Australian Story

Another look at the 1997 classic story on Australia's richest person, Gina Rinehart.

Film maker and author Pamela Traynor introduces the story of two amazing and indomitable young Australians, Allana Arnot and Mark Bagshaw. Pamela discovered their stories when her young daughter Jessica was knocked down by a car at a pedestrian crossing and seriously hurt. The accident set Pamela off on a mission to try to discover the crucial factors which enable some individuals to overcome extraordinary trauma and still lead fulfilling lives in circumstances which would crush most of us. She hoped to find clues which would help her daughter’s recovery. She met Allana and Mark in the course of her search and was immediately struck by the power of their experiences and the strength of their characters. Allana was left with paraplegia after a horrific light plane crash in her early twenties. She had to battle fear of flying and severe physical handicaps but has gone on to gain her commercial chopper pilot’s license. She is now in the middle of a solo flight around Australia. A diving accident at the age of sixteen left Mark Bashaw with complete quadriplegia. That means he is paralysed from the neck down with only a little limited movement in his arms. Despite incredible physical limitations Mark has managed a marriage, a highly successful business career and at the age of forty, is IBM’s international marketing manager for Australia and New Zealand. He went for the job without disclosing his handicap. These are stories to rival the saga of Janice Shepherd as recounted in her best selling books “Never Tell Me Never” and “Dare to Fly”.

This week, the story of three young Australians and their mission to rescue an orphaned elephant calf on the Indonesian Island of Sumatra. Sumatran elephants are officially listed as critically endangered, driven out of their habitat by encroaching industries – in particular, palm oil production. It is estimated that there are now only two or three thousand left in the wild. But against all the odds, one Sumatran elephant calf has become a symbol of hope in an otherwise bleak situation. The program has the heart warming story of 'Bona' and three friends mobilising to save her. The three are all ex employees of the late Steve Irwin, who had a particular interest in the plight of the Sumatran elephants. As this episode reveals, some of those closest to the 'Crocodile Hunter' played a key role in the saga...

Despite being born with a hare lip and double cleft palate, Wendy Harmer has become one of Australia's best known performers. Last year she was invited by the Interplast organisation to share her knowledge about overcoming a facial deformity by visiting children in Fiji born with the same condition.

When Ian Thorpe won his two gold medals at the Athens Olympics, it was a personal triumph for him - and a vindication for a former art teacher called Tracey Menzies. Two years earlier, Menzies was at the centre of controversy when Thorpe appointed her to replace his long time coach and mentor, Doug Frost.

Debbie Singh was running a Perth boutique and juggling marriage and three children, when out of the blue in 1998, she discovered that her brother had been locked up in Thailand's notorious hell hole, the Klong Prem prison, or the "Bangkok Hilton".

Beth Heinrich, the woman whose case was central to the controversy that led to the resignation of Governor-General Peter Hollingworth, speaks out publicly for the first time about her 40-year relationship with clergyman Donald Shearman.

Australian Story continues the saga of Beth Heinrich and her involvement from her school days, with a married priest. In this program she tells of the promises that led her to believe she had a future with him and the shock and betrayal she felt when the Anglican Church hierarchy failed to give her a proper hearing.

Millions of fans around the world know him affectionately as Harold Bishop, the slightly daggy star of the television soapie Neighbours. But until now, none knew Ian Smith's real life story encompasses a drama more remarkable than any script he has ever performed.

Melissa Holland thought she was "lucky" when a last-minute seat became available for a getaway break on King Island with five nursing colleagues. It turned out to be the start of a tragic turn of events that changed her life forever.

Dr Glenn Singleman is the world record holder for high altitude BASE jumping, but he is unable to practise his sport in his own country.

It's a long way from the paddocks of western Queensland to the palazzos of Florence. Fourth-generation grazier Bruce Tully bridged the gap when he stepped away from his heritage and sold his family farm to follow his seemingly impossible dream of designing and selling Australian opal jewellery to the world.

Dick Smith and his friends regroup and visit Ball's Pyramid, the formidable dagger-like rock that spears straight up from the Pacific Ocean, south of Lord Howe Island which they climbed forty years ago.

The dramatic story of a Sydney family forced to flee the city because of fears for the safety of their youngest daughter.

In the 1980s as an unemployed medical scientist, Professor Robert Tindle made a discovery that led to the breakthrough use of stem cells for saving thousands of lives around the world. His discovery was crucial 20 years later in saving the life of his own critically ill daughter.

Every year, on 5th May the family of Caroline Anderson gather to remember her sudden, unnecessary death.

After the sudden death of cricket legend David Hookes in January last year, some of those closest to David Hookes felt shut out.

Earlier this year Australian diver Dave Shaw made headlines around the world when he lost his life in a remote cave in South Africa.

Scott Draper has achieved the near impossible in the competitive world of modern sport.

Australian Story revisits the program about serial killer Ivan Milat, who was jailed for life eight years ago for the murder of seven young backpackers.

Peter Andrews is a racehorse breeder and farmer credited with remarkable success in converting degraded, salt-ravaged properties into fertile, drought-resistant pastures.

In this concluding episode, eminent national and international scientists agree that Peter Andrews potentially has the solution to alleviating the affects of drought on many parts of the Australian landscape.

William McInnes is an actor best known for his high profile TV roles in 'Blue Heelers' and 'SeaChange'.

Toni Hoffman is the nurse who lifted the lid on a medical scandal making front page news, not just in Australia, but around the world.

Donna Mulhearn, a 30-something successful journalist and state government public relations officer dropped everything to risk her life as a 'human shield' against the American bombs dropping on Baghdad.

Australian Story follows the extraordinary lives of a Centurion tank crew who last saw each other on a battlefield in Vietnam.

Brian Sherman, co-founder of Equitilink, has founded a new organisation with his daughter called 'Voiceless' which advocates for animal rights.

Last year Lt Col. Lance Collins emerged as the central figure in a major unfolding controversy about the quality of Australia's overseas intelligence.

When Brian and Bobbie Houston established their own tiny house of worship 20 years ago, they didn't dream they would end up at the helm of the biggest independent church in Australia.

Emmah Money is a beautiful and vital young woman with the world at her feet, on a mission to shape her future despite suffering from the life threatening disease cystic fibrosis.

Gemma Sisia established The School of St Jude for poor African children in Tanzania, East Africa which was built by Australian volunteers and sponsors and now boasts more than 500 students.

Dr Lynne Milne has brought forensic palynology to the forefront of Australian crime fighting after helping to solve the murder of Samantha Bodsworth.

When a light plane crash in 1987 took away Maree Stockman's husband, her son and her father-in-law, she was left with a choice: to take her three young daughters and leave the family farm or stay and plough on.

Twenty-five years after a road accident took the life of her younger brother Ben along with seven other young people, Dani Haski reunited the families of those affected and made the trip back to Bourke for a poignant memorial.

NSW Police involved in the siege at Jim Hallinan's property near Tumut four and a half years ago speak out for the first time.

The conclusion to the story of the siege at Jim Hallinan's property at Adjungbilly near Tumut in NSW.

Ian Roberts is best known for being the first footballer in Australia to 'come out' as a gay man.

Four popular and talented veterans of Australian Story get together to stage a once in a lifetime concert.

When a crooked detective rolled over at a major royal commission into police corruption a decade ago, it sent shockwaves through every police force in the country.

Much to the horror of her close-knit family, Kate Holden went from a comfortable middle-class home in Melbourne to the netherworld of drugs and commercial sex.

John Jarratt, veteran of nearly 40 films and TV programs in Australia, is finally hitting the big time with his performance in a small budget horror movie wowing audiences around the world.

In July Heather Osland was released from Victoria's Tarrengower Prison and for the first time tells of the violence and fear that she and her children suffered before her husband died, what happened the night of his death and about taking her first steps in forging a new life...

Koby Abberton escapes a troubled childhood to become one of the world's most successful big wave surfers.

Craig Lowndes is the first driver to win the Australian Touring Car Championship on debut, the youngest ever winner and the only driver apart from Peter Brock to win the Triple Crown of Australian Motor Sport - the Australian Touring Car championship, the Sandown 500 and the Bathurst 1000 - in the one year.

A repeat of the program about Australian scientists Dr Jennifer MacDiarmid and Dr Himanshu Brahmbhatt and one of medicine's holy grails finding a way to treat cancer without toxic side effects and avoiding drug resistance.

Twins Patrick and Bronwyn O'Gorman lost their parents and younger brother on Black Saturday. The two reflect on the day and life since in a story that is emblematic of suffering and loss in the wake of the fires that swept across Victoria.

When young trainee nurse Kylie Labouchardiere disappeared from Sydney five years ago, the lives of the people she left behind fell into disarray.

The conclusion reveals the devastating impact of one man's crime and manipulations on Kylie Labouchardiere's family, his own wife and child, and an innocent policeman and his wife.

Dr Michael Buist is an intensive care specialist with a unique perspective from both sides of the hospital curtain who's now emerged as a world leader in the push to improve patient care.

Radio and TV personality Ian 'Dano' Rogerson and his wife Nicole gave up their home, careers and an exciting lifestyle for the love of their son, Jack.

Ric Richardson is an inventor who took on the might of Microsoft and scored a remarkable victory.

Dylan Parker makes and flies paper planes and he has become one of the very best in the world.

Ian Conway is a man determined to make a difference. Twenty years ago he made a promise to an Aboriginal elder. It was a big promise and for years he was haunted by the fact that he hadn't delivered.

Behind the scenes Red Symons and his family have been on a journey with their eldest son Samuel that no one could wish for.

A GP, a group of oyster farmers and a Sydney scientist banded together to investigate mysterious water quality issues in one of the most beautiful areas of Tasmania.

The compelling conclusion to our story about a GP and a Sydney scientist who teamed up to investigate a water contamination issue near Tasmania's famous Bay of Fires.

As a little boy, Glenn Scott dreamed of becoming a motorcycle champion… just like his heroes Mick Doohan and Casey Stoner.

Young Sydney musician Lachlan McCarthy's determination to escape the twin demons of poverty and a tragedy involving his father, sees him become the first in his family to finish high school and go to university.

From Perth policeman to a life of high fashion and celebrity in New York, Russell James is one of the world's most influential fashion photographers who is now working in Australia on an art collaboration with Aboriginal artist Clifton Bieundurry.

Emerging from a troubled childhood, self-made coffee millionaire, Kenton Campbell has led a life of extremes. He fulfilled the 'rags to riches' American dream here in Australia, only to find that success left him empty.

Graham Stafford served almost fifteen years in jail for a crime he has always claimed he did not commit. Since his release four years ago, he has continued to argue his innocence and seek redress from the legal system that incarcerated him.

Tara Winkler was just twenty-two when she established the Cambodian Children's Trust in Cambodia. She is now 'mother', mentor and older sister to twenty-seven orphans, some as young as two.

It was hailed as possibly the most inept bank robbery of all time and it made headlines around the world. One of the robbers, Anthony Prince, is back home in Byron Bay, much chastened and speaking for the first time...

Two years ago the harmony of rural life in a small township in Central Victoria was ripped apart after a fatal car accident involving five young friends.

Until last year, Meagen Nay was known as the 19 year old swimmer treading the same path as her Olympian father, Robert. Then fate dealt a second tragic blow in an already painful life story...

Chris 'Douggs' McDougall - free spirit, thrill-seeker or lawbreaker? This BASE jumping pioneer challenges convention and embodies the true definition of 'fearless'.

In August 2008, Bundaberg photojournalist Nigel Brennan was kidnapped in Somalia, along with Canadian reporter Amanda Lindhout. Last year, the Brennan family became players in the shadowy world of international kidnap and ransom.

The murder of one of Australia’s foremost bee experts, Tony Knight, baffled police until a fortuitous event exposed a suspect with a sinister motive.

Part One charts the remarkable in combat experiences of highly decorated female soldier, Matina Jewell, but raises serious concerns about the conditions she faced when wearing the blue beret as a UN peacekeeper.

Part Two explores the ongoing battle Matina Jewell faced at home in Australia once it became clear her days as a career soldier were over.

When Dianne Brimble died mysteriously aboard the Pacific Sky cruise liner in 2002, her family was left to mourn the loss of a beloved mother, wife, sister and daughter. It also began a seven and a half year battle for answers by the two men who had shared her life.

Peter Roberts, an accomplished musician, gave up a lucrative career as a businessman to retrain overseas at his own expense to become Australia's only music thanatologist.

With prescient timing, an in depth look at the woman who has just made history by becoming Australia’s first female Prime Minister.

'Pay it Forward' is a marvellously inspirational tale of sportsmanship, mentoring and redemption across three generations of Australian Rules Football. At the centre of it all is a young man called David Conway.

Wanting to build a better world and keen to offer his skills as a water technician, Shane Dolan signed up with Community Aid Abroad and embarked for the war torn province of Tigray, in Ethiopia.

Kiff Saunders had spent most of his professional life airborne at the helm of a hot air balloon. But despite the heights of his success, he was becoming increasingly disenchanted with the air up there.

After her oldest son announced that he was gay, Shelley Argent was spurred to action. Now she's the national spokesperson for the international organisation PFLAG and a 'gay icon' in her own right...

Glenn Wheatley is an undisputed legend of the entertainment industry. He's guided the careers of huge stars like John Farnham, Delta Goodrem and the Little River Band.

It's seven years since a young American bride, Tina Watson, died during a honeymoon scuba dive on the Great Barrier Reef. Her husband Gabe was accused of murder and was eventually convicted and jailed for manslaughter.

The conclusion to our story about young American bride Tina Watson who died seven years ago during a honeymoon dive trip on the Great Barrier Reef.

Van Rudd is an artist who ran in Julia Gillard's seat as an independent backed by the new but tiny Socialist Revolutionary Party.

From homeless teenager to the youngest ever leader of Australia's oldest union, Paul Howes is living a life accelerated.

Jack Heath shocked his family and friends by turning his back on a promising political career to establish an innovative not-for-profit organisation committed to supporting and inspiring troubled youth.

Fourteen years ago Ivan Milat was convicted of one of Australia's most infamous serial killings. His victims were seven young backpackers whose bodies were found in the Belanglo State Forest, south of Sydney.

Working in Afghanistan and Iraq for Time Magazine and then CNN, Michael Ware willingly went where no other reporter could or would.

In this compelling conclusion, Michael Ware reveals the real cost to his psyche of all that he's witnessed for so long.

Andrew Mallard was a young man living homeless on the streets of Perth when he was charged with the murder of Pamela Lawrence. He was convicted of her murder in 1995.

The conclusion to the story of Andrew Mallard who was wrongfully convicted of the murder of Perth woman Pamela Lawrence in 1995.

Jan Cameron has channelled her formidable energies and bank balance towards a new cause in the hope she can influence the way factory farmed animals are treated in Australia.

Fresh off the plane from the Delhi, Meagen Nay updates our original program to explain how success has changed her...

An intimate profile of the enigmatic Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu featuring behind the scenes footage shot by filmmaker Naina Sen, combined with interviews from his family and unofficial spokesperson Michael Hohnen.

After coming out on a national TV reality show in 2006, David Graham is attempting to reconcile his sexuality with his desire to be a farmer, a father and a force within the National Party.

When Kerry Tucker was jailed for seven years for theft and fraud she turned incarceration into an opportunity and is now a successful academic with a PhD and a job at a leading university...

