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Hot off the back of creating their first podcast mini series, Wildlife Ahead hosts, James Worsfold and Elysee Lee, chat with We Are Explorers Editor, Amy Fairall, about their time on the road, exploring Australia, and creating a podcast set in the bush.  Find out what it was like for Elysee to enter into the world of journalism and podcasting without any prior experience, what the pair's new favourite Aussie animals are, and some key takeaways learnt about the state of Australia's biodiversity crisis.  Huge thanks to James and Elysee for their dedication and passion for spreading the word about Australia's unique and threatened species, and the people who dedicate their lives to protecting them.

When a species becomes ‘un-extinct’, how can their population be bolstered in the wild, but also be reintroduced into culture? Once plentiful in South-West Western Australia, the Gilbert’s potoroo was thought to be extinct for over a hundred years. Since their rediscovery by Western Science in 1994, it has now gained the title of the world’s rarest marsupial, with only just over a hundred individuals. James and Elysee head to Two Peoples Bay to speak to Leigh Whisson, a conservation biologist, who was there on the day of its rediscovery. He explains how the potoroo was able to be found and protected because of the protection of another endangered species, the noisy scrub bird. Dr. Jackie Courtenay describes the early days of working with the potoroos and trying to help their population. Next, James and Elysee follow Dr Tony Friend from the WA Department of Biodiversity, Conservation, and Attractions, to a predator-free insurance population to survey Gilbert's Potoroo numbers. As they go through traps and find potoroos and collect data, Tony talks about translocation and threats. Finally, Leigh and Jackie talk about the Gilbert’s Potoroo Action Group and the importance of field volunteering, fundraising, and awareness raising to help the Gilbert’s Potoroo recover from the risk of both biological and societal extinction. Thank you to: Leigh Whisson and Dr. Jackie Courtenay from the Gilbert's Potoroo Action Group.  To volunteer, donate and become a member visit: https://www.potoroo.org/https://www.facebook.com/GilbertsPotorooActionGroup/ Dr. Tony Friend  Recorded, written, and edited by James Worsfold and Elysee Lee. 

Queensland’s Great Barrier Reef is a beloved international icon, and home to diverse sea life. A tourist hotspot for Australians and people all over the world, the reef sees about 2 million visitors each year. However, its plight is also well known – the coral is being increasingly bleached and killed.  In this episode, James and Elysee investigate if it’s possible to be an ethical tourist in one of the world’s most fragile and important ecosystems.  They begin on the Cairns wharf, talking to the reef visitors themselves. People have come far and wide to be here, and all know that coral is under threat, but not too many know exactly why. Marine biologist and reef guide, Kate Slaughter, explains what coral even is in the first place, and the cause of increased bleachings.  Tanya Murphy, a community campaigner with the Australian Marine Conservation Society, talks about the misconceptions behind the reef’s health and emphasises the impact of climate change on bleaching.  James, Elysee, and the wharf tourists reflect on their impact on the reef. Tanya and Kate also touch on tourism operators’ place in conserving the natural resource they profit from, with surveys and coral planting, but also highlight the importance of education and advocacy.  Thank you to:  Kate Slaughter from Coral Nurture Program https://www.coralnurtureprogram.org/ Tanya Murphy from the Australian Marine Conservation Society  https://www.marineconservation.org.au/ And her podcast, Word on the Reef https://open.spotify.com/show/5HH7mXTHistUgg4loRIqEz Recorded, written, and edited by James Worsfold and Elysee Lee. 

The Australian housing crisis isn't just affecting people, it’s causing an animal housing crisis too. With countless new developments popping up all over the country, James and Elysee talk to experts to find out exactly how it's affecting wildlife, like platypus and koalas, and what solutions there may be for living in harmony with them.  They first chat with Dr Michelle Ryan, an aquatic ecologist, about a healthy platypus population in Western Sydney. With the platypus habitat threatened by the effects of new housing developments around the corner, citizen scientists have helped get government attention to protect them.  Then, James and Elysee visit Koala Beach on the NSW North Coast, where 75% of the development area has been designated to keep as koala habitat. Irene Tims, a resident, explains what it’s like to live there.  Next, our hosts talk to Deborah Tabart, chair of the Australian Koala Foundation (AKF), about how she negotiated the protection of koalas at Koala Beach. The AKF says that a Koala Protection Act will help ensure that the impact of future developments won’t be as devastating to koalas.  Hugh Possingham, former Queensland Chief Scientist, is a supporter of higher density housing to save our precious species. He talks about how the set up of our cities and suburbs are currently unfavourable, not only for biodiversity, but also for us.  Thank you to:   Dr. Michelle Ryan Cattai Hills Environment Network  https://chen.org.au/what-we-do/citizen-science-research/Irene Tims  Deborah Tabart OAM from the Australian Koala Foundation  https://savethekoala.com/ Professor Hugh Possingham Recorded, written, and edited by James Worsfold and Elysee Lee 

