Australian Story Season 9 Episodes

Episode 0

He Who Waits

Eight years ago, three young women went missing from the wealthy Perth suburb of Claremont. Two of the girls were found murdered. The body of the third has never been discovered.

Episode 1

Before a Fall

29 mins

The story of Dr. Michael Holt who was brought back to earth after an accident which nearly cost him his life.

Episode 2

A Stitch in Time

30 mins

This is the story of Jeno Kirsh, a Jewish tailor who hasn't changed his methods, equipment or workshop in 45 years.

Episode 3

Courage of Conviction

30 mins

Institutionalised at 14, a mother at 17, in a violent relationship and jailed for drug dealing at 28, Debbie Kilroy went from one disaster to another. Her marriage to Bronco footballer Joe Kilroy in tatters, she lost her children and witnessed the worst horror of prison life before she turned her life around. She studied for a university degree while serving her six-year sentence, but on her release, vowed to never forget her fellow inmates. She established and runs the support group "Sisters Inside" which has been heavily in the headlines because of Debbie's role in extending help to high-profile prisoners such as jailed magistrate Di Fingleton and Pauline Hanson. Debbie has received an Order of Australia for her efforts, but says her fight for justice for women prisoners is far from over.

Episode 4

Letters from Lindsay

30 mins

Amateur musicologist, Charles Smith stumbled upon references to an unknown composer who in the early 1920's provided inspiration to the great Australian artist, Norman Lindsay. Surprised he'd never heard of this composer, and very curious, Smith set off on an archaeological dig and his find has turned the music world into a frenzy. For more than 20 years, Smith has had a consuming interest in Norman Lindsay - as much for his philosophical ideas as for his art. He was fossicking in an antiquarian bookshop one day, searching for literature on Lindsay and came across a gigantic book of Norman Lindsay letters. Included in the book were several extremely affectionate letters to Adolphe Beutler who, judging from the letters, was obviously a composer whose music at one stage was a source of great inspiration for Lindsay's work. Smith was tantalised and went off to find him, searching in all the usual places an academic researcher would look - but to no avail. Beutler, who along with Lindsay had been part of a very vibrant arts community in the 1920's had simply vanished from view along with his music. Keen to solve the mystery, Smith eventually resorted to the white pages. In the first phone call, he struck gold. He found Beutler's 82 year old son, Fred who just happened to have in his possession, his father's entire life works - piano music, songs, string quartets, a symphony and even an opera. It seems Charles' discovery, and the large scale and rarity of the works, may have unearthed a very important, long forgotten, chapter in Australian music history.

Episode 5

Of Woman Born Part 1

28 mins

This is the first of a special two-part program, revealing the untold story of the investigation that brought Kathleen Folbigg to justice. Last year Folbigg was sentenced to 40 years jail for killing all four of her children, one by one, over a 10-year period. The conviction made the 36-year-old New South Wales woman Australia's worst female serial killer. But Kathleen Folbigg might very well have escaped justice had it not been for the dogged determination of a country detective and the unlikely alliance he slowly forged with Folbigg's doting sister, Lea Bown. Using many hours of previously unseen home movie footage, Australian Story charts Kathleen's own fractured childhood from her arrival, as a three year old foster child, into the home of Lea Bown's parents, the Marlboroughs. Lea, who was 17 at the time of Kathleen's arrival, "idolised" the youngster and regarded her as a blood sister. When Kathleen is 16 she learns the truth about her past - that her natural father stabbed her mother to death in a burst of rage. Compelling home movie footage, along with personal letters, reveals Kathleen's subsequent journey through marriage to motherhood. The short lives of all four of her children are vividly captured on videotape. One after the other, there is a sudden death and then a new baby, and then another death. All the children die between the ages of 19 days and 19 months. The first three deaths are all deemed to be from natural causes. But when Kathleen's fourth child, 19-month-old Laura, is admitted to Singleton Hospital on March 1, 1999 Detective Sergeant Bernie Ryan just happens to be on duty. Ryan says "It was a very dark day... it was the day that changed my life." It was just the start of a harrowing four-year battle for Ryan - and an emotional roller coaster for Lea Bown

Episode 6

Of Woman Born Part 2

27 mins

Part 2 of the story of Kathleen Folbigg, the bewildered little girl who grew up to find herself accused of killing all four of her own small children, Australian Story continues to reveal the long and difficult investigation which led to her conviction and 40 year jail sentence. The conviction made the 36 year-old New South Wales woman Australia's worst female serial killer. When police read extracts from Kathleen's diary, they say they knew they had a murder investigation on their hands. But they were warned they would never be able to prove it. Detective Inspector Bernie Ryan, interviewed Folbigg for nine hours in 1999 and took her first taped conversation about her children's deaths in the 10 years since the first occurred in 1989. Determined to find the truth, and working with scant police resources, he pursued the case single-mindedly for four years, helped by Folbigg's once doting sister, Lea Bown. Bown is revealed as a woman devastated by the part she felt compelled to play in the investigation torn between her loyalty to her sister and her duty to her dead nephews and nieces - children she adored. Now she is actively campaigning and lobbying politicians for the establishment of a national database of SIDS deaths to try to ensure that any anomalies are picked up early and investigated.

