A simple brochure was the spark that inspired a teenager to pursue a dream that would take her on an adventure like no other. Standing strong in the waters of distant countries is a tall white ship with blue trims called the Africa Mercy. This ship is a light on the ocean that carries... » read more
New Year, new you, new dreams, goals and resolutions. This season is the time of year that we come together to celebrate Christmas, the hope of new life, and look forward to the year that is to come. For some, the year that has passed has been a great one and we can only... » read more
As we chatted with the Madden family over the Easter weekend of 2015, none of us had any idea of what was about to take place for them in the following few days. Children’s entertainers, Russ and Helena with their four children, were beginning their ‘Go Frills’ Easter holiday tour through Toowoomba, St George, Roma... » read more
“A man should hear a little music, read a little poetry, and see a fine picture every day of his life, in order that worldly cares may not obliterate the sense of the beautiful which God has implanted in the human soul.” ― Johann Wolfgang von Goethe Twelve year olds Jessica and Dylan, sat... » read more
It took years before I could drive past the school and not think about it. Even now it is still not far from my thoughts. Since we heard the first reports of the missing teenager in December 2003 and saw hundreds of volunteers in their orange vests scouring the bush beside the highway of our... » read more
Trembling with excitement the athletes nervously walk through the entrance to the Olympic ramp as the name of their beloved country is enthusiastically announced across the microphone. “Australia!” The athletes enter the stadium to a crowd of thousands of waving arms, roaring cheers and ecstatic clapping. Lights in all different colours flash across the stadium.... » read more
This is not a story about politics. This is not a story about Gough Whitlam, Paul Keating or the Labor or Liberal Parties. This is a story about The Lady of the House, Queensland’s first female Member of the House of Representatives (1980-1993), her life, her journey and those she met along the way. Her... » read more
Walking into the studio of David Hart was surreal. It was very neat and ordered and there were pigeon holes for every category of artwork, but his paint-splattered shoes gave away some secrets of an artist in his element. The vibrant colours of his famous flower and dragonfly paintings captured my attention, as well as... » read more
The decision to join the local fencing club as a 16-year-old was not usual for a teenage boy living in Australia in the 1960s. This choice proved to be a wise one that would lead him on a quest to unexpected places where he met legendary characters, thus changing the course of his life. Rebecca... » read more
Rock n roll stages and newspaper pages – there’s not a lot of difference between the hearts of writers and brothers Peter and Mark Furler. Entering the Furler household is like receiving a warm hug. Their puppy yaps with excitement and Julie usually has the jug boiling ready for a cup of coffee to accompany a good... » read more
‘Lots of times when you live in a country where you have everything, you don’t learn those special lessons of what it is like to not have everything, to have to make do.‘ – Dorothy Sherman. As I wandered down the pathway past a meticulously cut miniature hedge, that hemmed in a beautifully kept flowering... » read more