A fish that can’t swim, the rarest fish in the world, needs a hand. Our hosts James and Elysee are in south-east Tasmania, home to several species of handfish, a curious creature that ‘walks’ along the sea bed on fins modified to look like hands. They chat to Dr Tyson Bessell who researches the Red handfish at the Institute of Marine and Antarctic Studies at the University of Tasmania, and talk about the quirks of this little fish. Our hosts also speak to Prof Neville Barrett, a marine ecologist also at the University of Tasmania, who helped discover the decline of handfish several decades ago. Neville talks about how climate change is impacting this sedentary fish and Tyson discusses the Red handfish’s captive breeding program, affectionately nicknamed ‘Handfish School’. James and Elysee also catch up with the Invasive Sea Star Clean Up group in Hobart, and join volunteers to dive and remove introduced sea star species from handfish habitat. They chat to organiser Keith Thomas-Wurth and other participants too. Finally, James and Elysee travel to Dodges Ferry, a small town just on-shore from where the only Red handfish populations live. Here they meet Jenny Scott, a local resident who organised a mass beach protest against the expansion of salmon farming in order to protect the handfish. Our hosts discuss the environmental impacts fish farming is having on Tasmanian waterways and Jenny talks about the community's love for their own endangered fish. Thank you to:  Dr Tyson Bessell  Associate Professor Neville Barrett  Jenny Scott  Keith Thomas-Wurth from Invasive Sea Star Clean up Tasmania  https://www.facebook.com/groups/1318246581861063 Clean ups once to twice a month, just show up! Recorded, written, and edited by James Worsfold and Elysee Lee 

The long-awaited Great Koala National Park in NSW's Mid-North Coast was announced in September 2025, and will protect over 400,000 hectares of native forest and countless endangered animals including koalas, Greater gliders, and Yellow-bellied gliders.  But behind this announcement has been years of tireless volunteer community work to put pressure on the government to fulfil their conservation promises, and to make sure that in the meantime, the forests and animals within will still be there to protect.  Hosts James and Elysee meet with ecologist Mark Graham, who introduces them to the lush subtropical forests in the hills behind Coffs Harbour and the charismatic gliders there threatened by native forest logging.  They also meet Deanna Markinova, head of Forest Ecology Alliance, a community volunteer group that conducts surveys to keep checks on logging activity and look out for vulnerable animals.  With De and ecologists Sue and Hank Bower, James and Elysee head out spotlighting to look for Greater and Yellow-bellied gliders to prevent their den trees from being logged.  Finally, James and Elysee visit the Blicks River Guardians – Meredith Stanton and Barry Hunt up in Dorrigo. Every morning they hold a vigil by the main road, blocking the entrance of Clouds Creek State Forest to prevent loggers from going in, and educate people passing by.  Thank you to:  Mark Graham  Deanna Markovina from Forest Ecology Alliance https://www.facebook.com/forestecologyalliance/ Volunteers needed – send a message to their Facebook page or email [email protected] Sue Bower Hank Bower Meredith Stanton and Barry Hunt from Blicks River Guardians (Glider Reviver) https://www.facebook.com/blicksriverguardians  Recorded, written, and edited by James Worsfold and Elysee Lee 

Like the brushturkey but much more elusive, the Malleefowl is a majestic bird on the decline. James and Elysee track this bird down in the desert-like Mallee region of north-west Victoria, where they learn about its laborious lifestyle and compost-powered incubating mounds. They meet a group of volunteers who head into the bush every breeding season to record important Malleefowl data to help aid its recovery, work that's otherwise too expensive for governments.  Ecologist Mirinda Thorpe takes James and Elysee out to find Malleefowl mounds and tells them how volunteer data has been used in a pilot program to rescue Malleefowl eggs after a bushfire. James and Elysee also chat to Mick Webster and Ross MacFarlane, long-time volunteers, and Ross shares how his family’s farming community spearheaded the volunteer initiative. James and Elysee explain land clearing and fragmentation, some of the drivers behind the Mallefowl’s decline. They revisit Mirinda and her partner and fellow ecologist, Iestyn Hosking, to discuss addressing illegal land-clearing, as well as revegetation as a solution. The couple show James and Elysee around their property, which they've transformed from a cleared farm to one full of native vegetation and life. Thank you to:  The Victorian Malleefowl Recovery Group  https://www.malleefowlvictoria.org.au/ Registrations for 2025 volunteer training are now open till the 3rd of October!Ross MacFarlane  Mick Webster Mirinda Thorpe  Iestyn Hosking Macy Fuller Recorded, written, and edited by James Worsfold and Elysee Lee 