Episode 7

Finding Phebe

28 mins

In 2004, three generations of the Uechtritz family travelled from all over Australia on a pilgrimage to remote PNG to finally lay to rest the remains of their legendary ancestor, a woman called Phebe Parkinson. They were joined at the ceremony by PNG tribesmen who still revere her memory, the PNG Foreign Minister Sir Rabbie Namaliu and by a journalist from Danish television who was pursuing an unexpected connection between Phebe Parkinson and the Danish Royal family. Phebe's wish to be buried beside her beloved anthropologist husband, Richard, was denied for 60 years while she lay undiscovered in an unmarked rainforest grave. But two years ago, the grave was located through a chance encounter between a family member and a local clansman. Only some jewellery and some slivers of bone remained but it was enough to confirm her identity. Phebe had died in a Japanese prisoner of war camp during World War II after being arrested for going to the rescue of three allied airmen whose plane had crashed. In January, her devoted grandson Alf, 77, was finally able to fulfil her last wishes as he led the emotional family expedition of 30 to reclaim her and place her to rest next to her husband. As Phebe's story unfolds, we learn that she was the daughter of a Samoan princess and the sister of the famous "Queen Emma of the South Seas" immortalised in a 1980s feature film and in the works of anthropologist Margaret Mead. Phebe's husband, Richard Parkinson, had royal ties of his own. Born in 1844, he was the illegitimate son of the second in line to the Danish throne. Together they established a trading empire which changed the face of history in PNG...

Episode 8

Judgement Day

29 mins

Australian Story this week delivers a rare insight into the private passion of a Supreme Court judge. Behind the robes, wig and formalities of life as a judge of the New South Wales Supreme Court, Justice George Palmer has been working for 40 years on his 'other life' as a composer. But the music he wrote had never been performed or recorded - until now. Impending deafness prompted Justice Palmer to employ a group of musicians to record the music, and to his own amazement, the project snowballed into a live to air concert at the ABC's Eugene Goosens Hall in Sydney. "I hope that people will see a bloke who's doing difficult job," says George Palmer. "He may have tried a case of mine, the bastard, and got it all wrong." "But at least seeing this side of the face of justice, perhaps they can realise that the bloke is human, he's got passions, interests, failings and foibles just like every one of us, and the poor bastard is trying to do his best."

Episode 9

Into Thin Air

30 mins

Raw emotion is on display in Australian Story this week when officers investigating the disappearance of teenager Daniel Morcombe reveal how the case has affected them and their determination to solve it. "Into Thin Air" looks at the huge police and community operation dovetailing to help find Daniel, who disappeared from the highway near his Sunshine Coast hinterland home, north of Brisbane, last December. Police have few clues to what happened to the 13-year-old schoolboy ... a dark blue sedan parked near where he was last seen, two men seen standing near it and talking to him. He disappeared in the space of a few minutes after the bus he was waiting for to take him to the Sunshine Coast, broke down. Police have allowed Australian Story exclusive access to their major incident room, the hub of the investigation and police officers have spoken frankly and emotionally about how they have bonded with the Morcombes and how painful the thought of never "bringing Daniel home" is to them. Queensland Police also took the unusual of step of appointing a special police media liaison officer, Senior Sergeant Julie Elliott, exclusively to the distraught Morcombe family, to assist with the huge media attention the case has attracted. Schools, churches and community members are so eager to keep Daniel's face before the public, they have started a special Daniel fund, money for which is raised by the sale of thousands of red ribbons ( Daniel was wearing a red shirt the day he disappeared). The fund, which has attracted more than $100,000, keeps the banners, posters, bumper stickers and advertising campaign running so that everyday, somewhere in Australia, someone will see Daniel's face or name and perhaps remember something that can lead to solving the case.

Episode 10

Colouring the Dark

30 mins

Successful international artist Greg Wilson once saw life as a series of browns and black. Suffering the agonies of depression from adolescence, he sought escape from its demons by speeding on powerful motorcycles and with other high-risk activities. He failed to find understanding from the traditional medical fraternity and had several close shaves with death, one from his own hand. He finally found empathy with the help of a naturopath, Josie Alder, who put him on the road to managing and respecting his illness. She brought back the colour to Greg's life which he now channels through his art, produced and sold through the gallery he and Josie established near the rustic home that they and two friends share in the idyllic Hunter Valley. One piece has even made its way to a New York Fire Department where it hangs as Greg's moving response to the September 11 tragedy. And New Yorkers will see more of Greg's work when the Australian Consulate there hosts his exhibition in June. Greg still lives with what he calls his "continual madness", supported by people who always told him "you can do it".

