Mayeta Clark
Director
Australian Story (1996)
Season 16
Putting the "real" back into reality television, Australian Story is an award-winning documentary series with no narrator and no agendas — just authentic stories told entirely in people's own words.
Released May 29, 1996
Episode 30 min
None+
Genres: Biography, Documentary, News
Keywords: tmdb.australia, imdb.two-word-title, imdb.biographical-documentary
Network: ABC TV
S16E1 - The Man On The Mantelpiece
Maggie MacKellar was a city dweller who seemed to have it all – a successful academic career, a devoted husband, a young daughter and another baby on the way.
Feb. 7, 2011, midnight
S16E2 - On Your Bike
When Doug Sunderland succumbed to the blues after losing his wife and being diagnosed with cancer, his GP told him to 'get back on his bike'.
He did... and it 'saved his life', so much so, that he decided to ride around Australia solo, surviving on tinned food and sleeping by the road.
Feb. 14, 2011, midnight
S16E3 - The Third Act
For the last 48 years Jacki Weaver has been one of Australia's best loved actors. Now 63, she has achieved a stunning career high by being chosen as one of the Best Supporting Actress nominees for this year's Oscars.
Feb. 21, 2011, midnight
S16E4 - Dogs Of War
Wildlife photographer Jennifer Parkhurst's passion for dingos set her at odds with park rangers - and brought her to the brink of disaster...
Feb. 28, 2011, midnight
S16E5 - Take No Prisoners
On the eve of his retirement from public office, the nation's longest serving Director of Public Prosecutions, Nicholas Cowdery, reflects exclusively on his sixteen years in the top job.
March 7, 2011, midnight
S16E6 - Girl Most Likely
Jade Hopper is a young woman on the cusp of the toughest decision of her life - to pursue her dream of becoming a world no. 1 tennis player or to court success from her law studies.
March 14, 2011, midnight
S16E7 - The Terminator
Two years ago, former Navy clearance diver Paul de Gelder was testing new sonar equipment in Sydney Harbour when he was attacked by a shark and pulled from the water, barely alive.
March 21, 2011, midnight
S16E8 - Across The Night Sky
Last year a Victorian court sentenced Robert Farquharson to a minimum 33 years jail for deliberately driving his three sons to their death in a dam on Father's Day.
March 28, 2011, midnight
S16E9 - Mr Quigley's Quandary (Part 1)
Part 1 of the program about lawyer and politician John Quigley whose three decades in the public spotlight have drawn controversy, enmity and notoriety.
April 4, 2011, midnight
S16E10 - Mr Quigley's Quandary (Part 2)
The conclusion to our story on Western Australian lawyer and politician John Quigley.
April 11, 2011, midnight
S16E11 - Under Her Wing
Eight years ago Elizabeth Clayton was living in Fiji when she rescued a young man known as the 'chicken boy'. His name was Sujit and he'd been kept in a hen house as a child and then tied up for 22 years in an old people's home.
April 18, 2011, midnight
S16E12 - In The Jet Stream
Band manager David Powell took the Melbourne rock band JET from obscurity to ARIA triumph and then onto the international stage. But fate was less kind to David – today he is lucky to be alive to tell his story.
April 25, 2011, midnight
S16E13 - Shattered
On 22 July 2007, Peter Hodgkins threw a rock at a car from an overpass at Kiama, NSW, smashing the skull of beauty therapist Nicole Timbs and changing both their lives forever.
May 2, 2011, midnight
S16E14 - 15th Anniversary Special (Part 1)
Part 1 of our celebration of 15 years of Australian Story featuring Ric Birch, Gina Rinehart, John Button and Estelle Blackburn, Pauline Hanson, Sam and Jenny Bailey, Nick Ross and Allan Fels.
May 9, 2011, midnight
S16E15 - 15th Anniversary Special (Part 2)
The conclusion to our celebration of 15 years of Australian Story featuring Gayle Shann, Chris Sarra, Beth Heinrich, Greg Combet, Belinda Emmett, Bob Irwin, Gemma Sisia and Michael Ware.
May 16, 2011, midnight
S16E16 - Hearts Of Gold
Brian Sherman rose to great wealth and success as a businessman. His son Emile is a co-producer of 'The King's Speech', winner of this year's best picture Oscar. But what really unites the family is their overwhelming passion for animal welfare.
May 23, 2011, midnight
S16E17 - Mind Of His Own
Charlie Teo is a Sydney neurosurgeon, loved by patients but unpopular with some in the medical establishment. He is credited with prolonging the lives of many people with tumours that were considered inoperable.
May 30, 2011, midnight
S16E18 - The Girl From Boryslaw
Sabina Wolanski was left alone in the world at 17 when her family were killed in the Holocaust. In 2005 she addressed a gathering of state dignitaries in Berlin, received a standing ovation and reduced journalists to tears.
June 6, 2011, midnight
S16E19 - Conviction (Part 1)
For three and a half years, Newcastle pathologist Dr Simon Palfreeman has been shuttling between Australia and Bulgaria negotiating that country's complex and controversial justice system to try to help his 24 year old son.
June 13, 2011, midnight
S16E20 - Conviction (Part 2)
The conclusion of our story on Dr Simon Palfreeman, the Newcastle pathologist on a mission to help his son who's serving twenty years in a Bulgarian jail.