Welcome to 'Wildlife Ahead', a podcast mini-series about Australia’s unique and threatened animals and the passionate people working to save them from extinction.  This six-part series follows journalists and podcast hosts & creators, James Worsfold and Elysee Lee, on a road trip around Australia as they meet and learn from the invaluable folks dedicating their lives to protecting Australia's biodiversity, and spot some of our most precious animals for themselves. A new episode of 'Wildlife Ahead' drops every second Wednesday from next week, so set your alarm, we're going bush!

This week we have a special edition of the podcast as we get Outback Mike AKA Mike Atkinson's take on the NSW National Park's proposal regarding camping fees. Mike brought the changes to the public's attention through an Instagram reel which has now reached over a million viewers, so we wanted to hear his thoughts firsthand.  Join our host Amy Fairall as she chats to Mike about the history of the booking system, some of the problems the changes are aimed at addressing and why he thinks they're going about fixing things the wrong way.  You can read more about NSW National Park's proposed changes here. To have your say, respond to this survey by May 25th.

In this week’s episode, hosts Tim & Amy answer all your ExplorerFest questions, go through their ins & outs for 2025, and discuss their upcoming adventures. ExplorerFest is our first time venturing into the festival space, and in this episode, we unpack what makes ExplorerFest unique, and what kind of activities, workshops, and entertainment you can expect on the long weekend. In the lead-up to the new year, the We Are Explorers team has been chatting ins & outs for 2025, as well as their next 12 months of adventure plans, and this episode includes a sneak peek of both. Tune in for the last time in 2024 and we’ll chat in the new year! In This Episode We Cover ExplorerFest – Everything you need to knowIns & Outs 2025Tim’s recent MTB crash2025 adventure plans  Show notes Get Your ExplorerFest Tickets!4 Insights From My First Climbing Project Follow Along for More! Show us some love and subscribe wherever you get your audio fix. It helps us continue to bring you the goods and uncover the weird and wonderful adventure folk (that’s you!) who are doing inspiring things. Find us on Spotify and Apple Podcasts, with new episodes every second hump day. Or check out the We Are Explorers Podcast page.

We Are Explorers Podcast host, Amy Fairall, chats with Jayden O’Neill (in person!), whose laundry list of titles includes We Are Explorers contributor, MOMENTS film category winner, and National Geographic Photo Instructor and Naturalist. By combining his knowledge from his bachelor’s degree in marine biology with the hard skills he’s learnt as a photographer and videographer, Jayden’s worked all over the world, from Antarctica to the Top End. In this chat, we hear about Jayden’s career path so far, as well as stories from his adventures, one of which helped him take out the top film prize in our inaugural photo, video, and writing competition, MOMENTS. Jayden’s journey may not be a blueprint everyone can follow, but it’ll definitely inspire you to make decisions based on your passions. In This Episode We Cover Working as a Marine Biologist in AntarcticaJayden’s passion for natureThe importance of science communicationPhotographyStorytellingWorking with crocodilesLiving in the Northern TerritoryThe story of The Bleeding Assholes filmUpcoming adventuresCheck out Jayden’s winning adventure film, The Bleeding Assholes, from our inaugural photo, video, and writing comp, MOMENTS Follow Along for More! Show us some love and subscribe wherever you get your audio fix. It helps us to continue bringing you the goods and to uncover the weird and wonderful adventure folk (that’s you!) who are doing inspiring things. Find us on Spotify and Apple Podcasts with new episodes every second hump day. Or check out the We Are Explorers Podcast page.

Hosts Tim and Amy have been chatting all things spooky in the outdoors, with inspo and tales from our readers. What’s the spookiest thing that’s happened to you on the trail? Maybe you’ve walked through spiderwebs before sunrise or dropped something valuable down a drop dunny. Hosts Tim and Amy deep dive their biggest outdoor nightmares come to life as well as some of our readers. Listen on, if you dare… In This Episode  We Cover: Household crittersDehydrating foodWashing & Repairing expensive outdoor gearOutdoor horror stories Show Notes:  Hiker Rescued After Hanging by Her Bare Feet For 7 Hours Follow Along for More! Show us some love and subscribe wherever you get your audio fix. It helps us to continue bringing you the goods and to uncover the weird and wonderful adventure folk (that’s you!) who are doing inspiring things. Find us on Spotify and Apple Podcasts with new episodes every second hump day.

