Author: Columnist on The Gap Today

Disclaimer: ‘Australia All Over’ is a program produced and broadcast by the ABC Local Radio Network and hosted by Ian McNamara. Brisbane Suburbs Online News has no affiliation with Ian McNamara, the ABC, or the ‘Australia All Over’ program. This weekly review is an independent summary based on publicly available podcast transcripts and episodes. All original content and recordings remain the property of the ABC. Our summaries are written in our own words and are intended for commentary and review purposes only. Readers can listen to the full episodes via the official ABC platforms.

It was the kind of Sunday that only Macca could conjure — a cross-country chorus of voices, stitched together by warmth, wit and a weather report or two. From the sunny banks of the Noosa River to calls from Vietnam, the morning rippled with stories of horses, bells, buffalo, fiddle tunes and quiet acts of generosity.

Horses, Hopes and 100-to-1 Chances

The day began on the grass at Noosaville, where Macca met Deb from Bellye Park and her red cattle dog, Chilly. Deb spoke fondly of the thoroughbreds she still tends on her farm, saying that when one dies she digs a big hole and plants a tree over it — a living memorial in the paddock. The talk drifted naturally to the Caulfield Cup. Macca had thrown ten dollars on a roughie at a hundred-to-one that almost came through, and they shared a laugh about the joy of a flutter when fate smiles. Deb, who grew up on a stud with the Freedman boys, reckoned the thrill of racing isn’t about favourites at all — it’s about heart, luck and the stories that stay with you.

The Bell That Rang Again

A few minutes later the conversation turned from horses to hand-bells. Bell-maker Peter Oz had restored a cracked ship’s bell, and when he struck the new casting a visitor cried. “A good casting’s as sound as a bell,” Peter told Macca — a line that felt like a proverb for craftsmanship and care. In that clear tone, Macca heard the echo of security once offered to sailors far from home.

Little Miss — Big Stories

Then came a call from Melbourne and a voice brimming with pride. Filmmaker Angelo reported that Signorinella (Little Miss), his documentary on Italian migrant women, had secured a national cinema release. He spoke of his mother, a seamstress at thirteen, who dared to tell her boss she deserved an adult’s wage, and of women such as Carla Zampatti and Tina Arena whose success grew from the same grit. The film, he said, honoured “the unsung heroes who came here with no language, no safety net — just determination.” Macca agreed that migration is stitched into Australia’s DNA. As they talked, Angelo reflected on prejudice, persistence and the patience it takes for a culture to make room. “Everybody just wants a better life for their kids,” he said. “Give them time to show what they bring.” It was one of the morning’s longer conversations — warm, thoughtful and deeply Australian.

Buffalo at Maleny

Back in the park, mother-and-daughter team Margaret Thompson and Steph described running Queensland’s only buffalo dairy on the hills near Maleny. Dairy deregulation had pushed them to rethink everything, so a spontaneous cheap flight to Darwin became a $20 000 plunge into buffalo farming. Their Mediterranean-bloodline herd now produces rich, low-cholesterol milk for boutique cheesemakers from Byron Bay and Brisbane to Sydney. The animals, they said, are docile as long as you keep the bad-tempered ones out of the gene pool. Their laughter carried across the crowd — proof that innovation in farming still begins with a leap of faith and a good sense of humour.

Greg the Dentist — Forty-Eight Years Bent Over

Among the listeners sat Greg, a dentist from the Gold Coast who has rung Macca for decades. After forty-eight years bent over patients, he’s ready to hang up the drill. “That’s a long time to be hunched over,” he said, rubbing his neck with a grin. He’s watched the trade shift from handmade crowns to computer-milled precision and marvels at how expectations have changed. Macca reminded him of old-timers who’d told stories about brides having their teeth out before marriage — a strange ritual from a world that no longer exists. They laughed, grateful for progress and for the lightness that comes when you can finally straighten your back.

Fiddles, AI and Singing Mushrooms

Later, fiddler Phoebe called in with a yarn from a gig that went sideways. The lead singer, she said, kept insisting he’d written thousands of songs — “all in the key of Steve.” Every one sounded the same. She and Macca riffed about the flood of AI-generated music and even a study claiming mushrooms could make melodies through their electrical pulses. “The mushrooms are making a song,” Phoebe insisted. Macca laughed, half-believing her, half-delighted by the idea that creativity sprouts wherever curiosity does.

