Street Stories

Henry West is 62 and for the past 15 years he has dedicated himself to the sport of amateur bodybuilding. He has been unrelenting in his devotion to this physical pursuit and his efforts have paid off. In 2006 Henry travelled to Austria where he took out the Mr Universe Men Over 60 title. However, that wasn't enough, Henry is still at it and recently took part in the 2008 Southern Hemisphere Championships at the Southport RSL on the Gold Coast. Street Stories spent time with him during his rigorous preparations at the gym and in the kitchen and we travelled with him for the big event. Watch a Mr Universe video in MP4 [18.1MB] or Windows Media Video [17.1MB]

Tonight, while many of us are tucked snugly in our beds, countless numbers will be seeking refuge under a car, a railway station bench, or a public park. These are the people with no fixed address, learning to live on the streets. In this program we hear tales from the homeless. Ex-military men explain how they ended up without shelter, while another individual reveals that his family have no idea that he has dropped out of the rental market. Jhyimy makes the cliffs of Bondi his home. He shares his stories of surviving without charity. We hear how he feeds himself and his seagull companions, and why a set of golf clubs can be the most important possession in the world. Watch a short film Bondi Beach dweller, Jhyimy.

In a remarkable gesture of peace and humanity Palestinian and Israeli families talk about the decision to donate the organs of their dead family members to patients on the other side of the Middle Eastern conflict. 'My son was dead, but six Israelis now have a part of a Palestinian in them, and maybe he is still alive in them.' The words of the Palestinian father Ismail Khatib, who donated his son Ahmed's organs to Israelis after the 12-year-old, while holding a toy gun, was shot dead by Israeli soldiers. This is not the first time victims of the conflict have given life to people on the other side of the Arab-Jewish divide. This year is the 5th anniversary of the death of Yoni Jesner, a 19-year-old Jewish religion student murdered in the bombing of a Tel-Aviv bus. Part of his body went to save the life of a Palestinian girl from East Jerusalem. In this moving program we take a closer look at the generosity and faith of these two families, the Jesners and the Khatibs. Can a person live on in some way through organ donation? This is a production of the BBC World Service and is part of the Crossing Boundaries program exchange.

New technology is increasingly breaking down barriers for the blind community. Global positioning systems, mobile phones with scanners and cameras, screen-reading software, as well as less sophisticated but equally useful stuff like talking kettles and measuring jugs - they've become the 'tricks of the trade' for people who are visually impaired. Even shopping on the internet creates new opportunities - as Jenny explains "I've never been able to browse before, and now I can". And there's a website where folk share information about how to use new consumer items - things the manuals don't tell you, like whether the 'on/off' switch is at the top or the bottom! Five people who have no vision talk in this program about their lives, and about the way new technologies are making a difference.

Welcome to the launch of 'My Street'. Every street has a story and we want you to tell the story of your street. This launch is no red carpet affair; more pavements, darkened rooms and unexpected watery vistas, as we present our first My Street Sampler. It's a collection of stories told by young men and women about their streets. My Street is a user generated content project, based on the web, where we´re inviting you to tell a story of your choosing, whether in slideshow, video - it could be recorded on your mobile phone - in audio or text... The choice is yours. No more than 7 minutes or 700 words long. Create it and upload your story on the new My Street website: http://www.abc.net.au/rn/streetstories/features/mystreet/ Street Stories has always told diverse stories from across the country and in My Street we hope you´ll be sharing stories that take us to places we´ve never been... or perhaps we may have passed there but never knew what was going on behind the blinds. In our first My Street Sampler selection we hear about life in a squat on Harris Street in Pyrmont, where one young woman sings her avocado tree to fruitfulness; there's also the ripping detective story of the search for the trolley nappers of Frederick Street, Hornsby; then there are the romantic seaplanes of New South Head Road, Rose Bay; and finally, the mysterious Kastle of Abercrombie Street in Chippendale. Thanks to the students and lecturers of the University of Technology, Sydney (UTS) for making this first sampler possible.