Maggie MacKellar was a city dweller who seemed to have it all – a successful academic career, a devoted husband, a young daughter and another baby on the way.

When Doug Sunderland succumbed to the blues after losing his wife and being diagnosed with cancer, his GP told him to 'get back on his bike'. He did... and it 'saved his life', so much so, that he decided to ride around Australia solo, surviving on tinned food and sleeping by the road.

For the last 48 years Jacki Weaver has been one of Australia's best loved actors. Now 63, she has achieved a stunning career high by being chosen as one of the Best Supporting Actress nominees for this year's Oscars.

Wildlife photographer Jennifer Parkhurst's passion for dingos set her at odds with park rangers - and brought her to the brink of disaster...

On the eve of his retirement from public office, the nation's longest serving Director of Public Prosecutions, Nicholas Cowdery, reflects exclusively on his sixteen years in the top job.

Jade Hopper is a young woman on the cusp of the toughest decision of her life - to pursue her dream of becoming a world no. 1 tennis player or to court success from her law studies.

Two years ago, former Navy clearance diver Paul de Gelder was testing new sonar equipment in Sydney Harbour when he was attacked by a shark and pulled from the water, barely alive.

Last year a Victorian court sentenced Robert Farquharson to a minimum 33 years jail for deliberately driving his three sons to their death in a dam on Father's Day.

Part 1 of the program about lawyer and politician John Quigley whose three decades in the public spotlight have drawn controversy, enmity and notoriety.

The conclusion to our story on Western Australian lawyer and politician John Quigley.

Eight years ago Elizabeth Clayton was living in Fiji when she rescued a young man known as the 'chicken boy'. His name was Sujit and he'd been kept in a hen house as a child and then tied up for 22 years in an old people's home.

Band manager David Powell took the Melbourne rock band JET from obscurity to ARIA triumph and then onto the international stage. But fate was less kind to David – today he is lucky to be alive to tell his story.

On 22 July 2007, Peter Hodgkins threw a rock at a car from an overpass at Kiama, NSW, smashing the skull of beauty therapist Nicole Timbs and changing both their lives forever.

Part 1 of our celebration of 15 years of Australian Story featuring Ric Birch, Gina Rinehart, John Button and Estelle Blackburn, Pauline Hanson, Sam and Jenny Bailey, Nick Ross and Allan Fels.

The conclusion to our celebration of 15 years of Australian Story featuring Gayle Shann, Chris Sarra, Beth Heinrich, Greg Combet, Belinda Emmett, Bob Irwin, Gemma Sisia and Michael Ware.

Brian Sherman rose to great wealth and success as a businessman. His son Emile is a co-producer of 'The King's Speech', winner of this year's best picture Oscar. But what really unites the family is their overwhelming passion for animal welfare.

Charlie Teo is a Sydney neurosurgeon, loved by patients but unpopular with some in the medical establishment. He is credited with prolonging the lives of many people with tumours that were considered inoperable.

Sabina Wolanski was left alone in the world at 17 when her family were killed in the Holocaust. In 2005 she addressed a gathering of state dignitaries in Berlin, received a standing ovation and reduced journalists to tears.

For three and a half years, Newcastle pathologist Dr Simon Palfreeman has been shuttling between Australia and Bulgaria negotiating that country's complex and controversial justice system to try to help his 24 year old son.

The conclusion of our story on Dr Simon Palfreeman, the Newcastle pathologist on a mission to help his son who's serving twenty years in a Bulgarian jail.

When Sally Nielsen's fiance Sam Goddard suffered a catastrophic stroke, she ignored the advice of some of those closest to her and stuck by him. Now her efforts have produced an amazing medical breakthrough.

Penelope Dingle was a former model and actor married to TV science guru Peter Dingle. At the age of 43 she was diagnosed with a common cancer regarded as highly curable if it’s caught early...

The conclusion to the story of Penelope Dingle whose untimely death had shattering and unexpected repercussions for those closest to her.

Alisa Latto was born with a life threatening genetic condition – one shared by her two siblings and her mother, Rosemary... This story follows her difficult journey to motherhood.

International banker Sascha Chandler had a secret he'd been harbouring since childhood. Two years ago he decided to deal with his demons and joined forces with a dogged NSW detective to bring to justice one of the country's most elusive and dangerous predators.

Captain Hec Waller and Ordinary Seaman Teddy Sheean both saw service during the darkest days of the Japanese advance towards Australia during World War II. Despite their heroism neither was ever nominated for the Forces' highest accolade, the Victoria Cross.

An encore edition of our bittersweet story of Queensland vet Ben Cunneen and his co-worker, Natalie Beohm who were exposed to the Hendra horse virus with devastating consequences.

Ita Buttrose and those closest to her go on the record with their recollections of a trail blazing career and a momentous period in Australia's social history in Part One of a candid, moving, and surprising double episode.

In Part Two Ita Buttrose talks candidly about men, dating, loneliness, family, media ethics and grabbing life by the throat, at any age.

In the space of a few years Jonty Bush lost two of her closest family members in separate and unrelated crimes. Instead of succumbing to grief and anger, she took up the challenge to change the world and in the process changed herself...

Not since the mighty Phar Lap has a horse captured the public imagination like Black Caviar. She remains unbeaten after thirteen runs and has been declared the best racehorse in the world.

Three years ago Gavin Larkin used his marketing nous and high profile contacts to create a national day of awareness called R U OK? Day. But not long after the launch, the super fit indomitable Gavin was anything but okay...

When Catherine Smith was found not guilty of attempting to murder her own husband it was a turning point in one of the most extraordinary cases in Australian criminal history.

TV Drama legend Sue Masters teamed up with 'Bra Boys' Maccario de Souza and his friends Mark Matthews and Richie Vas to work on a big screen documentary about big wave surfing, alcohol fuelled violence and the sequence of events that finally frightened the young men into cleaning up their lives.

A repeat of the program about Australian scientists Dr Jennifer MacDiarmid and Dr Himanshu Brahmbhatt and one of medicine's holy grails finding a way to treat cancer without toxic side effects and avoiding drug resistance.

Zelie Bullen is stepping into the international spotlight as the woman who trained 'Abraham', the lead horse in Spielberg's production of the Tony award winning play 'War Horse'.

Part one of the program that centres on the notorious case of Jeffrey Gilham, in jail for life for the murders of his own parents.

The conclusion to the program about the notorious case of Jeffrey Gilham, currently serving a life sentence for the murders of his own parents in Sydney nearly twenty years ago.

Kristina Keneally made history by becoming the first female Premier of NSW. What few realise is the family experience that she says led her into politics and toughened her for the brutal crossfire of public life.

Nazeem Hussain and Aamer Rahman have become two of the hottest young comedians on the Australian comedy scene.

Film critic Margaret Pomeranz introduces this encore edition on the very special personal and professional bond shared by filmmaker Sarah Watt and her husband actor and writer William McInnes.

Part 1 of our story on Di Gicrist, the woman taking on the big end of town and changing the face of justice in South Australia after her husband was killed in a hit-and-run cyclist incident.

The conclusion to our story on Di Gilcrist and her fight for justice after her husband was killed in a hit-and-run cyclist incident.

Kath Evans was diagnosed with lung cancer that had spread to her brain and given only weeks to live. She attributes her sudden, extraordinary recovery to the then Blessed Mary MacKillop and the event was accepted by the Vatican as a miracle.

Yaron Lifschitz took a small, troubled circus company and turned it into an artistic triumph that now has the world applauding its daring and glamour.

David Pollock, a young man from remote Western Australia and Frances Jones, a young woman from the Melbourne suburbs, battle to save the historic grazing property Wooleen.

Daniel Clarke at the age of ten, inspired by the late Steve Irwin, set out to raise funds to conserve habitat for orangutans in Indonesia.

Leigh Woodgate's journey from young mountain girl to shining racing star, through dark days of hospital and recovery to the triumphant joy of riding a horse for early morning track work.

From teenage years marked by delinquency, expulsions from school and several brushes with the law, John Polson became a successful actor and went on to direct some of the world's best known TV dramas.

Another look at the 1997 classic story on Australia's richest person, Gina Rinehart.

Ric Richardson is an inventor who took on the might of Microsoft and scored a remarkable victory.

Scott Neeson built a career as a top Hollywood movie executive but after a holiday in Cambodia, gave it all up and now works to help some of the poorest children there.

Risktaker, investigator and troublemaker: animal advocate Lyn White and the images that shocked a nation.

Since Half a Million Acres aired, the Pollock's battle to save their property has attracted powerful supporters and a visit by natural landscape ecologist, Peter Andrews who has previously featured on Australian Story.

Clive Palmer has been described as a generous giver, a national treasure and a major political force. He's also been labelled a billionaire mining magnate who has never mined, a human headline and a manipulator of the media.

Triple world champion, Sir Jack Brabham became the first driver to be knighted for services to motorsport and the only Formula One driver to win a world title in a car of his own construction.

From international model via prison to toast of Australian fashion week as a new generation designer: Tovah Cottle.

Jack Manning Bancroft, was just 19 when he started a plan to help disadvantaged kids finish school. Now at 26 he's one of Australia's youngest CEO's.

Actress and playwright Kate Mulvany has experienced more than most people do in a lifetime and speaks candidly about life's many challenges and explains how she found the energy and determination to return to the public spotlight.

Gurrumul Yunupingu's haunting voice has captivated global audiences, most recently in London for Queen Elizabeth's Diamond Jubilee celebrations.

In the early hours of Sunday June 24, the unbeaten Black Caviar will take on Europe's best at Royal Ascot, in front of the Queen. This is the fascinating inside story of the making of Black Caviar, stretching back across the generations.

Part One of our two part special where friends and family of Diana Bliss tell her story and reveal the extent of the private torment behind the glittering existence.

This week, the conclusion to our story about Diana Bliss whose death earlier this year was reported around the world.

It's a time of unprecedented crisis in the newspaper industry. But this week's Australian Story is about a former big city journalist who's bucking the trend. James Clark had been living the dream in Paris when he decided to put his future, his relationship and the family sheep station on the line to chase his dream of running a little local newspaper in outback Cunnamulla.

Next week's program tells the story of a young woman unsettling her middle class Melbourne family by going out on a limb to 'adopt' a fourteen year old Afghan asylum seeker.

Popular Country singer Beccy Cole has decided she is ready to tell audiences about a personal dilemma which has dogged her for more than ten years.

In 2001 Ian and Sandy Johnson adopted two orphaned children, Tigi and Frazer, from Ethiopia. Now with the children 12 and 15, we returned to find out how it's all worked out.

This program documents Annabelle Sandes' unlikely pathway from the fine art auction rooms of inner Sydney to whale conservation in the Kimberley.

Tanya Pearson has shaped the careers of hundreds of aspiring Australian dancers and at 75 continues to teach classical ballet full time.

Torah Bright has lived in the United States since she was fifteen years old when she turned professional as a snowboarder. Since then, she's flown under the radar of many Australians. Her specialty is the half pipe – a winter Olympic event with a huge international following.

A recent High Court ruling all but ended the branding of cigarette packets in Australia. The decision and the woman behind it, Federal-Attorney General Nicola Roxon, have generated news headlines around the world.

Ben Quilty is an Archibald prize winning artist with a lifelong interest in concepts of masculinity - from youthful excesses with drugs, alcohol and fast cars to soldiers on the front line.

It's forty years since a 15 year old Shane Gould created a sporting sensation by winning three individual gold medals at the Munich Olympics.

Twenty-seven year old John Cantor has devoted the past six years to trying to complete one of the toughest solo expeditions on earth - Brooks Range in Alaska.

Nell Schofield and Jad Capelja, the two young girls who starred in the 1981 Bruce Beresford film 'Puberty Blues', found fame and celebrity and looked set for big careers on screen...

Li Cunxin - once one of the world's best known dancers - embarks on a high stakes return to the ballet world after 15 years as a stockbroker.

Exclusive with Rod Laver: the tennis legend is joined by family, friends and a line up of greats including Roger Federer.

Part two follows Laver through his marriage to an older American divorcee, raising children, battling a near catastrophic stroke and his return to Australia in circumstances he describes as the supreme highlight of his life.

Ben Lewin and Judi Levine are two film-makers whose latest film 'The Sessions' has received considerable acclaim and is now being tipped as an Academy Awards contender.

Veteran print reporter Malcolm Brown has covered some of the biggest stories of the last four decades, but now finds himself somewhat out of step with the times in an industry caught on the cutting edge of the digital revolution.

Oscar-nominated actress Diane Cilento left Hollywood at the height of her fame to pursue more creative and spiritual endeavours. Her most enduring love was a theatre she created in the middle of the North Queensland rainforest.

Zelie Bullen is a former stunt woman, turned world renowned animal trainer who trained Abraham, the lead horse in Steven Spielberg's movie 'War Horse'.

In 2004 Sam Cullen and his wife Janet bought a rare collection of photographs at a London auction. They were captivated by the haunting faces in the photos. The couple began piecing together a puzzle few thought could ever be solved. Their quest took them to the beautiful Clarence River region of NSW and into some of the most troubling aspects of our history. Now, eight years down the track, the Cullens' labour of love has turned up some astonishing and surprising results which are revealed for the first time on Monday night...

Scott Johnson was a young man with everything going for him - a maths genius with a bright future. But on a trip to a Sydney beach one sunny day in 1988, everything changed. The search for the truth of what happened that day has brought together a wealthy internet pioneer, an international super sleuth, and the NSW Police Cold Case Unit. This week, the story of their quest to solve a twenty-five-year-old-mystery.

Stevie Wright became a superstar at the age of sixteen, with the iconic 1960s rock band The Easybeats - the first Australian group to achieve chart success in the UK, US and Europe. He went on to win another generation of fans as a solo artist with hits like 'Evie', 'Hard Road' and 'Black Eyed Bruiser'. But along with the exhilarating highs, he has experienced devastating lows - which on several occasions could have been fatal. Now the legend of Stevie Wright is being rekindled with help from fellow musician and lifelong fan, Scott McRae who has created a 'rockumentary' live show of his idol's extraordinary life. Australian Story has recorded Stevie Wright's last public performance - a special poignant encore in Scott McRae's stage show.

This week's program is about a man who's become an international pioneer in a significant but unlikely field. A failed medical school student turned journalist, Peter Ford hit the big time in the US as a CNN anchorman. He travelled extensively and covered many big stories around the world. But beneath the telegenic exterior an 'inner nerd' was lurking. Using his self-taught computer code-writing skills, Peter developed software that enables the most severely disabled people to communicate. His invention has even attracted the interest of Professor Stephen Hawking...

This week, the story of three young Australians and their mission to rescue an orphaned elephant calf on the Indonesian Island of Sumatra. Sumatran elephants are officially listed as critically endangered, driven out of their habitat by encroaching industries – in particular, palm oil production. It is estimated that there are now only two or three thousand left in the wild. But against all the odds, one Sumatran elephant calf has become a symbol of hope in an otherwise bleak situation. The program has the heart warming story of 'Bona' and three friends mobilising to save her. The three are all ex employees of the late Steve Irwin, who had a particular interest in the plight of the Sumatran elephants. As this episode reveals, some of those closest to the 'Crocodile Hunter' played a key role in the saga...

