Past Programs
Lifestyle and Leisure - 2008
2008 | 2007 | 2006 | 2005 | 2004
The Final My Street Sampler
07/12/2008
The My Street project asked people to create a story about their street, using any available digital technology and then to upload it to the Pool website. Browsing through the stories you get a strong sense of place and the emotions that we feel about our neighbourhood and immediate surroundings.
In this final showcase of stories you will hear stories about the following:
a beautiful description of Life in a Pilbara Town,
a sad tale about a man who lost his eye in a work accident but still manages to play the violin as he awaits surgery for a glass eye,
a death in The Ukraine,
a charming story about a clash of rednecks and drug users in a country town,
a sharehouse progressive dinner,
first time sex in the red light district of Singapore and
a reflection on four generations who have lived in the same house.
Abrolhos Island life
08/06/2008
For three-and-a-half months every year, 150 lobster fishermen, their families and deckhands leave the mainland and make the trek across the waters to live and work on the Abrolhos Islands. It is a unique, albeit very isolated, lifestyle much relished by the islanders.
Seven days a week they pull up their pots, searching for the valuable and delicious crustaceans. It is a major industry -- 1.5 million kilos (worth $40 million) of Western Rock Lobsters, or better known locally as crayfish, are fished here and exported across the world.
The Abrolhos Islands are situated 60 km off the coast of Western Australia, near Geraldton. The 122 rugged and isolated coral atolls extend north to south over 100 km of pristine waters rich in biodiversity. As a result of the Leeuwin current sweeping warm, low-nutrient, tropical water from the Pacific Ocean down along Western Australia's continental shelf, corals and tropical fish can thrive here in latitudes where they would not normally survive.
The name Abrolhos is thought to have been derived from the Portuguese expression Abre os olhos, meaning 'keep your eyes open'. It is a suitable name for this A-class reserve, known not only for its crayfish but also for shipwrecks like the Batavia.
But as both crayfish numbers and prices go down, it is a lifestyle under pressure to change. Producer Mia Lindgren spent time with some of the lobster fishermen and their families on the tiny Roma Island.
- Watch the short film on Abrolhos Island life.
Meet some of the fishermen and their families who take up temporary residence at the Abrolhos Islands during the Western Rock Lobster fishing season (15 March - 30 June): Caroline and Paul Pettet; John Newby, Kel Pirrottina; and Cherrie and Pinny Pirrottina.
A special thanks to photographers Peter Dameon, Geoff Towler and Bjorn Westerberg. Producer: Mia Lindgren. (Dur: 3:50)
Port to Paradise
23/03/2008
Port Adelaide is a working class, suburban region that contains one of the last working, historic ports in Australia. It sits on the Port River and it is this waterfront that has attracted developers to the area.
South Australia's State Government has sold a swathe of riverfront land to a consortium of developers who are building many multi-storey, high-density residential apartments, expected to attract a further 8,000 people into the region.
With half a dozen buildings, up to six storeys high, already complete and plans for buildings of up to 12 storeys, there are mixed feelings about what will happen to the Port and its people.
Hundreds of millions of dollars of capital investment, environmental cleanup, new marinas, an influx of 'outsiders', higher housing prices and the loss of heritage are in the mix that is dividing locals. Some are against the developers and government while others are celebrating the change in lifestyle and population mix.
Dance! It's Never Too Late
02/03/2008
Aspire to dance: Dance to inspire. It's never too late as we discover when we visit a small hall in a Masonic Centre in suburban Sydney. It has been the home of the Glyn and Moriarty Ballroom Dance Studio for 23 years. This is no ordinary studio though, Alan Glyn and Joan Moriarty have been teaching for 42 years. They have even taught teenagers who are now mothers, and their daughters are now learning as teenagers!
Alan began dancing at 16 and went on to become a competitive amateur for ten years. Joan was no stranger to the dance floor either, when she met Alan she had been dancing since her mid-teens, also in competition.
Joan said 'If you can't beat them join them', so they began a professional dancing partnership and before they married they decided to start their own studio.
The studio attracts people from all walks of life, all ages, and a mix of nationalities. They come to gain medals, train for competitions or just learn for enjoyment.
Antonio grew up in Portugal. He wants to become a dance teacher and return to Portugal to teach. Antonio has always had a passion for music and in the program he plays the accordion, which he learned as a child.
Alicja left Poland about 20 years ago. She is now retired and has the opportunity to take up a beloved interest not explored since her childhood.
Brian has a South American wife who is his inspiration to learn the sensuous group of Latin dances. Brian is 70 and his wife is in her 60s. They have been married for 30 years, so it really is a case of 'never too late' to learn something new.
Craig had time on his hands, so he went to the studio and found that he just loved dancing and is working his way through his medal assessments.
Ken and Bev agree that a competition dancing partnership is harder than a marriage relationship. They are making it work and winning trophies in the process.
- Watch the short film Silk 'n' Sequins.
Two Men and a Door Bitch
03/02/2008
Two young men are on a quest for happiness in the glare of the bright lights of the city but a key to their success is getting past the door bitch. The laws of the jungle can be very fickle and unjust.
Johnny works at a burger joint, in between writing his novel and other distractions. Mark is a recruitment consultant. They have both come from smaller places to try and make it in Sydney and are keen to go out on the weekend to meet girls, dance and drink. The difference is: one of them walks straight into nightclubs without a problem while the other one is not that fortunate.
What is the difference between these two young men and how does the 'door bitch' decide whether she will open the door, or simply ditch?
Does a good job, success with women and a busy social life make you happy? Meet the winner and the loser and decide for yourself.