Episode 11

The Highway Man

28 mins

In 1977, 22-year-old Grant "John" Cadoret walked out of his bank job and told his mother he was going to travel for three months. He then disappeared without trace. Out of the blue, 25 years later, he's found. For the last quarter of a century he'd been walking on the road, living the life of a swagman. He has never drawn a pension or received the dole. He has scavenged for food thrown out by motorists, found loose change as he walked and drank from dams, puddles and discarded soft drink bottles. He sleeps under the stars, never lights a fire and has not been to a doctor for 30 years. Every single thing he owns is carried on his back. But he also possesses a contentment and peacefulness that would be the envy of many. He wouldn't trade his life and all its hardships for anything in the world. He wasn't forced into homelessness. He has chosen a home on the road. But now his family has found him again and wants him back in their lives. But dealing with all the emotions of losing a child and a brother - then finding him again - is not easy to overcome. Many questions remain unanswered. Much hurt remains. A family reunion, the first meeting of all the family in over 25 years, will reveal just how far they, and this swagman, still have to travel.

Episode 12

The Road to Tooleybuc

29 mins

Until a few years ago, Ian Skiller was a farmer whose biggest battles were with the drought and finding enough labourers to work his land. But all that changed when Ian met a young doctor, and found himself catapulted into a role he'd never imagined. Ian and his mother, Shirley Skiller, have taken Dr Abdul Nasiry and a group of Afghani refugees into their family, providing them with work and campaigning for them to be allowed to stay in Australia permanently and to bring their families here. The Skillers, who live in the tiny Murray River township of Tooleybuc, - 50 kilometres north of Swan Hill, on the NSW side of the border, and with a population of just 250 - knew nothing of Afghanistan and very little about the refugee situation before the Afghanis arrived on their doorstop two-and-a-half years ago. Since then, they've learnt a great deal about this troubled country, its culture and the Muslim religion and have worked tirelessly to welcome their "extended family'' into the Tooleybuc community. The Road To Tooleybuc is a candid and unexpected slice of life in contemporary rural Australia.

Episode 13

Three Little Words

27 mins

Kevin Lindeberg could be seen as either an obsessive crackpot or an unsung hero, depending on whom you believe. The debate has raged even within his own family where his once resentful teenage daughter now sees her dad through very different eyes. Fourteen years ago, Lindeberg was sacked from his job as a trade union organiser after accusing Queensland's new Labor Government of illegally shredding documents. The documents contained evidence from the Heiner Inquiry into alleged mismanagement at a youth detention centre. The Goss Government ordered that documents from the inquiry be shredded following legal advice suggesting the inquiry was set up incorrectly. It was claimed witnesses could be sued for defamation. Since then, Kevin Lindeberg has been waging what's been described as a David and Goliath-like battle to "have the truth revealed". Kevin has written more than 20 submissions and single-handedly triggered inquiries by the Senate, Queensland Criminal Justice Commission and the police and his fight has been incorporated in international journalism and archiving curriculums. But the cost to his family has been very high. His wife had to return to work eight weeks after giving birth to her third child and has remained the sole breadwinner ever since. The trappings of their previously comfortable middle-class existence had to be abandoned, but in recent months, Kevin's children are seeing his obsessions in a very new light. It all started when daughter Naomi went to university and suddenly found that her class was actually being taught about her father's epic struggles.

Episode 14

One Man Standing

29 mins

A unique insight into the increasingly frightening world of Melbourne's gangland killings and rampant police corruption. Simon Illingworth is a thirty-six-year-old Detective Sergeant who's spent the last four years working with police internal affairs in Victoria, rooting out crooked officers. He's been commended for his work and been responsible for bringing successful prosecutions against corrupt officers. But Illingworth says he's been bashed, isolated and threatened - not by crooks but by other policeman. At the end of his tether, he's now risking all to tell his inside story.

Episode 15

Light of Their Lives

29 mins

On a lonely Australian headland, one of our oldest lighthouses has been dying for 18 years. While its beam has provided hope and safety to shipping traffic for over 130 years, time has not been so kind in return. With modern technology, Bustard Head lighthouse, like the others around the world, has been mainly de-manned. Low maintenance lamps, solar power and computers keep the lights burning and turning these days. But the plight of the historic landmark on Bustard Head, named exactly 234 years ago on May 24 by Captain James Cook, would have been tragic if not for the crusade of passionate former lighthouse keepers Stuart and Shirley Buchanan. Bustard Head lighthouse station has been the scene of repeated tragedy throughout its history _ certainly more than any other lighthouse in Australia. Death by murder, accident, illness and suicide has plagued many of its keepers who suffered the hardship of isolation the lighthouse life imposed. Stuart and Shirley Buchanan fell in love with the beautiful Bustard Head location when they were lighthouse keepers there in 70s. They believed they had found their paradise. But when they learned the abandoned station cottages had been severely vandalised in the 90s, and State Government Parks and Wildlife Service wanted to bulldoze the site, they were livid. After the anger subsided, the determination set in to save and restore the station. But their pleas to State Government for help fell on deaf ears and obstacles seemed to block their path at every turn. Then they received a $140,000 Commonwealth Heritage Grant and their dream to revive their beloved Bustard Head took shape. But not before a long, hard and costly journey that tried their nerves and their resolve on many occasions.