This week's program has the untold personal story of an Australian cricket captain through the eyes of those closest to him. The cricket captaincy occupies a unique place in the national consciousness. When Ricky Ponting, the first Tasmanian to lead the team, retired from international cricket last December, grown men cried, parliamentary business was interrupted and a gaping hole was left in the once all conquering Australian cricket team. The episode reveals how a prankster from a tough housing commission background in Launceston made the transition to one of the most decorated cricketers of all time and the nation's best batsman after the mighty Sir Donald Bradman. Wife Rianna is credited with being a major influence in the transformation. In Monday's program she provides her first ever extended interview with some surprising, highly personal and candid insights.

Monday night's program has the emotional conclusion to our story about former Australian cricket captain Ricky Ponting and his family. This episode has the inside story of a series of dramatic highs and lows on and off the field. On the cricket pitch, Ponting's triumphant century in the 2003 World Cup final, losing and regaining the Ashes, and the PR disaster of 'Monkeygate'. While at home, unfolding behind the scenes, there was a long and private struggle to parenthood, disclosed here for the first time by Ponting and his wife Rianna. When Ponting suddenly decided to retire last year, it was front page news around the nation and even Federal Parliament stopped briefly to mark the occasion. In this program, Ponting, his parents, and wife Rianna tell the full inside story behind the decision...

We first profiled official war artist Ben Quilty last September as he worked on portraits of Australian soldiers who'd served in Afghanistan. Quilty spoke then of the strong bonds he'd formed with many of his subjects, including some of the elite special operations troops who he says revealed a depth of emotional distress that shocked him to his core. Six months later, Quilty's exhibition is now on tour and attracting much interest. In the intervening time, his own journey from artist to angry advocate has led him to argue for better treatment for returned soldiers who he says continue to suffer from their time in the war zone.

This week we're returning to Cunnamulla in outback Queensland and the story of a newspaper, an unlikely romance and a grazing property. James Clark left the bush and found success in the city. But he was drawn home and then chased a new dream of running the local paper. In the process, he divided the town. As you'll see, there've been a number of significant arrivals down on the farm since we last visited.

If you are a certain age chances are you remember exactly where you were in the early hours of September 27 thirty years ago. It was the day an Australian yacht ended the longest winning streak in sporting history, grabbing the legendary America's Cup from the grandees of the New York Yacht Club. Unprecedented and spontaneous celebrations broke out all around the nation from the coastal fringe and deep into the Outback. In this thirtieth anniversary year, with many of the key players now advanced in age, Australian Story revisits those euphoric and nation defining events. There are surprising and entertaining new insights from all the main players, including then Prime Minister Bob Hawke, Alan Bond and his former wife Eileen and skipper John Bertrand. Also interviewed are Australia II crew member Grant Simmer, London Olympics gold medallist Tom Slingsby and Sydney born 2010 America's Cup winning skipper James Spithill.

This week's program concludes the story of Australia II's epic quest to win the America's Cup and end the longest winning streak in sporting history. This year marks the thirtieth anniversary of those nation defining moments. The victory has been listed alongside the Moon Landing and the assassination of President John F Kennedy as one of the events that Australians regard as most memorable. Former Prime Minister Bob Hawke, Syndicate Head Alan Bond and skipper John Bertrand are among those who provide intriguing accounts of what was really going on behind the scenes. We also examine the legacy of the win, and discover what's happened to some of the key players in the decades that have followed.

Monday's Australian Story provides new insights into a saga that's captured the imaginations of all kinds of people all around the world. On Saturday, Melbourne staged a final farewell to Black Caviar. It's been two years since the champion mare first featured on Australian Story. Since then her story has gone global and now rivals that of Phar Lap in terms of regard and recognition.

In a 35-year career, Detective Chief Inspector Peter Fox has forged a reputation as an officer who goes out of his way to look after victims. He rose to national prominence late last year when he defied police rules and disclosed explosive allegations that the Catholic Church had consistently covered up the crimes of paedophile priests in the Newcastle-Hunter region of NSW. The decision to speak out occurred on the spur of the moment during an emotional public forum. Fox says he thought at the time that the consequences would be 'fairly heavy'. But he walked onto the public stage anyway, and addressed hundreds of abuse victims and their supporters. Other appearances followed and within weeks, the Prime Minister announced a far-reaching Royal Commission into the sexual abuse of children in institutions. Fox, along with others, is credited with helping to trigger it. Call Of Duty features exclusive footage of Peter Fox at the meeting that changed his life.

This week's program is about a woman who provided some of Australia's most memorable moments at the last Olympics. Anna Meares, the unflinching 'coalminer's daughter' from Central Queensland, has dominated cycling for nearly a decade. The story of her triumphant return to the track after a catastrophic accident has been well documented. What is less well known is the detail of the psychological struggles she navigated on the road to the London Olympics. Her ascendancy in her sport came at some cost to personal and family relationships. As a consequence of Anna's rise, her sister's dreams were crushed. And then there were her famous on and off track battles with the British favourite Victoria Pendleton which soon became the stuff of tabloid legend. From the UK, Pendleton provides candid new insights into the intense rivalry with Meares. And for the first time, Anna Meares reveals her own inside story.

This week's program concludes the dramatic story of Olympic cyclist Anna Meares. Meares has dominated women's cycling for nearly a decade. Her first big rival was her own sister and then came fierce battles on and off the track with British favourite Victoria Pendleton. The program reveals details of the audacious victory plan devised by the Australian team in the lead up to the London Olympics and the surprising aftermath...

This week's program is about a man recently named by The Australian newspaper as the most influential broadcaster in Australia. He's Radio 2GB 'shock jock' Ray Hadley and his top rating morning radio show is heard all along the East Coast. Hadley was driving taxis when a chance encounter gave him the break he'd dreamed of since he was a kid in a working class suburb. It wasn't long before he toppled John Laws from the number one spot in the notoriously tough Sydney radio market. Ray Hadley is loud, opinionated and controversial. He's a tireless worker for charity. And he's merciless towards politicians. In this program Ray Hadley opens up and reveals some uncomfortable truths about the past and about the temper that's been getting him into trouble.

Australian Story on May 27 will feature an updated edition of the Logie awarding winning episode on former First Lady Hazel Hawke, first aired ten years ago. There will be new interviews and other material from those closest to Mrs Hawke in her final days. The death of the former First Lady is generating a huge groundswell of public affection and mourning. She has been described as Australia's Eleanor Roosevelt. With close cooperation from the family, Australian Story will showcase the highlights of a courageous, groundbreaking and sometimes tumultuous life, marked by public service as well as personal triumphs and hard knocks.

When Lisa Poulos stepped into a Melbourne taxi six years ago, she had no idea how her life was about to turn upside down. To that point she appeared to her friends to be the woman who had everything. But when her taxi was involved in a minor accident that day in Melbourne, it set off a dramatic series of events, eventually revealing a dark truth that nobody knew was there. It gave Lisa Poulos the idea to turn her bad fortune into something positive. As a prominent player in the fashion world, she decided to use her contacts to create a project which would help other women facing the same difficulties. But first she had to get used to the idea of laying her life bare...

Sami Shah has been in Australia for less than one year but he's already making a name for himself on the stand up comedy circuit in Western Australia. Shah was fronting his own groundbreaking satirical show on TV in Karachi; a dangerous line of work in the political environment of Pakistan. After a narrow escape from a devastating bomb attack he and his wife and small daughter applied through the official migration process to settle in Australia. Under the terms of their migration visa they were obliged to settle in a rural area and ended up in the small town of Northam. When Sami Shah took to the stage with his cutting edge stand up routines, not everyone was amused...

Monday's Australian Story centres on a crime that has been described as one of the 'top five' unsolved murder mysteries in Australian history. Twenty years after the heyday of the Ned Kelly gang, the nation was shocked by the brutal deaths of three siblings on a bush track. A young farmer Michael Murphy and his two sisters were bludgeoned to death near the town of Gatton, 100 kilometres from Brisbane in 1898. The trio were returning from a Boxing Day outing. The savagery of their deaths was all the more puzzling because of the absence of any apparent motive. Retired dentist, turned author Stephanie Bennett has spent years painstakingly trawling through archival evidence and she now believes she's cracked the case. Others are less convinced. But some Murphy descendants are grateful for her efforts. They say the crime scarred the family down the generations, and believe that Stephanie Bennett may indeed have delivered 'the truth'...

This week's program is about a fatal plane crash and the disturbing facts that emerged in the aftermath. It started when a young woman called Samantha Hare surprised her partner with the gift of a joy flight off the coast of South East Queensland back in 2008. In the pilot's seat was a well known, colourful and seemingly highly reputable aviator called Barry Hempel. But unbeknownst to Samantha Hare, Mr Hempel had been stripped of his commercial pilot's license - and there were other worrying issues too. Mr Hempel and Samantha's fiance, Ian Lovell, were both killed when their plane plummeted into the sea. This week's episode tells the story of Samantha Hare and her five year quest for answers in the face of a 'smorgasbord' of baffling and worrying questions.

This week, the story of a young Adelaide student and the obsession that's made her an international publishing sensation. She's 28 year old Hannah Kent and her novel on an Icelandic murderess sparked a bidding war. Now there is talk of a Hollywood movie. It started with a Rotary exchange visit to Iceland when Hannah Kent was just 17. She felt lonely and claustrophobic in the alien 24 hour darkness of the Icelandic winter. But hearing, by chance, about the execution site she became intrigued by the story of Agnes Magnusdottir, beheaded for murder in Iceland some 200 years ago, and the last woman to suffer that fate. In the program Hannah Kent tells the untold story of her decade long interest in the macabre story of Agnes and how it's taken her to strange and unexpected places.

Singer Jessica Mauboy introduces this updated program on the life of Yothu Yindi frontman Mr Yunupingu. "Growing up in Darwin, everyone looked up to him, and it made me want to do that line of work. I wanted to be just like that," she says. Mr Yunupingu went from school teacher to school principal to international rock star when the song 'Treaty' became a hit around the world. He was named Australian of the Year in 1992. But his health deteriorated in the last 7 years due to a combination of diabetes, high blood pressure and alcohol dependence. In 2009 Australian Story documented his battle with kidney failure and his reluctant acceptance of a life on dialysis three times a week. He was awaiting a kidney transplant when he passed away last month, aged 56. The updated program includes new material on Mr Yunupingu's life at his home in Arnhem Land in his final years, as well as fresh interviews with his family, friends and music industry luminaries Molly Meldrum and Michael Gudinski.

It's said there’s nothing more powerful than an idea whose time has come... This week's program is about a psychology student and a brainwave that became a phenomenon. As Tasmania's terrifying bushfires took hold in January, Mel Irons set up a a Facebook page... The spur of the moment decision became the start of a social media whirlwind that provided a helping hand to thousands of people isolated by the fires. From generators for oyster breeders, to tin openers for the local Food Bank and even a small armada of boats to ferry supplies to the needy, Mel Irons was at the helm. She admits she took risks and cut corners. But the essence of her approach is now being embraced by the State Government and Emergency Services.

This week's program is about a man who's made a big name in London but is little known back in Australia. Richard Farleigh amassed an early fortune as a young gun in the financial markets and went on to star on a top-rating British television program. But what's remarkable about Farleigh is his background. He was one of a family of eleven children born to an itinerant, violent and alcoholic sheep shearer. Farleigh and several of his older siblings were removed by Welfare authorities to an orphanage and he was subsequently fostered. Initially diagnosed as 'backward', his luck changed when a school teacher recognised his abilities and became 'the first person that I felt really cared about me'. He excelled at maths and tournament chess and by his mid-thirties was a multi-millionaire business entrepreneur, moving to the UK five years ago. Now in his fifties, he has been back in Australia, retracing a past that he says continues to haunt him in ways he 'can't control'.

August marks the 50th anniversary of one of Britain's most infamous crimes – the Great Train Robbery. Ronald Biggs was sentenced to 30 years gaol for his part in the crime that he once described as 'too good to refuse'. But behind the robbery and Biggs' subsequent escape to Australia, there's an epic saga of a woman's resilience and loyalty. Disowned by her middle class parents, Charmian Biggs and their two children, followed Biggs to Australia in the hope of a fresh start. It was the beginning of a tumultuous three decades marked by discoveries, escapes, betrayals and reunions. Forced to divorce her husband to help him avoid extradition from Brazil, Charmian Biggs raised her sons on her own and studied to obtain a university degree. She became a successful book editor under the new name of Brent. Then in 2001 Biggs finally surrendered to the British authorities so he could receive medical treatment.

This week we visit a scenic valley where best selling author Di Morrissey and a determined group of rural residents have stared down a corporate giant. The setting is the spectacular Manning Valley in the mid north coast of New South Wales. When the electricity transmission company TransGrid decided to build a high voltage power line through the valley, the community elected to fight. Led by former sports administrator turned farmer, Peter Epov, and including an airline pilot, engineer and a former business analyst, they pooled their expertise and skills to tackle the seemingly impenetrable data of a complex industry. What they discovered has far reaching implications for anybody who pays electricity bills.

Award winning television journalist Sara James was living the dream as an anchor and foreign correspondent for American network NBC. She'd lived in New York for fifteen years and reported from around the world including the war zones of Somalia, Sudan and in the Middle East. Then she met and married another high flyer, Australian journalist Andrew Butcher, who worked closely with Rupert Murdoch as his corporate affairs manager. But with the birth of their second daughter came a curve ball. Baby Jacqui didn’t cry and was having multiple seizures. 'Your baby has a bad brain' said the medical specialist. A nurse took Sara aside and said 'they don’t always know you know. Your baby has bright eyes. Don't give up.' To the amazement of their friends, the Butchers abandoned Manhattan, scooped up their family and moved to the Macedon Ranges outside Melbourne. There they embraced an entirely new way of life as they started to unlock the mysteries of Jacqui's distressing and taxing condition.

Chloe Palmer-Simpson was just 18 when she was involved in a head-on car crash near her home in Bargo in New South Wales. The accident left her fighting for her life and dealing with a severe brain injury. Although the elite swimmer was just minutes from death, the efforts of medical staff coupled with her own determination led to a recovery that stunned everyone. Now, just 16 months after the accident, Chloe Palmer-Simpson is attempting to walk PNG's Kokoda Track accompanied by the medical team who saved her life to raise funds for trauma research at St George Hospital. The track is routinely described as 96 kilometres of sheer hell and that's for the able-bodied. Asking a young woman recuperating from traumatic injuries to attempt it is not without risk.

Retiring independent MP Tony Windsor offers a unique insider's account on Australian Story of the last three years of political tumult. After two decades in politics, both state and federal but always as an independent, Tony Windsor shocked many when he announced his retirement two months ago. He played a deciding role in two hung parliaments and helped keep Nick Greiner's NSW Liberal government in power twenty-two years ago. But it wasn't until he backed Julia Gillard's minority government in 2010 that he experienced widespread fallout – including death threats - from those who thought he'd abandoned his conservative New England electorate. From his vantage point in the Simpson Desert, far away from what he calls the 'greasy pond' of Canberra politics, Tony Windsor offers a final – and at times surprising - verdict on Canberra's political leaders.

Includes interviews with President Bill Clinton, Jack Nicklaus, Peter FitzSimons, Morgan-Leigh Norman (daughter), and Gregory Norman Junior (son) and third wife Kirsten in her first television interview. When Adam Scott became the first Australian ever to win the US Masters golf tournament earlier this year, he immediately paid an emotional tribute to his mentor Greg Norman. Norman remains a world sporting icon and is considered by many to be Australia's greatest ever golfer. But his friend, President Bill Clinton, interviewed for Australian Story, says Greg was never universally 'embraced in a way that some great golfers are.' Greg Norman was also a trail blazer off the course, parlaying sporting success into a multi-millionaire dollar business empire built around his moniker, The Great White Shark.