Dr Sheddy's story is one many people can relate to – finding out your career isn't exactly what you thought it'd be and trying to make sense of it all. But the way Sheddy found balance is pretty unique. Leaving a veterinary clinic in Australia, she moved to China to save bears before buying a sailing boat in Panama. She now sails around Central America treating animals that'd never otherwise have access to care, and she does it all thanks to the support she gets online. Listen to the episode to hear how she learnt to sail on her own boat, some of her wildest animal rescues, and what her future sailing vet adventures hold. If you'd like to support Vet Tails, you can pledge a monthly donation to help Dr Sheddy keep up her work and follow along the sailing vet journey. In This Episode We Cover Dr Sheddy's early careerLearning to sail and upkeep a boatLiving through Covid on the boatAccess to resourcesHow Dr Sheddy gets fundingWork-life balanceThe online sailing communityInteresting animal treatmentsHow to support Vet Tails Follow Along for More! Show us some love and subscribe wherever you get your audio fix. It helps us to continue bringing you the goods and to uncover the weird and wonderful adventure folk (that’s you!) who are doing inspiring things. Find us on Spotify and Apple Podcasts with new episodes every second hump day. Or check out the We Are Explorers Podcast page.

After a huge call from our Assistant Editor that Jatz Tim Tams are better than the originals, we got to thinking – what weird and wonderful snacks do our audience take hiking? We threw the question out to you on Instagram and people came back with some pretty quirky answers. Have a listen! In This Episode The Hot Takes We Cover Are: Hiking snacksOverland TrackHiking nutritionDehydrating mealsReady made meals – shout out to On Track MealsTrail Drinks  Show Notes:  Dehydrated Tex Mex riceOn Track Meals reviewRadix Nutrition reviewDehydrated and freeze dried hiking meals review  Aidan’s Skippy Jerky ‘Recipe’ We always winged it and it never failed: Cut your kangaroo fillets into thin strips.In a bowl, combine soy sauce and honey, or use teriyaki sauce (any marinate you like works really).Add in finely grated garlic and ginger. If you want, dry rubs of spices also work.Allow to marinate in a covered bowl for at least a few hours.Remove strips and let them drip, then add to the dehydrator and run for 24 hours.Keep checking for optimal firmness. This will depend on your dehydrator but you don’t want to completely dry out the jerky, it should be just a little soft.Try not to eat it all in the car on the way to the trailhead. Enjoy this episode? Listen to the next Tim & Amy episode, it’s full of outdoor hot takes. Or if you’re after something different, learn How Nature Saved Kane Ford’s Life. Follow Along for More! Show us some love and subscribe wherever you get your audio fix. It helps us to continue bringing you the goods and to uncover the weird and wonderful adventure folk (that’s you!) who are doing inspiring things. Find us on Spotify and Apple Podcasts with new episodes every second hump day.

Please note! This article and podcast contain references to mental health and suicide. This week Tim is joined by Kane Ford, a Movember ambassador, and founder and guide for Get Outside Australia. Kane opens up about the series of events that led to him quitting his corporate job, reconnecting with nature, and confronting his anxiety. From growing up as a gay kid in a country town, to working a high-pressure corporate job, anxiety has been a constant throughout Kane’s life – but it wasn’t something he ever talked about. It took a series of panic attacks to force him to confront it and make a decision about his future. While this episode won’t give you all the answers on how to find balance or deal with anxiety, it’ll explain how Kane is constantly working to find his own balance. Kane’s also raising money as a Movember Ambassador! Check out his Mo Space to donate and follow @getoutside.australia to stay up to date with the epic hiking challenge he’s tackling this year as part of the fundraising! In This Episode We Cover: Kane’s early lifeFeeling isolated in high school as a gay kid in a country townAnxiety and panic attacksThe importance of destigmatising conversations about mental healthBeginning Get Outside to share the power of the outdoorsWorking with MovemberChecking in with others and yourselfHow to improve the experience of the LGBTQIA+ in the outdoor communityThe goal of Get Outside Australia If you or anyone you know needs support, please reach out to: Suicide Call Back Service on 1300 659 467Lifeline on 13 11 14Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander crisis support line 13YARN on 13 92 76MensLine Australia on 1300 789 978 Follow Along for More! Show us some love and subscribe wherever you get your audio fix. It helps us to continue bringing you the goods and to uncover the weird and wonderful adventure folk (that’s you!) who are doing inspiring things. Find us on Spotify and Apple Podcasts with new episodes every second hump day.