Podcasts

Mr. Feels is a podcast dedicated to opening up a conversation about mental health. Hosts Tyler May and Laura Benson share personal experiences and interview guests to destigmitize mental health problems, educate individuals, spread empathy for others, and make those who can relate feel a little less alone. click here

Join Radio Headspace every weekday morning to take a few moments to step out of the internal chatter and external noise. They'll pause and reflect to consider what brings us together in this shared human condition and how we can live a life that best reflects our limitless potential. click here

Better Than Yesterday – with Osher Günsberg is a podcast that aims to make today just that little bit better than yesterday with a guest who has figured out how to manage life’s challenges to forge a career where they do what they love to do. click here

Learn how to start a company, with help from the world's top startup accelerator - Y Combinator. From concept development, planning, relationship management, innovation, technology, psychology, testing and all the way to scaling up a new business. Presenters are typically owners of big start-ups. click here

Guy Raz dives into the stories behind some of the world's best known companies. How I Built This weaves a narrative journey about innovators, entrepreneurs and idealists—and the movements they built. This is full of stories of hope, struggle and risks. click here

Have you ever seen a movie so bad that it’s amazing? Paul Scheer, June Diane Raphael and Jason Mantzoukas want to hear about it! They’ll watch it with their funniest friends, and report back to you with the results. (language warning) click here

The Distractible podcast is a space to have thoughtful discussions about funny, out there, or otherwise interesting stories from everyday life. Comedy. (language warning) click here

Hamish and Andy Podcast, Authors - Hamish, Andy and Jack. Subject - comedy, what's great? - it's funny and interesting. click here

Smash Boom Best is a debate show for kids and families from the makers of the award-winning podcast, Brains On! Every episode takes two cool things, smashes them together and lets you decide which is best. click here 

The Neurodiversity Podcast talks with leaders in the fields of psychology, education, and beyond, about positively impacting neurodivergent people. 

If you have ever felt 'different' as a learner, browse episodes for something that interests you. This series is great for episodes that are informative and compassionate in addressing topics like giftedness and ADHD, how to get gifted kids talking, overcoming perfectionism in gifted learners. click here

How are emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence shaping the future and what might this mean for how we educate young people today? In this podcast series, the NSW Department of Education asks leading experts to give their views on these issues as part of the Education for a Changing World initiative. They discuss the skills young people will need to shape their future and thrive in an AI world. click here

Hosted by Dr James Mannion (UK), Rethinking Education features in-depth conversations with interesting people about how we might fix the education system so as to avert catastrophe and transition to a more harmonious, sustainable, peaceful way of life. click here

Discover the hidden side of everything with Stephen J. Dubner. Freakonomics Radio tells you things you always thought you knew (but didn’t) and things you never thought you wanted to know (but do) — from the economics of sleep to how to become great at just about anything. Dubner speaks with Nobel laureates and provocateurs, intellectuals and entrepreneurs, and various other underachievers. click here

Georgia and Lily are a lot of things - content creators, sushi-lovers, proud dog owners and most importantly - sisters. There ain’t no room for secrets here - this podcast is for the nittiest of the grittiest details. (language warning) click here

Caution: watch for paid product placements by advertisers.

SHORT & CURLY is a fast-paced fun-filled ethics podcast for kids and their parents, with questions and ideas to really get you thinking. It asks curly questions about animals, technology, school, pop culture and the future.

SHORT & CURLY is especially designed to be listened to alone or as a family, with questions to think about and time to discuss it together. click here

"Short Fiction Torn From Today’s Headlines"

Each week authors write an original story inspired by the current news. Featuring Curtis Sittenfeld, Roxane Gay, Colum McCann, Carmen Maria Machado and more. The story is also discussed after its reading by the author and host Ashley C. Ford. 

This has great production qualities, high profile guest authors and is an imaginative creation within the podcast form. Some content can be upsetting, recommended for more mature students. click here

Welcome to Nightvale is considered one of the key foundations of fictional podcasts. Presented in the style of a radio broadcast to a bizarre town, it’s comedy, horror and a little bit of satire. The episodes are short, there’s a song each episode, called “the weather”, and overarching plots work their way into the story. Mysterious lights in the night sky, dark hooded figures with unknowable powers, and cultural events... turn on your radio and hide. click here

Stories told through found audio from an alternate universe. Season four, "The Cradle" is a story about a mother and daughter as they attempt to lead a family-centric commune surviving on the fringes of society.  

