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Articles by Donal Sheil
John ran through pain and extreme fatigue to achieve a milestone for a group close to his heart
John Veloudos was 60km into a 100km ultramarathon when extreme fatigue turned into pain. "Obviously I'm in a lot of pain and I want to stop, but I'm just trying to think of getting to the next point." At that point, he said all he could do was count each kilometre as it came.
Cam built his own bouldering gym in his suburban Canberra backyard as the sport's popularity climbs
Loading... From the garden of Cam Wilson's suburban Canberra home, his shed looks just like any other. But when he opens the door, there are no tools or bikes to be found. Instead, the walls are covered in wood and hundreds of colourful little footholds. In other words, it's a boulderer's paradise — and it's just a stone's throw from his couch. Mr Wilson first embarked on the ambitious project to build his own home-bouldering gym a few years ago.
St Vincent de Paul Society outreach program finding long-term rough sleepers a place to call home in Canberra
Damian Tarrant was removed from his home when he was just 11 years old. By 13 he was a ward of the state and moving between refuges across Sydney. "I then went from 13, for the next 12 years or so, on a drug-fuelled adventure that I could only tell you bits and pieces of," he said. "I can hardly remember any of it." He's lived with the impact of complex and serious trauma, including a variety of serious mental health issues, drug addiction and multiple terms of incarceration in the ACT and NSW.
Federal government looks to regain trust in Disability Employment Services with sweeping overhaul after years of poor performance and criticism
Since launching in 2010, the federal government's $1.2 billion flagship disability employment program has been criticised for poor performance and focus on compliance. But critics and defenders agree that "pockets of excellence" thrive in the sector. The government announced significant policy changes in the recent budget, increasing funding to $5.4 billion over five years and promising to put people and quality first. Jordan Priest isn't sure about what he wants to do for work.
From food to medical supplies - what could the future of drone delivery look like in Australia?
In short: As drone deliveries for both food and medical supplies become more common in Australia, the industry is in the process of figuring out how to keep that progress going long-term. Australia's aviation regulator gave the industry a multi-year head-start globally by regulating the sector early, and countries like the US are still catching up. What's next?
Smoking burnouts, magnificent mullets and a 1968 Dodge Charger highlight Summernats car festival
This year was Joe Bauer's first time attending Summernats but his 1968 Dodge Charger made such an impression that he left holding aloft two of the car festival's most coveted prizes. The Queenslander spent the past two years building up his prized-machine which he brought over from Texas, United States, and — with the help of some mates and hot-rod experts — stripped, and fitted with a 3,000 horsepower engine. "Labour of love and passion," he said.
'Last man standing': 98yo WWII veteran cuts ribbon for Queanbeyan leg of global veterans' charity torch relay
Jack Sealey, a 98-year-old World War II veteran, might be the last of his kind. "I am, we are pretty sure, the last man standing in the district from World War II." Jack enlisted in the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) on his 18th birthday and sailed out of Sydney Heads on his 19th. He spent the following years in the No 10 RAAF Squadron patrolling the British coastline in search of German U-boats.
Karim lost his blacksmith practice due to a hand injury, but a bionic device has changed everything
Karim Haddad hates telling the story of how he horrifically injured his hand five years ago. But not for the reason you might think. A master bladesmith and founder of a major blacksmithing school, Mr Haddad's injury struck in the most unlikely of places. WARNING: This story contains images that readers may find distressing. He tripped on the brick steps outside his home while holding multiple coffee mugs. A shattered ceramic fragment sliced into his left hand and severed his ulnar nerve.
How indie developers helped Australia's video game industry explode onto the world stage
You've probably played a video game made by an Australian developer, and you just didn't know it. The local industry achieved massive success with early smartphone games like Fruit Ninja, Crossy Road and Flight Control. More recently, games like Cult of the Lamb, Untitled Goose Game and Hollow Knight have been global hits. And now, a groundbreaking new subsidy is set to transform the industry.
Inside the world of Siberian husky dog-sledding - an ancient practice that lives on in a forest outside Canberra
For Siberian husky trainers Andrew and Lisa Gersbach, the sport of sled-dog racing was easy to get addicted to. "We're very passionate about this sport, we always really have been," Andrew Gersbach said. "My wife, Lisa, says having dogs is a bit like potato chips, you can't stop at one." The couple are long-time members of the Canberra Sled-Dog Club, often mentoring others who want to give it a try with their dogs.
Inside the niche world of dog-sled racing — an ancient practice that lives on ...
Sled-dog racing is an ancient practice, but it lives on with races held in Australia's national capital....
How an Australian basketball team went from playing with Magic Johnson to ...
It's November 2002 and NBA legend Magic Johnson has hand-picked a little-known Australian team to take on his former squad, the Michigan State ...
