Australian Story
Acclaimed biographical documentary series "Australian Story" has aired continuously on the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) TV since 1996. Australian Story is known for its narratorless storytelling in which the subjects tell their own stories in their own words. The program has featured both famous and previously-unknown Australians from all walks of life and won numerous awards including Logies, Walkleys, Golden Tripods, and Ellies. New episodes air every Monday on free-to-air television as well as ABC iview and YouTube.
- 1996-2026
- 31 seasons
- Documentary
Acclaimed biographical documentary series "Australian Story" has aired continuously on the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) TV since 1996. Australian Story is known for its narratorless storytelling in which the subjects tell their own stories in their own words. The program has featured both famous and previously-unknown Australians from all walks of life and won numerous awards including Logies, Walkleys, Golden Tripods, and Ellies. New episodes air every Monday on free-to-air television as well as ABC iview and YouTube.
Season 28 Episode Guide
33 Episodes 2023
Episode 1
The Transformer - Saul Griffith
20 mins
His ideas caught the eye of the US President. Now engineer Saul Griffith is making waves at home, joining his local community in an ambitious project to electrify their suburb and power it with renewables.
Episode 2
Game Changer
29 mins
Many parents worry their children are gaming to excess and don't know how to deal with it. Psychologist Wayne Warburton says he can help, with an Australia-first program tackling problem gaming. Will it work?
Episode 3
Diving in Deep: Part 1
29 mins
Valerie Taylor burst onto our TV screens in the 60s, stunning viewers by diving with dangerous sharks. She shares home movies, recalls acting in Skippy and reveals the moment that made her a shark advocate. (Part 1 of 2)
Episode 4
Diving in Deep: Part 2
29 mins
Shark legend Valerie Taylor takes us behind the scenes of the hit film Jaws and inside her campaign to save the grey nurse shark. Still diving at 87, she's inspiring a new generation of marine warriors. (Part 2 of 2)
Episode 5
Making a Scene - Claudia Karvan
29 mins
Actor and producer Claudia Karvan speaks openly about her chaotic childhood and the challenges of managing her late father's mental illness. And she reveals how she mines her unconventional life for her drama.
Episode 6
After The Fall - Mahboba Rawi and Sourosh Cina
29 mins
From a Sydney loungeroom, a mother and son take on a perilous mission to evacuate children and staff from their Afghan orphanages following the Taliban's return to power in 2021. Can they pull it off?
Episode 7
Mick and Katharine O'Dowd: A Matter of Minutes - Updated
30 mins
Mick O'Dowd has survived the unimaginable. He came close to death but lived. Three years after first telling his story, Mick is reclaiming his life and is back doing the things he loves.
Episode 8
Charting Her Course - Jessica Watson
30 mins
Love, loss and sailing the world solo: Jessica Watson takes us inside her amazing voyage as a teenage sailor, speaks about the grief of losing her partner, and a new feature film which has thrust her back into the spotlight.
Episode 9
Call Of The River (Update) - Kate McBride
29 mins
Four years after alerting the world to mass fish kills in the Darling River, young farmer Kate McBride is taking her campaign to Canberra. She's determined to be a voice for the bush and fight for the river she loves.
Episode 10
Taking the Lead - Heather Mitchell
29 mins
Actor Heather Mitchell's life has been as dramatic off screen as it has on. And she's channelling those experiences into some of the greatest performances of her career.
Episode 11
After the Storm (Update) - Beth Heinrich
31 mins
One woman's decades-long quest for justice. Beth Heinrich was permanently changed by what she experienced as a teenager. Now in her 80s, she's spent almost half her lifetime chasing the Anglican Church to right past wrongs.
Episode 12
Labour of Love - Michelle and Jono Harley
29 mins
How a 52-year-old woman gave birth to her grandson. When Michelle couldn't have children, her mother offered to be a surrogate. Her sister-in-law did too. Now Michelle and her husband Jono have the family they dreamed of.
Episode 13
Changing Minds
30 mins
The remarkable story of a woman taking part in Australia's first psychedelic-assisted therapy trial. For Lindy Bok, it's a profound and deeply emotional experience as the treatment helps her confront anxiety around death.
Episode 14
A Brilliant Canvas - John Olsen
29 mins
A story of art, fame and family. The late John Olsen, one of our most beloved painters, had an obsessive focus on his work, often casting a shadow on those around him. John and family open up about art and the cost of fame.
Episode 15
Blind Leading The Blind - Mick Curran and Jamie Teh
29 mins
Mick and Jamie bonded over coding as teenagers. Now their brilliant tech idea is transforming lives around the world. Their software might have made them rich but they've kept it free to help their community.