Each season of Within the Wires stands alone as its own story, with different narrators and timelines, but they do overlap. You can immerse yourself in the entire universe by listening to the first four seasons, or start listening to the most recent season. 

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Rosamund Pike stars as Edith Wilson in "Edith!" a scripted comedy podcast exploring the untold true-ish story of America's secret First Female President. Edith Wilson acted as the de facto president when her husband, Woodrow Wilson suffered a paralysing stroke. This is a hilarious scripted podcast about the years following WWI and an amazing woman who takes no bs from any of the politicians around her. click here

(Horror warning!!)

Tessa Thompson stars as an idealistic young journalist trying to make a name for herself by following a group of paranormal explorers, obsessed with a seemingly harmless pastime known as the Left/Right Game. The journey takes her into a supernatural world that she and the other members of the expedition can neither handle nor survive.

-Listen with headphones, it has specially recorded audio. click here

QCODE Media, the producers have lots of other good shows, but please look up reviews before trying to avoid nasty surprises.

"Best History Podcast 2016" by the Academy of Podcasters.

Lore is an award-winning, critically-acclaimed podcast about true life scary stories. Lore exposes the darker side of history, exploring the creatures, people, and places of our wildest nightmares.

Aaron Mahnke has a very cinematic voice and tells the strangest and creepiest real life stories from history, such as those which led to the mythology of vampires and haunted tunnels and houses. click here

Alohomora! is an interactive and creative collaborative project between Harry Potter fans worldwide and MuggleNet staff. They re-read the entire series, and have side chats spinning wild theories, and share content all influenced by their love of Harry Potter. Remember, with all podcasts, like blogs, the newest post is typically at the top and to start at the beginning, you need to scroll to the bottom.  click here

Potterless is a magical journey following Mike Schubert, a grown man reading the Harry Potter series for the first time, as he sits down with Harry Potter fanatics to poke fun at plot holes, make painfully incorrect predictions, and bask in the sassiness of the characters. With his energetic sense of humor and arsenal of witty and insightful guests, Schubert will take you on a journey through your childhood, this time with the rose-tinted glasses off. 

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Rupert and Amir are finally getting married and this time nothing is going to stop them. This is a fairy-tale type story about two queer princes saving their kingdom. It has awesome audio design, feels real and whole and naturally introduces the world but still allows for imagination like reading. click here

Gimlet are a great source of podcasts.

RONSTADT, starring Rhett & Link, is a supernatural noir comedy set on the mean streets of LA about a 9-1-1 phone jockey whose night job, along with a self-described “Craydar,” leads him deep into Side B - a world filled with magic, monsters, and all things Mythical. RONSTADT was created by Jonathan Strailey & Brandon Bestenheider and produced by QCODE, Wood Elf, and Mythical.  click here

Bullet Catcher: Edge-of-your-seat, Exciting, Fantasy Western, Fantasy, Action-packed, Fantasy Adventure, Feminist, Intense, Woman Lead, Queer, Gritty. 

A fantasy western fictional podcast about Imma, who meets a man who can catch bullets and wants to learn to be a bullet catcher herself. A badass female protagonist with edge-of-your-seat action, what's not to love? click here

Peri is an agoraphobic young woman whose home starts to show up in a new location every day, as she searches for her missing brother. 

This is an incredibly creative podcast that will make you laugh and cry. It is very poetic, but also has a gripping storyline and great diversity. 

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Doctors in space, a deposed alien prince, a super gay space pirate and a fiery nurse who’ll help you win your bar fight... 

This is a sci-fi sitcom about the medical team on a space station, every plot point is completely insane and yet somehow also works in conjunction with the others? (language warning) click here

This is a love letter to physics, fiction, and the future. It's a disorienting  journey through spacetime and the Cold War. It's a tome of secret history you stumbled across in a library in the dead of night. 

Though there's super confusing physics and time travel logic, it is intense and edge-of-your-seat with a large cast of diverse and interesting characters. (language warning)

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A rom-com, sci-fi-ish fiction podcast about a robotics intelligence lawyer who receives a very illegal robot with synthetic sentience who is in love with her. 4. It's kind of odd, but a lot of fun, with characters you really get attached to, and some great messages about work, love and consent. 

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A monthly reading and conversation with the New Yorker fiction editor Deborah Treisman. 