There are many cities that could aspire to the title of 'bike heaven', cities where cycle paths abound and where governments and car users alike regard bicycles as a solution to traffic problems rather than a cause of them. Sydney isn't one of them. Visit Amsterdam or Copenhagen... even Adelaide and Canberra have kilometres of cycle paths in their city centres, while Brisbane is planning many more. But it's still a distant dream in huge, sprawling, car-mad Sydney, where it's said one-third of all land lies under roads and car parks. It takes a lot of nerve to cycle in Sydney but, for those who do, it becomes a passion they want to share. 'Happy cycling!' Photo courtesy of Moz.

For three-and-a-half months every year, 150 lobster fishermen, their families and deckhands leave the mainland and make the trek across the waters to live and work on the Abrolhos Islands. It is a unique, albeit very isolated, lifestyle much relished by the islanders. Seven days a week they pull up their pots, searching for the valuable and delicious crustaceans. It is a major industry -- 1.5 million kilos (worth $40 million) of Western Rock Lobsters, or better known locally as crayfish, are fished here and exported across the world. The Abrolhos Islands are situated 60 km off the coast of Western Australia, near Geraldton. The 122 rugged and isolated coral atolls extend north to south over 100 km of pristine waters rich in biodiversity. As a result of the Leeuwin current sweeping warm, low-nutrient, tropical water from the Pacific Ocean down along Western Australia's continental shelf, corals and tropical fish can thrive here in latitudes where they would not normally survive. The name Abrolhos is thought to have been derived from the Portuguese expression Abre os olhos, meaning 'keep your eyes open'. It is a suitable name for this A-class reserve, known not only for its crayfish but also for shipwrecks like the Batavia. But as both crayfish numbers and prices go down, it is a lifestyle under pressure to change. Producer Mia Lindgren spent time with some of the lobster fishermen and their families on the tiny Roma Island. Watch the short film on Abrolhos Island life. Meet some of the fishermen and their families who take up temporary residence at the Abrolhos Islands during the Western Rock Lobster fishing season (15 March - 30 June): Caroline and Paul Pettet; John Newby, Kel Pirrottina; and Cherrie and Pinny Pirrottina. A special thanks to photographers Peter Dameon, Geoff Towler and Bjorn Westerberg. Producer: Mia Lindgren. (Dur: 3:50)

We spend a day with aged-care worker Tash Prendergast as she visits four of her elderly clients. They live alone and depend on her help for many of the most basic tasks of daily life. Together they´ll take you on a journey through the unique relationship between carer and cared-for, as Tash and her clients open up the doors to their homes, hearts and minds -- and offer a glimpse into life for some elderly people in Australia today.

On the 'mainland' it is generally accepted that Tasmania is fox free, however this may not be necessarily so. Franz Docherty went and spent a couple of days with the members of the Fox Eradication Program and an hour or two with a true blue sceptic, to find the answer to the ongoing question, 'Are foxes in Tasmania?' In getting to know the people on the front line of this fight against the fox, we will get an insight into the work being done to protect Tasmania from a potential environmental nightmare, as well as discover what drives this dedicated group of people. We find out how they feel about the dilemma and give them the chance to answer the critics who question the need for the Fox Eradication Program's existence. We also meet a doubter, someone who doesn´t believe all is as it seems, and find out the reasons for their scepticism. It is not the first argument in Tasmania over a creature´s existence, as many still believe the Tasmanian Tiger is out there in the wilderness. In the end this program will expose the real situation: are there foxes in Tasmania? Have a listen and find out. * Watch a Short Film of Peter Darke, the hunter co-ordinator for the Fox Eradication Program Windows Media (19.5MB)

The relationship between tame parrots and their humans is an intense one. Some people regard their parrot as the last descendant of dinosaurs or simply as a bit of friendly colour in a cage, but for many this is an obsessive love affair that raises questions like, 'Should I sleep with my bird?' Few have problems showering with them or taking them to the supermarket. But dealing with your parrot deciding you are their mate and challenging your partner is harder. What does the relationship with captive birds offer that makes its pull to humans so powerful? And how do the people who do love them reconcile keeping them captive? We hear from Shelley, Mike (Michael Archer), Eb, Annie, Tony and Annie's mum on the answering machine, Pam, Patricia and her daughters Stephanie and Sarah, as well as their various birds. Special thanks to Rod from the Birdroom at Kellyville Pets for sharing his knowledge.

