Big Little Small Talk

What motivates a group of mild mannered older Australian women to protest outside their local member of parliament’s office every week? Rhonda Allen, Morley Grainger & Franziska Charteris explain to Megan; it’s the fear of what coal and gas mining is doing to our precious planet and what our future generations will inherit.Knitting Nannas call themselves a “disorganisation”, they are not party aligned and vow to “annoy all politicians equally”. They sit, they knit, they plot. Knit in, knit on Nannas!!

Sharyn Howard has lead an incredible life and she’s written a book; “What’s in the Box” to document her journey so far.From a childhood marred by trauma and loss, Sharyn embarked on a path of liberation that would take her to the farthest corners of the world and into the depths of her own soul. From the monasteries of Tibet to meeting the Dalai Lama in India... from volunteering on Mother Theresa's missions in Kolkota and starting her own Prison Project in Nepal. Sharyn has a wealth of stories, only skimming the surface with Megan here today.

Ahri Tallon is the coordinator of Darling Downs Environment Council. He grew up in the Northern Rivers region of NSW with parents who valued the environment. Ahri has a strong sense of community and the components that make a “rich” one. From his youth work to programs around healthy masculinity, his advocacy and activism is admirable and inspiring.

In his own words Michael Harrison is a Brisbane-based community advocate, husband, and dad who has found his purpose in supporting people with Down Syndrome and Intellectual Disabilities. His life has been shaped by family, career, and the journey he’s been on since becoming a father 18 years ago. A charming interview with a man who can see a silver lining at 100 paces.

Eliza Lebsanft describes herself as empathetic, passionate and loyal. After completing an economics degree she thought she had to get a “serious” job. But what Eliza really wanted to do was keeping working and learning about her part-time job as a dog behaviour therapist. Everything from pack walks, safe socialisation and destination days, Eliza lives and breathes dogs. Eliza is such a delightful young person with so much enthusiasm Megan briefly thought about getting a dog herself (only briefly).

Ian Stewart Koster is passionate about many things. Painting, horses, timber craftsmanship, the story of Cobb and Co. are but a few.Thankfully for the people of this region, Ian was able to combine all these loves. Funded by community supporters, Ian painted an incredible 15 x 4 metre mural on the side of a building on the corner of Clifford and Margaret Streets, Toowoomba.The mural commemorates the 100th anniversary of the last official Cobb & Co mail run. It depicts Fred Thompson driving Coach 141, an eight-horse team departing Surat bound for Yuleba in 1924. In terms of a legacy project, it’s a pretty good one. The boy from Africa has left a lasting impression and visually recorded of one of Australia’s greatest moments.

Tabitha Wordsworth is a biology honours graduate whose life has seen many twists and turns.From writing a book on intensive early intervention for children with autism to selling healing stone jewellery, Tabitha has walked down a lot of roads.She’s honest and raw about her mental health journey and the importance of being connected to others in the community. Tabitha’s story is a fascinating one.

Peter Ellis worked on the coldest, driest, windiest continent on earth - Antartica. In fact he did two tours of duty, each time spending a year living and working at a place known as “the final frontier”. Peter was originally employed as a carpenter but ended up being in charge of the dogs and the dogs breeding program. He recalls the years spent in Antartica with pragmatism and extreme fondness.

Steven Paull is the president of 102.7 FM Toowoomba, the community radio station who broadcasts Big Little Small Talk. Effectively Megan’s boss!The list of Steven’s achievements is long. His family business Big Dog Disability Support Services has empowered countless individuals to thrive within their chosen communities. Steven also believes there should be a value put on volunteering and has worked hard to try and bring his ideas forward to government.Steven tells stories of his early years in frontier PNG to going on a double date with Greg Norman when they both attended Aspley State High School.Megan thinks she has barely touched the surface of Steven’s life and career, but feels happy with the start they made.

Peter Collins is the closest thing to a living legend that Megan has ever met. He has been working in the media for over 40 years, sometimes in front of the camera and sometimes behind. It could be said he’s looked at life from both sides (now). Peter had seen every type of human behaviour; every triumph, every tragedy. Every story is told with humour and gratitude that he was taught by the best in the business.A beautiful rollicking tale of a life and career well lived.