Episode 16

Road to Dharamshala

27 mins

Every year for the past decade, a group of exiled Tibetan monks from the Gyuto monastery in remote India, travels thousands of kilometres around Australia in an old mini-bus. Famous for their chanting, the monks are brought here by former corporate high-flyer, Maureen Fallon. Maureen once had a number of Government executives working for her but became increasingly disenchanted with the senior career she was moving through. So she gave away her big pay packet and high-ranking position to organise and manage the monks' tours after they unexpectedly touched her heart during a "performance" some years ago. Now she is the practical side of the monks' mission, guiding people on the road to enlightenment. But peace and harmony are not always part of the lifestyle for Maureen, who lives with the monks at her inner Melbourne home when they're not on the road. She is bemused that she ended up in close quarters with a group of men. But she has made a huge difference in the lives of the monks and their goal to build a new monastery in India. She has many fans, including the Dalai Lama, who praises her work with the Gyuto monks in Australia and actor Toni Collette, at whose wedding the monks performed.

Episode 17

In the Pink

28 mins

An ancient sport that started in China more than 2000 years ago is breathing new life into survivors of a deadly disease. Australian Story this week follows the inspiring story of how women with breast cancer took up an unconventional form of therapy - dragon boating. What started out as a medical study into the effects of upper body exercise on the incidence of lymphedema has grown into a worldwide movement of dragon boat teams for women with breast cancer. Australian Story followed Michelle Hanton, the founder of Dragons Abreast in Australia, as her team tackled the Ord River Marathon, a 55-kilometre paddle down the Ord River through the spectacular Kimberley region. "It's with hindsight that I've come to realise it's actually a floating support group," she says. "You've got that instant bond with other women who've travelled the same road. You're not alone. You have your support group literally in the boat with you." Michelle Hanton was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1997. Another member, Jenny Petterson, recently made the Australian Masters Women's and Mixed dragon boat teams despite having cancer in the breast and lungs, a feat described by one doctor as "superhuman".

Episode 18

To the Test & A Small World

29 mins

Cheryl Dobbie earns her living as an extra on television police drama Stingers, but the life she leads is more interesting than any of the fictional characters she plays. Cheryl is having an amazing impact on the cricket world with her invention of the "bat mat", an ingenious device designed to teach young cricket beginners their first steps in the game. It is marked so learner players know where to place their feet at the wicket to hit the various drives. From a woman who confesses she knows nothing about the game of cricket, she has shown an incredible insight into methods of teaching it. Orders for her "bat mat" have been coming from all over the world. Cheryl attributes her good fortune to a bright and optimistic outlook on life - a far cry from the sadness that dogged her childhood when a family tragedy saw her grow up well before her time. A SMALL WORLD Some of the people who have been appearing on Australian Story have been putting their heads together to form an inspiring support network. Instigated by New South Wales farmer Sam Bailey, a quadriplegic who conquered his disability and learnt to fly and drive a tractor, the group of " great Aussie battlers" talk regularly and have become close friends. Sam and his wife Jenny connect with Sydney pioneering Sydney heart specialist Dr Charlie Teo, disabled solicitor, now head of the NSW director of public prosecutions Matt Laffan, and plane crash survivor Victoria Friend in ways that strengthen their resolve to make the most of their life. All say their lives have been enriched by their appearance on Australian Story and feel grateful they reached so many people they can give hope to, both through the programme and also through ongoing speaking engagements.

Episode 19

Friday the Thirteenth

28 mins

In an introduction to the story, ex Prime Minister Gough Whitlam describes Jim Bacon as a man who "in only eight years as a parliamentarian achieved more for an Australian State than any other Premier since Federation". Tasmania was one of his great loves, but his other grand passion was for his wife Honey. She says "I was asked before Jim was diagnosed, what makes you happy. Jim was the one word answer. Jim makes me happy. Jim makes me complete.". During his five and a half years as Premier, Jim Bacon was credited with almost single handedly turning around the state's flagging fortunes. But it was only last March when he announced that he was standing down as Premier that he made a big national impact. His humour and courage in confronting inoperable lung cancer - and the smoking that caused it - generated an avalanche of support from around the country. Jim Bacon and his wife Honey agreed to allow Australian Story to document their journey until his death a week ago. The result is a candid and moving portrayal of a man who managed the unusual feat of being much loved, in both his public and private life...

Episode 20

The Damage Done

28 mins

It's a year since celebrity stockbroker Rene Rivkin was convicted of insider trading and sentenced to weekend detention in jail. It turned out to be only the start of his problems. Along with escalating rumours about his private life, much more serious allegations have emerged about his business affairs. In the midst of it all, his wife of 32 years and his five children have held their silence. Now, on Australian Story on Monday, they speak out for the first time with a truly surprising account of life inside the Rivkin compound.

