker, former Royal Australian Navy officer and maritime security expert now at ANU and the Lowy Institute. She explains why Iran can dominate the Strait of Hormuz. Short takes cover navigational choke points, IRGC small-boat and drone tactics, submarine strikes and the risks to global oil flows and regional escalation.