How an Australian basketball team went from playing with Magic Johnson to losing their jobs in a matter of weeks
It's November 2002, and NBA legend Magic Johnson is lacing up his sneakers for an exhibition game against his former college basketball team, the Michigan State Spartans. The 43-year-old former Los Angeles Laker had just been inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame and has hand-picked a little-known Australian team — the Canberra Cannons — to take on his former college squad.
Gaining confidence as a vision impaired father
Ben Signor was born legally blind and he thought starting a family would be made even harder by his disability. But as his daughter grows, so do his capabilities as a father. Story by Donal Shiel, audio production by Elsa Silberstein. Posted 8h ago8 hours agoTue 20 Dec 2022 at 2:00pm, updated 1h ago1 hours agoTue 20 Dec 2022 at 8:50pm Canberra, Disabilities, Parenting
There are only 100 Anti-D blood donors in Australia, but their antibodies save thousands of babies each year
Sam Ryan's blood is special. After a near-death experience when he was 17, he required a transfusion of 22 units of blood and plasma. But the terrible accident had an unlikely upside — he developed an extremely rare antibody that saves the lives of thousands of babies every year. In 2017, Sam was driving to the regional NSW town of Forbes to work at the Vanfest music festival. After falling into a microsleep, he went hurtling off the road and into a tree at 100 kilometres per hour.
Top young talent reach for global heights at NBA Basketball Without Borders camp in Canberra
For 60 high school students from across Asia and the Pacific, this was the chance of a lifetime. The teens, all talented basketballers, came to Canberra for four days of intense training this week, hoping to leap into the world's top leagues. The NBA is one of the richest and most-watched competitions on the planet, and it's holding this year's Basketball Without Borders camps worldwide for the first since the pandemic began.
Back to the Future: Canberra filmmaker converting beloved DeLorean to EV to showcase growth of electric car industry Original
Where we're going, we don't need… combustion engines? At least, that's the thinking behind Canberra filmmaker Ché Baker's latest project: a documentary following the conversion of his vintage DeLorean from a gas-guzzler to an electric vehicle. "People ask me, 'what's the timeline for the project?' And I say, 'if we hit 88 miles an hour, it doesn't matter'," he said.
Would you like your meal served to you by a robot? Amid staff shortages, one Canberra cafe tried it out
Canberra cafe owner Sam Vekiriya has welcomed an autonomous robot waiter to his team after months of desperately searching for new staff.
Being blind and deaf hasn't stopped carpenter Tony Meli, who makes ornate creations in his workshop by touch
Tony Meli may be blind and deaf, but in his personal workshop, he is capable of things that defy belief. The 54-year-old from Jerrabomberra in southern New South Wales communicates using a special form of Auslan where he holds peoples' hands while they sign to him. This enhanced sense of touch is part of what gives Tony his remarkable talent with tools.
Norfolk Islanders must vote for political candidates based 2,000 kilometres away in the ACT seat of Bean
Catherine McCoy is a seventh-generation Norfolk Islander. She never expected to be facing homelessness on the island she has called home her entire life. Ms McCoy said since open immigration to the island from Australia was allowed in 2016, she had struggled to find stable housing that was suitable for both her and her son, who lives with disability.
Groovin the Moo cancels pill-testing at Canberra musical festival after insurers pull out
Canberra's biggest music festival will not provide a testing service for illicit drugs after insurers backed out just days before the event. Key points: Groovin the Moo provided Australia's first legal pill testing service Free tests were planned for Sunday's Canberra festival Organisers say insurers issued onerous demands at the last minute, then pulled out Groovin the Moo, to be held this Sunday, was the first event in Australia to provide free testing of pills to festival-goers.
65-year-old Canberra amputee who found escape, community and relief in a simulation racing game
Derek Bessey's online racing community is like a second family. After losing his right leg seven years ago, the 65-year-old Canberran became immersed in the simulation racing game rFactor 2 as a way to stay connected to the outside world while stuck at home. "When you're on there, you don't think about anything," he says. "You think about racing and getting around the corners, everything else in your mind is just gone.
How this homemade barber shop reunited three brothers to address men's mental health
When Sam Dowdall started building a barber shop for crisis mental health support earlier this year, he never imaged 10 months — and one lockdown — later that he'd only now be opening its doors. The New Zealender moved to Canberra last year to care for his terminally ill father, reuniting him with two half-brothers who he reconnected with while they built the mobile shop together.