Episode 21

From This Day Forth

28 mins

Ann O'Neill is 34. She's attractive, dynamic and intelligent and many people wonder why she's single. Ten years ago her life was very different. She was a married woman, 24, with two small children, Kyle, 6 and Latisha, 4. Then one violent night she lost everything and almost her life. In the early hours of the morning as Ann slept with her two children beside her, her estranged husband, Norm broke into her home and turned a gun on all of them. She was the only one to survive. Hours later her leg was amputated. That catastrophic event ripped away all the roles she had ever known and she had to negotiate a whole new life as a disabled person stripped of her motherhood. Determined not to allow her children to have died in vain, Ann O'Neill threw herself into an advocacy role as a powerful support for others grappling with the aftermath of homicide. Yet, despite all this, Ann O'Neill has real compassion for the man who perpetrated this shocking crime and with extraordinary courage has drawn on her experience to become a powerful advocate for victims of crime.

Episode 22

Where There's a Will

29 mins

Diane Cilento, the golden-haired 'baby' of the esteemed Queensland medical family was a self-confessed 'wild child'. Expelled from a top private school before being sent to New York, where her father could keep an eye on her, she discovered drama and blossomed into a beautiful and talented actress. With her distinctive husky voice and platinum beauty, she won widespread acclaim and an academy nomination for her role in the movie 'Tom Jones'. She was among the first internationally acclaimed Australian actors, long before Hollywood discovered Nicole Kidman, Cate Blanchett or Toni Collette and was married for a time to Sean Connery, the actor best known as agent 007 James Bond. But Diane has always been a strong willed individual and when she discovered the beauty of north Queensland, she bought land there and created her own open-air rainforest theatre, called Karnak. With her successful British playwright husband Anthony Shaffer, they developed Karnak into a spiritual retreat and performing space, beloved by travelling troupes and local and international theatre lovers. But when Shaffer went to the UK and died unexpectedly in 2001, a mysterious mistress claimed rights to his inheritance, which has brought a bitter and protracted legal battle that has put Karnak's future in jeopardy. Diane Cilento has always resolutely trod her own path but the going is very rocky this time and she admits she is 'desperately poor'. Although she has won the first part of the court fight, the outcome is still unclear and Shaffer's estate is still frozen. Daughter Giovanna Volpe and her and Connery's son, Jason, also an actor, speak also for the first time about their mother's dedication to Karnak and her courageous perseverance to keep it operating.

Episode 23

Mr Singh's Opus

27 mins

Barry Singh's dream of an international musical career was hatched from the age of six, on a humble banana farm in northern NSW. The son of an Indian farmer, he spent his formative years hoeing, cutting and packing the family's livelihood, all the while nurturing the ambition of playing in and conducting a professional orchestra. When his father told him to give the music away because it was 'not manly', he hid his practice out of earshot in the packing shed. At 17, Barry thought his career was assured when he won a place at the Brisbane Conservatorium of Music. But halfway through his second year, he had to abandon his studies when his father died suddenly. He had to return home to run the farm and care for his ailing mother, and channelled his love of music into teaching. But all the while he kept the dream alive and gathering first his students and later local musical enthusiasts, he 'grew' a 70 member community orchestra in his district of Northern New South Wales, known as the Northern Rivers Symphony Orchestra. The NRSO may have been an amateur community orchestra, but Barry Singh's plans for it were grand and he has staked all to have a shot at the big time - a gala performance, at Brisbane's most prestigious venue, The Queensland Performing Arts Complex Concert Hall.

Episode 24

Blackhawk Rising

28 mins

Army pilot Captain Glenn Todhunter is being hailed as Australia's own 'Sir Douglas Bader', the World War II air ace who flew with two prosthetic legs. A bi-lateral amputee, Captain Todhunter has returned to the cockpit of Army Blackhawk helicopters and fixed wing aircraft and is believed to be the only serviceman in the world currently flying on artificial legs. Nine years ago, Captain Todhunter had been asked by an ultralight acquaintance to help him with some voluntary instructing. The two were on a practice flight near Townsville nine years ago, when their aircraft crashed and both suffered life-threatening injuries. Captain Todhunter subsequently had both legs amputated below the knee and for a time it seemed his flying career was over. However, with steely determination and a long and painful rehabilitation at the special army unit in Canberra, he learned to walk, drive and eventually fly again. Last year he even flew the chief of the Defence Forces, General Peter Cosgrove, back from East Timor to Darwin. But as Australian Story reveals, his return to the cockpits has not been universally supported.

