Bush Heritage Australia’s most expansive season of Big Sky Country hits the airwaves today – with a new host and an even grander scale.
Nominated for an Australian Podcast Award in 2023, Big Sky Country is a podcast by leading conservation not-for-profit Bush Heritage, offering an antidote to climate doom-ism and the seemingly never-ending news headlines on environmental collapse.
The new season is hosted by wildlife conservation biologist and proud descendant of the Kaurareg Nations Tiahni Adamson – the 2024 Young South Australian of the Year. Across six episodes, the series introduces listeners to scientists, Traditional Custodians and conservationists with moving stories of working on the frontlines of the climate and biodiversity crisis. Despite the challenges, they remain indomitably hopeful as they tirelessly research, restore and protect ecosystems one block, one banksia, one oyster at a time.
Season 3 of Big Sky Country comes at a time when the public’s engagement in the traditional media landscape is continuing its downward trend according to the latest Digital News Report: Australia 2025. Almost 70 per cent of people actively avoid the news, with almost half of these saying they avoid the news because it has a negative impact on their mood.
Host Tiahni Adamson says:
“Podcasts are increasingly playing a role in how people learn about what is happening in their world, and we know that they are helping listeners to understand issues they care about on a deeper level.”
“We can’t afford to stick our heads in the sand and ignore the facts about the state of our environment. But we also need to stay hopeful, so that we can listen and learn about the solutions out there – many of which are already well on their way to making a hugely positive difference for our native wildlife and our beautiful Australian landscapes.”
“With Big Sky Country we wanted to shine a light on some of the great conservation efforts happening on the ground to protect and heal Country. I hope people hear the podcast and are left feeling optimistic and empowered instead of overwhelmed and terrified of the future, because actually, we do have the collective power to change it for the better.”
Released just a day after National Tree Day (27 July), episode one ‘Trees & climate: Bob Brown, cultural connection and why forests matter’ features a timely but sobering reminder from the cool forests of lutruwita/Tasmania – without trees, humans can’t exist.
Episode guest and environmental legend Dr Bob Brown says:
“They want us to feel overwrought and ineffective. But we mustn’t get into that mindset. We must be optimistic. We must be defiant. We are defending a planet that gives us everything. The trees growing here [in the Tarkine] and elsewhere around the world are the biggest living creatures ever on the face of the planet.”
As Tiahni travels from the ancient forests of lutruwita/Tasmania to the turtle-populated islands of the Kimberley she encounters people from all walks of life, united in their commitment to Country. From reintroducing platypus into Adelaide’s city rivers, to protecting towering blackwoods and carbon-storing gum trees, these stories are grounded in hope, resilience and collective action to confront global threats.
‘Trees & climate: Bob Brown, cultural connection and why forests matter’ is out now; the remaining episodes will be released on a fortnightly schedule.