Skies Wide Open

Under the All Over News banner, Macca crossed to Perth pilot and teacher Graham McGinn, who said the aviation industry was taking off again. Airlines, he explained, were desperate for trained staff, from engineers to flight instructors. The trick, he said, was “stickability” — the discipline to hold an aircraft steady and the persistence to stay the course through lean years. It’s a lesson, Macca noted, that fits almost any trade in Australia today.

Spud’s Garden and the Music of Birds

From planes to plants, the next voice belonged to gardener Spud Carroll in Western Australia’s hills. He compared the east’s fussy waratahs with the west’s hardy kangaroo paws and described a landscape so diverse that a single kilometre in the Darling Range hosts more species than the whole of the UK. He spoke tenderly about magpies, butcherbirds and cuckoos, the bush alive with music. “It’s all about observing,” he told Macca. “You learn something new every day.” They lingered on that thought — the patience of gardeners and radio hosts alike, both listening for what blooms next. For Spud, the bush is teacher, workplace and orchestra all at once.

Diving Into Another World

Back by the river, English-born Richard from Narangba had come after a scuba trip was cancelled. He told Macca he’d rediscovered diving after decades away and now spends weekends exploring reefs and the scuttled HMAS Brisbane. “You look underneath and there’s a whole new world,” he said. “And no TikTok down there.” “Or Macca,” came the reply, “blessed relief.” The exchange was quick but memorable — a reminder that wonder often hides just beneath the surface.

Maureen and Mike’s Heliconias

Long-time Noosa market growers Maureen and Mike brightened the stage with talk of their heliconias and gingers — tropical exotics they’ve cultivated for decades. Their flowers have taken them to conferences in Panama, Colombia and India, yet it’s the early-morning regulars at the markets they cherish most. Retirement, they laughed, is only half-retirement when you still have fifteen acres and a lifetime habit of nurturing things.

Those Folk from Gympie

The morning found its rhythm again when Claire and Lawrence, the Americana duo Those Folk, took up guitar and mandolin. They met at a Scottish festival, fell in love and now call Gympie home. Their song about springtime in south-east Queensland drifted out across the Noosa River, harmonies rising like sunlight through trees — a small concert in a park that felt like the heart of Australia All Over.

A Maestro Remembered

From Sydney, Vicki Tico phoned to talk about Tico Beyond the Baton, the new documentary on her father, conductor Tommy Tycho. She recalled how he arrived in the 1950s with nothing and went on to orchestrate the national anthem and accompany many of the nation’s greats. Macca remembered hearing Tycho’s arrangements for Mary Schneider’s Yodelling the Classics and mused that migration and music share the same rhythm — people bringing their sound and their soul to new shores.

Bread, Bills and the Cost of Living

The tone shifted when bakery owners Peter and Jocelyn from the Sunshine Coast spoke about running a small business in tough times. Staffing, red tape and rising prices, they said, have worn people thin. “Everyone thinks it’s easy — open your doors and make money. It’s not.” Macca agreed that the official inflation figures don’t match what families feel at the checkout. It was a grounded chat — real, relatable and just a bit exasperated — before the show turned to something gentler.

Therapy Dogs and Quiet Lessons

Christian and Kerry arrived with their dogs Bear and Kelvie, therapy companions who visit aged-care homes. Kerry said Kelvie always seems to know who needs him most, curling up beside lonely residents until a smile returns. Watching them work, she’s learned a kind of forgiveness. “They have a blue, then two minutes later they’re playing again,” Christian said. Macca nodded: lessons in loyalty and letting go, straight from four-legged teachers.

Fraser and Baby Maggie

A few metres away sat Fraser, a form-worker from Torquay, cradling five-month-old Maggie while his ranger partner fetched a hat. He spoke about concrete work, Queensland humidity and the novelty of hearing the show live. Macca joked that Maggie might be his youngest listener yet — a quick, sweet moment that said as much about continuity as any sermon.