Episode 25

A Winter's Tale

27 mins

Earlier this year 'Australian Story' received a phone call from a paramedic who'd been involved in something quite unprecedented in his 20-year working life. He'd been unable to put it out of his mind and he thought the story should be told, so he decided to contact 'Australian Story'. What began as another routine story idea for the program has turned into one of the most intriguing episodes to air in recent times. This phone call eventually led to a young Melbourne woman, 19-year-old Regina Humphries. Regina has been on an extraordinary voyage of discovery into her family's history. What she has gradually uncovered is an unthinkable tragedy of almost Shakespearean proportions that has changed the course of her family's fate. It winds back to a catastrophic event on a cold, winter's night in Melbourne 36 years ago - the consequences of which this young woman is struggling to come to terms with today.

Episode 26

Rising Son

27 mins

Arron Wood has been described by both sides of politics as one of Australia's next generation of leaders. The 28-year-old environmentalist has been approached to run for parliament by both the National Party and the Democrats. He is best known as the founder of the International River Health Conference, which brings hundreds of school children to Mildura every other year to study ways of saving the environment. He was Young Australian of the Year in the environmental category in 2001, and has been a finalist in several prestigious environmental awards. Arron Wood's parents told Australian Story they are amazed by his success. As a child, Arron was often in trouble at school, a source of embarrassment to his father who was the school principal. Ironically, Arron now employs his father in the company he started, which runs environmental education programs.

Episode 27

The Big A

27 mins

When Australian Story broke the news that Hazel Hawke had Alzheimer's Disease last November, the Logie award-winning program was watched by a record audience. More importantly, public awareness of dementia, acknowledged as one of the biggest medical challenges to the ageing baby boomer generation, also soared. With disarming frankness, Hazel and her family and friends described in the program the effects of the illness on their lives and explained the reasons behind their decision to go public. Hazel Hawke had never shirked from talking openly about tough personal issues when they were also community issues. As wife of the Prime Minister in the 1980s, she blazed a trail by bringing a number of matters out in the open, when she felt it would be for the greater good. But confronting and speaking poignantly on national television about the onset of her illness, perhaps her toughest challenge yet, won her much admiration. She also subsequently announced a special fund called the Hazel Hawke Alzheimer's Research and Care Fund to raise money for research and help people living with dementia and their families. In acknowledgment of the growing prevalence of Alzheimer's in our society, and as a forerunner to Dementia Awareness Week from September 19-25, Australian Story repeats this inspiring and important story.

Episode 28

Australian Story Presents....

30 mins

Each week staff at the popular and top rating ABC Current Affairs program Australian Story are inundated with the same questions: "Where do you get your stories from?" and "Whatever happened to.......?'' To satisfy these questions ABCTV recently hosted an evening called "Australian Story Presents'', bringing together, for the first time, famous and not so famous people who have featured on the show, along with the story producers. One thousand people crowded into a Brisbane ballroom for the evening, hosted by regular program presenter Caroline Jones and ABC TV newsreader Andrew Lofthouse. Some of the program's most popular subjects from its eight-year history were asked how their lives had been changed by appearing on Australian Story and what they had done since. Among those attending the evening were: ·Brisbane orthopaedic surgeon Michael Holt who rebuilt his mind, body and career after a shocking accident. ·Three policemen pivotal to the inquiry into missing Sunshine Coast teenager Daniel Morcombe ·Sam Bailey, the handsome young farmer left a quadriplegic after a car accident, who learnt to drive and fly again. Apart from the entertaining anecdotes, Peter Brocklehurst, the former bootmaker, now successful operatic tenor, brought the house down with a song. This Monday Australian Story presents highlights of this memorable nigh

Episode 29

In the Picture

28 mins

Brett and Wendy Whiteley were the golden couple of Australian art for 30 years. Their fame came as much from their controversial and intense personal life as from Brett's internationally acclaimed paintings. Adding to the allure was their beautiful only child, talented daughter, actor Arkie Whiteley. Brett Whiteley died in 1992 and Arkie followed in almost unspeakably tragic circumstances three years ago. Now on her own and very much on her own terms, Wendy Whiteley has been gradually picking up the pieces and building a new life. Although she and Arkie had a sometimes volatile relationship, their love was strong and binding and her death devastated Wendy.

Episode 30

Oh, Carol

28 mins

This week's Australian Story is about a girl who threw caution to the wind and ended up changing history. She's Lady Carol Kidu, Papua New Guinea's Minister for Community Development. One minute she might be dining with the Queen and the next intervening in a dangerous tribal clash. Lady Carol is the only white woman ever to enter politics in PNG and she's the country's only female cabinet minister. It's all a very long way from her childhood, growing up in the safety and security of the Brisbane suburbs in the '50s. Things changed for Carol when she was in Grade 11 and attended a school fitness camp on the Gold Coast. There she met Buri Kidu, a scholarship boy from Papua New Guinea who'd become school captain at Toowoomba Grammar School. He publicly wooed her by serenading her at the final night concert with a popular Neil Sedaka song, "Oh Carol." In defiance of the social mores of the time, Carol married Buri, moved to Port Moresby, raised four children and "did a lot of crying" as she tried to adjust to tribal life in a strange country. After independence Buri rose to become Chief Justice. He and Carol travelled and met important dignitaries from all over the world including the Pope, the Queen and Prince Charles. But in 1993, Cabinet, controversially, decided not to reappoint Sir Buri and not long after he died from a heart attack prompting a national outpouring of grief and recrimination. It was then that Carol Kidu was persuaded to "carry the mantle" and stand for public office herself in defiance of PNG social and family conventions and despite the risks....

