EarthChat

NAIDOC 2025, the Next Generation: Strength, Vision and Legacy S25 Ep26

NAIDOC Week this year marks a powerful milestone: 50 years of honouring and elevating Indigenous voices, culture, and resilience. The 2025 theme, "The Next Generation: Strength, Vision & Legacy," celebrates not only the achievements of the past but a future, empowered by the strength of young Indigenous leaders, the vision of communities, and the legacy of ancestors. The NAIDOC journey began as a movement for recognition and rights, sparked by Indigenous communities who saw a future built on justice and equality. Over the decades, it has grown into a powerful national celebration, a testament to the endurance of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.As we all commemorate this 50-year legacy, Tim and Jill chat to Darrell Lego, a member of the local organising committee for NAIDOC week in Seymour and Mitchell Shire. Darrell will talk about the great events planned for the local area in the week, including the annual celebration on Wednesday 9th July.Darrell will also gives us some background on himself as a Gunditjmara man, some background of NAIDOC and some more information about the great activities planned for the celebration on 9th July.Music this week is from Youngblud and also Rhyan Clapham (aka Dobby) - a drummer and rapper of indigenous and Filipino heritage who uses his music to express his thoughts on environmental issues like how the Murray-Darling River system has been over irrigated with subsequent fish losses etc. Through his songs he seeks to connect with people and call for action. He also collaborates with the Busking for Change initiative run by musician Josh Pike where funds generated from the sale of the music are used to support the Indigenous Literacy Foundation. His latest project is called "Country Tells Us When". We played the song "I Can't Breathe"

Indigenous Protected Areas S25 Ep25

Indigenous Protected Areas (IPAs) are areas of land and sea Country managed by First Nations groups in accordance with Traditional Owners’ objectives. IPAs deliver biodiversity conservation outcomes for the benefit of all Australians, through voluntary agreements with the Australian Government. There are 87 IPAs across Australia, 9 in the Kimberley.This week on EarthChat, Jamie Brown, head ranger at Paruku IPA in the South East Kimberley, chats about his work, discusses the emergence of the ranger program across Australia, and outlines their value to First Nations and conservation purposes. Leading into NAIDOC week, it’s a good story.Hosts Peter Lockyer and Phil Bourne have just returned from Mulan Community and Paruku Native Title area.Read about the Paruku IPA here.

Are you ready for Plastic Free July S25 Ep24

Plastic Free July is only a few sleeps away! Now is the time to think about the small steps we can all take to reduce our use of harmful plastics. To help us, in this week's EarthChat, Tim is again chatting with Rebecca Prince-Ruiz, the founder of the global Plastic Free Foundation.Plastic Free July is a key initiative of the Plastic Free Foundation, inspiring all of us to work towards a vision of seeing a world free of plastic waste. Rebecca is a change-maker, author, TEDx speaker and sustainability professional who is motivated to care for people and planet. Rebecca believes that as individuals, by changing our relationship with plastic and challenging our consumption, together we can work towards a world without plastic waste.We also talk with Freya, proprietor of Café 96 in Station Street, Seymour about the things she has done to reduce plastic in her café. Read more about Cafe 96 hereWant to read more and get involved in Plastic Free July? Look here.

News from the Euroa Arboretum, S25 Ep23

There are always interesting goings on at "the Arb", and, it’s always a joy to catch up with the passionate and innovative folk who work there.Ruth is delighted to welcome development manager, Cathy Olive, and grassy ground cover restoration coordinator, Bronte Haines to this week's EarthChat. Two remarkable people among many caring for the Arboretum, including a group of committed volunteers, who lovingly contribute to the Arb’s great work and its beautiful environment.In consultation with local Traditional Custodians, (The Taungurung), the Arb offers an excellent example of thoughtful land regeneration and conservation including protecting threatened species, running one of only three Victorian Seed Banks, and developing an educational role in local schools and community to encourage a greater connection to the natural environment.
If you haven’t had the opportunity to visit the Arb, it is a must! Only 160 kms from Melbourne along the Hume Highway, it’ll take you under two hours to get there. And it offers 24 hour access 365 days a year. The retail plant Nursery is open Monday & Thursday from 12 - 4 pm from late March - check the website for the date the Nursery opens each year. For the Arb’s full history, achievements, and events, It’s well worth a ‘surf’.To help the Arb care for the bush and learn new skills you might like to join their team of fabulous volunteers on a Monday and/or Thursday, working in the Nursery, or in the Grounds, or in the Seedbank. Just fill out the form on their website. Donations are also tax deductible since the Arb is a not-for-profit, charitable incorporation.