Mike McClellan’s Last Long Tour

As the sun climbed, singer-songwriter Mike McClellan took the stage to announce that, at eighty, he’s embarking on his final long tour. He still finger-picks with the finesse that made his name and is finishing both a memoir and an acoustic album. “I’m lucky,” he told Macca. “The voice still works, the fingers still work.” The two musicians swapped thoughts on practice, pain and the persistence that keeps art alive long after fashion fades.

Four Women, One Bike

Teacher Rachel Beaton rolled in next with a tale that made the crowd cheer. She and three friends had just pedalled a four-person tandem from Perth to Sydney — 4 000 kilometres — raising funds for Gotcha for Life. “Everyone we met said, ‘We heard you on Macca!’” she laughed. Their journey across the Nullarbor was equal parts endurance and joy, the perfect embodiment of the community Macca builds each week.

From Mayor to Musician

Then came Bob Abbot, once Noosa’s long-serving mayor, now happier to be known as a muso. He reminisced about three decades of local government and his pride in protecting the riverfront where they stood. “I used to tell people I lived two streets up from God,” he said with a grin before lifting his harmonica to play. The tune was rough, real and full of life — exactly like the town he once led.

Giving Back from Hoi An

The final call of the morning came from Peter Quinn, father of Claire from Those Folk, phoning from Hoi An in Vietnam. A retired teacher, he volunteers with a Brisbane-based charity supporting disabled children. “When you give here,” he said, “every little thing is appreciated — it gives you purpose.” His words, floating halfway across the world, brought the program home to its heart: kindness, connection and the quiet satisfaction of doing good work.

Ordinary Sunday Doing Extraordinary Things

By the time Macca signed off, the crowd by the river had swelled, the sun was high and the mood easy. From racehorses to riverboats, from buffalo dairies to dive reefs, it had been a morning of ordinary Australians doing extraordinary things — proof that a Sunday shared in conversation can make a country sing.

Listen to the podcast episode here.

Disclaimer: ‘Australia All Over’ is a program produced and broadcast by the ABC Local Radio Network and hosted by Ian McNamara. Brisbane Suburbs Online News has no affiliation with Ian McNamara, the ABC, or the ‘Australia All Over’ program. This weekly review is an independent summary based on publicly available podcast transcripts and episodes. All original content and recordings remain the property of the ABC. Our summaries are written in our own words and are intended for commentary and review purposes only. Readers can listen to the full episodes via the official ABC platforms.

Disclaimer: ‘Australia All Over’ is a program produced and broadcast by the ABC Local Radio Network and hosted by Ian McNamara. Brisbane Suburbs Online News has no affiliation with Ian McNamara, the ABC, or the ‘Australia All Over’ program. This weekly review is an independent summary based on publicly available podcast transcripts and episodes. All original content and recordings remain the property of the ABC. Our summaries are written in our own words and are intended for commentary and review purposes only. Readers can listen to the full episodes via the official ABC platforms.

It was the kind of Sunday that only Macca could conjure — a cross-country chorus of voices, stitched together by warmth, wit, and a weather report or two. From foggy Bemboka to sun-washed Esperance, truckies, farmers, and flyers rang in to share their patch of the world. What unfolded was a morning of stories about endurance, kindness, and that unmistakable Australian mix of humour and heart.

Ian from Bemboka – The Road That Never Ends

The first voice of the morning was Ian’s, steady as the diesel hum behind him. He was somewhere between Goulburn and Hay, hauling bricks to Adelaide, when he called through the crackle. From Bemboka, near Bega, he described the fog and the way frost clung to the edge of the road. “Bit of a white one, mate — you could hang your breath on the mirror,” he said. He’d left at three a.m. and told Macca that he liked those dark hours when the world is half-asleep. They talked about the life of long-haul drivers — servo bacon rolls, half-finished coffees, and the comfort of the road’s rhythm. Ian admitted he sometimes pulls over just to listen to the dawn chorus. “Magpies don’t care if you’re late,” he said with a grin you could hear down the line. For a while the two compared favourite routes and truck-stop characters before Ian signed off to keep the wheels turning. “You keep us moving, mate,” Macca said. “Someone’s got to,” Ian replied, and the laugh that followed sounded like gravel under tyres.