June 20, 2011, midnight
S16E21 - Love and Other Drugs
When Sally Nielsen's fiance Sam Goddard suffered a catastrophic stroke, she ignored the advice of some of those closest to her and stuck by him. Now her efforts have produced an amazing medical breakthrough.
June 27, 2011, midnight
S16E22 - Desperate Remedies (Part 1)
Penelope Dingle was a former model and actor married to TV science guru Peter Dingle. At the age of 43 she was diagnosed with a common cancer regarded as highly curable if it’s caught early...
July 4, 2011, midnight
S16E23 - Desperate Remedies (Part 2)
The conclusion to the story of Penelope Dingle whose untimely death had shattering and unexpected repercussions for those closest to her.
July 11, 2011, midnight
S16E24 - City of Angels
Alisa Latto was born with a life threatening genetic condition – one shared by her two siblings and her mother, Rosemary... This story follows her difficult journey to motherhood.
July 18, 2011, midnight
S16E25 - Trust Me Mr Chandler
International banker Sascha Chandler had a secret he'd been harbouring since childhood. Two years ago he decided to deal with his demons and joined forces with a dogged NSW detective to bring to justice one of the country's most elusive and dangerous predators.
July 25, 2011, midnight
S16E26 - A Measure of Courage
Captain Hec Waller and Ordinary Seaman Teddy Sheean both saw service during the darkest days of the Japanese advance towards Australia during World War II. Despite their heroism neither was ever nominated for the Forces' highest accolade, the Victoria Cross.
Aug. 1, 2011, midnight
S16E27 - A Plague On All Their Houses
An encore edition of our bittersweet story of Queensland vet Ben Cunneen and his co-worker, Natalie Beohm who were exposed to the Hendra horse virus with devastating consequences.
Aug. 8, 2011, midnight
S16E28 - Ita Tells Me So (Part 1)
Ita Buttrose and those closest to her go on the record with their recollections of a trail blazing career and a momentous period in Australia's social history in Part One of a candid, moving, and surprising double episode.
Aug. 15, 2011, midnight
S16E29 - Ita Tells Me So (Part 2)
In Part Two Ita Buttrose talks candidly about men, dating, loneliness, family, media ethics and grabbing life by the throat, at any age.
Aug. 22, 2011, midnight
S16E30 - The Trials of Jonty Bush
In the space of a few years Jonty Bush lost two of her closest family members in separate and unrelated crimes. Instead of succumbing to grief and anger, she took up the challenge to change the world and in the process changed herself...
Aug. 29, 2011, midnight
S16E31 - Paint the Town Black
Not since the mighty Phar Lap has a horse captured the public imagination like Black Caviar. She remains unbeaten after thirteen runs and has been declared the best racehorse in the world.
Sept. 5, 2011, midnight
S16E32 - Brand New Day
Three years ago Gavin Larkin used his marketing nous and high profile contacts to create a national day of awareness called R U OK? Day. But not long after the launch, the super fit indomitable Gavin was anything but okay...
Sept. 12, 2011, midnight
S16E33 - The Courage of Her Convictions
When Catherine Smith was found not guilty of attempting to murder her own husband it was a turning point in one of the most extraordinary cases in Australian criminal history.
Sept. 19, 2011, midnight
S16E34 - Scared Straight
TV Drama legend Sue Masters teamed up with 'Bra Boys' Maccario de Souza and his friends Mark Matthews and Richie Vas to work on a big screen documentary about big wave surfing, alcohol fuelled violence and the sequence of events that finally frightened the young men into cleaning up their lives.
Sept. 26, 2011, midnight
S16E35 - For the Holy Grail
A repeat of the program about Australian scientists Dr Jennifer MacDiarmid and Dr Himanshu Brahmbhatt and one of medicine's holy grails finding a way to treat cancer without toxic side effects and avoiding drug resistance.
Oct. 3, 2011, midnight
S16E36 - Under Her Spell
Zelie Bullen is stepping into the international spotlight as the woman who trained 'Abraham', the lead horse in Spielberg's production of the Tony award winning play 'War Horse'.
Oct. 10, 2011, midnight
S16E37 - Bad Blood (Part 1)
Part one of the program that centres on the notorious case of Jeffrey Gilham, in jail for life for the murders of his own parents.
Oct. 17, 2011, midnight
S16E38 - Bad Blood (Part 2)
The conclusion to the program about the notorious case of Jeffrey Gilham, currently serving a life sentence for the murders of his own parents in Sydney nearly twenty years ago.
Oct. 24, 2011, midnight
S16E39 - Something About Me
Kristina Keneally made history by becoming the first female Premier of NSW. What few realise is the family experience that she says led her into politics and toughened her for the brutal crossfire of public life.
Oct. 31, 2011, midnight
S16E40 - The Planet They're On
Nazeem Hussain and Aamer Rahman have become two of the hottest young comedians on the Australian comedy scene.
Nov. 7, 2011, midnight
S16E41 - When William Met Sarah
Film critic Margaret Pomeranz introduces this encore edition on the very special personal and professional bond shared by filmmaker Sarah Watt and her husband actor and writer William McInnes.
Nov. 14, 2011, midnight
Network: ABC TV
Episode Runtime: 30 min.
Season Runtime: 33327 min.
Released: May 29, 1996
Last Air Date: Nov. 3, 2025, midnight
Status: Returning Series
Certification: NR
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