Claude Ranger was a legendary Canadian jazz drummer who disappeared into thin air seven years ago. Through his friends and admirers we piece together the remarkable journey that led to this talented but tortured musician's demise. Claude Ranger is probably the finest jazz drummer Canada has ever produced, he played with the country's best musicians, and visiting jazz greats from the United States asked for Claude by name. He had his own band full of young, talented, untried players who were willing to put it all on the line to play with their hero. But there was nothing smooth or maninstream about his life; as a composer and a player he pushed the envelope. His burning no-compromise dedication to music gave him his sweetest moments, but the price in real life was high. He entered re-hab a little while before he vanished, leaving his friends and fellow musicians mystified yet somehow not surprised.

The Narrabundah Longstay Caravan Park is a unique community tucked away on the urban fringes of Canberra who have pulled together over the last two years to save their homes. A wide variety of mostly low-income residents live in a hotchpotch of dwellings, from miniature houses to caravans with annexes and even a double decker bus, with an annexe. Ninety per cent of them own their homes, despite the fact that you cannot get a home loan to buy in the caravan park. They are proud of their homes and well established gardens and there is a strong sense of community in the park everyone helps the other out and watches over their neighbours' homes. The park was originally established in 1975 to house the workers who built Canberra and the new Parliament House. In 2006 the park was sold to a developer and the residents were issued with eviction notices. Rather than move out, they all worked together, lobbying government and the community of Canberra to protect their homes. After many months of negotiations the developer has accepted a land swap offered by the ACT government, and the residents are awaiting the outcome of an environmental impact analysis on this new piece of land. When that is clear, the residents will no longer be in limbo and will be able to continue living in the park. In the program you hear single dad David, retiree Gabbi, Frank and Norma who moved there from Harden, student and advocate Deb, and Pam who has lived there for 20 years, more recently with her husband Mark and their menagerie of pets. Based on the experience of this community the longstay caravan park could be one solution to the current housing crisis, a place where it is possible for people on very low incomes to own their own homes and have a sense of security. Watch a short presentation on the residents of the Narrabundah Longstay Caravan Park.

For Australian men looking for love, and disillusioned with the pub and club scene, Internet dating has become more and more popular. And an increasing number of these men are choosing women from the former Soviet Union. Many of the dating websites make bold claims about the qualities a Russian wife would bring to a relationship that family is their priority and that feminist ideals have not affected their view of traditional family values. There are pitfalls for the men who are looking and for the women who make the journey here to start a new life. Sometimes the men part with serious amounts of money in their pursuit of happiness in the form of a Russian bride and find they've been 'scammed'. And sometimes the women come here to men who treat them appallingly and exploit the vulnerability that financial dependence and isolation cause. But sometimes, despite language and cultural differences, and often a wide age gap too, successful and happy relationships are forged.

The quest to find enough water to sustain a bulging coastal population on Australia´s east coast has thrust an untouched wild river in northern NSW into the politics of water sharing. What starts as a trickle in the wilderness near the Queensland border ends 400 kilometres away as a broad and majestic river system flowing into the Pacific Ocean. The Clarence River channels five million megalitres of water out to sea each year. A federal government proposal is on the table to dam its flow and pipe its fresh water resource to south east Queensland, to ease water shortages there. There are also demands on Clarence water from the west of NSW, which continues to face the dilemmas of drought. Along the banks of the Clarence are generational fishermen and farmers, Indigenous elders, tourism operators and lifestyle retirees who make their income and draw inspiration from its flow. In the upper reaches of the river system Steve and Sharon Ross have carved out a living from a remote property that boasts five kilometres of river frontage. They earn their income guiding tourists down the flow of the Clarence in canoes and plan to have their ashes cast across its surface when they die. Russell Farmer is a third generation cattle and timber producer. He remembers chasing turtles, catching eels and racing corrugated iron canoes down the river at Cangai. He has also worked on the Snowy Mountains scheme as a teenager and cannot help but compare the health of the two river systems; one managed and one wild. Many of the Indigenous elders along the Clarence grew up on one of 109 islands that are nestled within the flow of the Clarence River as it transforms from a mountain stream to a broad estuary. They reminisce about raking prawns from the shallows, chiselling oysters from the mangroves and the dramatic evacuations during floods. Vince Castle grows sugar cane on the edge of the Clarence estuary. He is predicting that water sharing will be a feature of the future and that the community will be disappointed if it wants to claim the Clarence water resource as its own. Judith Melville has no car and describes the river as her road. She lives in Yamba, a coastal community on the southern edge of the Clarence River. The community of Iluka sits on the northern bank where the Clarence flows out to sea. Renee du Preez followed the course of the Mighty Clarence to bring us the story of a river.

