From The Embers

The Stage Goes Dark

Melbourne became a ghost town during the COVID-19 pandemic. Pubs and venues closed their doors, leaving many of the city’s artists and creatives without a stage to perform on or an audience to perform for. Yet over successive lockdowns, it was the creative industries that kept communities strong, as we all adapted to unprecedented circumstances. In The Stage Goes Dark, four creatives share their struggles and victories during the pandemic and cry out for an overlooked community, calling for a lifeline. Guests: Eilish Gilligan Brenton Harris Neil Morris (DRMNGNOW) Virginia Gay Credits: Producer: Erin Dick Executive Producer and sound design: Sarah Mashman Engineer: Tegan Nichols Theme composer: Oliver Beard Additional music by Blue Dot Sessions Management team: Abe Killian and Sime Knezevic Made in co-operation with: SYN, Melbourne This episode was made on the lands of the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin Nation and the muwinina people from Country around nipaluna. These lands were never ceded. From the Embers Season 2: Phoenix is supported by The Judith Neilson Institute for Journalism and Ideas, The Paul Ramsay Foundation, Monash University’s Fire to Flourish program and The Minderoo Foundation Fire and Flood Resilience Initiative and broadcast across Australia via the Community Radio NetworkSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A Change in the Landscape

Four Emergency level bushfires burned over one weekend in Western Australia in February 2022. With roughly 30% of WA agricultural land, most farmers are prepared for fire at any time. But when one comes, they rely heavily on volunteer farmers and locals who form the  Bush Fire Brigade.   On February 6, 2022 near the small farming town of Narrogin, extreme wind and heat, coupled with a powerline spark in a dry pasture paddock, resulted in a massive fire. Only one house was lost but the impact on livestock and farmland will affect farmers years into the future.   Content warning this feature contains stories of animals in distress   Guests: Angus Armstrong Mike Burges Tammy Freestone Michael Lange   Credits: Producer: Leith Alexander Executive producer and sound design: Sarah Mashman Engineering: Tegan Nicholls Theme music: Oliver Beard Additional music: Blue Dot Sessions Management team: Abe Killian and Sime Knezevic Made in co-operation with: Harvey Community Radio, Western Australia   This episode was made on the Wiilman and Wadjuk Countries of the Nyoongar Nation and the lands of the muwinina people from Country around nipaluna. These lands were never ceded.   From the Embers Season 2: Phoenix is supported by The Judith Neilson Institute for Journalism and Ideas, The Paul Ramsay Foundation, Monash University’s Fire to Flourish program and The Minderoo Foundation Fire and Flood Resilience Initiative – and broadcast across Australia via the Community Radio Network  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Rising Rivers

Day after day of intense rainfall fell across south east Queensland In February 2022, breaking riverbanks, swamping roads and flooding homes. The city of Brisbane experienced one of the worst floods on record. In three days alone, Brisbane received 80 per cent of its annual rainfall as people scrambled to find higher ground to shelter. As people recover and start to rebuild, questions are being raised over where to live and how to prepare for the future. Guests: Milena Cifali Richard Hamernik Carolyn Karafa Councillor Johnathon Sri   Credits: Producer: Maureen Mopio Executive producer and sound design: Sarah Mashman Engineering: Tegan Nicholls Theme music: Oliver Beard Additional music: Blue Dot Sessions Management team: Abe Killian and Sime Knezevic Made in co-operation with 4EB, Brisbane   This episode was made on the lands of the Turrbal and Jagera peoples, and the land of the muwinina people from Country around nipaluna. These lands were never ceded.   From the Embers Season 2: Phoenix is supported by The Judith Neilson Institute for Journalism and Ideas, The Paul Ramsay Foundation, Monash University’s Fire to Flourish program and The Minderoo Foundation Fire and Flood Resilience Initiative – and broadcast across Australia via the Community Radio Network  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Roofs above water

Ever increasing record high flood levels are marked on the side of Lismore’s flood levee. Lismore, a town in Northern New South Wales is dissected by two major rivers. When there’s heavy rainfall, water flows down from the surrounding hills, slowing at the bottom and spreading across the floodplain. The town’s residents know floods, their houses are built high, some four metres off the ground in the canopies of trees. Many have flood plans, keeping kayaks and dinghies tethered to their homes in case of emergency. On February 27 2022, water inundated the town, sweeping away cars, stranding residents on rooftops and filling houses with inches of mud. In the weeks that followed volunteer hubs sprang up to feed and clothe locals forced to shelter in tents and cars as they struggle to recover with minimal support and start to clean out and rebuild their homes in the trees. Guests: Vicki Findlay Naomi Moran Aidan Ricketts Lucy Wise Freya Woodland Production team Producer and sound design: Sarah Mashman Engineer: Tegan Nichols Theme composer: Oliver Beard Additional music by Blue Dot Sessions Management team: Abe Killian and Sime Knezevic Made with the co-operation of 2NCR, Lismore and the Koori Mail Roofs above water was made on Widjabul Wia-bal Country of the Bundjalung Nation and the lands of the muwinina people from Country around nipaluna. These lands were never ceded. From the Embers Season 2: Phoenix is supported by The Judith Neilson Institute for Journalism and Ideas, The Paul Ramsay Foundation, Monash University’s Fire to Flourish program and The Minderoo Foundation Fire and Flood Resilience Initiative and broadcast across Australia via the Community Radio NetworkSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Right Fire Wrong Fire

One and a half million hectares of Yuin Country was destroyed by the 2019/2020 mega fires in the South Coast of New South Wales. These fires killed countless animals, plants and insect species - some of which are now on the brink of extinction. Many members of the South Coast Yuin Community call these mega fires, ‘Wrong Fire,’ fires that can’t be controlled and have the capacity to injure and kill. This type of fire is vastly different to Right Fire, often called Cultural Burning. Right Fire has been practised for thousands of years and has the capacity to heal and care for all. Content warning this feature contains stories from the 2019/2020 Fires. Guests: Andrew White Uncle Nook Vikki Parsley Credits: Producer: Alice Ansara Executive producer and sound design: Sarah Mashman Engineer: Tegan Nicholls Theme music by Oliver Beard Additional music by Blue Dot Sessions Minga-Yung - Your Mother by Jordan Nye Management team: Abe Killian and Sime Knecevic In co-operation with 2EAR, Moruya This podcast was made on the lands of the Walbunga and the Yuin Nation and the lands of the muwinina people from Country around nipaluna. These lands were never ceded. From the Embers Season 2: Phoenix is supported by The Judith Neilson Institute for Journalism and Ideas, The Paul Ramsay Foundation, Monash University’s Fire to Flourish program and The Minderoo Foundation Fire and Flood Resilience Initiative and broadcast across Australia via the Community Radio NetworkSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.