Episode 31

Only in America & the Rex Files

28 mins

ONLY IN AMERICA Judy Sharp is a struggling single mother to teenagers, Tim and Sam, and she's put all she's got on the line for 'the biggest thing in my life, the biggest thing in all our lives' - their upcoming trip to Washington DC. They've come a long way from when she was told by doctors to put three-year-old Tim away in an institution and to forget about him. Tim's autistic, and today he communicates largely through his quirky drawings of 'Laser Beak Man', a down-to-earth superhero character of his own creation. Tim's Laser Beak Man was one of 200 works from around the world selected by jury for exhibition in the International VSA arts Festival in Washington DC. Jean Kennedy Smith, founder of the VSA arts Festival and sister of President John F. Kennedy, says Tim's work is "fun'' and that his "good sense of humour'' comes through in the adventures of Laser Beak Man. It's a risky adventure for the Sharp family, too, but the opportunity of a lifetime for Tim. THE REX FILES Rex Gilroy is a man who's spent half a century exploring the bush in single-minded pursuit of the yowie and other legendary creatures. His methods are unorthodox. His findings have been questioned. But still Rex Gilroy searches on...

Episode 32

Rise of the Phoenix - Updated Repeat

27 mins

One thousand volunteers, a million missing fragments, a ten year worldwide search. Finally, a World War II legend rises from the dead. In an aircraft hanger outside Melbourne, a World War II legend has been reborn. One thousand volunteers, from teenagers to men in their nineties, reached the finishing stages of what's described as one of the world's biggest restoration projects. They have completely rebuilt a B24 Liberator - the American manufactured plane which played a crucial role in the war in the Pacific, and helped save Australia against the Japanese. Archaeologist Colin Grey is the project co-ordinator. His father was an RAAF World War II veteran. Colin was severely disabled by an industrial accident twenty-four years ago. He was in a wheelchair for many years and even now can walk only on crutches. Nevertheless he's led expeditions, here and overseas, resulting in the salvage of no fewer than 1.3 million individual aircraft parts. The centre wing section had to be rescued from the jungle in PNG in 1994 The outer wing panels were retrieved from the desert in Arizona in 2000 and cost $60,000. But the 20 metre long fuselage was found closer to home. It was pulled out of a forest in Moe in Victoria 50 years after being abandoned by a man who was living in it. The plane was formally unveiled on August 15th, 2000 - the fifty-fifth anniversary of the end of the war in the Pacific - with veterans from the U.S. and the U.K. in attendance.

Episode 33

Good Morning Mrs Sarra

28 mins

Six years ago, the primary school at Cherbourg, in southwest Queensland was 'a disaster area'. Many children didn't turn up to school and those that did learnt very little, as discipline problems were rife. Without an education, the future of the children in the Aboriginal community was bleak. Against the advice of his mentors, Chris Sarra, a frustrated academic, took on the challenge of becoming the first Aboriginal principal of the school. He overcame resistance from the community and the teaching staff and implemented a unique program of rewarding children for attendance, encouraging them to be proud of being aboriginal and 'growling' misbehaving children. Today, children enjoy learning and literacy and numeracy standards have improved dramatically. According to Chris Sarra's mentor, QUT academic, Dr Gary MacLennan, 'hope has arisen' in Cherbourg. Chris Sarra has been acknowledged for his remarkable achievements by being named this year's Queenslander of the Year. However, since then, Chris has come under fire for his discipline methods, with allegations of rough treatment of students. In this story, Chris defends his actions and answers his critics.

Episode 34

In Realms of Gold Part 1

28 mins

Shirley Strickland de la Hunty was Australia's golden girl of the track, loved and honoured all over the world as a multi Olympic medallist and world record holder. She was also beautiful, a brilliant scientist, and an innovative coach. She competed in three Olympics and still holds the record for the most medals ever worn by an Australian track and field athlete. She was a wife, and a mother of four children and in an era when women largely limited their ambitions to the domestic front, she was politically and socially active across a range of causes. But she was tormented by 'personal demons' all her life and was an enigma to many, including her own children Australian Story producer Wendy Page is herself related to Shirley Strickland de la Hunty but she had barely ever met her famous relative. When Strickland de la Hunty died, Page set out to discover more about the Olympic icon and the troubling circumstances of her death which occurred amidst rumours of financial catastrophe and personal conflict. For the first time those closest to Strickland de la Hunty, including her children, speak out about the extraordinary life and disturbing death of the woman who became a legend...