Young people in Iraq are living through a dangerous war, resiliently maintaining a sense of humour and optimism. On their blogs they talk of the profound and the mundane; dodging bombs on their way to school and trying to study without any electricity. March 20, 2008 marked the fifth anniversary of the allied military invasion of Iraq. May 1, 2008 will mark the fifth anniversary of US President Bush´s declaration that the war was over, yet fighting has continued and approximately a million people have been killed. Before the invasion Iraq was a country with high regard for education and moderate views towards women´s role in society. Now between 30% and 70% of schools across the country have been closed because of insecurity. Teachers and students have become targets for bombings and kidnappings. Large percentages of students have chosen to discontinue their studies, or have left Iraq, yet there are those who have chosen to stay and continue. Their commitment to a strong, educated Iraq is what keeps them focused. Rather than the standard tales of military operations this program is about living through the war and attempting to maintain normality in the face of adversity. Iraqi bloggers HNK and Sunshine and Bassam Sebti, a postgraduate student and former Iraqi correspondent for the Washington Post share their stories with us.

We follow the closely woven threads of relationships between grandmothers, mothers and daughters. There are stories of survival of domestic violence, of dance lessons from the Rumba Queen of Milan and a Vietnamese grandmother's revenge. We also meet the producer´s banner wielding, slogan chanting, abortion-on-demand-demanding mother and her fiercely Mexican-Catholic grandmother. This feature is dedicated to the producer's mother and grandmother, Carmelita Mallea Steinke and Aurora Mallea, who both died last year.

More and more Australian women are finding themselves single and childless in their mid to late 30s. Without Mr Right at hand, and with the biological clock ticking, many are choosing to go it alone. One fertility clinic in Sydney has seen a 40 per cent rise in the number of single women seeking sperm donors. And expected changes to legislation in Victoria means single women no longer need to cross state borders to access fertility treatment in their quest for motherhood. At the same time, strong demand for donor sperm, and laws giving children the right to know the identity of donor parents, have seen a dramatic decline in donor numbers. So for some, adoption is an easier option. However, as a single parent, opportunities to adopt are restricted. The situations under which single people can apply vary for each state and territory, with most only accepting applications under special circumstances. In this program we hear from women whose desire to have a child was so great that overcoming the many obstacles to become a single mum was their only option.

Port Adelaide is a working class, suburban region that contains one of the last working, historic ports in Australia. It sits on the Port River and it is this waterfront that has attracted developers to the area. South Australia´s State Government has sold a swathe of riverfront land to a consortium of developers who are building many multi-storey, high-density residential apartments, expected to attract a further 8,000 people into the region. With half a dozen buildings, up to six storeys high, already complete and plans for buildings of up to 12 storeys, there are mixed feelings about what will happen to the Port and its people. Hundreds of millions of dollars of capital investment, environmental cleanup, new marinas, an influx of 'outsiders', higher housing prices and the loss of heritage are in the mix that is dividing locals. Some are against the developers and government while others are celebrating the change in lifestyle and population mix.

Holidaying in New South Wales, Bill Johnstone had a chance encounter with a men's community shed in Nambucca. He was struck by the potential a community shed might have in his own home town, the historic port town of Fremantle, Western Australia -- particularly as Fremantle's property boom has squeezed out many a backyard workshop. Two years later, the Fremantle Men's Community Shed measures its success by an ever-increasing membership of guys who take pride in sharing their skills and passing them on to the wider Fremantle community. Left: The Jook Joint Band. Right: The Fremantle Men's Community Shed.

