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Articles by Alice Walker
Fake Port Fairy artist prompts fears 'ghost store' scams will taint real reputations
Jean Bell, Alice Walker, and Sage Davidson About a week ago, Port Fairy glassblower Robert Gatt received an email from someone he did not know. They said they had bought glassware from another artist in the coastal Victorian town, had not received a receipt, but hoped he could put them in touch. "I thought, 'This sounds a bit scammy,' so I just ignored it," Gatt said.
Blackburn English Language School gardening project aims to grow mental wellbeing
Alice Walker and Philippe Perez For the first time since he left Africa, 16-year-old Albert Lotemo is delighted to have his hands in the dirt. Born in the Democratic Republic of Congo and raised in Zambia, he would work every day on a bountiful harvest as part of his agriculture studies. "I was planting the food like maize, cassava … some orange, banana … and lemon and pineapple," he said.
Prospectors unconvinced by World Heritage bid for Victorian goldfields
Proponents of the Victorian goldfields' bid for UNESCO World Heritage status continue to battle concerns it could lead to land use restrictions. Prospectors say a significant section of the community remains unconvinced by assurances a listing would not impact local regulations. Next month the federal government will select which site on its tentative list to submit to UNESCO for consideration.
Program: How the Gold Rush Shaped Victoria episode 6 - the World Heritage bid
Ever since the 1980s, momentum has been gathering for the Victorian goldfields to be recognised with World Heritage status. But some of the people most inspired by the Gold Rush are least enthusiastic about gaining a UNESCO listing. In the final episode of How the Gold Rush Shaped Victoria, we look at why world heritage matters, what makes Victoria special, and some of the concerns around the process.
Program: How the Gold Rush Shaped Victoria episode 5 - Rebellion
Many see the Southern Cross flag as a symbol of freedom and unity. That symbol has been adopted by very different political movements with very different aims, and it all stems from the Eureka Stockade of 1854. When gold miners swore to stand by each other and fight to defend their "rights and liberties," it was a defining moment for Victoria and the nation. How it came about and the role it played in our democracy is the topic of our next installment of How the Gold Rush Shaped Victoria.
Program: How the Gold Rush Shaped Victoria episode 4 - Culture Clash
We all know the story of the Gold Rush is not just one of mining, but one of migration. It's something we often celebrate. For episode four of How the Gold Rush Shaped Victoria — how was that influx of people seen by those who were already here? And what was the dark side to that melting pot?
Barmah sand slug fix a complex headache due to competing demands
The Murray Darling Basin Authority is finalising its advice on options to increase water flows through Barmah. A giant sand slug continues to build up in the stretch of the Murray River. The Murray Darling Basin Authority is due to present its advice to federal and state governments by the end of the year. Australia's largest river red gum forest along the mighty Murray is enjoying the spoils of winter floods, attracting more than 50 waterbird species in their thousands come spring.
Program: How the Gold Rush Shaped Victoria episode 3 - Cities
One of the most obvious legacies of the Gold Rush is the iconic streetscapes it built on First Nations land. All across the state, you can find distinctive architecture where the money poured in, and ghost towns where the gold dried up. For episode three of How the Gold Rush Shaped Victoria, we're taking a look at how the lure of a lucky find drew people from here to there and eventually formed our cities.
Program: How the Gold Rush Shaped Victoria episode 2 - Waterways
Victoria was founded on the back of its Gold Rush. This series looks at that history and how it's still impacting us today. In episode two, we're taking a trip into our river systems — to find out how 19th century mining is still causing drastic changes to flows, and how its pollution led to groundbreaking regulation.
Geological Survey of Victoria maps 200,000 unrecorded gold rush mining features
Hidden beneath the ground throughout regional Victoria are relics of the state's gold rush past. In July 1851, the state officially separated from New South Wales, and in the same month its first gold discovery was announced, leading to a rapid expansion as a flood of immigrants arrived to seek their fortune.
Program: How the Gold Rush Shaped Victoria episode 1 - Underground
Victoria was built on the back of the gold nugget. The Gold Rush was a period of such transformational construction and destruction that regional Victoria is now on the tentative list for a UNESCO World Heritage listing. In this six-part series, Alice Walker speaks to locals and experts for an exploration of How the Gold Rush Shaped Victoria — and how it still impacts us in profound ways today.
Program: Being human in the age of AI
Pope Leo XIV has just published his first encyclical, and it's on artificial intelligence. But for 75 years, people from diverse religious traditions have been thinking about AI and the ethics of AI, including from Buddhist and Protestant perspectives. What does it mean to be human in an age of AI? And how do we treasure our humanity in the face of the technological revolution of our time?
