Shows
Ducks on the PondImproving Your Focus and Wellbeing by Biohacking Your Nervous System - Rural Women Lead Collab SeriesIf you haven’t heard about ‘bio-hacking’ - it’s all about using our neurotransmitters, such as dopamine and serotonin and hormones to maximise our wellbeing. And you can do really simple things for a big pay off.This is the beginning of a 3-part mini series on leadership: focusing on self, story and change. In this episode, focusing on ‘self’ speak to Jessica Fishburn, a women’s health physiotherapist and Director at Gen Health, in Hamilton, VIC.Drawing on her expertise in pain science and neurobiology, she gives us a few tricks to help increase focus...2025-07-2333 minDucks on the PondThe Hidden Economics of Farm Life: Succession, business and drought.Farm life can sometimes be romanticized, with the wide open spaces, animals and the freedom to do what you want. You might love the bush and your community…but are you actually happy?There are many factors that influence our wellbeing. This includes how well the business is running financially, farm succession (including whether it has been worked out or not) and your experiences of drought and natural disaster (including how many times you’ve been impacted). Then of course, all of these factors intersect. So, that’s why we’re looking at these issues altogether.Hear fr...2025-07-1659 minDucks on the PondChanging the conversation to attract more doctors and nurses to rural AustraliaThere’s a perception that rural healthcare means second-best or second-rate. Whereas the opposite is actually true. Rural medical students often out-perform their city-based counterparts on standardised tests. Most rural patients are better off being treated closer to home in their rural location (unless they have a very rare condition). And rural medical practices can often be better at adopting new technologies because of their smaller, more agile teams.So why then, is it so difficult to attract and retain doctors, nurses and other health care professionals to rural and regional areas? Hear from:D...2025-07-0957 minDucks on the PondHow to start a renewable energy project - Karin Stark and Susan Findlay TicknerRegional Australia has always been at the frontline for energy innovation and delivery. Sure, it's the politicians in the cities that talk about a transition, but it's in our backyard that these projects actually happen.Some renewables, such as wind, seem to be particularly controversial in a few parts of the country right now. This episode is not diving into that. Instead, it’s looking at how we design renewable energy projects, to ensure farmers and communities have the value of renewables delivered back to them. This includes exploring how renewable could offset farm emissions, to demanding mo...2025-07-0247 minDucks on the Pond“Climate” is Not a Dirty Word - Natalie Collard, CEO of Farmers for Climate ActionThere's sometimes a feeling in agriculture, that “climate” and “climate action” is a dirty word. Despite ‘the weather’ being every farmer’s favourite topic, the word “climate” can be seen as divisive. And you'd certainly better not talk about “climate action!”However, this episode’s guest is not afraid of “climate action”… and also wants the best for farmers. The two aren't mutually exclusive. Natalie Collard is the CEO of Farmers for Climate Action. She's been in the job for a couple of years now, but the group itself started 10 years ago as a growing voice for farmers who wanted to...2025-06-1854 minDucks on the PondIs the Only Option Boarding School? Feat. Louise Martin and Alana MollerIt can be a hard case to argue… that your children should be subsidised to attend a private boarding school. But when you live in rural and remote Australia, boarding school is really the only option.The Federal Government doesn’t fund state boarding schools (and you could only imagine the expense if they did). So if you are running a farm 600 kilometres away from the nearest high school, your only option is an expensive private school or distance education. But how many teenagers do you know, want to hang out with their Mum and Dad all the...2025-06-0439 min