Episode 35

In Realms of Gold Part 2

28 mins

Australian Story concludes its story on Shirley Strickland de la Hunty, the Australian Olympian acknowledged as one of the greatest athletes of all time. She competed in three Olympics and still holds the record for the most track and field medals ever won by an Australian. Part One, last week, documented her athletics career, competing in three Olympics and qualifying for a fourth. She also married, raised four children and became involved in social activism and coaching. The story is produced by Wendy Page, who is herself related to Shirley Strickland De La Hunty but had barely ever met her famous relative. When Strickland De La Hunty died, Page set out to discover more about the Olympic icon and the troubling circumstances of her death which occurred amidst rumours of financial catastrophe and personal conflict. This episode documents the later years of her life, after the devastating early death of her husband, an event described by her son Matthew as a 'point of no return that shattered the family'. Speaking exclusively, her children and closest friends finally reveal the truth about the disturbing circumstances of her death.

Episode 36

Friends in Deed

30 mins

Last year one of our neighbours was in big trouble. In a city just three hours flying time from Australia, in a nation previously described as being inhabited by "some of the friendliest people on earth" there was rape, robbery and fear. Endemic corruption had reduced the Solomon Islands to failed state status. Canberra was approached to help and the result was a 10-nation Regional Assistance Mission, led by Australia. Australian Story on Monday night tells the story of Operation "Help Em Fren" through the eyes of Ben McDevitt, the young AFP Assistant Commissioner responsible for the police side of the mission - which also involved the biggest Australian troop deployment in the Pacific since World War Two. McDevitt is a third generation police officer who first drew national media attention through his prominent role in the Bali bombing investigation. In company with diplomat Nick Warner and John Frewen, from the military, McDevitt ventured into deep jungle and personally persuaded feared militia leader Harold Keke to surrender - without a shot being fired. Keke was regarded as a "madman" responsible for many sadistic killings during the insurgency. His surrender became the big turning point. Peace was restored to the Islands and when McDevitt and his colleagues departed amidst much ceremony earlier this year, it was amidst scenes of high emotion and gratitude.

Episode 37

Into the Forest Part 1

30 mins

Ivan Milat was convicted of Australia's worst serial killings. His victims were seven backpackers whose bodies were found in the Belanglo State Forest outside Sydney. He was jailed for life and is presently held in Goulburn Jail, but speculation about his crimes continues. Who else might he have killed? And were other members of the vast Milat family involved? Ivan Milat grew up as one of 14 siblings, a close-knit family who didn't mix with others. They were surrounded by guns amidst an ethos of lawlessness and unbreakable family loyalty. Now, for the first time one brother, Boris Milat, is breaking ranks - in the strongest possible terms. Other key members of the family, including Richard Milat, are speaking out too. In this first of two parts, Australian Story provides new insights into the mind of Ivan Milat and into crimes that still unnerve and confront...

Episode 38

Into the Forest Part 2

30 mins

Australian Story concludes the story on the shaping of serial killer Ivan Milat, and the cracks opening up in his family. Milat was jailed for life eight years ago for the murder of seven backpackers whose bodies were found in the Belanglo State Forest outside Sydney. Many questions remain unanswered and there is uncertainty about the full extent of Ivan Milat's crimes. Last week, one of his siblings broke the bonds of rigid family loyalty to speak out against the convicted killer. He said it was likely there were more of his brother's victims still undiscovered. He claims the Milat family is damaged by its denial of Ivan's guilt and as a result, he says, he has received death threats from some of his own siblings. Ivan Milat is held in Goulbourn Jail. Corrective Services policy requires strict monitoring of the phone calls of maximum security prisoners. Nevertheless we hear from Ivan Milat tonight. With Ivan Milat's permission, his sister-in-law Caroline recorded a series of phone conversations with him. On one occasion, Ivan Milat also rang the ABC and spoke to a journalist. In the program, Ivan Milat states that he was "totally amazed" when his defence lawyer in the trial tried to suggest that one of his brothers, Richard or Walter, could have been responsible for the backpacker murders. Milat said he "never argued that in the first place." Ivan Milat's lawyer, Andrew Boe issued the following statement in reply: "I have yet to be involved in a criminal trial where an assertion of fact was put to the Court (or jury) without specific instructions from a client to do so and the Milat trial was no exception. The apparent suggestion that we did so in this case is a calculated falsehood. It is however not appropriate for us to publish Mr Milat's instructions on this or any other issue at this stage.".

Episode 39

The Last Summer

30 mins

It's a scene that'll be repeated all around the Australian coastline this coming holiday season. A hot summer's day, excited children and parents anticipating a blissful day at the beach. On just such a morning in Victoria six years ago, two sisters headed off. With them were eleven children aged between two and seventeen. In fifteen minutes all their lives were changed forever. Until now, most of them have refused to speak out about what happened that day. Derek Wilson, the father who lost two children to the ocean that day, is now a passionate campaigner for uniform and effective swimming safety signage. He is lobbying local councils and authorities to clearly mark the conditions and potential dangers of beaches and all waterways for unsuspecting swimmers. It is a plea with particular resonance with the long hot summer holidays about to start.