Basically, a famous author chooses a story by another author that has been previously published in The New Yorker. They discuss it with The NY fiction editor, then read it, then discuss again. Kinda like a book club... sorta. Here is the editors Top Ten. And for the rest: click here

Love writing? Looking to improve your writing? Or do you just love listening to writers talk about their craft? If yes, The Garret: Writers on Writing is for you. The Garret is a podcast written for writers about the craft of writing. It is hosted Astrid Edwards, and her goal is to interview the best writers in Australia (and perhaps some from abroad) about how and why they do what they do. Check out their 'playlists' based on themes for writers, eg True Crime, or for more click here

The Bright Sessions is a science fiction podcast that follows a group of therapy patients. But each has a unique supernatural ability. The show documents their struggles and discoveries as well as the motivations of their mysterious therapist, Dr. Bright. There is talk of mental health issues, but this is always approached with research. It begins with curious short episodes about a patients finding their abilities, listeners soon find there is a broader and very captivating narrative. "This podcast made me cry and laugh and want to live in the world it created."

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The Book Show brings you in-depth conversations with the best fiction writers from Australia and around the world. click here

The Art Show brings you in-depth conversations with artists and creative thinkers from Australia and around the world. click here

The Screen Show brings you reviews and in-depth conversations with leading film and TV directors, actors and screenwriters from Australia and around the world. click here

A Whodunnit Game for Charity

Each week, two guests go head-to-head in a contest of solving children’s mysteries from classics like Encyclopedia Brown, Scooby Doo, and Nancy Drew. There are different competitors every week and whoever wins gets the prize donated to a charity of their choice which is an added bonus. (language warning) click here

Critical Role, home of a bunch of nerdy-ass voice actors playing tabletop roleplaying games! Enter a world of glorious imagination and improvisation with a group of the finest collaborative storytellers around. (language warning) click here

Justin, Travis and Griffin McElroy from My Brother, My Brother and Me have recruited their dad Clint for a campaign of high adventure. Join the McElroys as they find their fortune and slay an unconscionable number of ... you know, kobolds or whatever in ... The Adventure Zone. (language warning) click here

This may be my favourite all-time podcast. Revisionist History is Malcolm Gladwell’s journey through the overlooked and the misunderstood. Every episode re-examines something from the past — an event, a person, an idea, even a song — and asks whether we got it right the first time. Because sometimes the past deserves a second chance. Gladwell's Pushkin Industries have a lot of good podcasts -quality!  

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Be Antiracist imagines what an antiracist society might look like and how we all can play an active role in building one. Dr. Ibram X. Kendi is the author of How to Be an Antiracist, the book that spurred a nationwide conversation redefining what it means to be antiracist, and in this podcast, he guides listeners how they can identify and reject the racist systems hiding behind racial inequity and injustice. 

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One hundred years after Australia elected its very first female parliamentarian, journalist Annabel Crabb and comedian Steph Tisdell chart the rise of female politicians in Australian politics and the unbelievable things they got up to along the way.

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In "Hardcore History" journalist and broadcaster Dan Carlin takes his "Martian", unorthodox way of thinking and applies it to the past. Was Alexander the Great as bad a person as Adolf Hitler? What would Apaches with modern weapons be like? Will our modern civilization ever fall like civilizations from past eras? This unique blend of high drama, masterful narration and Twilight Zone-style twists has entertained millions of listeners. click here

In Our Time is a live BBC radio discussion series and podcast exploring a wide variety of historical topics, presented by Melvyn Bragg since 1998.It is one of BBC Radio 4's most successful discussion programmes. Each programme covers a specific historical, philosophical, religious, cultural or scientific topic. 

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Blowback is a leftist podcast about American history and foreign policy hosted by Noah Kulwin and Brendan James. The first season of the show was a ten part series dedicated to the Iraq war. It is immersive and informative. The first season is about the Iraq War, and the second (currently being released) is about the Cuban Revolution. The podcast tells the history of these events in a chronological story with great quality production, music, narration, interviews, use of archival audio, etc, so that it is always easy to follow and engaging. (language warning) click here

The show is an audio tour of the unbelievable, the unsettling, and the bizarre, introducing listeners to short tales about the most amazing things on display in the pages of history. This is from Aaron Mahke, creator of the hit podcast Lore. It is a new, bite-sized storytelling experience.   click here

Historians Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook are interrogating the past, attempting to de-tangle the present for their new podcast "The Rest Is History" They question the nature of Greatness, why the West no longer has civil wars and whether Richard Nixon was more like Caligula or Claudius.   They're distilling the entirety of human history, or, as much as they can fit into about thirty minutes. click here

How can the past help inform today’s most pressing challenges? Every Tuesday, award-winning historians Heather Cox Richardson and Joanne Freeman use their encyclopedic knowledge of US history to bring the past to life. Together, they make sense of the week in news by discussing the people, ideas, and events that got us here today. 