Episode 16
Fight For Freedom - Kathleen Folbigg
31 mins
Australian Story's coverage of Kathleen Folbigg's case helped kickstart the scientific research that ultimately freed her. Watch the updated story of her fight for freedom over the last twenty years.
Episode 17
Episode #28.17
30 mins
Buried memories and family secrets - how hit podcaster Hugh van Cuylenburg's quest to help people gain a positive mindset took him on his own path of self-discovery and forced him to face some uncomfortable truths.
Episode 18
A Voice From The Heart - Megan Davis
29 mins
As a child, Megan Davis fell in love with the Constitution. Now she's a lawyer and a driving force behind the Voice referendum. She wants to change the nation's founding document in the hope of improving her peoples' lives.
Episode 19
Force of Nature - Gina Chick
30 mins
The incredible story of Gina Chick, winner of hit TV show Alone Australia. Gina has lived outside the mainstream but now her unconventional approach to bush survival is inspiring a new way of connecting with nature.
Episode 20
A Family Legacy - Erica Packer
28 mins
Erica Packer, former wife of billionaire James Packer, opens up about the deadly genetic mystery shadowing her family and the scientists working to crack the code for thousands more Australians.
Episode 21
Atonement - Dean Yates
30 mins
War correspondent Dean Yates thought he was indestructible but when two of his staff were gunned down by the US military in Iraq, he and his family reached breaking point. Now he's trying heal the wounds of war and help others.
Episode 22
A Silver Lining: Part 1
31 mins
When three Newcastle teens became overnight rock stars, their world exploded; huge concerts and crowds, intense fame an scrutiny. Ben and Chris from Silverchair take us on that rollercoaster ride and say it's a miracle they survived.
Episode 23
A Silver Lining: Part 2
31 mins
Rockband Silverchair makes a comeback with its fifth album and a massive hit. But backstage, the wheels are falling off and the band finally fizzles out. For Ben and Chris, life after Silverchair proves to be bumpy too.
Episode 24
Sea Change - Sam Elsom
28 mins
Designer Sam Elsom shocked friends and family when he ditched fashion to farm seaweed. Now he has developed a product that radically reduces methane emissions from livestock. But can he convince farmers to get on board?
Episode 25
The Big Lap - Fiona MacDonald
29 mins
Once a popular kids' TV host, Fiona MacDonald is on the trip of a lifetime. Since being diagnosed with motor neurone disease two years ago, she's driving around Australia to raise money for research, and have fun on the way.
Episode 26
His Brilliant Careers (Update) - Sam Neill
30 mins
When beloved film and TV star Sam Neill received a shock diagnosis, it forced him to take stock of his life. Now the actor is living with a rare disease, but it hasn't stopped him doing the work he loves.
Episode 27
When Kylie Met Sami - Kylie Moore-Gilbert and Sami Shah
30 mins
When Kylie Met Sami: She was released from an Iranian prison only to find her husband had left her. He was reeling from the loss of his job and the end of his marriage. An awkward first date led to a second chance at love.
Episode 28
Never Too Late (Update) - Gregory Smith
30 mins
Five years after his first appearance on Australian Story, Dr Gregory Smith continues his astonishing transformation. Homeless and an addict for many years, Smith is now an academic, has received an OAM and found new love.
Episode 29
To Elle and Back - Libbi Gorr
31 mins
What ever happened to Elle McFeast? She wowed TV audiences in the 90s with her bold and brassy satire. Then a live interview derailed it all. McFeast's creator Libbi Gorr opens up about the fallout and how she fought her way back.
Episode 30
Taking A Bow - Brett Yang and Eddy Chen
31 mins
Meet the violin virtuosos from Brisbane who ditched a classical career to create an online music comedy act. Now Brett Yang and Eddy Chen have gone viral and are playing sell-out concerts around the world.
Episode 31
Stepping Up - Elly-May Barnes
30 mins
Singer Elly-May Barnes on stepping out of her famous father Jimmy's musical shadow, on the long road to the spotlight and how she channels her physical challenges into a powerful cabaret act.
Episode 32
Big Talk - Annie Louey
29 mins
With little more than a briefcase full of old photos for clues, comedian Annie Louey unravels decades-old secrets in a bid to understand who her father really was.
Episode 33
An Open Mind - Professor Richard Scolyer
32 mins
A doctor puts his life on the line to try and cure his own brain cancer, using the very treatment he helped pioneer to save melanoma patients. (Final for 2023)