Australian Story concludes the epic tale of Greg Norman, recognised as one of Australia's best and most flamboyant sports stars. Norman dominated international golf for nearly two decades in the eighties and nineties. He blazed a trail by cannily converting personal sporting success into a multi million dollar business brand. But his approach hasn't always drawn universal admiration and he concedes that his headline grabbing personal life hurt his image for a period of time. This week's episode covers the famous 1996 US Masters loss in which Greg Norman's grace in the face of crushing defeat drew admiration. The loss drove him to tears. But it was finally 'vindicated' earlier this year when Adam Scott became the first Australian to win the elusive trophy and paid emotional tribute to Greg Norman as his mentor. This episode also covers the story of Greg Norman's friendships with two US Presidents. There are candid family disclosures about the break up of his marriage to former world number one tennis star Chris Evert and his subsequent remarriage to third wife Kirsten 'Kiki' Norman.

In a world obsessed with physical beauty, Robert Hoge is a man embracing 'ugly'. Hoge was born 41 years ago with a massive tumour in the middle of his face. At first his own mother couldn't bear to look at him and the family was advised to 'put him in a home'. There were national newspaper headlines when a pioneering craniofacial surgeon used the cartilage from baby Robert's toe to construct a nose. Hoge grew up to become a journalist and then built a stellar career as a public servant culminating in the job of media advisor to then Queensland Premier Anna Bligh. But he has rejected further surgery that might make him look more conventional. Now a husband and a father himself, he's on a mission to confront us all with some difficult questions and start a new debate about concepts of beauty and ugliness and everything in between...

Melbourne schoolgirl Olympia Nelson is only sixteen, but she's no stranger to controversy. She's grown up in an unusual but talented household as the daughter of an art critic and acclaimed photographer Poli Papapetrou. Olympia and her mother have had a long creative partnership. But in 2008 an unclothed photograph of Olympia aged six generated national controversy when it appeared on the cover of the magazine 'Art Monthly'. Even the Prime Minister bought in. Now Olympia has weighed in from an unexpected direction by publicly challenging the popularity of 'selfies' – often explicit self portraits posted on social media. Her robust analysis of the selfie trend and issues around girls, sexual expression and self image was published by The Age Newspaper, setting off a new debate...

Much has changed since Australian Story first explored the private and professional worlds of Clive Palmer sixteen months ago. At the time former Qld Premier Peter Beattie concluded 'you haven't heard the last of Clive Palmer, you're just going to have to get used to bigger screens'. Even he could scarcely have predicted the turn of events now unfolding, with Mr Palmer poised to wield political influence in Federal Parliament The extent of that influence is yet to be determined but it's now clear that the Palmer United Party has secured two Senate seats with a possible third in Western Australia. It's speculated he could even end up holding the balance of power in the Upper House. With so many theories abounding, who is the real Clive Palmer; what can we expect next and what impact might there be on the way the nation's run...

Fred Smith has been described as 'Australia's secret weapon' in international diplomacy. As a career diplomat, he's represented Australia in Bougainville and more recently in Afghanistan. But it's his second career as a musician that came to the fore in Uruzgan province, when he wrote a song about the death of Australian soldier Ben Ranaudo. "Dust in Uruzgan" captured the hearts of many serving in Afghanistan and a second song, "Sapper's Lullaby" has become an anthem for soldiers and their families. Now, with Australian forces about to depart Afghanistan, this is the story of a diplomat with a difference.

Three years ago Maggie MacKellar, daughter of a former Federal Cabinet Minister, was living on the family farm in NSW trying to reassemble the pieces of her life. A writer and Sydney Uni academic, Ms MacKellar was left widowed and pregnant in particularly harrowing circumstances. She seemed resolved to raise her daughter and son alone, on her own terms in the country. When her story was aired on Australian Story in February 2011, it drew a big viewer response. Among the emails was a message from a stranger – a divorced 49 year old sheep farmer in Tasmania. What happened next was as unexpected as it was heart warming...

The Damiani family's story has been described as a breathtaking example of how medicine can be transformed by the determination of ordinary people. Four years ago, Stephen and Sally Damiani's baby son Massimo succumbed to a mystery disease. In the space of a few weeks, the toddler lost the ability to eat and crawl. The prognosis was bleak and the cause mystifying. Stephen Damiani, who has a background in construction economics and risk management, teamed up with a young geneticist to map the family's genome in an attempt to discover the cause of his son's illness. In the process, his seemingly impossible quest for answers has made a discovery that's astonished the international medical community and has implications for us all.

They say every family has its secrets, but in Susan Swingler's case those secrets were buried more deeply than most. Abandoned by her father at the age of 4, Susan Swingler spent the better part of her life seeking out the man who had left her behind. What she discovered along the way shocked her to the core. She uncovered a web of lies that was simply astonishing, all the more so because the woman who had woven it was one of Australia's best known and best loved authors.

As a fatherless child, Johnson Maker-Adeng fled from war-ravaged Sudan with the remnants of his family. For four years they trekked through the African wilderness. Then they spent more than a decade in a migration queue. Finally the family were accepted as refugees and granted entry into Australia and a fresh start. From traumatic beginnings, Johnson Maker-Adeng is now in the process of fulfilling childhood dreams that not so long ago would have seemed preposterous. Australian Story has been filming his progress over the last seven years.

Murray Rose was an inspiration for generations of Australians, in and out of the swimming pool where he won six Olympic medals. Yet despite his role building up the 'golden era' of the Australian swim team in the 1950s and 60s, the stories that emerged last year in the aftermath of his death surprised many younger people who had barely heard of him. Murray Rose personified many of the virtues of the Australian athlete: a good sport, a calm and collected mind under pressure and a consistent race winner. But it was his interests outside the pool that he claimed gave him a winning edge and helped focus his mind. He was a vegetarian and a follower of an Indian philosopher, long before such 'new age' ideas became fashionable. Before he died, Murray Rose was working on a candid memoir and in this program, some of the sport's biggest names and his close family members offer an insight into a man who, it transpires, was much more than a fast swimmer.

Part two of the top rating 'A Feeling For The Water' opens with Murray Rose's move to California to begin a university scholarship. America in the later 1950s was an attractive fit for Rose and his varied interests, including vegetarianism, spirituality and acting. Already a gold medallist three times over in the 1956 Melbourne Olympics, Rose went on to swim one of his most famous races at Rome in 1960, perfecting his strategy of out-psyching opponents and winning gold again in the 400 metres. Now with a fourth gold medal, Rose looked set to dominate his events for years to come until the controversial decision to exclude him from the Tokyo Olympics team in 1964 – a decision that polarises officials until this day. Before he died, Murray Rose was working on a candid memoir and in this program, some of the sport's biggest names and his close family members offer an insight into a man who, it transpires, was much more than a fast swimmer.

Annabel Blake grew up with a mother who, as a young athlete, had hoped to represent Australia in the 1988 Winter Olympics. Janine Shepherd's nickname, 'Janine the Machine' reflected the grit and dedication she brought to the ski slopes and it was these traits that helped her recover when a training accident left her permanently disabled. Despite these setbacks, Janine raised her three children to follow their passions and demonstrated through her own challenging life that nothing is impossible. Now, in a surprising twist, her daughter Annabel is hoping to capture a place in the Australian team to compete in next year's Winter Olympics in the new – and dangerous – sport of slopestyle skiing.

In 1996 Matthew Reilly, aged 22, self-published his first book. Now he has a list of international best sellers. In his books heroes prevail against impossible odds. But in his own life he's faced unexpected adversity from the most unlikely quarter. When, as a consequence, he lost his wife Natalie, Matthew Reilly's world collapsed. He says he thought he would never write again. As he reveals on Australian Story, the loss drove him to the brink of disaster.

Three years ago, 35 year old fashion photographer David Murrell was told he had just months to live. A tumour the size of an orange was removed from his brain. It was the worst kind of highly aggressive cancer. But in a lucky coincidence his own father, a cell biologist, emerged as a possible saviour. Dr Wayne Murrell just happened to be part of a team in Norway working on an experimental vaccine for exactly that kind of tumour. "I'm a scientist, I don't believe in coincidence!" Dr Murrell says. But what happened next defied the odds...

This week's Australian Story charts Torah Bright's remarkable comeback from a year of setbacks and struggles, culminating in an euphoric medal win at the Sochi Winter Olympics. Bright grabbed Australia's first medal with a nail biting silver in the Women's Half Pipe final. The latest win makes her our greatest female winter Olympian. For the family oriented snowboarder, the achievement is remarkable, given a supremely difficult preparation year marked by tough personal and professional challenges. Australian Story viewers first met Torah Bright two years ago. This program documents the behind the scenes role of unusually strong family ties as Bright pushes through every possible obstacle on the path to Sochi...

Lt.Col. Cate McGregor AM has been a participant in some of the most significant chapters in recent Australian history. She has been a political strategist for both the ALP and the Liberal Party. In her current role as a senior Army officer, she wrote last year's landmark speech by the Chief of the Army David Morrison which went viral around the world. Now, she is the most high profile individual in Australia to 'come out' as a transgendered person. When, after decades of private struggle, Malcolm finally decided to become Cate she was 'terrified' about the likely reaction from friends and colleagues. Prime Minister Abbott, Army Chief David Morrison, Liberal pollster Mark Textor and political journalist Barrie Cassidy are among a range of high profile individuals who speak candidly about Cate's transformation and its impact on them.

Monday night's program centres on a remarkable friendship between a top scientist and a coach driver and a crazy brave dream to do something about childhood cancer. Their unlikely alliance has forged a breakthrough that's creating excitement around the world. Col Reynolds started raising funds to help children with cancer after a chance encounter at a hospital. He was introduced to cancer researcher Professor Peter Gunning who desperately needed funds to explore a radical new way of forcing cancer cells to collapse by 'killing' a single component. By 2009 Professor Gunning and his associates had developed a drug and began lab tests. Last year their beakthrough findings were published in the prestigious Cancer Research Journal with human trials now not too far off...

David Rennie fell in love with photography seven years ago when he was lured from his car by the sight of a passing bird overhead. The encounter led to a newfound passion for wildlife photography that took him away from his family for weeks at a time as he tracked birds through the environmentally sensitive Mandurah wetlands south of Perth. His skills as a self-taught photographer were recognised last year when he won the prestigious Australian Geographic ANZANG award for a dramatic shot showing a young osprey and a spoonbill narrowly avoiding a collision in mid air. Documenting the fragile birdlife also helped David deal with his own demons and ultimately to confront a bizarre mystery involving his father.

Tara Winkler was just 19 when she set off on the trip to Cambodia that would change her life. After coming across an orphanage where funds were embezzled and young girls sexually abused, she set up her own orphanage in the city of Battambang in 2007. Seven years later, the organisation she created is no longer an orphanage but a community development organisation offering help to poor families and more than 100 children each day. Tara Winkler is no longer 'mum' to the kids. But in the four years since she was first profiled on Australian Story, she has faced dramas in her professional and personal life that nobody could have predicted. The story is introduced by fashion designer Jodhi Meares, a supporter of Tara Winkler's Cambodian Children's Trust.

Adam Boland was just 26 years old when he was handed the reins of the ailing Sunrise program on Channel 7. It was the start of something very new and a game changer for the networks. Some observers credit Boland with paving the way for the current ascendancy of the Seven Network. But it's been a tempestuous ride for Adam Boland. Now in the aftermath of a very public implosion, he's walking away from the industry that he says nearly destroyed him.

Introduced by Australian of the Year, Adam Goodes. Explorer and airline pilot Percy Trezise was captivated by Quinkan rock art fifty years ago when road workers stumbled across an ancient painting. The Quinkans are now rated among the most impressive and ancient rock art in the world. They became an obsession for Trezise – a passion passed on to his two sons. Percy recorded stories from the elders and worked closely with legendary artist Dick Roughsey to protect the fragile paintings, hidden amongst the sandstone escarpments near Laura in Far North Queensland. Now his sons, Matt and Steven Trezise, are at a crossroads as they contemplate their own uncertain future after years guiding visitors into the rock art sites and managing their father's legacy.

Getting on for a decade after his death, the legendary businessman Kerry Packer remains an intriguing and puzzling figure. Building on his father's success in the media industry, he dominated Australian TV and became the nation's richest person. His own son James is now following in his father's footsteps, extending the reach of the Packer empire around the world. But beneath the famous bravado and bluster of Kerry Packer, was there actually a very complex personality, at odds with the public image? Was he, as some say, a deeply conflicted man 'at war with himself'? In Monday's Australian Story, some of those who knew the tycoon well share their candid insights into the Packer paradox, the demons that drove him, and the 'deeply sentimental' side that was kept well out of the public gaze. The program features a wealth of rarely seen archival material and photographs.

This week, the conclusion of our story about the legendary businessman Kerry Packer... Beneath the famous bravado and bluster was he actually a deeply conflicted, emotional man who spent his life 'at war with himself'? The program explores puzzling questions around a fatal road accident some sixty years ago that nearly ended Kerry Packer's life when he was just eighteen. It traces the decline of a man once seen as indestructible and tracks the spectacular rise of his son James under the strict tutelage of his father. Do the strong patterns of the past provide clues to the future of the Packers in the 2lst Century? Introduced by Caroline Jones and features Jodhi Meares, Al 'Chainsaw' Dunlap, Malcolm Turnbull, Phillip Adams, Graham Richardson, John Howard and others.

Introduced by Amanda Shalala from ABC Grandstand This week's program tells the story of an Olympic champion so seemingly without ego that even his son and grandsons knew very little of his fame. Andrew 'Boy' Charlton was a hero who stamped his name across the world, with feats so marvellous he forged Australia's national spirit at a time when the nation was beleaguered by the Depression and the losses of the Great War. At just 16, he sliced two minutes off the world record for the 1500m freestyle, and won Australia’s first gold medal in that event at the 1924 Paris Olympics. It was the beginning of a dynasty of Australian swimmers – Murray Rose, John Konrads, Kieren Perkins and Grant Hackett – who later made the 1500m 'Australia's event'. But then at the height of his fame, and when Hollywood movie offers were there for the taking, 'Boy' Charlton retired to the bush, with no desire to perpetuate his name. Now a new generation is rediscovering this great Australian – a man called 'Boy'.

Introduced by international music star Leo Sayer. This week's program tells the bitter sweet personal story behind the hard-living facade of iconic Australian rock musician, Doc Neeson. As lead singer of The Angels, Doc Neeson had a string of big hits from the seventies right through to the nineties. One of their songs remains an unofficial anthem for generations of Australian youth. But just before Christmas 2012, Neeson was diagnosed with an aggressive brain tumour. Australian Story followed Neeson's journey over the last year as he received an Order of Australia and was the beneficiary of a fundraising concert featuring his friends Jimmy Barnes, Peter Garrett and David Haselhoff. The program also looks at the history and legacy of the legendary Angels band through the eyes of its original manager, John Woodruff and the producer of its most successful records, Mark Opitz.

