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Lynley Huguenin describes being a Bali bombing victim, 2008

This is an edited sound recording of Melbourne woman Lynley Huguenin, who received serious burns in one of the two terrorist bombings on the Indonesian island of Bali on 12 October 2002, describing the explosion that set her clothes on fire and the confusion that followed. She also tells of a long series of medical treatments, ...

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Ian Frazer discusses the cervical cancer vaccine, 2008

This is an edited sound recording of the Australian medical scientist Ian Frazer discussing how he and his colleague Jian Zhou developed the first vaccine to prevent and treat cervical cancer. He describes their breakthrough laboratory discovery in 1990, and how they realised a vaccine was possible. He also tells of the ...

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Milt Cottee describes RAAF air attacks in the Korean War, 2007

This is an edited sound recording of former Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Group Captain Milt Cottee describing attack missions in single-seater Mustang planes such as those he piloted in the Korean War (1950-53). Cottee outlines the range of weapons carried and the types of targets they were used against. He also gives ...

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Ric Havyatt describes bomb disposal work in Darwin, 2008

This is an edited sound recording of Ric Havyatt, former Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) bomb disposal officer during the Second World War (1939-45), describing the way Japanese planes bombed Darwin in the Northern Territory in 1942-43, and how some bombs did not explode, as designed, on impact. He tells how some unexploded ...

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Ian Frazer describes medical research work, 2008

This is an edited sound recording of Australian medical scientist Ian Frazer outlining some of the joys and frustrations of a career as a medical researcher. One advantage, he says, is that researchers know that many people may benefit from the work they themselves are enjoying, but he warns against a career as a research ...

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Bonita Mabo recalls Eddie Mabo’s land rights battle, 2008

This is an edited sound recording of Bonita Mabo, widow of Indigenous land rights activist Eddie Mabo. She recalls how her husband declared he would fight for recognition as the owner of his traditional land on Mer Island, also known as Murray Island, in the Torres Strait after learning it was officially regarded as crown ...

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Joan Kirner recalls her time as Victorian premier, 2008

This is an edited sound recording of Joan Kirner (1938-) reflecting on being the first female premier of Victoria. She tells how she believed she could be an effective leader despite taking on the position at a time when Victoria was undergoing severe economic difficulties, and without any real role model to follow. Kirner ...

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Judge Kevin Parker discusses grave human rights violations, 2008

This is an edited sound recording of Kevin Parker, vice-president of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY), describing his response to the extent and gravity of war crimes and other human rights violations in the former Yugoslavia and in Rwanda. Suggesting that such crimes can be committed ...

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Andy Thomas discusses recreation on Mir, 2008

This is an edited sound recording of Australian astronaut and cosmonaut Andy Thomas describing the recreational challenges of living for almost five months aboard the Russian space station Mir in 1998. The recording was made in August 2008.

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Andy Thomas describes being a cosmonaut, 2008

This is an edited sound recording of Australian astronaut Andy Thomas describing how he prepared to spend almost five months as a cosmonaut in 1998 aboard the Russian space station Mir, in company with two Russians. He also talks about conversational difficulties aboard the space station. The recording was made in August 2008.

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Andy Thomas speaks of Australia's space program, 2008

This is an edited sound recording of Australian astronaut Andy Thomas, discussing what he regards as a lack of Australian investment in a space program. Thomas outlines why he believes a country such as Australia needs a space program as a part of its 'basic infrastructure'. The recording was made in August 2008.

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Clare Martin talks about becoming NT opposition leader, 2008

This is an edited sound recording of Clare Martin talking about some of the political strategies she adopted after becoming Australian Labor Party (ALP) opposition leader in Australia's Northern Territory (NT) in 1999. Martin says she was very conscious that the NT had an unusually high proportion of male voters, and this ...

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Clare Martin speaks on being a female politician, 2008

This is an edited sound recording of Clare Martin, former chief minister of Australia's Northern Territory (NT), talking about being a female politician. Martin discusses some of the difficulties faced by women politicians, particularly those with children. She says that balancing their professional role with their role ...

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Steven Heathcote recalls portraying Ned Kelly, 2005

This is an edited sound recording of leading Australian ballet dancer Steven Heathcote. He is recalling dancing the role of the bushranger Ned Kelly in the Australian Ballet's 1990 production of 'My name is Edward Kelly'. He outlines the mixed public perceptions of the character and the emotional challenges of the role. ...

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Jurij Semkiw remembers Australia's first computer, 2006

This is an edited sound recording of 77-year-old Jurij Semkiw talking about Australia's first computer, known as CSIRAC (pronounced 'sigh-rack'), which ran its first simple program in 1949. Semkiw, who was a maintenance engineer on CSIRAC, describes the excitement of being involved in a completely new technology. He also ...

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Ian Ritchie describes the launch of the Blue Streak, 2006

This is an edited sound recording of Ian Ritchie recalling the first launch of a Europa Blue Streak rocket from the Woomera rocket range in South Australia on 5 June 1964. Ritchie, an engine technician at the range, tells of the noise at lift-off and how the first flight of the rocket was cut short. The recording was made ...

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John Collins recalls illustrations by Oodgeroo Noonuccal (Kath Walker), 2007

This is an edited sound recording of John Collins, former managing director of the Brisbane-based book publisher Jacaranda Press, recalling the way the Indigenous poet Oodgeroo Noonuccal (then Kath Walker) produced illustrations for her 1980 book 'Father sky and mother earth'. He describes how a casual remark led to her ...

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Kerry Alcock describes his Cyclone Larry experience, 2008

This is an edited sound recording of a Queensland banana grower, Kerry Alcock, describing the devastation wrought by Cyclone Larry on his family business plantation in March 2006. Alcock tells how his crop was totally destroyed and how a new crop had to be planted from scratch using about 65,000 'suckers'. He also points ...

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Mauro Gibin recalls migrating from Italy, 2006

This is an edited sound recording of Mauro Gibin, who migrated to Australia from Italy in 1966 with his parents. He recalls that as a 14-year-old, the month-long voyage by ship across the Indian Ocean to Australia was an adventure. Gibin describes his family's fellow emigrants and some of their on-board conversations. He ...

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Jim Stewart recalls the Australian Army Training Team in Vietnam, 2008

This is an edited sound recording of Jim Stewart, a former commanding officer of the Australian Army Training Team in Vietnam (AATTV), explaining how the AATTV trained units of the South Vietnamese Army (SVA) and militia forces. Stewart describes the duties of AATTV members, recalling the difficulty of the language barrier ...