Combining Art and Activism for the Sake of the Planet S25 Ep22

This week, Tim Budge talks with Alex Kelly, an artist, organiser and filmmaker based on Dja Dja Wurrung Country. Working across film, theatre, communications strategy and troublemaking, Alex purposefully connects the disciplines of art and social change.This EarthChat conversation is part of an ongoing series of programs with people who are seeking to be changemakers/ activists or just community leaders. Together this week we explore Alex's work as an activist and an artist and how that has led her to be involved in such as issues as indigenous affairs, climate change and Gaza. Alex has been involved in some fascinating and cutting-edge work, she was impact producer on The Dreamlife of Georgie Stone, In My Blood it Runs and Avi Lewis and Naomi Klein’s This Changes Everything. Alex has been supported by a Churchill Fellowship, a Sidney Myer Creative Fellowship and a Bertha Challenge Fellowship. Alex’s artistic focus is the futuring practice The Things We Did Next, a hybrid of theatre, imagination and democracy and is a member of the Unquiet Collective.
Read more about Alex here and listen in for a fascinating and inspiring conversation.

Repurposing surplus medical and educational goods S25 Ep21

This week, Marie Gerrard is chatting about a new group in our area. The group is currently setting up a store of donated medical and educational goods that are being discarded by our own health and educational institutions but are greatly needed by our International neighbourhood. Jenny Foster from the Rotary Club of Change Makers Cub together with a highly motivated group that will be sending container loads of carefully sorted goods that the recipients have indicated that they both need but also can service and have the training to use. There are benefits to our neighbouring countries, since this program will reduce the amount of useful equipment that will end in landfill. Join us for what is an interesting conversation.

Celebrating ‘Friends of the Earth’ S25 Ep20

Friends of the Earth (FoE) is the largest grassroots federation of environmental activists in the world and currently active in more than 70 countries, with over 2 million supporters and members world wide. FoE began 56 years ago in the USA (San Francisco in 1969), and 53 years ago FoE set up its first Australian office in Adelaide (1972), and a year later (1973) the Melbourne office was set up. The national Australian office was established in 1974. Since 1973, Friends of the Earth Australia (FoE) has defended and protected forests and waterways, stood as allies in the struggles for First Nations’ self determination and land rights, opposed uranium mining, protested the destruction of war, and kept fossil fuels in the ground. FoE takes a community empowerment approach to its campaigns. FoE has built thriving social enterprises that challenge the status quo, promotes sustainable consumption, puts workers first and helps fund environmental and social action. FoE doesn’t have a CEO or bosses, they strive for anti-hierarchy and practice consensus decision-making. Each group has the autonomy to do whatever they need to protect the natural environment as long as they act in accordance with these principles.
In this week’s EarthChat Ruth Yeatman celebrates ‘Friends of the Earth’ (FoE) with long time member and campaigns’ coordinator, Cam Walker, who has tirelessly worked with the organization since 1989. Cam Walker is responsible for co-ordinating FoE's various campaigns and projects. He has worked for decades on grassroots environmental campaigns, starting with the Franklin River in 1982, and with indigenous communities and organisations. Over the past 8 years Cam’s key priority has been to gain a permanent ban on the process of fracking in Victoria, a rebuild of the Climate Change Act, adoption of strong emission reduction targets, and a strong renewable energy target (VRET) in the state of Victoria. These successful campaigns were effective because they built strong alliances with rural and regional communities. In the last three years Cam has focused on identifying forests of high conservation value in the Victorian high country and campaigning for their protection, and working towards an early end to native forest logging across the state. A long community campaign led to the Victorian government announcing it will end all native forest logging in the east of the state by January 2024. Cam spent a decade working with FoE International, with experience in environmental campaigning in Africa, Europe, North America and Latin America.Cam is clearly is one of Australia’s treasures (and the world’s). Deep gratitude for his sustained commitment, courage, and incredibly hard work supporting our Environment for near half a century! Listen in! You can follow Cam’s Twitter feed at @Cam_Walker. For more information about Friends of the Earth Melbourne : melbournefoe.org.au