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Odd as it might seem, this podcast is an add-on to the TV miniseries Chernobyl, from HBO, but it is an interesting history podcast in itself. Join host Peter Sagal and series creator, writer and executive producer Craig Mazin as they discuss the true stories that shaped the scenes, themes and characters behind the episodes. 

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Sydnee is the well researched doctor and Justin is the hilarious husband who listens and goofs along with the audience. It is super interesting and funny and I have laughed out loud while on public transport a few times, because I couldn't keep it in. Even if your squeamish, not every episode is gross or bloody, in fact most aren't and I am always fascinated by what they talk about. click here

Stuff You Should Know explores an incredible variety of random, lesser known things and events to educate you. If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered. click here

The Michelle Obama Podcast features the former First Lady diving deep into conversations with loved ones—family, friends, and colleagues—on the relationships in our lives that make us who we are.  Awesome! click here

I Spent A Day With... by Anthony Padilla - interviews minorities and celebrities about their experiences and debunks myths (covers all sorts of topics like mental illnesses, sexuality, gender and fame). The host is really good, empathetic and open with the people on the show - it feels more like a conversation than an interview. (language warning) click here

Interviews with authors, filmmakers, poets, agents, etc. There is a massive range of episodes, some are deep and emotional talks about art and what it means to be human, while others have great tips about how to write and/or work in the publishing others. Every episode is entertaining, encouraging and inspiring. 

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"SmartLess" with Jason Bateman, Sean Hayes, & Will Arnett is a podcast that connects and unites people from all walks of life to learn about shared experiences through thoughtful dialogue and organic hilarity. A nice surprise: in each episode of SmartLess, one of the hosts reveals his mystery guest to the other two. (language warning) click here

Zane and Heath: Unfiltered. Current news plus internet famous guests or random people. They talk about what's happening in their lives, stories and then interview guests when they have them. It's a very friendly and funny podcast and is just a great light-hearted listen. click here  

"I do funny readings of Reddit posts, like r/entitltedparents, r/choosingbeggars, and r/prorevenge."  click here

The Pineapple Project is hosted by comedian Nazeem Hussain. They're here to help you save you a whole heap of money. We'll look at spending less, spending better and understanding why we buy things in the first place. It's like getting a pay rise without having to do anything! (This is not financial advice from SHHS) click here

It's about navigating the financial world and making smart financial decisions. 

It is a great podcast because it is funny, clear, entertaining and very educational. They have also made a book and several online resources to help you become financially savvy / independent. (This is not financial advice from SHHS) click here

Quite self explanatory just original versions of fairy tales and stories, it's funny and provides THE original fairy tales, and many other folklore stories. There are King Arthur stories, Greek Myths, Native American stories, Chinese legends, Japanese folklore, etc. They are all educational and interesting and are perfect! click here

Every week, we sit down with an acclaimed and venerable songwriter to intimately discuss what happens behind closed doors in the music industry. There are millions of singers, thousands of artists, and only 40 top songs per genre at a time... this podcast is about the people who make them. (language warning) click here

Questlove Supreme is a fun, irreverent and educational weekly podcast that digs deep into the stories of musical legends and cultural icons in a way that only Questlove and Team Supreme can deliver. Led by Each episode is driven by conversation ranging from the guest’s origins (along with a few never-before-revealed secrets to their success) to their life passions and current projects. This is not your typical interview show.  click here

For generations of music lovers, the liner notes on albums were a central part of the way music was heard. We intuitively understood that great music required not just listening but conversation between the artist and the audience and the audience and the rest of the world. Broken Record is a podcast that restarts those conversations—in a world without liner notes—for a new audience of music lovers. (language warning) click here

It’s 1990. The Berlin Wall just fell. The Soviet Union is on the verge of collapse. And the soundtrack to the revolution is one of the best selling songs of all time, the metal ballad “Wind of Change,” by the Scorpions. Decades later, journalist Patrick Radden Keefe heard a rumour: the song wasn’t written by the Scorpions. It was written by the CIA. This is his journey to find the truth. (language warning) click here

Award-winning podcast from the QI offices in which the writers of the hit BBC show discuss the best things they've found out this week. click here