Mitch and Roy from Kalbarri – Fences, Floods and Family Humour

A burst of static, then Mitch came through from Kalbarri with his son Roy chiming in from somewhere nearby. “Lost the gate in that last blow,” Mitch said. “Found it two paddocks over,” Roy added, setting both of them laughing. They’d spent the week wrestling with twisted wire and a restless flock after storms had torn through their place. Macca joined the fun, teasing that Roy ought to be on wages. “He’s on one — it’s called dinner,” Mitch shot back. The conversation bounced from weather to wool prices to a story about a neighbour’s sheepdog that chased a fence panel clear across the yard. Between jokes, Mitch talked about how hard seasons test patience and how families hold farms together. “You’ve just got to keep showing up,” he said. Before hanging up, Roy shouted, “Tell everyone Kalbarri’s still standing!” “And laughing,” Macca added, still chuckling as the line dropped.

Danny in Melbourne – Waiting Rooms and Resilience

Danny’s call slowed the tempo. He was phoning from Melbourne, his voice quiet but clear. He’d spent time in hospitals recently and wanted to talk about waiting — not the inconvenience, but the humanity in it. “You see people who’ve been there longer than you, still smiling,” he said. He spoke about strangers sharing sandwiches, nurses who remember names, and the way small talk becomes a lifeline. Macca, listening intently, said, “That’s courage too, mate.” Danny agreed, adding that real strength isn’t loud. “Sometimes it’s just keeping your seat while the hours crawl.” The conversation ended softly, leaving a pause that seemed to linger through the next song.

Clarky from Cambelligo – Wires, Dust and Bush Ingenuity

Somewhere outside Cobar, Clarky was knee-deep in red dust, elbows in a Telstra phone box that had stopped working weeks ago. “You wouldn’t believe what’s in here — ants, dirt, someone’s old lunch,” he told Macca between bursts of static. “Dust gets in everything out here — even the bread.” He works out at the Mount Poppy Gold Mine and said the phone box is their line to the rest of the world. “When it dies, the fellas reckon civilisation’s over.” Macca laughed as Clarky described cleaning the terminals with a toothbrush and coaxing a faint dial tone back to life. “Got her singing again,” he said, and behind him came the sound of miners cheering. “Telstra should give you a medal,” Macca told him. “Just send me a new screwdriver,” Clarky answered. They both laughed, and for a moment listeners could almost smell the dust and grease of the outback, where persistence and humour fix everything eventually.

Chris – Between Accents

Chris, a British expat now living in Australia, rang to talk about language. “Back home you say ‘cheers’ for everything,” he said, “but here ‘mate’ does the lot — hello, sorry, even goodbye.” Macca teased that he’d gone native. “I probably have,” Chris said, laughing. They traded examples of how Aussies stretch vowels until they sound like music. Chris confessed he still catches himself using British slang that earns him funny looks at the pub. “You learn fast,” he said, “if you order a ‘pint of bitter’ in Queensland, you’ll just get bitter looks.” Macca roared with laughter. Then Chris turned reflective. “I still miss the rain,” he said, “but I wouldn’t swap this light for anything.” It was one of those small, smiling calls that show belonging is often found in conversation.

Pete from Watheroo – Machines and Miracles

Pete from Watheroo sounded energised by the season. “The crops are a picture, Macca — best I’ve seen in years.” A machinery dealer by trade, he spent most of the chat describing how the new harvesters talk to satellites and to each other, sending yield maps straight to a laptop in the ute. “They’ll tell you moisture, speed, even how level you’re sitting,” he said, “but they can’t tell you when the weather’s about to turn.” Macca asked if he trusted the tech. Pete laughed. “I trust my gut more. You know it’s a good year when you can hear the bins filling before the thunder.” The pride in his voice made it sound like music — steel, rain, and satisfaction blended together.