We´re heading to the Thai-Burma border to the highly politicised town of Mae Sot. The streets of Mae Sot are full of stories of loss and death and flight. Some Burmese people crossed the border into Thailand illegally and have been living here for twenty years, many for more than ten, while thousands are arriving right now. Another fifty thousand people live in Mae La, the nearest refugee camp. And there are a hundred thousand more refugees in other camps in Thailand. But possibly the most overwhelming fact is that about two and a half million Burmese have fled their country for Thailand, many simply in search of work. Burma remains one of the poorest countries in the world and the protests against the military dictatorship last year did little to change the lives of people. While we´re in Mae Sot we visit the extraordinary Dr Cynthia Maung´s Mae Tao Clinic. It´s as much haven as clinic. Funded mainly by foreign donations, Mae Tao Clinic runs the training centre for the Backpack Medical Teams and the Free Burma Rangers, both of whom illegally cross the border back into Burma to help the ethnic minorities survive the onslaught of the Burmese military. The clinic is also where people come to vaccinate their babies, to be treated for malaria or cholera, or to receive a prosthetic leg when they´ve lost theirs to a landmine. Many of the villagers who come to the clinic are fleeing the Burmese military after being forced to act as porters, or even as human landmine detectors. We also meet long-time political prisoners from Aung San Suu Kyi´s National League for Democracy party, as well as Karen and Shan, ethnic Burmese working to help their own people in their struggle against the military inside Burma. Over the last ten years the Burmese army has destroyed around ten thousand ethnic villages. Some of the people from those villages are now living in hiding inside Burma; some are in Thailand. Many of them are children who have crossed the border alone. Watch the short documentary Steps to Freedom.

Aspire to dance: Dance to inspire. It´s never too late as we discover when we visit a small hall in a Masonic Centre in suburban Sydney. It has been the home of the Glyn and Moriarty Ballroom Dance Studio for 23 years. This is no ordinary studio though, Alan Glyn and Joan Moriarty have been teaching for 42 years. They have even taught teenagers who are now mothers, and their daughters are now learning as teenagers! Alan began dancing at 16 and went on to become a competitive amateur for ten years. Joan was no stranger to the dance floor either, when she met Alan she had been dancing since her mid-teens, also in competition. Joan said `If you can´t beat them join them´, so they began a professional dancing partnership and before they married they decided to start their own studio. The studio attracts people from all walks of life, all ages, and a mix of nationalities. They come to gain medals, train for competitions or just learn for enjoyment. Antonio grew up in Portugal. He wants to become a dance teacher and return to Portugal to teach. Antonio has always had a passion for music and in the program he plays the accordion, which he learned as a child. Alicja left Poland about 20 years ago. She is now retired and has the opportunity to take up a beloved interest not explored since her childhood. Brian has a South American wife who is his inspiration to learn the sensuous group of Latin dances. Brian is 70 and his wife is in her 60s. They have been married for 30 years, so it really is a case of `never too late´ to learn something new. Craig had time on his hands, so he went to the studio and found that he just loved dancing and is working his way through his medal assessments. Ken and Bev agree that a competition dancing partnership is harder than a marriage relationship. They are making it work and winning trophies in the process. Watch the short film Silk 'n' Sequins.

On the Rails - the art of parkour. Parkour, or "free running" is a kind of urban gymnastics. It´s the art of fluid and efficient movement, using your body to overcome obstacles in your path -such as rails, walls - and buildings. Parkour began in France, but quickly spread to the streets of cities around the world. You might have seen parkour in action at the start of the latest James Bond movie, Casino Royale. Tom Morton joins a group of young people in Fairfield in south-Western Sydney for a night on the rails... View an excerpt from The Obstacle is the Path, a documentary about parkour by parkour teacher, traceur and film-maker Ali Kadhim

There are more than 40 million widows in India today and for a large proportion of these women, their lives are what some have referred to as a living sati, a reference to the now outlawed practice of widow burning. A woman´s diet, dress, and even sexuality all suddenly become part of the public realm the moment her husband dies. Producer Dheera Sujan is an Indian herself and the daughter of a widow. In 'A Life of Ashes' she weaves her own experiences with those of the women she met.

