Conversations

Dr Campbell Costello's work as a vet has taken him out of his family's station in North Queensland to places as far flung as Kazakhstan, Mongolia and Patagonia.He's acted as the official vet for a sled race in Alaska, for epic horse races in Mongolia and Argentina, and he has run a cattle station in the former Soviet Union.But after a family tragedy, Dr Costello got his pilot's licence so he could service Australian communities and stations in the country's most remote corners.This episode of Conversations was produced by Meggie Morris, the executive producer was Carmel Rooney.It explores animals, adventure, veterinarians, animal welfare, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, the Andes, Central Asia, horses, dogs, flying, getting your pilot's licence, learning to fly, outback Australia, top end, Northern territory, Queensland, travel, travel for work, death of a parent, farm accidents, grief, loss, love, family, Middle East, South America, far flung places, places less travelled, vet mental health, podcasts for kids, kids who love animals.To binge even more great episodes of the Conversations podcast with Richard Fidler and Sarah Kanowski go the ABC listen app (Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts. There you’ll find hundreds of the best thought-provoking interviews with authors, writers, artists, politicians, psychologists, musicians, and celebrities.

Dr Tanya Latty is an insect scientist with a quirky taste in pets, and a keen eye for detail, but it's the lessons from her brainless pet slime mould that she's most fascinated about.Tanya studies the behaviour of ants and bees and she's particularly interested in their ability to work effectively as a team to achieve a common goal.But her pet project is focused on a creature that defies classification.Slime moulds are neither plants nor animals. They can move, but they don't have legs or wings.They appear to make complex decisions, often motivated by the promise of food. Yet they don't have a stomach or a brain.Despite slime moulds' unique biology, Tanya was struck by their apparent intelligence and by similarities in their patterns of behaviour to ants and bees.Tanya believes the knowledge gained from studying the behaviour of slime moulds and insects could help to solve complex organisational problems in the human world.For more information on Dr Latty’s research head to the Invertebrate behaviour and ecology lab website.This episode of Conversations was produced by Sinead Lee, the Executive Producer was Carmel Rooney.It explores strange science, weird science, hives, bees, insect behaviour, single cell organisms, biology, science for kids, podcasts for kids, the blob, flubber.To binge even more great episodes of the Conversations podcast with Richard Fidler and Sarah Kanowski go the ABC listen app (Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts. There you’ll find hundreds of the best thought-provoking interviews with authors, writers, artists, politicians, psychologists, musicians, and celebrities.

When his elders named him Bindi, David Hudson had no idea his future would involve performing with his didgeridoo at the Taj Mahal, or a role in a film starring Marlin Brando  Western Yalanji and Ewamian man David Bindi Hudson is a performing artist and musician.His parents were born on Mona Mona mission, near Cairns.David's mother didn't like being told what to do, and so in 1956 she walked off the mission with her three children, and made it 18km away to look for work at a local pub.Her ingenuity led the family to Spring Creek Station, where David’s elders taught him traditional dance and named him Bindi, which means "always looking forward".Since then, David has toured the world with his didgeridoo, playing to huge audiences in the Acropolis, the Taj Mahal and China's Forbidden City.He also played a part in a disastrous Hollywood movie, which gave him the chance to bring Marlon Brando home to have dinner with his Mum.Content warning for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander listeners: this episode contains the name of someone who has died.This episode of Conversations was produced by Alice Moldovan and the executive producer was Carmel Rooney.It covers Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders, didgerodoos, the Taj Mahal, Spring Creek Station, Marlon Brando, Hollywood, Mona Mona mission, Cairns, family history, Aboriginal elders, traditional dance and music.To binge even more great episodes of the Conversations podcast with Richard Fidler and Sarah Kanowski go the ABC listen app (Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts. There you’ll find hundreds of the best thought-provoking interviews with authors, writers, artists, politicians, psychologists, musicians, and celebrities.

Erna Walraven was one of the first female zookeepers to work at Sydney's Taronga Zoo in the 1980s. Despite practical jokes from her male colleagues, like animal dung in her gumboots, Erna kept her nerve.She was born in The Netherlands, to parents who were involved in the Dutch resistance during World War II.Erna's love of languages took her to Spain, where she lived for many years with her widowed sister and young nephew.It was there she met a penniless Australian backpacker and fell in love, starting Erna on the path to the rest of her life.Erna's memoir Hear Me Roar is published by Affirm Press.This episode was produced by Alice Moldovan. The executive producer of Conversations is Nicola HarrisonIt covers mothers, animals, sex, mating behaviours, feminism, animal kingdom, Dutch resistance, world war 2, Taronga Zoo, Spain, sisters, family, memoir, writing, The Netherlands, grief, zoology, animal behaviour, offspring, nature, zoosTo binge even more great episodes of the Conversations podcast with Richard Fidler and Sarah Kanowski go the ABC listen app (Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts. There you’ll find hundreds of the best thought-provoking interviews with authors, writers, artists, politicians, psychologists, musicians, and celebrities.

At 18 years old, Mick Doleman miraculously survived when his ship capsized in the freezing Southern Ocean off Tasmania. But as he floated in a life raft with his nine crewmates, his ordeal at sea had only just begun.This episode of Conversations was produced by Meggie Morris, the Executive Producer was Nicola Harrison.It covers ship wreck, overcrowding, emergency rescue, team dynamics, ship captain, Tasmania, rough seas, death, the Blythe StarTo binge even more great episodes of the Conversations podcast with Richard Fidler and Sarah Kanowski go the ABC listen app (Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts. There you’ll find hundreds of the best thought-provoking interviews with authors, writers, artists, politicians, psychologists, musicians, and celebrities.