Introduced by Caroline Jones. It was supposed to be the adventure of a lifetime but when Australian nurse Christy King led a group of experienced trekkers into the PNG jungle everything changed in an instant. Early in the evening of their first night in the mountainous terrain of the Black Cat track, the group was attacked by men wielding machetes and robbed at gunpoint. As day turned to night, Christy King was left to decide how best to protect the men in her care and how to manage the serious wounds of the PNG porters who took the brunt of the attack. With two of her group already dead she was left to make difficult and unenviable decisions. For the first time, she speaks publicly about the ordeal.

Introduced by actor and St Kilda resident, Rachel Griffiths. Monday night's program tells the story of the unsolved and savage murder of a woman called Tracy Connelly and the unexpected consequences of her death. Connelly was a St Kilda sex worker but her exceptional looks and personality endeared her to many in the local community where a street was known as 'Tracy's Corner'. Tracy Connelly seemingly lived most of her adult life thinking she counted for nothing but as events unfolded it turned out she couldn't have been more wrong. As community outrage spilled over onto social media, the family she left behind in Brisbane unexpectedly stepped forward to reclaim her. What emerges is a remarkable and poignant story. This episode also includes inside information from the ongoing Victoria Police investigation...

Introduced by Grant Hackett Includes interviews with Grant Hackett, Jared Perkins (brother), Daniel Kowalski and Karen Davis (fiancé). Monday night's program sheds new light on Kieren Perkins and one of the more memorable careers in Australian sporting history. It also provides candid insights into his unique rivalry with Grant Hackett. Kieren Perkins clinched his claim to 'legend' status with a remarkable comeback at Atlanta in 1996 after being all but written off in the lead up to the Games. At a time when many of the nation's swimming greats are struggling with life out of the pool, Perkins alone seems to have managed a smooth transition. Now aged forty, he has forged a second career as a successful banking executive and finally come to terms with the strange and difficult process of rocketing from sporting idol to 'nobody'. In this candid two part episode, he reveals the surprising truth about what went wrong in Atlanta; acknowledges his own struggles to create a new life; and introduces his new partner, the woman credited with bringing new happiness into his life.

Introduced by Grant Hackett Monday’s program concludes the epic tale of Kieren Perkins and the inside story of his battles to build a new life away from the sport that had dictated his every move since childhood. The program reveals new detail of the ‘nation stopping’ day in July 1996 when Perkins swam his way to a gold medal in the 1500 after being all but written off when he qualified last in the heats. Kieren Perkins, now aged forty, is credited with largely avoiding the tabloid catastrophes that have bedevilled so many of his contemporaries. But in this week’s candid conclusion he discloses some of his own struggles and introduces his new partner, fellow banking executive Karen Davis. She is credited with bringing new happiness into his life not least, according to Perkins, because she knows him only as a banker, not a swimming hero...

This week's program provides an intriguing glimpse behind the scenes of the reality TV phenomenon that's captured the TV landscape in Australia. Jules Allen left her large family to appear as a 'willing hostage' on the popular MasterChef reality TV show. She admits she lusted after 'fifteen minutes of fame' but she was unprepared for the 'excruciating' highs and lows she encountered on the program and in its aftermath. A single mother, she's fostered twenty-nine children but she says managing a house full of hormonal teenagers pales alongside the psychological demands of MasterChef. It's become clear to Jules Allen that her experience is not unique. Psychologists and industry observers say the same techniques are used in most of the popular reality shows, from Big Brother to My Kitchen Rules. Jules Allen reveals it's left her 'humbler' with a clear sense of what actually matters in life...

This week's Australian Story provides a rare insight into the mysterious world of Australia's elite Commando regiments. Corporal Cameron Baird was killed last year in Southern Afghanistan. At the time the Australian Defence Force said the 32-year-old soldier had 'died how he lived – at the front, giving his all, without any indecision.' Earlier this year he was awarded a posthumous Victoria Cross which made him Australia's most decorated soldier, in company with Corporal Benjamin Roberts-Smith. Corporal Baird was the very last Australian soldier to be killed in action in Afghanistan - just months before the troop withdrawal. Now, for the first time, those closest to him are telling his story...

This week's program goes to the 'tip of the spear' with elite commandos trapped in a lethal and protracted gun battle in Afghanistan. "It's not like TV, it's not a movie, this is for real" says army chaplain Padre John Sanderson. Earlier this year Corporal Cameron Baird was awarded a posthumous Victoria Cross for his raw courage in the heat of combat. In this concluding episode, his commando colleagues provide a rare, poignant and riveting account of those fatal hours...

This week the quirky, life affirming story of a young Australian from country Victoria, a car with a history, and a novel that's on its way to becoming a runaway success around the world. Seven years ago, Brooke Davis was travelling overseas when she received bad news from home. From that sad turning point, she's unexpectedly created a funny and touching book that challenges conventions around loss and grief, and advocates living life to the full - whatever your age. Brooke Davis was working part-time in a Perth bookshop when her manuscript excited the attention of a publisher. Even ahead of its release in Australia, the novel started a bidding war with sales to publishers in more than twenty countries from the USA to Portugal. Now Brooke Davis is telling her own story…

How many people with a diagnosis of dementia join a dating agency? How many more find true love? This is just one of the many intriguing aspects of Christine Bryden's story. A medical puzzle, the brilliant biochemist has long outlived her original dementia prognosis. At the age of 46 she was told to retire and prepare herself for the nursing home. She had other ideas. A firebrand advocate she has shaken up the health system here and transformed attitudes towards people with dementia in Japan. Most importantly she has given people with dementia a voice. Christine tells us about her twenty year journey with dementia and takes us inside what is still a largely unexplored world.

Popular singer songwriter Megan Washington performs on stage for huge audiences. But as Australian Story reveals this week, she's been terrified of public speaking all her life. When she was asked to be a presenter at the annual ARIA Awards the very thought made her 'feel sick'. From the age of five, she's suffered a debilitating stutter. Years of speech therapy helped her to overcome and disguise the condition. Then last year, she says, she wrote a song so personal it wound up changing her whole outlook on life. As a result she decided to stare down her personal demons and deliver a speech to a capacity crowd at Sydney Opera House...

This week's program tells the story of an unlikely friendship between a former wildlife ranger and the renowned British conservationist Dame Jane Goodall. Their special connection has become a 'game changer' for the men and women on the front line of the increasingly bloody global war against poachers. Ten years ago Sean Willmore set up an organisation called the Thin Green Line to 'protect the protectors' – wildlife rangers who were being killed and maimed. But it was only when Willmore crawled from his his sick bed on the off chance of meeting Dame Jane in Melbourne that the real breakthroughs came. Now he has the ear of world leaders, rock stars and British Royal Princes...

This week Australian Story returns to the story of one the world's best known dancers, Li Cunxin, as we go behind the scenes in a risky new venture with the Queensland Ballet. Also known as 'Mao's Last Dancer' through his bestselling book and movie of the same name, Li Cunxin took over in 2012 as artistic director of the Queensland Ballet. Tonight's program centres on his friendship with the Australian-born wife of the famous ballet choreographer Sir Kenneth MacMillan and the trials and tribulations behind the staging of Sir Kenneth's version of Romeo and Juliet.

This week's Australian Story is proof that from little things big things can grow. Three years ago we told the story of emerging young comedians Nazeem Hussain and Aamer Rahman who were making a big impact on the Australian comedy circuit with their provocative satire. In Divide and Conquer we discover how Aamer Rahman has since become an internet sensation, making news around the world and how Nazeem Hussain got the opportunity of a lifetime; his very own TV show. And apologies to their female fans, one of the men has even found love; growing up, moving out of the parental home and getting married.

This week we meet an 'ageing' activist who admits he's spent close to fifty years tilting at windmills without a lot to show for it... until now. Drew Hutton seems as surprised as anyone that nearing seventy, he masterminded 'Lock the Gate' a big and effective people power campaign against coal seam gas. And he's done it by uniting former sworn enemies – the farmers and the greens. He's also mobilised the support of his old school teacher, influential 'shock jock' Alan Jones. But as we reveal, this late life 'success' has come at a high cost to his health and his personal life.

At the age of 21, aeronautical engineer Lauren Burns was told a family secret that turned her world upside down. Barbara Burns revealed that Lauren was conceived in a Melbourne clinic using donor sperm. The man she knew as her father was infertile. Mrs Burns says the culture at the time was to 'take the child home and forget how it was conceived. Just pretend it was your child and nobody knew.' Helped by her mother, Lauren embarked on a long and arduous search to discover the identity of her donor father – a man she knew only as 'C11' – from the first letter of his surname and his height, 5'11". Four fruitless years later, Lauren had one final card to play. What she managed to finally discover was truly astonishing. 'Searching For C11', a two part Australian Story special, untangles a complex ethical and emotional web involving not just Lauren Burns but two other young women...

In this week's program, aeronautical engineer Dr Lauren Burns finally finds out the identity of her biological father. To the amazement of all, he turns out to be part of a particularly distinguished Australian family. We join Lauren as she meets him for the first time – and gets to know her half siblings. At the same time two other young women, also created from donor sperm, have been trying desperately to determine their biological inheritance. But for them, it's a world of pain and no easy answers. Together their stories raise challenging ethical, medical and legal issues that few would have envisaged a generation ago.

This week’s program goes behind the scenes with a tenacious regional newspaper reporter who last year won Australia’s top journalism award. Joanne McCarthy’s exposure of a national scandal emerging in the Newcastle and Hunter Valley region played a large part in the establishment of one of Australia’s biggest-ever Royal Commissions. Her efforts so impressed former Prime Minister Julia Gillard that one of her last acts in office was to send a personal note to Ms McCarthy. As this program reveals, it’s been a marathon effort for both Joanne McCarthy and some of those closest to her, including her parents and ten siblings....

This week's program looks at the unlikely evolution of an unexpected global comedy hit. Christiaan Van Vuuren was devastated when he was diagnosed with drug resistant tuberculosis and forced into hospital quarantine for six months. To pass the time he started making humorous video clips documenting his experiences in the isolation ward. The videos went viral around the world on YouTube. Now Christiaan and his brother Connor are being courted by some of the big players in the film and TV industry...

What happens when a former soldier from Tasmania arrives in Canberra with a potentially vital role to play in governing the nation? Jacqui Lambie is the most outspoken and controversial of Clive Palmer's 'Palmer United Party' senators who hold crucial balance of power votes in the senate. Australian Story has been 'embedded' with Jacqui Lambie as she learns the ropes in parliament and navigates a series of headline-grabbing dramas. We meet her family back in Burnie, Tasmania and track her through Canberra as she deals with everything from deciding what to wear to meet a PM she's just described as a 'political psychopath', to outrage over her 'well hung' and 'Chinese invasion' moments. She also talks candidly about being a single mother, her addictions, despair and her propensity to 'take a swing at opponents'. Her headline-grabbing antics are making news but seasoned commentators suggest she should not be underestimated. So what are her real motives and what about her vulnerabilities?

This week’s program looks at the untold stranger than fiction life of a woman well recognised in the entertainment industry for her role in helping to launch the careers of some of Australia's biggest stars. Jan Russ was the initial casting director for Neighbours and remained in the role for nearly 25 years, launching performers like Jason Donovan, Kylie Minogue, Delta Goodrem, Natalie Imbruglia, Liam Hemsworth and Guy Pearce. But until now the Australian star-maker has hidden the private pain of her own tumultuous real life story. Jan Russ's personal story has all the ingredients of a prime time drama playing out over fifty years and several continents. It starts with a teenage pregnancy and a lifelong quest to find a daughter adopted out in particularly harrowing circumstances. There's a stellar career, a doomed marriage and in the last couple of years the unexpected ascendancy of a son who has suddenly become a huge hit on South Korean television...

This week’s program concludes the family saga of the woman credited as the ‘silent operator’ of the Australian entertainment industry. Jan Russ helped launch some young stars who have gone on to fame in Hollywood but unbeknown to anybody, her own life was as drama filled as anything on the big screen. Russ’s motto has been ‘the show must go on’ and so it has – not least through the new ascendancy of her son Sam who’s emerged as the king of comedy on South Korean TV. But she never stopped thinking about the earlier baby she adopted out in heartbreaking circumstances five decades ago. In Monday's program we find out what happened when Jan tracked down her lost daughter...

Fiona O'Loughlin emerged out of Alice Springs some thirteen years ago as a 'fully formed' 36 year old stand up comedy sensation. She wowed local and international audiences with unconventional stories of raising five children in the outback. Then after collapsing on stage in Brisbane, she confessed she was an alcoholic. But behind the scenes, the drinking got worse. In Monday's program, Ms O'Loughlin and those closest to her candidly confront the darkest demons of an issue that has famously bedevilled many male comedians, but is less acknowledged by women in the public eye. It's been a tough road but she has just achieved her first year in recovery, and is back performing to sell out audiences. She's also returned to Alice and the family home she abandoned three years ago at the height of her problems.

This Monday, we find out what's been happening in the lives of a family who featured in one of our most popular programs. It's the story of radio and TV personality Ian 'Dano' Rogerson and his wife Nicole, who gave up their home, successful careers and an exciting lifestyle for the love of their son, Jack. Diagnosed with autism as a toddler, Jack Rogerson was hyperactive, could barely speak and was unable to express ordinary affection. They were determined to do whatever it took to enable their son to lead a mainstream lifestyle. Five years on, the family's determination is being richly rewarded. At 18, Jack has recently graduated from a mainstream high school and is looking forward to a career in the hospitality industry...

More than three-million viewers watched Karise Eden named as 'The Voice Australia' in 2012. One week later, she had four songs in the top five ARIA singles chart, the first artist to achieve that since The Beatles in 1964. But her national tour, a few months later, was cancelled after just four performances. Much has eventuated since then and Karise Eden is gradually coming to terms with her 'turbulent' past. In Monday's moving Australian Story the 22 year old singer finally reveals what happened after The Voice...

On a summer's day in 1992 a thirteen year old schoolgirl called Prue Bird vanished without a trace. Her mother Jenny returned from the local swimming pool and found only an open door and an uneaten meal. It became one of Victoria's most enduring mysteries. For Jenny Bird there was an extra twist to the torment. Was the disappearance connected to the underworld links of Prue's doting grandmother - and to the Russell Street police station bombing six years earlier? For the first time all the stakeholders in an astonishing crime saga tell their side of a real life 'underbelly' saga still impacting today on three generations of one family.

This week's program concludes the astonishing family crime saga behind the disappearance of Melbourne teenager Prue Bird. Her mother Jenny had long suspected Prue's abduction might be payback for family connections that link back to the notorious Russell Street police bombing. But Melbourne police failed to get a break on the case and Prue's disappearance lingered for years in the missing persons files. A last ditch effort by Jenny Bird led to a reward being offered and a sensational confession from an unexpected quarter. In this compelling conclusion, the schism in Jenny Bird's family is laid bare. There are new answers but profoundly disturbing questions remain...

This week's program reveals the improbable saga of the making of a very modern family. It's a narrative that 'starts at the end - and ends at the beginning'. Advertising executive Aminah Hart lost two baby boys as a result of a genetic disorder passed from mother to son. Anonymous sperm donation and IVF offered a last chance to have a healthy child. Of five possible donors one stood out, a cattle breeder from Phillip Island who, crucially, described himself as 'happy and healthy'. When blue eyed blonde baby Leila arrived two years ago, events took a most unexpected turn...

It's been a while since the words popular and politician appeared credibly in the same sentence. But a generation ago one Prime Minister, Bob Hawke, basked in sustained acclaim. He turns 85 next month. It's a watershed in a life marked by much drama and four successive election victories. This first ever television biography of Mr Hawke features fascinating previously unpublished family photographs and footage. It includes interviews with closest family members and significant political figures and commentators. It sheds new light on a complex man, an intriguing family, and a momentous era...

