The Real Thing

ABC listen

The Real Thing celebrates unique Australian characters.

  1. 05/19/2018

    #36: Nico's last ride

    After cycling the world, Nicolás Marino set off to cross his adopted homeland using pedal power alone. He discovered knowing Australia would require knowing himself. In this last episode of The Real Thing we're on our bikes, as lunch cooks in the deep fry.

    22 min

  2. 04/09/2018

    #35: Follow the Lita

    As a teenager, Lita Lewis was expected to set the example for her siblings. So much so, that she wanted out. In an adult life far from her home and tribe, she’d battle pride and heartbreak alone. By sharing her rebuild of physical and mental health, Lita would have an impact far beyond her two sisters.

    21 min

  3. 03/19/2018

    #34: Shoal Attack!

    A school of fish help the Australian netball team win a Commonwealth gold medal. An introduction to Sum Of All Parts - a podcast that shares extraordinary stories from the world of numbers. Subscribe to SOAP: http://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/sum-of-all-parts/

    33 min

  4. 03/06/2018

    #33: Khadija's stolen itch

    For International Women's Day, a story about feeling incomplete. Khadija Gbla’s repressed memory of female genital mutilation would surface during puberty. Being an outsider to a ‘clitero-centric’ culture, was a decision made for her. Khadija is up against her mum, her culture, and the health system, as she breaks the silence around FGM.

    24 min

  5. 02/19/2018

    #32: Monkey in Mirani (live from Woodford)

    The Real Thing perform live at Woodfolk Folk Festival, Queensland. In between music and magic tricks, Timothy and Mike risk it all by attempting to tell a story they’ve never heard before - live on stage, with improvised music, script, and sound effects. It’s live and unedited and we have no idea how it will end.

    16 min

  6. 02/09/2018

    #31: Picnic Tropicana

    It started as an idea in a Darlinghurst cafe and became the world’s largest short film festival. Tropfest has helped kickstart generations of Australian film careers throughout its 25 year history. While controversy and financial hardship has threatened the event, Tropfest has endured and the picnic continues.

    32 min

  7. 01/23/2018

    #30: The woman who lived in a tree

    Miranda Gibson was an unlikely candidate to break the record for Australia’s longest tree-sit. The shy Queenslander had never seen a forest until her early twenties. In 2011 she vowed to live in a tree in the Tyenna Valley until it was protected from logging.

    25 min

  8. 01/09/2018

    #29: Elvis town

    Improbable hairdos, gyrating hips, overstretched jumpsuits, way too many rhinestones, and a whole lot of community spirit. You can't help falling in love with the NSW town of Parkes, where Elvis never left the building.

    23 min
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About

The Real Thing celebrates unique Australian characters.

Information

  • Creator
    ABC listen
  • Years Active
    2016 - 2018
  • Episodes
    80
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2025, Australian Broadcasting Corporation. All right reserved.
  • Show Website
    The Real Thing

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