Albury artist showcases how Western Front tied small towns in Australia and France forever
In small villages of northern France and Belgium that staged some of the bloodiest fighting along the Western Front, there are tangible reminders of Australian sacrifice. Soldiers and shells lie in the soil, and you can travel the Australian Remembrance Trail to pay homage to the 46,000 diggers who died there. Noreuil is the final resting place for more than 200 Commonwealth soldiers.
Australian women's curling team reaches milestone at world championships
There are a lot of great underdog stories in the sporting world — from athletes overcoming all kinds of adversity, to Stephen Bradbury taking out the first Winter Olympics gold for Australia in memorable fashion. Australian winter sports will reach a new milestone this weekend when the women's curling team competes at the world championships for the first time.
Regional mobile phone users lament lost service as complaints spike
Ian Bowden remembers the ghosts of his mobile phones past. First it was the "brick" of the 1990s, then he owned a flip phone that picked up service even in his workplace basement, and now he uses a smartphone that he has had for 18 months. But while the handset technology has dramatically improved over the decades, he cannot say the same for his Telstra reception. "Ten years ago, I'd sit in my lounge room at home and I'd have full service," he said.
Record-breaking heatwave leaves some flower farmers without Valentine's Day blooms
Natalie Thomson cannot bring herself to photograph what last month's heatwave did to her micro flower farm in Nyah West. Five years into developing her floral "passion project", she had been ready for the heat of summer with drip irrigation and a mix of varieties carefully selected for the hot, dry climate But neither she nor her plants were prepared for the record-breaking temperatures experienced last month. "I'd never experienced a 48-degree day myself," she said.
Op shops accustomed to 'disgusting' donations call for more respect
Kaye Littlejohn has been volunteering for more than 40 years at the same op shop in Leongatha — long enough to have seen just about everything come through the door. While most donations she has handled have been decent, she is used to the bad ones. "Dirty, filthy clothing that hasn't been washed, the odd dead cat in your bin or something like that," she said. Most donations are thoughtful and clean — but when they are bad, they are really bad.
Cyprian Consiglio on music and modern monasticism
Is there a mantra that helps you meditate, or perhaps some music that helps you connect with your sense of the sacred? Music has a long and intimate relationship with spirituality, and has helped people throughout the ages and across faith traditions to access something of the divine. Cyprian Consiglio is a Camaldolese monk with the monastery of New Camaldoli in Big Sur, California. He is a musician and writer and the General Secretary for Monastic Interreligious Dialogue.
Calls for national strategy to tackle apprentice hazing and protect workers’ mental health
South Australian Apprentice of the Year Beth Jones is calling for stronger penaltiesto address workplace hazing She says she suffered daily panic attacks in the first years of her apprenticeship due to sabotage and harassment. TV presenter and former builder Barry Du Bois is pushing for a national strategy to address the problem. Beth Jones does not mince her words when describing her first apprenticeship experience in 2020 as a mechanical fitter.
Teen becomes first nationally accredited netball umpire in a wheelchair
Brodie Taylor, 18, is a regular fixture at netball matches on the Victorian-New South Wales border. The Lavington teen umpires for the social competitions, and for the competitive Hume League. While that is completely normal for him and those around him, it is also remarkable — because he is the first netball umpire in the country to gain national accreditation in a wheelchair.
Federation University scraps one of Australia's oldest geology courses
Federation University has dropped its 155-year-old geoscience and geology studies. Specialised courses have been in decline across Australian universities, as student demand falls despite an industry shortage. Enrolled geology and geoscience students will need to study equivalent units at another university, switch courses, or switch universities to complete their degrees. Anthony Dale grew up with a fascination of the gold mines around his home in the Victorian town of Warrandyte.
Trailblazing female mining engineer remembered as pioneering transgender woman
Cory Williams was working as a geologist in the 1980s when he stumbled across two unique discoveries; a lead zinc deposit in the Kimberley and a mining engineer by the name of Rebecca Norton. Back then, women were extremely scarce in the mining industry, and especially in specialised roles like engineering. "She knew what she was doing as an engineer, that was pretty clear — even to a geologist," Mr Williams said. As a transgender woman, Ms Norton was well ahead of the curve.
Claims foster care payments have been cut spark concern for kids with complex needs
Foster carers in Victoria say they have been "blindsided" by sudden reduced allowances for children with complex needs, despite the government insisting no cuts have been made. The Foster Care Association of Victoria (FCAV) said some of its members had reported significant reductions in allowances, with payments for children with complex needs dropping down to base payment rates.
Experts call for clearer boarding regulations to relieve housing pressure
There are an estimated 13 million spare bedrooms in Australia, according to a census data analysis. Advocates say boarding could pose a solution to immediate housing demand. Legal experts warn that boarding does not have the protections of the Residential Tenancies Act. When the Portland Memorial Bowling Club put out a call for housing for its newest chef, regular customer Ellen Linke did not hesitate.