Biodiversity - Nature's Insurance Policy for a Sustainable Future S25 Ep19

This week Tim, Jill and guests will be discussing biodiversity. Biodiversity is a term that is used frequently today - but what does it really mean and why is it so important to many aspects of our lives?  Essentially it is all the variety and variability of all the different life forms on Earth ie plants and animals, insects, reptiles, amphibians, fungi and other micro-organisms such as bacteria.  The complex interactions of the species and the balance of natural processes and lifecycles make it possible for us to survive into the future meaningfully.They explore some of the reasons that biodiversity of species and the health of both land and water ecosystems is declining and why urgent action is needed to reverse this trend.  We will also explore some of the excellent projects that are underway in various parts of the world and closer to home in our State and region that offer significant hope for threatened species and their habitats.  There are many opportunities to support and become involved in these and our guests will elaborate more on this.Liz Downes is a forest activist, researcher and campaigner and a Director of the Rainforest Information Centre. The campaign she has mainly been working on in recent years is located in Ecuador where mining and other threats are threatening the Equatorial forests in one of thy world's most biodiverse regions where we are still discovering the species that exist there. Any habitat loss can have severe consequences for species survival and for future generations especially as we lose insect and pollinator species that impact food the health of the entire ecosystem.  Also of interest is MRAG (Melbourne Rainforest Action Group) - https://rainforestactiongroup.org/ Vanessa Malandrin is an agricultural scientist, former EarthChat presenter and leading BEAM member is currently the Facilitator of the South West Goulburn Landcare Network which consists of 5 sub-groups across the Mitchell Shire.  We hear from Vanessa about the important work in the region on biodiversity conservation and habitat restoration as well as opportunities to become involved in some exciting projects.Other sources of useful information are:https://www.iucnredlist.org/ (IUCN Red List of Threatened Species)https://www.australiangeographic.com.au/topics/wildlife/2024/05/protecting-our-pollinators/ (Protecting our pollinators - Australian Geographic)https://euroaarboretum.com.au/matchstick_grasshopper/ (Bringing Endangered bugs back to Taungurung grasslands  – Euroa Arboretum)https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/may/13/a-horror-movie-sharks-and-octopuses-among-200-species-killed-by-toxic-algae-off-south-australia

Mitchell Shire's green space possibilities S25 Ep18

This week Marie and Ruth chat with recently retired shire Councillor Rob Eldridge about some wonderful possibilities in Mitchell Shire for developing our opportunities to set aside significant areas of green space for the future.
They start with the proposed Wallan Wallan  wetland park. This is an opportunity that must not be missed as the population of this area grows. There is also a great discussion on some of the restrictions to the actual powers of the Shire, what we can and cannot do. 

Post election challenges S25 Ep17

With Dutton and much of the Coalition voted out of parliament, we are saved from going down a fraught path of nuclear power, and the voters of Australia have strongly rejected Trumpism here.But there are some big challenges for Australia for the resurgent Labor Government. For starters, ramping up the transmission linkage of renewables, upgrading our environmental protection laws, and getting serious about a national conversation on a more sustainable water policy.
Retired academic and strategic thinker Alan Jenkins rejoins Peter Lockyer on EarthChat to reflect on what the election means, and some challenges in the coming 3 years.