Anthony and Catherine from Petrie – The Sunday Market Run

Anthony and Catherine called from the car on their way to the Petrie markets, radio on loud enough for Macca to hear the turn signal clicking. “Not selling, Macca — buying,” Catherine said. “Plants we don’t need.” Anthony laughed that they were “rescuing ferns from neglect.” Macca told them they were single-handedly supporting the nursery industry. The trio chatted about Sunday rituals — coffee, markets, and the small extravagances that make weekends feel earned. Catherine said, “That’s what Sundays are for — spending a little on happiness.” It was a short, sunny exchange that felt like a smile on air.

Ken in Missouri – Flying Far, Listening Home

Half a world away, Ken, an Australian pilot living in Missouri, tuned in before take-off. “Still flying freight across the Midwest,” he said. “Flat country — if you squint, it could be the Nullarbor.” He misses the magpies and the scent of eucalyptus after rain. Every Sunday, before the engines start, he streams the show through his headset. “You’re my bit of home, Macca.” The reply was gentle. “Good to have you aboard, mate.” For a moment, the static between them sounded like wind over open sky, the distance folded small enough to fit inside a radio wave.

Jeff from Palm Beach – A Paddle-Out for Jack McCoy

Jeff rang from Palm Beach, his voice still carrying the hush of the morning. He’d just returned from the paddle-out for surf filmmaker Jack McCoy. “The water was glassy, not a ripple,” he said. “Hundreds out there, boards in a circle, quiet as a church.” He spoke about McCoy’s gift for finding beauty and his generosity toward young surfers. Macca answered softly, “That’s a life well lived.” The silence that followed was brief but full — the sound of listeners remembering someone they might not have known but somehow felt they did.

Rhonda from Esperance – Wildflowers and Wonder

Then came Rhonda from Esperance, her voice bright as the morning she described. “You’ve never seen colour like it, Macca — pink wreath flowers everywhere.” She was calling about the Ravensthorpe Wildflower Show, where tourists lie on the verge to photograph blooms shaped like halos. “We had one couple arguing over which pink was pinker,” she said, laughing. Her family runs a broadacre farm nearby, and she told Macca that after months of dust, the sight of wildflowers lifts everyone. “Even the blokes who never smile start whistling.” They talked about how the show brings the town together, school kids painting signs, locals baking for visitors. “Out here, spring doesn’t arrive,” Rhonda said, “it bursts in.” Macca agreed that Australia could always use more bursts like that.

Alastair Calder from Mildura – Counting Sheep and Sharing Stories

When Alastair Calder from Mildura came on, the pace quickened again. He’d just wrapped the first Sheep Pregnancy Scanners Conference and sounded proud. “We’ve scanned six-point-one million this year,” he said. He explained how scanners use ultrasound now — “From guesswork to heartbeats, that’s the jump we’ve made.” He talked about the camaraderie in a job that keeps you on the road for months, living on thermos tea and roadside lunches. “We might work alone most days, but the community’s real — someone’s always a phone call away.” Macca joked, “That’s a lot of wiggly tails to count.” Alastair laughed and said every lamb’s heartbeat still feels like good news. It was a mix of hard numbers and human warmth — science meeting the paddock with a handshake.

Doctor from Ballina – The Mind’s Gym

The last call of the morning was from a doctor at Ballina Hospital. His voice was calm, reflective. He spoke about mental health in medicine and the need to keep minds fit as well as bodies. “We do all this physical training,” he said, “but the brain needs exercise too — what I call ‘brain gym.’” He explained how laughter, rest, and community can protect doctors from burnout. “We mend others best when we remember to mend ourselves.” Macca paused, then said quietly, “That’s a good note to finish on.” For a heartbeat the air was still — just the faint hiss of the transmitter — before the next song rolled in, soft and slow, carrying the morning away.

Listen to the podcast episode here.

Disclaimer: ‘Australia All Over’ is a program produced and broadcast by the ABC Local Radio Network and hosted by Ian McNamara. Brisbane Suburbs Online News has no affiliation with Ian McNamara, the ABC, or the ‘Australia All Over’ program. This weekly review is an independent summary based on publicly available podcast transcripts and episodes. All original content and recordings remain the property of the ABC. Our summaries are written in our own words and are intended for commentary and review purposes only. Readers can listen to the full episodes via the official ABC platforms.