Small in number, but passionate about what they do, homeschoolers make up about 0.03% of school-age children in Australia. Some families homeschool because they live in remote areas, but the families in this program have chosen home-based learning even though there are schools in their neighbourhood. Their reasons vary: learning difficulties, disability, medical issues. Some simply want to progress naturally from teaching their children to walk and talk through to teaching them to read and write, and so on, and to encourage them to find information for themselves as and when they want to, or need to. Collectively, they experience raised eyebrows. Isn't the social contact at school just as important as the learning? How can you teach your child when you're not a teacher? Aren't you doing your child a huge disservice? Overwhelmingly, though, the families in 'We Homeschool' find huge benefits in the learning option they've chosen for their children.

Two young men are on a quest for happiness in the glare of the bright lights of the city but a key to their success is getting past the door bitch. The laws of the jungle can be very fickle and unjust. Johnny works at a burger joint, in between writing his novel and other distractions. Mark is a recruitment consultant. They have both come from smaller places to try and make it in Sydney and are keen to go out on the weekend to meet girls, dance and drink. The difference is: one of them walks straight into nightclubs without a problem whilst the other one is not that fortunate. What is the difference between these two young men and how does the `door bitch´ decide whether she will open the door, or simply ditch? Does a good job, success with women and a busy social life make you happy? Meet the winner and the loser and decide for yourself.

Once smoking was regarded as both a pleasure and a right; and wherever you looked, advertisers had a brand for you. Whether your secret self image was international jet-setter or cowboy, sophisticated gent or regular Aussie larrikin, the enticement was there to light up. Not any more. Yet smoking is still legal and still brings great pleasure to millions. Smokers are just more conflicted now. Today's cigarette packets are decorated with pictures of gangrenous feet and victims of mouth cancer. The message is strong - and repulsive - but are you going to give up? How does one renounce that path to relaxation and that connection with your vision of a more glamorous or masculine self? How do you beat addiction - and would you be the same person if you did? In the 1950's, smoking was a family affair.

Bullying in school populations has long presented a challenge to parents, teachers and, of course, to long-suffering victims. These days, as a reflection of the availability of information technology, and young people's expertise in using it, bullying is more likely to be conducted through text messages or via the internet. Cyber bullying has taken off in a big way, with a recent survey revealing that 42% of girls between the ages of 12 and 15 have been on the receiving end of destructive mail. It's particularly insidious because often tormentors can disguise or hide their identity - allowing them extra licence to wreak emotional havoc on their victim. And girls apparently are more likely to be involved in cyber bullying than boys. In 'We're watching you' we hear from three 15-year-old girls (a victim and two girls who were caught red-handed), a mother, a high school teacher, and author Kate McCaffrey, whose recently published book Destroying Avalon traces one girl's chilling experience with cyber bullying.

Fiona was randomly and violently sexually assaulted at the age of seven; Helen was sexually abused by her father, and later her stepfather, from the age of three. Both are sick and tired of sleepless nights and living in fear, so have turned to the Sycamore Tree Project in an attempt to move on. The Sycamore Tree Project is a faith based, restorative justice program where victims visit unrelated offenders in prison over a period of months to discuss crime and its ongoing effect on victims. Victims are given a platform to describe their pain, fear and loss. Offenders are encouraged to share their stories, to accept responsibility for their crime and to consider ways in which they might make restitution to their particular victims.

Two stories of people falling to their almost certain death and surviving. A woman who lives alone falls down an old mine shaft on her property. She spends two days gripping a rock wall and trying to stay afloat with no one knowing she is missing. And a man whose parachute, after close to a thousand jumps, fails to open. He falls 8,000 feet, his wife watching as he plummets.

Matthew Lawson is Julie Kimberley's older brother, and he suffers from an Acquired Brain Injury. Just two weeks after his 18th birthday Matt was the victim of a hit-and-run accident in which his brain was badly damaged. The doctors told her parents that Matt would never fully recover and that he would always suffer from fits of anger, usually brought on through his own frustrations. It has been 22 years since that fateful night, and in this story Julie unravels the impact it has had on Matt and her family. She talks to Matt, her Dad, her Mum and her brother Jamie about Matt´s accident, the years he spent going through rehabilitation; learning to walk, talk and feed himself again, and the effect his injury has had on all their lives.