Footy fan who supports 15 AFL teams finds friendship through his passion
Karen Cronin was on a camping trip watching an AFL match with her son, Jacob Cozens, when she had an idea that would transform his life. She saw a group of young men socialising, and wished her son was having the same experience. "My heart broke a little bit for him," she said.
Widower kayaks through grief and love to raise money for cancer treatment
Anyone with an eye to the Murray River this spring might be rewarded with the memorable sight of a septuagenarian sharing a kayak with a poodle, paddling 2,400 kilometres for a good cause. Peter Dixon is on a fundraising mission, but he is also paddling through his grief after the loss of his wife Helen Dixon to pancreatic cancer in March. His unlikely poodle co-pilot Maggie May isn't much of paddler, but she has taken to the journey all the same.
Fresh calls for wildlife crash reporting laws after women die on Hume Freeway helping kangaroo
Wildlife Victoria and Hume City Council are calling for mandatory reporting of all road crashes involving wildlife. It comes after two women died on a freeway in Melbourne last week while trying to help an injured kangaroo. A Victorian parliamentary inquiry into wildlife road strikes is due to report back in November. The deaths of two women trying to help an injured kangaroo on a busy Melbourne freeway have led to renewed calls for mandatory reporting requirements for wildlife collisions.
Bob Cook obituary
My grandfather, Bob Cook, who has died aged 94, was a scientist and artist. He was a pioneer in equine veterinary medicine, who challenged horse-training tradition with research that suggested bits cause pain, suffocation and the behavioural problems they are meant to solve.
Global study shows online dating does not always lead to happy relationships
A study of couples in 50 countries has found those who meet online report lower levels of satisfaction. The survey of 6,500 people found couples who met online felt less intimate, passionate and committed than those who met in person. Researchers are calling for long-term studies as the percentage of relationships initiated online continues to rise. Dan Reid had been online dating for a couple of years when, unexpectedly, he came across the profile of the woman who would become his fiance.
Glenelg gives up bid to be part of global Great Ocean Road tourism brand
Glenelg Shire Council has withdrawn from a tourism promotion board for the Great Ocean Road. Five local governments are charged a board membership fee of up to $150,000. Glenelg Shire Council is now developing its own tourism strategy. A regional Victorian council boasting beaches, whales and a UNESCO World Heritage listing is ending its decade-long campaign to be considered part of the Great Ocean Road.
Community rallies to help recreate Tru Blu Ford Falcon after man's cancer diagnosis
John Giggins was working at his family-run cafe at Wangaratta in February when he realised something wasn't right. "I was making the wrong coffees," he said. "I even made the wrong coffee for my mum who comes down to the shop every Friday." His children noticed he was behaving strangely and his text messages were incomprehensible. A scan led to urgent brain tumour surgery and within days the 56-year-old had a terminal diagnosis to grapple with.
Funeral photography allows people to grieve and honour loved ones
Most people's smartphones and social media accounts are filled with happy snaps of birthdays, weddings, family gatherings and holidays. But it's much less common for someone to pull out their phone or hire a professional to take photos at a funeral. This story contains an image of a deceased child in a casket from 1935. Warrnambool-based photographer Eddie Guerrero decided to expand his business into the area of funeral photography after receiving requests for casket photos.
Massive flock of critically endangered swift parrots seen near Bendigo
Swift parrots have fascinated Adrian Martins for years, but last month he had an incredible day at the office when he saw more of the critically endangered birds in one spot than he had ever recorded before. The natural environment program manager at Victoria's Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action was monitoring the "swifties" that had come to roost in central Victoria as part of their annual migration from Tasmania.
William Cooper, 'father of NAIDOC', remembered by the next generation
Alf Turner, known to the Yorta Yorta community as Uncle Boydie, has seen with his own eyes what the past century has brought for his country and its people. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander readers are advised that the following story contains images of people who have died. The 96-year-old remembers hiding from a black car driven by authorities, fearing he would be taken away like so many other children.
Childcare, early education advocates sound alarm as development census results decline
Early childhood advocates are calling for more investment following the latest Australian Early Development Census (AEDC). The AEDC found only 52.9 per cent of children are on track in all five of the key development areas in their first year of school. The federal government's $1 billion Building Early Education Fund rolls out next month, and parents' guarantee of at least three days of subsidised child care in January.
Paper clothes are turning heads and they're more durable than you think
Each year, the average Australian throws out about 11 kilograms of clothing, according to the latest National Waste Report. But what if some of that could be composted? It might sound surprising, but paper fashion has been around for centuries and while it remains far from the mainstream, interest is growing, according to Australian designer Anzara Clark. She holds sold-out workshops to overcome people's misconceptions about the power of paper.
Sussan Ley's leadership push met with support and reservations in Farrer
The electorate of Farrer does not like change. Named after wheat breeder William James Farrer, the seat covers more than 12,500 square kilometres of sparsely populated southern New South Wales, skirting most of the Victorian border. Since its establishment in 1949, it has had just four members, all from the Coalition.