This week's program concludes the story of former Prime Minister Bob Hawke. A generation ago he basked in the kind of sustained acclaim that's become rare in politics. Mr Hawke will be 85 next month. It's a milestone in a life marked by personal drama and four successive election victories. This moving final episode covers the most dramatic years of all including the Hawke ascendancy in the eighties, loss of the Prime Ministership, family breakdown, re-marriage and reconciliation. It includes interviews with closest family members and major political figures and commentators. It sheds new light on a complex man, an intriguing family, and a momentous era...

In this final program for 2014, Australian Story visits a remote West Australian cattle station. The story of historic 'Wooleen' and the young couple who live there drew a big reaction from viewers three years ago. Since that time, the big challenges of the property have increased for David Pollock and Frances Jones... Jones arrived at 'Wooleen' from a lush, green suburb in outer Melbourne during a gap year trip. She fell for the station and its owner and has been there ever since. Together, the pair have embarked on a radical venture to return the rangelands to good health by destocking and replicating natural ecosystems. But with drought gripping WA their beliefs are now being put to the ultimate test...

From her high-end advertising agency in Sydney, Dof Dickinson committed her resources to make a film about an animal she'd never met and in the process, met a community she'd never forget - the people of Port Hedland.

Looks back at the life and loves of Lady Susan Renouf. For decades she was known as a famous wife and socialite but now faces the greatest challenge of her life as an independent woman.

The inside story of iconic outback adventurers, the Leyland Brothers. Pioneering young stars, to bankruptcy and illness, Mal Leyland reveals all, and reflects on a career full of highs and lows.

Looks at how the feature film Paper Planes unfolded and updates the stories of the two young men who first featured on the program back in 2009.

A mind bending tale from the frontline of the reproduction revolution. "The family court has not even envisaged the scenario they've created".

How a popular Sydney GP, Dr Jamal Rifi, became the 'go to' man in a time of crisis.

The first in a two-part special. What happens when a neighbours' dispute in a rural community suddenly goes global?

Final in a two-part special. What happens when a neighbours' dispute in a rural community suddenly goes global?

The inspiring story of a young family and the death of a beloved sporting legend.

An audacious WWII attack behind enemy lines achieved by 14 men and a fishing boat: will the efforts of one Z Special veteran be enough to raise the humble MV Krait to its rightful glory?

When lightning strikes twice...one family's inspiring survival story.

Reinventing Sergeant Simon Illingworth - a corruption busting cop finds a new life and love on the land.

Saving Yaraka. What happens when a former head teacher buys an outback pub.

This episode revisits one of Australian Story's most popular programs ever. The iconic rural property at the centre of that program, Tarwyn Park, has been sold to make way for an open cut coal mine.

In 2005 Peter Andrews, a racehorse breeder and farmer had succeeded in converting degraded land into fertile pasture. The farm has now been sold to a Korean power company, and has exposed deep divisions in the Andrews family.

Breaking the silence: the untold story of Steve Irwin's original Croc Hunter Team.

The untold inside story of how David Morrison became a crusader for cultural change in the Army and of the women who galvanised him.

In a candid interview, Darius Boyd speaks about his mother's battle with mental illness, his own battle with depression and how football first became his saviour and then his worst enemy.

After being convicted of sexual abuse Josephine Greensill might well have languished in prison for the full five year sentence had it not been for the determination of her sisters, Annette and Mary Toohey.

We revisit Australian Story's most popular couple, Mac and Gayle Shann. Back in 2003 cameras followed Gayle's recovery from an horrific farming accident which caused the loss of one arm and the use of her other.

In a world obsessed with physical beauty, Robert Hoge is a man embracing 'ugly'. He's on a mission to confront us all with some difficult questions and start a new debate about concepts of beauty.

How a boy from an ordinary Queanbeyan family made it to the top of Formula One; How he succeeded when thousands of others saw their dreams crash and burn. This is the story of Mark Webber's success.

In an exclusive interview, the media-shy Gina Rinehart talks about her pioneering ancestors, her father's triumphs and struggles, her pride in the Roy Hill mine, and the business and family troubles encountered along the way.

In Part 2, Gina Rinehart reflects on the pioneering exploits of her early ancestors, her pride in the imminent completion of the Roy Hill mine, and the business and family troubles she has encountered along the way.

Solicitor Peter Boyce acted for the Morcombe family during the inquest into the disappearance of their son Daniel. Together with Bruce Morcombe, his research helped highlight the man who was later convicted for murder.

As Don Bradman's cherished granddaughter Greta prepares to shine on the world stage as an operatic soprano, the family of the cricketing legend tell their inside story for the first time.

In part two of Being Bradman, as granddaughter Greta takes to the international stage as an opera singer, Sir Donald Bradman's very private family opens up about how his fame cast a large shadow and has affected their lives.

'From Daddy's Tummy' tells the story of AJ, partner Zu and their two children and reveals a stunning photographic record of AJ's transition from female to male.

Life at a crossroads: At 70, Australian Geraldine Cox weighs up the future of the 400 children under her care in Cambodia.

An up and coming comedian transforms a harrowing family back story into unforgettable comedy.

Inside fashion designer Collette Dinnigan's private world and her decision to pull back from her global fashion empire and spend more time with friends and family.

From rubbish dump to a garden masterpiece. The quest to preserve Wendy Whiteley's magnificent Secret Garden.

An intimate portrait of Malcolm Turnbull and his family, told by those closest to him.

Sydney woman Natalie Lovett tells the story of her daughter's conception using a donor egg & sperm. She's left with an unexpected dilemma: what to do with the remaining embryos? Her solution is both surprising & shocking.

Unmasking the comic genius of actor, Garry McDonald. Airing as part of Mental As... ABC's week long initiative in support of Mental Health Week.

Singer Jenny Morris makes a dramatic personal revelation. The ARIA-award winning performer has been diagnosed with a life-changing medical condition that has forced her to cut her career short.

Lucy Haslam is a woman in a hurry. Since losing her son Daniel to cancer, the Tamworth resident has stepped up her campaign to legalise medicinal cannabis.

Cedar and Stuart Anderson have revolutionised the humble beehive. From living off the smell of an oily rag they've now become millionaires. How will they cope moving from a simple life to running an international company?

A young Kimberley tour guide beats the odds, to follow in the footsteps of a distinguished ancestor.

What one mother uncovered on her rural property after her family was dealt the most terrible blow.

The man who's taken football from the forgotten game to unforgettable glory - Ange Postecoglou.

Margot Spalding: The colourful Bendigo business woman who's campaigning against intolerance and hate.

The forgotten man: Peter Hall completed the Sydney Opera House after Danish architect Jorn Utzon resigned. But he was pilloried for his efforts. He died broken and destitute.

Mystery at sea: Two men leave on the trip of a lifetime, but only one returns. Now family and friends embark on a quest to solve this baffling disappearance in the remote Pacific Ocean.

The remarkable story of Barry 'Nugget' Rees, who rose from the most unlikely circumstances to become friend and trusted confidante of generations of Australia's elite cricketers.

Inside the private life of international rugby star David Pocock. We travel back to his homeland Zimbabwe where dramatic events shaped the passion that so famously drives him today, both on and off the field.

In the concluding episode of this television exclusive, David Pocock, his partner Emma and his family reveal the inside story of one of Australia's most remarkable contemporary sports stars.

Eighty-year-old Dr. Rodney Syme is prepared to defy the law to help a terminally ill man die, even if it means going to jail.

Former advertising executive Aminah Hart always wanted to be a mother, but no one expected the back-to-front romance that made it happen.

The woman on a mission to change the face of fashion: Model agent Chelsea Bonner is the daughter of famously beautiful parents but she's staked her career on changing our ideas of beauty and body image.

The surprising personal revelations of Australia's first Minister for the Prevention of Family Violence, Fiona Richardson MP.

Paul White, or 'Whitey' to his mates, is an unstoppable force. He's the bush copper turned CEO of one of Australia's most successful sporting clubs. A shock diagnosis has left him fighting for his life.

The legacy of the Port Arthur massacre and the impact it had on survivors and witnesses.

For the first time on TV, Michelle Bridges and her family talk about her becoming a mum at 45, her relationship with 'Commando' Steve Willis and taking on the junk food industry.

Ten years ago, two-year-old Abby Walker was diagnosed with a life-threatening illness and her parents made a controversial decision. Today she is fit and well. This is her family's remarkable journey.

Music as medicine: one of Australia's first Indigenous doctors, Mark Wenitong, pioneers music for healing after his family is shattered by a horrific accident involving his daughter, musician Naomi Wenitong.

After cheating death in her early twenties, Danielle Tindle is on a mission to improve treatment and care for other young cancer patients. Now she faces a greater challenge. Can she beat the odds again?

The remarkable untold story behind the creation of Australia's newest opera and its composer George Palmer.

The exclusive inside story of an elite Australian army commando charged with the manslaughter of five children after a horrific and controversial raid gone wrong in Afghanistan.

Continuing the exclusive story of an elite Australian Army Commando charged with the manslaughter of five children after a horrific and controversial raid gone wrong in Afghanistan.

This two-part anniversary special looks back over Australian Story's key themes, with participants and producers revealing the stories behind some of the show's most significant and popular programs.

Celebrating 20 Years On Air, ABC's multi-award-winning program looks back on some of the most memorable moments and reveals the untold stories behind them.

This week's episode focuses on Michele Perry's quest for justice and to understand why her homeless brother, Morgan Wayne Perry, was killed in a knife attack by a young private school graduate.

Actor John Wood introduces the story of Pat Murphy, a farmer who's doing it tough after a coal mine opened next to his property. Now Pat wants to leave the area, but that's easier said than done.

Filmmaker David Batty has been a White man in a Black world for 40 years. He struck gold with cult series 'Bush Mechanics'. Now despite a family tragedy he's back with a new screen adventure.

Renowned climber Paul Pritchard returns to Tasmania's notorious Totem Pole to tackle the climb that nearly killed him eighteen years earlier and left him partially paralysed with a massive head injury.

Travel to the outback with innovative engineer-turned-cardiologist Dr Rolf Gomes who takes life-saving cardiac care to people in regional Australia.

Gone Girl: Two young people fall in love and marry, but are torn apart when one of them is taken into immigration detention. Supporters are determined to see the decision reversed.

A heart-warming story of friendship between legendary jazz musician Don Burrows and the star he mentored, James Morrison. Now with Don Burrows about to turn 88, the roles have reversed.

With all eyes on Rio, Ian Thorpe introduces a program marking the 60th anniversary of Australia's greatest ever Olympics Melbourne 1956 & the swimmer who inspired generations of Olympians - Murray Rose.

Battling prejudice and legal challenges, 16-year-old transgender teenager Georgie Stone takes on the system to make life easier for other transgender kids and their families.

What A Wonderful World: Fifty years on, Patricia Amphlett (Little Pattie) returns to Vietnam where as a 17-year-old she was on stage performing for Australian troops when the Battle of Long Tan broke out.

Businesswoman Susan Alberti could only dream of playing AFL. Now she's supporting a new Women's League & has struck up an unlikely friendship with top player Moana Hope.

Filmmaker and actor Damon Gameau repays a debt of knowledge when he returns to Central Australia to help revitalise an Indigenous community's healthy eating initiative.

A year on, what's happening with Australia's most unlikely millionaires? Revisit Byron Bay's father and son beekeepers, the Andersons to see how the success of their company changed their lives.

An old fashioned love story with a modern day twist. Country singer Beccy Cole wants to tie the knot with her partner cabaret singer Libby O'Donovan. But will the law be changed to allow same-sex marriage?

When two cousins set out to find the truth about their grandfather, they uncover family secrets, a scandalous/shocking murder and more questions than answers.

Taylor & Michael have Down syndrome. They plan to marry & have children, but their parents don't believe they have the skills to raise a family. Can their parents stop them or will their right to reproduce prevail?

For years TV newsreader Talitha Cummins masked her alcoholism, until her drinking spiralled out of control. Now four years sober, she describes herself as the modern face of alcoholism: young, professional & high functioning.

Brisbane mother Sally Faulkner reveals for the first time the story behind a desperate attempt to get her children back from Beirut, which landed her in jail along with a 60 Minutes crew.

The story of Brisbane mother Sally Faulkner continues, as she describes her desperate attempt to get her children back from Beirut, which landed her in jail along with a 60 Minutes crew.

Black Caviar captured the nation's imagination like no other horse since Phar Lap. Now her first offspring Oscietra is a promising two-year-old filly with top trainer David Hayes.

In a bold social experiment, the tiny rural community of Mingoola on the NSW-Queensland border is looking to the past to secure the future.

With summer fast approaching, the experience of a Queensland family is a timely warning of a hidden and deadly danger that can lurk in warm, fresh waters of regional Australia.

Medico Khaled Naanaa caused a global outcry by exposing the deliberate starvation of civilians in Syria. But doing so made him a target. Now he's been given a new life in Australia.

Sophie Cape, a former elite downhill skier and track cyclist, survived death-defying injuries and extreme mental trauma to become one of the young "rock stars" of Australian art.

The Hardest Choice: After a series of heartbreaking decisions, Claudine and Dave Fitzgibbon take a leap of faith with pioneering surgery to improve their chances of having a healthy child.

Australian singer-songwriter Melody Pool's journey through young love and heartbreak takes a surprising turn and threatens to derail a promising career.

Underwater adventurer Professor Ove Hoegh-Guldberg leads a team that believes some of the world's great coral reefs can be saved from the threat of rising sea temperatures and climate change.

Could one of Australia's most notorious cold cases finally be solved? Two women investigate a chilling crime and discover a world of fear, favours and political intrigue.

A young asylum seeker is released from immigration detention to return to her married life in the community. But she faces an uncertain future.

Blindsided by her mother's shock suicide, newspaper columnist Nikki Gemmell's search for answers takes her down the rabbit hole of the euthanasia debate.

Reigning world surfing champion Tyler Wright reveals how her campaign for the title was almost derailed when her brother Owen was seriously injured in a surfing accident.

Two brothers Mal and Mike Leyland were pioneers of outback documentary-making, first setting off to Central Australia in 1960. But after a failed tourist project, they fell out and never fully reconciled.

Peter Lyndon-James is a former ice addict and criminal now running Australia's strictest drug rehabilitation centre. At Shalom House in Perth, addicts go cold turkey with surprising results.

A veteran's campaign to preserve a rickety little fishing boat, in which fourteen "Z Special" commandos undertook one of Australia's most audacious missions of WWII.

Channeling Mr Woo: From a humble migrant background to internet stardom, maths teacher Eddie Woo is changing lives by providing free maths lessons worldwide on his Wootube site.

As they work to regenerate their historic property of Wooleen in WA, newlyweds David Pollock and Frances Jones risk alienating their neighbours in the community where David grew up.

With his award-winning script for Lion, Luke Davies has become one of Hollywood's most celebrated screenwriters. But he found success only after overcoming years of addiction and despair.

Part 2 of the story of Luke Davies - poet, novelist & Oscar-nominated screenwriter of the hit movie Lion - charts his recovery from heroin addiction & rise to becoming one of the most sought-after writers in Hollywood.