This 71-year-old Canberra man loves his community - and his heartfelt internet reviews are going viral
It could be a local butcher, a war memorial or a leafy park. Either way, Bill Perkovic probably wants to review it. The 71-year-old Canberran has amassed over eight million views through online reviews he posts on Google Maps. And with nearly 100 reviews to his name, it's hard to believe it all started by accident just one year ago. "Well, it was the funniest thing with the [very first] review," Mr Perkovic said.
'For every one that died, 10 more were coming in for the funeral' — agony of the plague that came to stay
During the day, Graham Jones's grain shed in Tullamore in central New South Wales seems normal enough. A bounce-back harvest following years of drought means he has almost 3,000 tonnes of wheat stored. But at night time, the mice move in. They pour in and out of the shed, funneling into one of his large traps, which quickly captures hundreds of the rodents. "I'm just over it, like everyone else, just the smell, the stench, you never get used to it," he says.
Veteran cricketer Doug Crowell still at the crease years after others have put on the covers
At 91 years old, Doug Crowell might be the oldest cricket player in Australia. "I keep saying a couple years might pull me up, but who knows," he said. "I still feel fit enough to enjoy myself, and while ever I get picked, I think I'll turn up." For 15 years he's played Veterans Cricket, a competitive league for players over 60. He said the league's popularity has grown over the years, and that anyone can have a go.
'Men would've buckled and gone under': Cherry farmer's joy at 11th-hour rain 'hard to explain'
When orchardist Paul Savins started the year, he had been pushed to the "absolute limit of what a man could take". Years of intense drought had delivered him only one crop in three years, and his last drops of water were running out on his five-hectare cherry orchard in Tenterfield, New South Wales. "I had to retreat from older trees that I could not water and watch them die," Mr Savins said.
Tiny Homes Foundation and BackTrack think big to help at-risk youth build a future
When 16-year-old Mark was "getting into fights" and on his "last warning at school" three years ago, he knew it was time to make a change.
How renewable energy scientists and engineers discover the best sites to build wind farms
You might think a steady supply of wind is all you would ever need to spin some turbines and start producing renewable energy, but the reality is more complex.
The primary school students saving their tiny town's koala population
Between bushfires, drought, rampant disease and land clearing, the fate of the koala is looking increasingly bleak. However, in the town of Delungra in north New South Wales, the animals have the locals on their side. Key points: Students in a bush school have taken to growing trees to rebuild habitat for their local koalas The true loss of koalas and their habitat due to drought in NSW is yet to be determined.
Lloyd Hornsby didn’t discover his heritage until he was 59, now his Indigenous artwork is set to hang in the Louvre
Right until the ripe age of 59, Lloyd Hornsby believed what he’d always been told. That he was "a kiwi" with Maori ancestors originating from New Zealand’s north island city of Rotorua. But after ageing members of his family revealed his connection to the Yuin nation in south-east New South Wales, he dedicated himself to filling in the gaps. Then when he started digging into family records, he discovered another bombshell — a Chinese relative dating back several generations.
Loss of a son to suicide behind NSW man Allan Taylor's epic waterfall restaurant
The majestic view and cosy cabin vibe of Ben's Falls Retreat conceals a dark past for the Taylor family. After Ben Taylor took his own life in 2004, aged 19, his grieving father, Allan, channelled his emotional energy into building a restaurant on the side of a hill overlooking a crashing waterfall. The restaurant was dedicated to Ben's memory, and the waterfall opposite was also named after him. Mr Taylor's daughter, Allana Price, said the build was cathartic for her father.
Donal Sheil
When can contact sports be played in my state? Posted July 01, 2020 10:28:58 Full-contact sport games and training are set to return soon for all states, but how do young athletes and professional prospects feel about the return to play?
Full-contact games and training to return for junior and senior community sports
Restrictions on junior and senior sports games are starting to ease state-by-state, as amateur athletes and aspiring professionals return to the field for the first time in months.
'A really welcome boost': How ethical Indigenous art is bringing money to remote communities
The sale of ethically sourced Indigenous art in regional areas is keeping money flowing into remote communities still in lockdown.
Learn how to make the perfect Anzac biscuit with CWA secretary and baking judge Pam Wright
Updated April 24, 2020 13:42:30 For Country Women's Association secretary and cookery judge Pam Wright, Anzac biscuits mean more than just a delicious treat. She still has her grandmother's original oat sack, which was used to make the biscuits for soldiers in World War II. Mrs Wright said her family had made great sacrifices during the conflict. Her uncle, Eric Black, was captured by enemy forces and later died in a Greek prisoner of war camp.
Conscripted Vietnam War veterans renew plea for military medal to recognise their service
Posted April 23, 2020 18:10:22 Conscripted Vietnam veterans have told the ABC they feel abandoned by the Government and ashamed among fellow veterans owing to a decision to not award them a Vietnam War military medal. Key points: Terry Carmody said having his number drawn for conscription felt like "the only thing that I've ever won" He spent 170 days in Vietnam.