Rachel Maddow works with unmatched rigor and resolve to explain our complex world and deliver news in a way that's illuminating and dynamic, connecting the dots to make sense of complex issues. She provides in-depth reporting to illuminate the current state of political affairs. click here

Organisational psychologist Adam Grant hosts Work Life: You spend a quarter of your life at work. You should enjoy it! Organizational psychologist Adam Grant takes you inside the minds of some of the world’s most unusual professionals to discover the keys to a better work life. From learning how to love your rivals to harnessing the power of frustration, one thing’s for sure: You’ll never see your job the same way again. click here

Welcome to The Psychology Podcast with Scott Barry Kaufman, where we give you insights into the mind, brain, behavior and creativity. Each episode we’ll feature a guest who will stimulate your mind, and give you a greater understanding of your self, others, and the world we live in. click here

The Happiness Lab with Dr. Laurie Santos. You might think you know what it takes to lead a happier life… more money, a better job, or Instagram-worthy vacations. You’re dead wrong. Yale professor Dr. Laurie Santos has studied the science of happiness and found that many of us do the exact opposite of what will truly make our lives better. Based on the psychology course she teaches at Yale -- the most popular class in the university’s 300-year history -- Laurie will take you through the latest scientific research and share some surprising and inspiring stories that will change the way you think about happiness. click here

There are a lot of fads, blogs and strong opinions, but then there’s SCIENCE. Science Vs is the show from Gimlet that finds out what’s fact, what’s not, and what’s somewhere in between. We do the hard work of sifting through all the science so you don't have to and cover everything from 5G and Pandemics, to Vaping and Fasting Diets. click here

Science, pop culture and comedy collide on StarTalk Radio! Astrophysicist and Hayden Planetarium director Neil deGrasse Tyson, his comic co-hosts, guest celebrities and scientists discuss astronomy, physics, and everything else about life in the universe. Keep Looking Up! click here

Sci Guys is a podcast all about the weird and unbelievable ways that scientists learn about the world around us. Each week, Corry tells the story of a particularly strange scientific study while his friends Jamp and Luke do their best to derail the conversation with questions, jokes, and whatever nonsense they can think of. click here

Volcanoes. Trees. Drunk butterflies. Mars missions. Slug sex. Death. Beauty standards. Anxiety busters. Beer science. Bee drama. Take away a pocket full of science knowledge and charming, bizarre stories about what fuels these professional -ologists' obsessions. Humorist and science correspondent Alie Ward asks smart people stupid questions and the answers might change your life. This is a massive deep dive into specific areas of science. (language warning) click here

Super quirky and fun, two nerds geeking out on weird questions. Science sleuths Dr Adam Rutherford and Dr Hannah Fry investigate everyday mysteries sent by listeners. click here

Radiolab is one of the most beloved podcasts and public radio shows in the world. The show is known for its deep-dive journalism and innovative sound design. Created in 2002 by host Jad Abumrad, the program began as an exploration of scientific inquiry. Over the years it has evolved to become a platform for long-form journalism and storytelling. click here

Welcome to Oh No, Ross and Carrie, the show where we don’t just report on fringe science, spirituality, and claims of the paranormal, but take part ourselves. Follow us as we join religions, undergo alternative treatments, seek out the paranormal, and always find the humor in life's biggest mysteries. We show up - so you don’t have to. > (language & content warning)

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Beyond The Grid, delivers great stories, fresh insight and amazing anecdotes from the world of F1. Each week Tom Clarkson brings you in-depth, personal conversations with the biggest names in the sport, from current superstar drivers and leading team bosses to legendary figures from history.  click here

The master of midfield mayhem Rampaging Roy Slaven and the leading light of long shots HG Nelson cast a collective eye over the world of sport. These are two incredibly unique and properly funny Australian's. click here

Think nothing ever happens in your town? Australia's suburbs are home to some of the most mysterious and disturbing true crime cases in the world. Meshel Laurie is a true crime obsessive. Emily Webb is a true crime author. And together with expert interviews with writers, victims, investigators and perpetrators, they probe the underbelly of our towns and suburbs, and uncover the darkness at the heart of Australian life. click here

In order to tell the story of a crime, you have to turn back time. Every season, Investigative journalist Delia D'Ambra digs deep into a mind-bending mystery with the hopes of reigniting interest in a decades old homicide case. click here

If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. 

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The Magnus Archives is a weekly horror fiction anthology podcast examining what lurks in the archives of the Magnus Institute, an organisation dedicated to researching the esoteric and the weird. click here