With country people dying of heart disease at a rate far greater than their city cousins Dr Rolf Gomes pioneered a mobile cardio clinic. Thanks to a mystery million-dollar benefactor he's now about to build another Heart Bus.

The brutal murder of young Sydney mother Lynette White in 1973 has baffled police for decades. Join Sydney homicide detectives as they re-open the investigation and hunt for a breakthrough.

The story of Sam Goddard and his family's efforts to help him following a series of strokes. They defied medical advice, travelled overseas for treatments & experimented with an illicit substance... with remarkable results.

Two years ago Vincent Shin became the first school-based lawyer in Australia, the job of his dreams. But when he discovered a court file involving his father, he was shaken to the core.

As a child fleeing civil war in Africa, Mayor Chagai found solace in basketball. Now he's coaching a new generation of sporting champions among the Sudanese community in Sydney.

Ossie Cruse has been healing divisions in this country for 50 years. Now in his 80s he's inspiring his community to re-establish an ancient pathway where Aborigines first reached out to white settlers.

When a 20-year-old backpacker is murdered during a working holiday in rural Australia her grieving mother uncovers a world of sexual, financial and psychological exploitation.

After her daughter is brutally murdered while on the 88-day farm-work scheme, English woman Rosie Ayliffe travels to backpacker hotspots in Australia to lobby for change.

The Sydney dad who defied convention and took his autistic teenage son backpacking across Africa. The results could revolutionise the study of autism.

Sam Dastyari was the ALP's rising star until he was forced to resign from the Shadow Ministry last year over a political donations scandal. Tonight, the Senator speaks exclusively about lingering criticisms of his conduct.

She jumped off a bridge to end her life only to wake up in the ER after a miracle survival. One woman's story of recovery and making the most of a second chance at life.

Supermodel Robyn Lawley and her agent Chelsea Bonner take on the fashion industry to challenge its portrayal of the female form.

Grant Edwards was once Australia's strongest man. But what he was exposed to as a top Federal Police Officer forced him to confront his own devastating vulnerability.

Remembering Fiona Richardson, the Victorian Minister who passed away from breast cancer last week. The nation's first Minister for the Prevention of Family Violence, she had her own traumatic experience of domestic abuse.

The extraordinary story behind R U OK? Day. After advertising executive Gavin Larkin started the suicide prevention movement, he found out he was anything but ok. Nine years on, his legacy continues to sustain his own family.

When partners John Guthrie & Dennis Cash decided to foster traumatised teenage girls, their friends thought they were crazy. But two decades later, the 'daughters' & 'Dads' have morphed into a remarkable 21st century family.

Standing at just over a metre tall, Kiruna Stamell has knocked down every barrier in her way to forge a successful career as an actor and dancer.

Professor Tony Attwood has revolutionised our approach to Asperger's syndrome, credited with being a world expert in diagnosis and treatment and viewing it not as a condition to be 'fixed' but a gift to be valued.

Former Miss World Belinda Green found new meaning in life when she met veterinary surgeon Dr Howard Ralph, a man with an extraordinary devotion to saving native animals.

Forty years ago, Waverley Stanley's life changed when a teacher saw something special in the young indigenous student & arranged a boarding school scholarship. Now Waverley is extending the same opportunity to others.

Go behind-the-scenes with boxing's Mr Nice Guy Jeff Horn, charting his meteoric rise from bullied teen to world champion. The unknown teacher shot to international fame in July after his surprise take-down of Manny Pacquiao.

Socceroos Coach Ange Postecoglou speaks his mind ahead of Australia's do-or-die World Cup qualifying matches against Honduras. Postecoglou confronts the critics of his strategy and addresses speculation about his future.

For 20 years, Elisha Rose has lived with the secret shame of having a multiple murderer for a father. Elisha became a lawyer and tried to atone for her father's sins through charity work, keeping her secret until now.

Part One of an exclusive look back at the life of legendary broadcaster Mike Willesee as he faces his greatest challenge - a diagnosis of throat cancer.

The conclusion to the two-part special on broadcaster Mike Willesee as he faces his greatest challenge - a diagnosis of throat cancer.

An exclusive Australian Story investigation into the death of Justine Damond Ruszczyk, the Australian woman shot dead by a Minneapolis police officer after calling 911 to report a crime.

Australian Story returns with an exclusive behind-the-scenes invitation to the wedding not everyone in the family wanted, as former Prime Minister Tony Abbott's sister Christine Forster marries her partner Virginia Flitcroft.

When scientist Jim Bowler discovered an ancient skeleton in outback New South Wales 44 years ago, he had no idea it would change history. But Mungo Man's descendants have been fighting for the return of his bones ever since.

From Sydney's Western Suburbs all the way to London's Covent Garden, Australian dancers Steven McRae and Alexander Campbell compete for the ultimate prize in the world of dance.

When medical student Dinesh Palipana was left a quadriplegic after a horrific car accident, he was told he would never become a doctor. Now he's one of the top young medicos in a busy hospital.

Outback nurse Gayle Woodford was working alone at night in the remote community of Fregon when she vanished. This investigation reveals the issues behind her disappearance and the dangers for medical staff in the outback.

The Matildas women's football team is riding high after a year of headline-grabbing wins. But the team's success has been decades in the making; players have battled for equality and recognition for 40 years.

Eddie Woo first came to prominence with "Wootube" - his free YouTube maths channel. In the year since Australian Story profiled Eddie Woo, he's gone from suburban high school maths teacher to award-winning celebrity.

Justin Yerbury's family history of motor neurone disease inspired him to swap a basketball career for a science degree. Now a world expert on MND, his search for a treatment has taken on a terrible urgency.

When a war-torn commando takes on an uncaring defence establishment he has little idea of the backlash to follow. After an intensely personal battle, Mick Bainbridge is now helping other young soldiers take up the fight.

A young woman grapples with a deadly diagnosis while waging a campaign against the biggest cancer killer of her generation.

It's a decade since Dassi Erlich and her two sisters began campaigning to bring their former headmistress Malka Leifer to justice. As they edge towards their goal they reveal the personal cost of their extraordinary battle.

Dassi Erlich and her sisters' campaign to extradite their former headmistress from Israel to Australia takes a dramatic twist when an undercover operation produces compelling new evidence.

Twenty months after Claudine Fitzgibbon underwent groundbreaking surgery to help her unborn child, Australian Story checks in to see how baby Harvey is progressing.

A charismatic choirmaster takes a group of women from central Australia to Germany on an unlikely and remarkable road trip.

When baby Massimo Damiani was struck down by a mystery disease, his father set out to discover its genetic origins. After a stunning scientific breakthrough Stephen Damiani is now helping to develop a radical new treatment.

When the body of Mark Haines was found on the train tracks near Tamworth in 1988, police quickly dismissed any idea of foul play. But after a 5 year investigation, journalist Allan Clarke believes he may have found the truth.

As journalist Allan Clarke digs deeper into events on the night Mark Haines died he discovers more about his last few hours. As he cracks the case wide open he is led to the man he believes is the killer.

For the first time, celebrity chef Matt Golinski speaks about overcoming the unthinkable - the loss of his wife and three daughters in a house fire - and through his long and painful rehabilitation how he found love again.

Serving a 30-year prison sentence for killing four of her young children, Kathleen Folbigg speaks for the first time about her case. As she seeks a judicial review, an independent forensic pathologist reviews the evidence.

One of the toughest jobs in town comes up for grabs at Sydney's Wayside Chapel when pastor Graham Long decides to retire. Having ministered the homeless and vulnerable for the past 14 years, who can he find to fill his shoes?

Mark and Julie Wallace faced every parent's worst nightmare when their 21-year-old daughter Sara Zelenak was killed in a London terror attack last year. Now they're channelling their energies into creating a fitting legacy.

From a homeless alcoholic living in the wild to academic success and a book deal - the amazing comeback story of forest dweller Gregory Smith.

The case of missing Sydney mother Lyn Dawson has captivated audiences around the world since the release of The Teacher's Pet podcast. The next chapter of the story features exclusive interviews with friends and family.

Yellow Wiggle Emma Watkins looks back over the most challenging year of her life and speaks exclusively about her health problems, marriage breakdown and plans for the future.

The town of Whyalla, SA was facing extinction when the owner of the local steelworks went bust. Desperate to save their jobs, employees voted for a pay cut which was rewarded when billionaire Sanjeev Gupta came to town.

Taryn Brumfitt is behind a global movement inspiring women to make peace with their bodies. Tired of striving for an impossible ideal she proudly posted a photograph of her 'real' self online. The response was extraordinary.

Samuel Symons, son of TV personality Red Symons, inspired everyone around him during his courageous battle with cancer. He passed away last week at age 27. His mother Elly introduces this Australian Story from 2010.

Prince Harry spoke exclusively to Australian Story ahead of the Invictus Games which will open in Sydney. One of the competitors will be Garry Robinson, a former commando who narrowly survived a Black Hawk helicopter crash.

For over a decade, Australian Story has followed farmer Peter Andrews and his controversial methods to drought-proof the land. During one of the worst droughts in memory the results at Mulloon Creek are giving cause for hope.

The extraordinary ongoing story of Justin Yerbury, a world expert on motor neurone disease who has developed the condition himself. Despite complications from major surgery in January, his achievements continue to amaze.

As former Deputy PM Tim Fischer battles a life-threatening illness, he takes solace in knowing his autistic adult son has found his place in the world. At 25, Harrison now works helping primary schoolers and has his own home.

Two boys from rival schools suffer catastrophic spinal damage on the Rugby field, ending up in hospital together. As they contemplate possible quadriplegia they discover a strength of character far beyond their years.

Perth woman Ann O'Neill suffered an unimaginable loss 24 years ago. Since then she's devoted her life to helping others survive dark times, transforming tragedy into hope to become one of Australia's foremost trauma experts.

When celebrity TV doctor Kerryn Phelps first spoke about her same-sex relationship on Australian Story in 1998, it was revolutionary. 20 years later we catch up with the newly-elected Wentworth MP and her journey to Canberra.

As another terrible bushfire season approaches, Australian Story looks at the tragic case of Black Saturday arsonist Brendan Sokaluk and asks what lessons we can learn.

Legendary actor Jack Thompson was 48 hours away from death when his kidneys failed, forcing him into a lifetime of dialysis treatment. A purple truck from the desert kept him alive to film his most important role yet.

A disillusioned young outback doctor experiences a series of traumatic events that lead to the most positive and unexpected of outcomes.

Remember the life of legendary broadcaster Mike Willesee who died of throat cancer in March 2019. Mike's career spanned five decades, shaping current affairs in Australia and was known as the best interviewer in the business.

Survivors of the morning sickness drug Thalidomide take their fight for justice to Canberra's Parliament House in a last-ditch battle for recognition, compensation and an apology.

Follow the triumphant story of Bhutanese conjoined twins Nima and Dawa after the ground-breaking Australian operation to separate them. With exclusive vision and interviews as they return to their remote Himalayan home.

Writer and comedian Rosie Waterland has made a successful career out of seeing the funny side of her traumatic childhood. The darker things get in Rosie's life, the funnier she becomes.

The extraordinary story of Behrouz Boochani, the stateless refugee who won Australia's richest literary award while living on Manus Island, but remains unable to set foot in this country.

The Seekers blazed a trail for Australian music during the 1960's. In a television first, all four members come together to reminisce about their ride to the top and reveal the pain behind their famous break-up.

In an intimate portrait movie directors Jocelyn Moorhouse and PJ Hogan speak candidly about the challenges, heartbreak and unexpected joys of raising two severely autistic children and the sacrifices they have willingly made.

How far would you push yourself for a cause you believe in? Mina Guli attempted 100 marathons in 100 days, showing the extent someone will push their body to raise awareness to the global water crisis and create change.

When 21-year-old Menindee farmer Kate McBride found thousands of dying fish in the Darling River she was determined to tell what was happening and become a fierce advocate, testing the water and documenting locals' concerns.

Vocal gymnast Kate Miller-Heidke opens up to Australian Story about the private pain behind the very personal song 'Zero Gravity', which she will perform at the Eurovision semi-finals in Tel Aviv on Wednesday 15 May.

Australian Story celebrates the extraordinary life of former PM Bob Hawke, who died aged 89. Featuring rare photos from the family's private collection and revealing interviews with Hawke and those who knew and loved him.

The victim of a miscarriage of justice, Andrew Mallard spent 12 years in jail for murder. His conviction was quashed after uncovering a trail of deception and police misconduct, but his life ended in a cruel twist of fate.

The history-making fall and rise of Debbie Kilroy, from high security prisoner to high profile lawyer and her freedom fight that's taking a new and novel direction.

When Malaysian airlines flight MH17 was shot down over the Ukraine, the loss of Perth children Mo, Evie, Otis and granddad Nick touched the nation. For the first time, their parents reveal how they rebuilt their world.

Australian Story returns with a two-part exclusive program on the shocking story of Yoshe Taylor - a Queensland mother duped into smuggling drugs for an international syndicate.

Part 2 of Yoshe Taylor's incredible fight for justice as she speaks out for the first time since being released from a Cambodian prison to warn others of the scam that's turning innocent people into unsuspecting drug mules.

We look at the life of Former Deputy PM Tim Fischer, who inspired deep affection from the public and across the political divide. Just weeks before he died, his family invited us to his last public engagement in his hometown.

The Choir of Hard Knocks took homeless people and turned them into a choir. Charismatic choirmaster Jonathon Welch guided them through thick and thin, but after a decade he's moving on, to concentrate on his foster children.

When ABC broadcaster Jill Emberson was told she had ovarian cancer, she opted to go public and go loud. Fighting the deadliest of all women's cancers, Jill decided to advocate for more awareness and funding.

As Paul Hogan prepares to celebrate his 80th birthday next month, he sits down with Australian Story for a look back over his remarkable life and career.

After the success of Crocodile Dundee, Paul Hogan had the world at his feet. But when he left his wife of 30 years for co-star Linda Kozlowski the media turned. Candid insights from Paul, his family, friends and colleagues.

Emma and Richard Austin endured ten years of gruelling fertility treatment in their quest for a baby. But a surprise offer came from a couple facing the dilemma of managing their leftover embryos. The gift became baby Henry.

Brothel madam Shirley Finn was shot through the head on a Perth golf course in 1975. After her daughter's 10-year battle to discover who killed her mother, an inquest hears fresh allegations of possible police involvement.

More than 70 years after an unidentified body was found on an Adelaide beach, a solution may be in sight to the long running mystery of the Somerton Man. Will modern DNA testing finally give him a name and unearth the truth?

Released on parole after 12 years incarcerated in Bulgaria for murder, Jock Palfreeman's fight for justice saw him caught up in bitter political struggle threatening the Bulgaria's diplomatic relationship with Australia.

Craig Foster built a formidable reputation as a football player and broadcaster. But when Bahraini footballer and refugee Hakeem Al-Araibi, was imprisoned in Thailand, he led a global media campaign to fight for his freedom.

In the NSW mid-north coast town of Kempsey, principal Mark Morrison brushes close to the rules to give troubled teens their last chance at a high school education. He seems headed for a record number of student graduations.

Vincent Fantauzzo went from menial jobs and petty crime to painting portraits of Heath Ledger, Julia Gillard and wife Asher Keddie. He describes his dyslexia as a gift allowing him to see the world from a unique perspective.

After almost killing herself through alcohol abuse, Shanna Whan started a movement to change the pervasive culture of alcohol in rural Australia. Now she travels the country with the message "It's OK to say no to a beer."

