Outback Camels and Big Lizzie
Since its inception in the early 1880s, Broken Hill has been a thriving mining boomtown. Its prosperity attracted able-bodied workers from across the region, quickly transforming the town into a bustling hub of activity.
Devoted – A Father’s Love
Marathons and Ironmans are two of the most challenging athletic endeavours on the planet, the ultimate test of strength and endurance. They’re considered by most as barely possible, but not for the Team Hoyt father-son duo.
The Bible – What’s In It For You?
In 2023 the oldest Hebrew Bible in the world sold at Sotheby’s New York for over $38 million USD, making it the most valuable manuscript sold at auction. It is called the Codex Sassoon and is thought to have been written about 1,100 years ago. It is the earliest surviving example of the Hebrew Bible. The Codex Sassoon Bible is a veritable treasure. However, there are older ancient Bibles, scrolls, and manuscripts that are even more valuable and involve amazing stories of discovery. Join us in the Bible Lands as we search for the oldest scrolls, manuscripts, codices, and Bibles and discover the profound influence they’ve had on Western civilisation and cultures around the world.
Lost – Three Children’s Fight for Survival
In August 1864, three young children went missing in the bushland of Victoria’s Wimmera District. Isaac, Jane, and Frank Duff, aged between four and nine, had become lost in the rugged wilderness. Their father, John Duff, launched a desperate search that stretched over nine days and eight nights. Just before sunset on the ninth day, the children were found alive—exhausted, malnourished, but miraculously still clinging to life. Their survival captured the hearts and imagination of the entire community. In this program, we explore the extraordinary story of these resilient children and their remarkable endurance in the harsh and unforgiving Australian bush.
When the Bridge Fell – The Tangiwai Train Disaster
On Christmas Eve, 1953, New Zealand’s holiday celebrations were shattered by tragedy. The Wellington to Auckland night express, filled with passengers eager to be home for Christmas, was making its way north when disaster struck. A lahar (volcanic mudflow) had swept away the Tangiwai Rail Bridge, plunging the train into the raging Whangaehu River below. The result was catastrophic — lives were lost, and the nation was left in shock. It was one of the darkest moments in New Zealand’s history. At the time, it ranked as the eighth-deadliest rail disaster in the world and captured international headlines. With a population of just over two million, nearly everyone in the country knew someone affected. The fact that it occurred on Christmas Eve only deepened the collective sorrow. To this day, it remains far more than a local railway accident — it is a national tragedy. Join Gary Kent as he explores the story of the Tangiwai disaster, uncovering its profound impact on the people involved and the country as a whole. In the midst of grief and loss, perhaps we too can find comfort and strength as we reflect on how to navigate sorrow and hardship in our own lives.
King Herod – A Legacy of Blood and Stone
He is one of the most reviled and hated men in history. He was the king of the Holy Land during the time of Jesus and is best known for ordering the massacre in Bethlehem of all male children under 2 years old. His name? Herod the Great.
The Coles Story: From Corner Store to Supermarket Giant
The value of the global trade of goods in the world today is approximately 30 trillion US dollars. That’s 83 billion dollars per day of goods transported worldwide across land, air and sea. However, trade is nothing new; in ancient times, trade began as a barter system in which people exchanged one object for another. Eventually it moved to markets, then shops and now we have supermarkets with around 40,000 items in the store. How did this happen? Join Gary Kent as he explores the story of Sir George James Coles—a businessman and a philanthropist who chose to make a difference and started one of the biggest supermarket chains in Australia.
Sacred Sites of the Ancient World
Virtually all ancient civilisations considered the celestial bodies and their movements of great importance, even incorporating astronomical events into the design of their sacred temples and monuments. The Egyptians, Babylonians, Mesopotamians, Chinese, Incas, Mayans and Aztecs worshipped the sun, moon, and stars. They built splendid sacred monuments that reflected astronomical events associated with the movement of the planets and stars. They were revered as gods to be worshipped and considered vital to people’s day-to-day lives. These ancient people believed the stars carried an important message for humanity. Interestingly, these majestic stars do have a message for us today. Join Gary on a journey to some of the most magnificent sacred sites in the ancient world to discover the message of the stars – a message that will hold you spellbound.
Lennie the Legend – An Epic Journey to the Bridge of Dreams
In 1932, Lennie Gwyther was nine years old when he and his horse Ginger Mick embarked on a 1000-kilometre journey to Sydney to see the newly constructed harbour bridge. At the time, Australia was in the throes of economic depression, and Lennie’s journey resonated with many Australians. At the end of his journey, Lennie was dubbed a legend and given a hero’s welcome in both Sydney and his native town of Leongatha. Join us as we follow in the footsteps of Lennie Gwyther and his incredible journey.
Defeat of Barbarossa
Operation Barbarossa and the area which fell under it became the site of some of the largest and most brutal battles, deadliest atrocities, terrible loss of life, and horrific conditions for Soviets and Germans alike – all of which influenced the course of World War 2. The defeat of Operation Barbarossa led to the end of that war and all the pain, suffering and horrific conditions that accompanied it. In this program we investigate its connection with a young Australian engineer and consider the insights Operation Barbarossa provides into the Universal War, the War behind all wars that is still raging today and involves all of us, yes, even you and me.