Hugh Wilson is passionate about many things but active transport, particularly cycling is right up there. He Is President of the Toowoomba Region Bicycle User Group. They organise social rides and work to improve cycling within the Toowoomba region. Hugh was a stay at home father for his three boys, lives in a sustainable house, has a strong opposition to the chaplaincy in schools program and many other well formed and considered opinions. Megan loved hearing Hugh’s slightly anti-authoritarian views and his subversive take on life.

Jacqui Walker is a well known face in Toowoomba and surrounds. She is a highly respected real estate agent who works hard. She has built a formidable reputation by living by the three golden rules: have passion, be loving and care for others.Jacqui grew up the youngest of five siblings in Warragul, in the Gippsland region of Victoria. She describes her childhood as overwhelmingly loving. Her father delivered the mail and loved to chat with locals and strangers alike.Jacqui has been married to her best friend for 46 years and they have many lifelong friends. Her strong faith and family have sustained a life of lasting happiness, a fitting underpinning for her stellar career.

Megan checks in again with Rojin Rash who first featured on Big Little Small Talk in 2022.Rojin, along with her husband and young son fled war torn Syria to move to Toowoomba in 2017. They have settled here in Australia, had two more children and contributed greatly to the community.Rojin now works as a Police Liaison Officer bridging the communication and trust gap between the Ezidi community and police. As an added bonus this relationship fosters better understanding of the Ezidi culture by the police officers.It is a joy to hear how Rojin’s life is progressing. Listen back to to Rojin's first interview on Big Little Small Talk : https://open.spotify.com/episode/7EEtuI8h8PBIcogylBYr4X?si=3V8mcRr-RmahZLNepsSnKA

John Randall has lived a big and varied life. Once a jackaroo he now owns a Botanical Design company. In between he’s done many things including working as a development officer in Vanuatu and Western Australia. Lady Flo Bjelke Petersen once mistook John for the entertainer Simon Gallagher and invited him to sit at her table all evening. This and many more engaging stories from John fill up our 50 minute podcast today.

Cindy Nicollet is the founder of the Not-for-Profit organisation called Kindher Threads.Kindher Threads uses personal styling to walk alongside women doing it tough—whether they are navigating hardship, rebuilding their lives, or simply in need of a confidence boost.Cindy has a background in psychology and she says her styling sessions are sometimes part therapy and part exploration of fashion. The secret is to actively listen to what the women are saying to her.It’s a heartwarming interview and Cindy’s intentions are pure.

James O’Shea is a well known local figure. Currently he serves as a Councillor on the Toowoomba Regional Council. Prior to this, he was chief of staff at WIN News. James had the pleasure of working there with his well-known racing identity father, Pat O’Shea. James is the product of Pat and Cecile, a Phillipino national. He and his sisters grew up together on Jellicoe Street and he shares with Megan many of his childhood memories from this period. James has a public face but is a man that thinks and feels deeply. He shows his true colours in this delightful interview.

Lisa Herbert says you can tell a lot about a town from its cemetery. She should know; she’s become somewhat an expert on death.From conducting tours of the local cemetery, to appearing at a Government inquiry into missing graves, to writing a book to help us navigate our own death and funeral, Lisa is a an aficionado. She’s even organising a death expo to be held in Toowoomba 11 October 2025, Stay tuned!

Marina Elliott is a young female apiarist. There aren’t many people in the bee industry who look and feel like her - meaning first generation beekeepers. It is for this reason, and because she loves it of course, Marina thinks she’ll hang around.Marina’s spare time is taken up running a pop-up Greek Cafe in the community hall in Hume Street. She has pedigree Greek heritage with her grandparents owning many of Toowoomba’s early Greek Cafes.An enchanting interview with a woman with a bright future and a burning passion for all things bee.

Dr Mark Copland is first and foremost a humanitarian. His core values revolve around compassion, empathy and solidarity with others. He donates his time to charity, raises awareness about social issues and constantly offers a helping hand to someone in need. No, he’s not Jesus…in fact his friends describe him like this “he’s just good fun, slightly goofy and a bit nerdy and genuinely funny”.

Margaret Turnbull is the President of 'Friends of The Empire Theatre'. She leads a merry band of over 200 volunteers who provide services to keep the Empire Theatre functioning. From ushering to catering to backstage tours, The Friends provide over 8000 volunteer hours per year. More than just a volunteer organisation, The Friends are genuine friends of each other and have a community of likeminded people who care deeply for one another.