What lies beyond the conclave for the Catholic Church
Pope Francis died on April 21st at the age of eighty-eight, leaving behind, what many argue is, a transformative legacy. Over his papacy, he appointed 108 of the 135 cardinals eligible to vote in the upcoming conclave, which is set to begin next week. As the Sistine Chapel closes its doors to the public, preparations are underway for a secret process that will determine the next leader of the world's 1.4 billion Catholics.
Forgiveness after apartheid and the limits of remorse
In post-apartheid South Africa, Pumla Gobodo-Madikizela is asking, when is forgiveness possible, and where does that leave the search for justice? These questions have sent her on what she calls the "reparative quest", seeking answers from people on opposite sides of the atrocity — including the former police colonel, Eugene de Kock, nicknamed “Prime Evil” for his role in killing and torturing activists fighting white minority rule in the country.
The secret to a great caricature
Do you ever look at those great cartoons in the newspaper and just find yourself laughing out loud? Politicians, celebrities, sporting stars - all have been subject to caricature. But for one Victorian cartoonist, it's not just about drawing funny faces.
Baking invasive species in pies helps reduce numbers, but ecologists have reservations
Pies are a Trojan horse of sorts for Louise Daily. "A pie is one of the most approachable things for most Australians. It's an iconic part of the diet," she said. It is what is in the pies that Ms Daily and her business partners want to normalise — meat harvested from culling programs. "More often than not, most of the meat doesn't get utilised and we see there's a huge waste of really amazing protein that we want people to be able to enjoy more," she said.
Visions of freedom - Liberation theology and Advent - ABC listen
What does a future of freedom and justice look like? Recently-deceased Peruvian theologian Fr Gustavo Gutierrez spoke about liberation from all kinds of oppression and God's preferential option for the poor. It's a vision that began on the fringes, but has wound up influencing the very centres of power in the Christian world. Fr Peter Smith is parish priest of St Columba's Catholic Church in Leichhardt and Promoter of Peace and Justice with the Archdiocese of Sydney.
Music and the mystical with Cyprian Consiglio
Is there a mantra that helps you meditate, or perhaps some music that helps you connect with your sense of the sacred? Music has a long and intimate relationship with spirituality, and has helped people throughout the ages and across faith traditions to access something of the divine. Cyprian Consiglio is a Camaldolese monk with the monastery of New Camaldoli in Big Sur, California. He is a musician and writer and the newly appointed General Secretary for Monastic Interreligious Dialogue.
Human hope in the age of AI
The development of generative AI has opened a lot of questions about who we are as humans. What makes a human, human? What do we value? What does a flourishing future for us all even look like in this new technological age? Dr Stephen Garner is a Senior Research Fellow at Laidlaw College, the largest interdenominational Christian College in New Zealand. He researches theology in dialogue with science, technology, and new media, and regularly writes and speaks about Christianity and AI.
5 listens with Glory Edim
I always listen to essay collections and memoirs through audiobooks—it’s like eavesdropping on someone’s personal diary, but with permission. I love the rhythm of someone narrating their own life story—like we’re having a one-on-one conversation. It’s immersive, intimate, and let's be honest, who wouldn’t want Michelle Obama or Trevor Noah keeping them company during a long commute?
Using a motor for motor neurone disease
Take your favourite podcasts and radio with you
Monarchy and its religious critics
In the wake of the King's visit to Australia, we're once again debating questions that get to the heart of Australian government and identity. These aren't just political questions — they're spiritual too. Rev Justin Moffatt is Senior Minister of St Philip’s Church Hill, the oldest parish in Australia and the custodian of the First Fleet Bible and Prayer Book, which has been signed by every visiting monarch of Australia since the early 20th century.
Young royalists report rise in membership as King Charles' visit approaches
When the late Queen Elizabeth II marked 70 years on the throne with her 2022 Platinum Jubilee, far from Buckingham Palace, Victorian teenager Michael Ahearn was cooking a British feast with his family. He was fascinated by the traditions, rituals, and pageantry on display — and he started building a royal collection.
A healer in both worlds
Pearl Proud's family has a long tradition of Zulu spirits blessing them with special gifts. She balances her spirituality with a modern psychology practice as a healer. Story by Meredith Lake and Alice Walker, production by Elsa Silberstein.
Forgiveness and the reparative quest after apartheid - ABC listen
In post-apartheid South Africa, Pumla Gobodo-Madikizela is asking, when is forgiveness possible, and where does that leave the search for justice? These questions have sent her on what she calls the "reparative quest", seeking answers from people on opposite sides of the atrocity. This includes former police colonel Eugene de Kock, nicknamed "Prime Evil" for his role in killing and torturing anti-apartheid activists.
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