Luke Wong
'We're a bit nervous': Families swarming the streets on two wheels to escape lockdown boredom Posted April 18, 2020 07:50:02 | Updated April 18, 2020 08:01:53 Motorists are being urged to share the road with families turning to cycling for exercise during coronavirus lockdown measures, some after an extended period without riding a bike.
'This is uplifting': Notorious migrant school's former pupils open memorial
Posted March 16, 2020 10:05:33 Surviving child migrants from the notorious Fairbridge Farm School have cut the ribbon on a new memorial park, chronicling their traumatic journeys from British children to Australian adults.
Widespread rainfall in western NSW gives hope to farmers for strong harvest
A deluge of wet weather has seen towns in western NSW approach or exceed their total rainfall from 2019.
Priest's aid rounds through drought-hit central west NSW highlights the parish's struggle
Posted February 29, 2020 15:10:10 Reverend Brian Schmalkuche slams the door of his dusty Holden Commodore after packing his boot full of food hampers. He is delivering each of the boxes to families in desperate need of aid in the drought-ravaged community of Fifield, one of Rev Brian's five parishes in central west New South Wales.
'A big race in your home town with the world's best': Small-town BMX club hosts supercross world championships
Posted February 09, 2020 13:07:22 A small BMX club with 35 members has hosted the BMX Supercross World Championship and Olympic qualifiers in the town of Bathurst, as Australian legends of the sport rejoice in a homecoming performance.
Teen cricket sensation Phoebe Litchfield to play alongside Warne, Ponting in bushfire charity match
Posted February 06, 2020 07:33:03 Teenage cricket star Phoebe Litchfield will share the field with more than a dozen legends of the game in a bushfire charity match this weekend at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG). When prodigious 16-year-old batswoman Phoebe Litchfield was told over the phone she would be teaming up with Shane Warne and Ricky Ponting at the Bushfire Cricket Bash, she was bowled over. On the other end of the phone, delivering the good news was women's cricket legend Alex Blackwell.
Tamworth Country Music Festival's first LGBT pride float takes part in cavalcade
Posted January 25, 2020 13:18:36 For the first time, an LGBT pride float has taken part in the Tamworth Country Music Festival cavalcade, with 11-time Golden Guitar winner Beccy Cole leading the way. When 18-year-old Logan Hoswell recently came out to her friends and family as a lesbian, she was not sure how they would react. But when her announcement was met with love and acceptance, she was overwhelmed with happiness.
'I'm not a firefighter, but I am a developer': Online gamers throw weight behind bushfire recovery
Posted January 11, 2020 08:00:45 A video game created by a developer in one of New South Wales' most fire-prone regions is raising money and awareness for Australia's devastated wildlife.
Cashless, cardless economy changing wallet design - or dispensing of one altogether
Updated December 31, 2019 08:11:53 From velcro polyester to leather, designer or discount, wallets have long been the handy sidearm carrying our cards, cash and collection of half-stamped coffee cards.
Italian migrant turned supermarket mogul sees no retirement in sight
Posted December 25, 2019 07:00:48 When Tony Bernardi stepped off the boat to Australia in 1955, the 17-year-old Italian had nothing but a few pounds in his pocket and some very big dreams. Today, the 81-year-old oversees a supermarket empire spanning six stores and employs 500 people. But for Mr Bernardi, success was a decades-long, uphill climb. Upon arrival, he had to pay off his boat fare by working on his uncle's farm in the western New South Wales town of Forbes.
Go trainspotting inside one of Australia's largest private model railway train collections
Posted December 01, 2019 12:34:12 The long line of visitors queuing to see Roslyn Reynolds' miniature model railway set is a reassuring sign that other people share in her fascination of trains. The 72-year-old's interest in railways began in the 1950s when her family moved to Saint Marys in Sydney's western suburbs. Nearby was the AE Goodwin engineering firm where locomotives were manufactured. "It's a passion.
Glassmaking couple finds clarity in artistic collaboration despite retail slump
Posted November 16, 2019 09:35:55 Creative couple Kayo Yokoyama and Keith Rowe are forging a future in glass from their Blue Mountains studios. Glassmaker Yokoyama grew up in Japan but dreamed of being American. "Everything was supposed to be Americanised, and America was number one," she said. She soon had the opportunity to partially fulfil her wish after visiting Ohio as an exchange student.
Lake Cargelligo's healthy community and ecosystem give praise for environmental water
Posted November 02, 2019 06:00:28 Residents of Lake Cargelligo in New South Wales' central west are emphatically praising the management of their river system which has allowed their annual fishing tournament to go forward as planned.
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