17-year-old Ursula Barwick vanished without a trace in 1987, leaving her family in limbo for three decades. When the truth was finally revealed it raised serious questions about the police investigation.

A catastrophic workplace accident brings together a labourer and a renowned surgeon in a world-first medical procedure. Despite their differences, the two men share remarkable parallel journeys.

Minutes after entering the water in the Whitsundays, Tasmanian woman Justine Barwick was fighting for life following a shark bite. As the shark control debate continues, she tells her remarkable story for the first time.

From a homeless alcoholic living in the wild to academic success and a book deal, the next chapter in the amazing comeback story of forest dweller Gregory Smith.

A cyclist found dead on a country road with very few clues as to who hit him. Against all odds, two country cops track down the driver, only to discover he is connected to another death.

Concluding the two-part story about one man who has killed two people. The man was convicted of killing a cyclist on a lonely road but is still to face charges relating to the shotgun death of his wife six years earlier.

When Marlion Pickett took to the field in the 2019 AFL Grand Final, it set the scene for one of the most heart-warming moments in sporting history. Follow the father of four's journey from three years in jail to AFL debut.

The journalist and comedian paying a high price for dissent. Vicky Xu is an outspoken critic of China whose pursuit of stories about human rights and the mass detention of Uyghurs means she doesn't feel safe to return home.

Shane Jenek is the man behind drag queen superstar Courtney Act. It hasn’t always been easy for Shane reconciling himself with Courtney’s popularity but together they’re conquering the world and spreading a message of inclusivity.

Three sisters from Melbourne's insular Jewish Adass community return to Israel to investigate why it's taking so long to extradite their former headmistress Malka Leifer back to Australia to face sex abuse charges.

As Australia faces an unprecedented pandemic, we track five Australians on five different days: a choirmaster, an intensivist, a scientist, a psychiatrist, and a school principal - each has a unique response to the crisis.

The touching friendship between jazz musician James Morrison and his long-term mentor Don Burrows, who passed away last month after a long battle with dementia.

Two elders from Cape York entrusted Victor Steffensen with the ancient knowledge of cultural burning. Could this method of fire management used by generations of Indigenous people be the answer to Australia's bushfire threat?

Actor Sam Neill is a Kiwi but has done much of his best work in Australia. He talks life, love and his other grand obsession: making wine.

During the worst bushfire season in Australia's history, NSW fire chief Shane Fitzsimmons stood out. A rebellious child with a troubled background Shane's personal loss and resilience have made him a truly outstanding leader.

When Tim Sharp was three, his mother Judy was told he had severe autism and should be put in an institution. Now at 32 Tim is an artist whose work is exhibited around the world. The epic tale of a mother's love and devotion.

John Doyle and Greig Pickhaver, better known as Rampaging Roy Slaven and HG Nelson, provide a rare insight into the special chemistry behind their enduring comedy act.

From his carport-turned-studio in Melbourne, Adam Hills introduces this story about the novel, positive and hilarious ways performers have found to keep themselves working and entertained during the COVID-19 pandemic.

For the first time on TV, an in-depth look at how Australia survived the influenza pandemic of 1918. Long-forgotten archival material not only provides a unique insight but shows uncanny parallels to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Nathan Cavaleri was seven years old when he found international fame as a prodigy on the blues guitar. Now at 38, he talks about the childhood stardom that both inspired and haunted him.

Actor Joel Edgerton gives a candid account of the challenges he's faced on his long road to Hollywood success and how his family helped him stay true to himself.

In Part 2 of this candid account of the actor and filmmaker's 25-year career, we focus on Joel Edgerton's rise to the top, the anxiety attacks he now grapples with, his charity work and making sense of 'a selfish life'.

Rugby league legend Greg Inglis reveals the real story behind his mental health struggles and how he turned his life around.

The inside story of the campaign to solve an enduring crime mystery. The body of Scott Johnson was found at the bottom of a cliff in 1988. Police decided it was suicide but his brother was convinced it was a gay hate murder.

After nearly seven years in limbo on Manus Island, an audacious plan was hatched to get Kurdish refugee Behrouz Boochani to freedom in New Zealand.

When Jamie Pultz left the police, there was one case he couldn't drop: the suspicious death of young Queensland mum Kirra McLoughlin. His podcast investigation turned up some startling discoveries.

When Jamie Pultz left the police, there was one case he couldn't drop: the suspicious death of young Queensland mum Kirra McLoughlin. His podcast investigation turned up some startling discoveries.

When drought almost sent him broke, fifth generation Cooma sheep farmer Charles Massy converted to regenerative agriculture to heal his land. A PhD led to a book and now he's the 'philosopher king' of a growing movement.

Rory O'Donoghue starred in iconic TV comedy The Aunty Jack Show as the hugely popular tights-wearing, cane-twirling Thin Arthur. But off-stage Rory lived with a crippling secret that family and friends are now ready to share.

Di McDonald was told Max Gardiner was 'a good catch'. But when she ended their short relationship, he terrorised her for years. Determined not to let him break her, Di tells how she brought her stalker to justice.

Desperate and alone in a 3-year battle against an obsessive stalker, Di McDonald meets policewoman Beck Norris who takes on the case. Norris enlists the FBI profiler who caught the Unabomber, to bring Di's stalker to justice.

Quaden is a nine-year-old with dwarfism who just wants to fit in. When his Mum posted a video of Quaden distraught after a tough day at school they couldn't have predicted what would unfold, as they triumphed over the trolls.

Singer Megan Washington went public with a 'shameful' secret six years ago and then stopped making music. In this update she describes the long road back to a new album and why the best art happens out of your comfort zone.

An outback town, a newspaper in trouble and an unlikely saviour. Broken Hill is fighting to keep its century-old newspaper alive but can the Barrier Truth's owners and loyal community steer it through its toughest time yet?

Serial killer Bradley Edwards hid in plain sight for nearly 25 years. Australian Story reveals the extraordinary twists and turns that led to police cracking the case and revisits the families of two of his victims.

On Christmas Day two years ago Mick O'Dowd was feeling unwell. 24 hours later he was battling for his life. The life-affirming story of Mick and Katharine O'Dowd and the silent killer most people have never heard of.

In the midst of the COVID lockdown, Australian Story undertook the ambitious task of delving through the archives and speaking to expert historians to produce the definitive piece on Spanish Flu. A special encore screening.

In the season finale, Australian Story meets an 81-year-old inventor who's saved the lives of hundreds of premmie babies and checks in with the hilarious Dustyesky 'fake Russian' choir for a special Christmas performance.

16-year-old teen Bob Bramley takes to the skies to break a solo flying record and shine a light on youth mental health, galvanised by the desperate struggles of his two friends.

There's a hidden danger lurking in every home and these are the two mothers who've achieved a world first to protect our children.

Scientist Veena Sahajwalla is a recycling revolutionary whose bold new ideas are helping reduce landfill. Now she's unveiling her latest brainchild, an invention which turns the discarded into the designer.

Unique and outrageous, Jeanne Little was the comedy dah-ling of daytime television in the 70s and 80s. Four months after her death from Alzheimers, daughter Katie reveals some intimate family secrets.

Promising young swimmer Shayna Jack was destined for the Olympics until she failed a routine drug test. But is the evidence against her justified or has she been caught up in an over-zealous anti-doping dragnet?

Drawing on her own experience of trauma, comedian Magda Szubanski forms an unlikely alliance with teenager Will Connelly, aka Eggboy, to help combat mental health issues in bushfire-ravaged communities.

She's the glamorous lawyer representing high-profile clients like Julian Assange and Amber Heard. Jennifer Robinson charts her meteoric rise from small town public schoolgirl to the pinnacle of legal life in London.

Sexual slurs, baseless rumours, harassment and abuse - former Federal Labor minister Kate Ellis looks into Canberra's toxic culture, speaking to female politicians from all parties to call out systemic misogyny in parliament.

Mao's Last Dancer Li Cunxin and his wife and daughter's dramatic story of sacrifice, questioning and the painful journey towards reconciliation.

Identical twins Brigette and Paula Powers are so close they live and work together and even speak in unison. After a chance meeting with Steve Irwin, they now use their unique connection to save injured seabirds.

A recent coronial inquest reveals the catastrophic errors made by NSW Police which left teenager Ursula Barwick's fate a mystery for almost 30 years.

He's one of Australia's most successful and famous painters. But what has been the cost of fame for the children of acclaimed artist John Olsen?

Part two of an inside look at one of Australia's greatest artistic dynasties. In this concluding episode, a court case threatens to derail the family of acclaimed painter John Olsen.

The Seekers blazed a trail for Australian music in the 1960s with a number of chart topping international hits. But fame led to fallout and they split at the height of their success. They reunite to reminisce about the ride.

Dr Michelle Telfer is a world leader in providing treatment for children and teens with gender dysphoria, guiding them through their first steps towards transitioning. But her work isn't without its critics and controversies.

When women's soccer star Rhali Dobson received an on-field marriage proposal, the pictures went viral around the world. It was a story of love, sport and sacrifice – and a heart-wrenching plot.

After his wife was murdered while working on call as a nurse in South Australia's remote APY Lands, Keith Woodford has campaigned for a coronial inquest which has delivered some breakthrough findings.

An unlikely friendship forged on the tennis court between a homeless man and famous tennis pro leads to lifechanging events and a new beginning.

In the first of a two part special, we find out how a gentle kid from Fremantle ended up playing alongside Michael Jordan in the world's greatest team, the Chicago Bulls. Luc Longley's extraordinary story One Giant Leap.

From running with the Chicago Bulls to his omission from The Last Dance documentary, Luc Longley sets the record straight.

A mother's battle to bring her daughter's killer to account pays off when a coroner's inquest leads to a breakthrough.

A daring sea rescue led by the Australian Navy saved 99 people from certain death. Forty years later, the survivors meet their saviours in an emotional reunion.

In a case of life imitating art, iconic Aussie actor Michael Caton channels his beloved character from The Castle to fight for the underdog. Caton knows he's in the home straight of his life and wants to make the most of it.

One of the nation's biggest cold case mysteries takes a new turn when 'Somerton Man' is unearthed from an Adelaide cemetery in the hope that his DNA might finally reveal the secrets he took to his grave.

Dr Jamal Rifi has given up his retirement dreams to fight COVID from his front yard in the middle of the nation's Delta outbreak.

The story behind the story of the family at the centre of a tug of war between a small country town and the big end of government.

Behind the scenes of the AFP investigation into Australia's biggest insider trading case, where two young men united by deception are brought down by greed.

Charlie Veron has spent his career underwater charting the world's coral wonderlands. Now, as the Great Barrier Reef faces its biggest threat, he reveals an audacious rescue plan.

Like the characters in his blockbuster novels, author Matthew Reilly is no stranger to persevering through loss and setback. Now he's realising the childhood dream that inspired his career - directing an action movie.

Funnyman Max Gillies has been making people laugh all his life. Now at almost 80, he reveals the hidden family grief he has carried with him, and how comic acting became a welcome escape from his troubles at home as a child.

The heartwarming next chapter of Australian Story's most popular program ever proves love really does conquer all. Checking in with Gayle and Mac Shann.

Athlete, mother of four and reality TV star Jana Pittman talks about her new life as a doctor and her regrets about the period when she was labelled 'Drama Jana'.

A Sydney family takes on the Minneapolis police department in a long-running court battle to hold officer Mohamed Noor accountable for the death of Justine Ruszczyk.

Lauren Burns fought to find her anonymous sperm donor father. As she becomes a parent, she's back campaigning to make it easier for donor-conceived children to find their biological family, and make donations more accessible.

Outspoken Australian of the Year Grace Tame looks back over a tumultuous and life-changing 12 months.

At home with Aussie cricket legend Glenn McGrath as he and his growing family continue to honour the legacy of his late wife Jane. His children James and Holly speak publicly for the first time about their mother's legacy.

After falling for a man whose life was a carefully constructed web of lies, journalist Stephanie Wood meets other women with uncannily similar experiences.

Magician Arthur Coghlan's death-defying escapes in the 1970s earned him the title of Australia's Houdini. Now in his late 80s he reveals the stories behind his most terrifying stunts and how he's passed the magic onto his daughter.

Having spent more than 12 years in jail for murder, Scott Austic was acquitted after revelations of planted evidence. Now the family of victim Stacey Thorne is demanding police reopen the investigation to find her killer.

Having spent more than 12 years in jail for murder, Scott Austic was acquitted after sensational revelations. Now the family of victim Stacey Thorne is demanding police reopen the investigation to find her killer.

A young couple brave extreme weather and isolation to tackle Australia's extinction crisis, successfully reintroducing long-lost native animals back into the remote Sturt Desert.

How the loss of her stillborn daughter set billionaire philanthropist Nicola Forrest and her husband Andrew on the path of pledging to give away the "vast majority" of their mining fortune.

Former golden girl of the pool Lisa Curry has lived in the spotlight for decades. We've seen her weddings, babies and divorce. Now Lisa opens up about the heart-wrenching loss of her daughter Jaimi.

Bon Scott was set to become an international rock star with AC/DC when he died suddenly in 1980. Now for the first time, family and friends open up about his vulnerabilities and state of mind leading up to his untimely death.

Cathy McGowan is considered the "godmother" of the Independents movement that's dominating the election. The former member for Indi is also its secret weapon, sharing her insights with candidates across the country.

Co-author of Puberty Blues Kathy Lette has mined her life for stories since her teens. Now post-menopause, she opens up about her life and determination to age disgracefully.

A notorious bank robber destined for a life in prison discovers a new path when he confronts his hidden trauma. Now he's assisting others to seek justice for crimes long buried, but it's been a rocky road to redemption.

The story of how self-described 'small town drunk' Shanna Whan transformed her life to become Australian of the Year Local Hero and is now changing attitudes to booze in the bush.

From dirt poor beginnings, actor, writer and director Leah Purcell is now at the top of her game, weaving her family's complicated history and her own troubled past into a powerful reimagining of a classic Australian tale.

In the working-class town of Port Kembla, a small funeral home is transforming the way we deal with death and sparking a quiet revolution in the process.

A devoted aunt investigates the mysterious death of her niece Amy Wensley, throwing doubt on the police case and exposing devastating investigative failures.

Concluding the story about the mysterious death of Amy Wensley. As her family fights for justice, they discover a flawed police investigation and devastating forensic oversights.

Missing for 40 years, Lyn Dawson's sister and brother never gave up hope they'd find justice. Behind the scenes as her siblings prepare for the outcome of her husband Chris Dawson's murder trial and digest the guilty verdict.

Senate powerbroker of the moment David Pocock on the forces that drew him to politics and why his background as an international rugby star helped prepare him for his biggest test yet.

One man's decade-long mission to expose the extent of an alarming chemical contamination scandal. Then, with no medical training, firefighter Mick Tisbury found an ingenious solution to help those who'd been exposed.

When middle-aged insurance executive Greg Donovan was made redundant, he was told to play it safe. Instead he gambled his payout on a crazy idea to build the world's most remote music festival - and won.

Controversial rugby coach Michael Cheika has never been in greater international demand. So why is he taking a lowly ranked team to the Rugby League World Cup?

How five surfers from Byron Bay, in one of the biggest heavy metal bands in the world, turned to therapy to confront their past, save their career and rebuild their friendship.

Remembering singing legend Judith Durham and the trailblazing band who put Australian music on the map.