Kurt Fearnley's Tiny Island

Mark Scott is one of Australia's best known public servants. As the managing director of the ABC for 10 years he oversaw the introduction of Australia's first 24 hour news channel and a big shift towards digital delivery of content. As the current secretary of the NSW Department of Education he is taking on the epic battle of ensuring hundreds of thousands of students receive a quality education in a safe environment as the world battles Covid.

We've all moved and grooved to the sounds of this week's guest, Kirk Pengilly of INXS. Kirk and I have crossed paths a few times over the years and it was nice to sit down and deep dive into his life as an 80s rock god. But I think Kirk is best described by my dad "he'd fit in at the Carcoar pub".          

Craig Hamilton has had a successful and varied career. He has worked as an underground coal miner, radio sports commentator and is a mental health advocate, speaker and author. As a Beyond Blue Ambassador, Craig provides an insight into what it is like to experience a mental health condition and gives hope and encouragement to others. Craig is probably best known as a member of the Grandstand Rugby League commentary.

Lawrie McKinna has worn many hats and shirts! He arrived in Australia from Scotland in the 80s as a professional footballer, before moving into coaching and management in the national league and in China, with a sidestep into local government in between. Now in football administration as CEO of the Newcastle Jets, Lawrie brings his own perspective to what it means to be an Australian.

Victories shared are the sweetest and Adam Spencer helped me share mine with thousands. I fondly remember shooting down Fifth Avenue in a chauffeured car after winning the New York Marathon, alone but thanks to Adam and ABC radio, talking to a city of millions back home. Author, presenter, mathematician, Adam wears many caps and it was great to catch up.

There are always challenges as a parent. For me, it can be that tough night, awake at 4 in the morning, seemingly tortured through lack of sleep, feeling like it will never end. When I first met Kamalle Dabboussy I was having one of those nights. Kamalle's pain though, is on a different level with no end in sight. His child is trapped in Syria along with his three grandchildren.

Georgie Gardner is a face and name known to most Australians. She's been in our living rooms for more than 25 years and is one of few news presenters and journalists to work across our three main commercial television stations. In 2019, she was part of the first all-woman main presenter duos on Australian breakfast TV, when Deborah Knight joined her on the Today show. An all-round wonderful person, Georgie is another cracking Aussie.

Jordan O'Reilly is the co-founder and CEO of Hireup, an online platform connecting Australians with disability with support workers who fit their needs and share their interests. Last year Hireup was named Google.org Impact Challenge winner & named Australia's 2017 fastest growing tech company name by Deloitte.   

Wil Anderson is an Australian comedian, writer, presenter, and podcaster. Wil's rise to prominence started in 2000 when he co-hosted the triple j breakfast radio show with Adam Spencer. Between 2001 and 2006, Wil hosted the comedy talk-show The Glass House & is currently the executive producer and host of The Gruen Transfer. Wil also hosts numerous podcast, yet is most well known for Wilosophy, where Wil gets to explore how people think & the belief systems behind them

Liesl Tesch is one of those Australians who keeps challenging herself and coming out on top. School teacher, Paralympic medalist in two sports, world champion, Sydney to Hobart sailor, Member of Parliament, the list is long! I've known Liesl for 20 years and it was lovely to have a chat and reflect on sporting career and beyond.

Justin Hales wanted to revisit his childhood love of caravanning. When searching for the perfect van to hire, he couldn’t help but notice all of the un-used caravans and campers sitting on driveways around his neighbourhood. A stackload of entrepreneurial spirit, a passion for making camping holidays more accessible and investment from a local business accelerator, saw Camplify first say ‘G’day’ to Australia in 2015. Five years later, Justin’s nostalgia trip has led to a global community of thousands of van owners in Australia, the UK, Spain and New Zealand now boosting their income by sharing the joys of caravanning with others also earning him accolades such as Australian Entrepreneur of the Year in the tourism sector.

Nat Heath is a graduate of the Indigenous Marathon Project(IMP) and now Board Member of the Indigenous Marathon Foundation (IMF). Working in Indigenous mentoring and education his entire career, we speak about the importance of education and the difference it can make in lives. And we take time to digest some of the many issues currently being tackled by his community, many of which have been fought over for decades!      

Dave Rickards was a co-founder and CEO of Crazy Clints Bargain Stores in Australia from 1979 - 2001. Having sold this business in 2001, he along with his wife Kerry embarked upon a personal journey of giving. In 2010, they set up the DAK Foundation.​ Now they are one of Australia's most active philanthropic donors.

Cheryl Salisbury may not be a household name but she is a one of the giants of Australian Sport. Cheryl was captain of the Australian female national team, the Matildas. A fierce competitor on the field, Cheryl make her debut in 1994 and went on to play 151 games for the green and gold, a record number of caps for a female or male player. Cheryl’s achievements saw her named in the FIFA Women’s World XI on two occasions in 2004 and 2007. On 27 January 2009, she announced she would retire after the game against Italy at Parramatta Stadium. The game finished as a 2-2 draw, with Cheryl scoring a penalty also receiving a standing ovation as she was substituted with six minutes remaining. In 2009, Salisbury was inducted into the Australian Football Hall of Fame, in the Hall of Champions category.

The last Tiny Island Podcast I recorded while I was on the road working, was literally recorded while I was on "The Road". Steve Mooney has picked me up and drove me across QLD for the last 3 years. Steve has an infectious energy about him. He's been in the chauffeur game for ten years and is never short of a story to tell.

From the Amazon jungle to the Uyuni salt flats in Bolivia, Chad Carey along with Business partner Greg Carter have grown a travel business, discussed over a few beers into Chimu Adventures offering adventures across South America & stretching into voyages down to Antartica. We speak whilst crossing the Drake Passage returning from Antarctica in the first days of the advance of the Corona Virus. 

While COVID19 turns our lives upside down, it's important to stop and learn from people who have learnt to thrive in what others perceive to be turbulence. Today we talk to Linda Hughes about constantly adjusting to what life throws in her direction while balancing the supports and complexity of high needs disability. Linda is a fierce social justice advocate and was recognised as Newcastle's Woman of the Year. We talk about the realities facing people with disability right now, the importance of independence and choice while navigating a complex National Disability insurance scheme.   

Dr Erika Chapman Burgess has a great Australian story of success, after a childhood which was a little complex. At times it was hectic beyond imagination. Erika was one of five who were all born on the same day. As an Indigenous quintuplet growing up in Glen Innes life was a bit different. But Erika (and her siblings!) has shown there's nothing wrong with a bit of difference and how hard work and dedication can take you places where people least expected. 

As a kid, John Marsden would retreat into books as a way to escape a tough childhood.  As a school teacher John was frustrated by the lack of reading and good stories available to his students so took matters into his own hands. And has now written over 40 books. The majority of his books are written for teenagers, including the popular Tomorrow series. The difference he has made to young Australians stretches beyond his writing though, having moved on from just being a teacher to founding two schools in Victoria. It was great to sit down and have a yarn with a fellow Australian with a passion for education. 

During winter in Newcastle you would be hard pressed to walk down the street without seeing a Mark Hughes Foundation beanie on a Novocastrian head. The unofficial uniform is a product of the foundation and its founder who played rugby league for Newcastle, NSW and in the English Super League. In 2013 Mark Hughes had an operation to remove an avocado sized tumour from his brain and went through rounds of treatment to try and beat a condition which arrived with few warning signs. It was great to have a yarn with Mark, who is striving to make sure those hit with brain cancer have an increasingly good chance of beating this terrible disease.