Australian Story

Australian Story is a weekly documentary series aired on ABC Television that has been running since 1996. The show highlights a wide array of Australians from different walks of life and with varying degrees of fame. Notable figures featured include Hazel Hawke, rugby league coach Wayne Bennett, Australia’s first female Prime Minister Julia Gillard, comedian and broadcaster Red Symons, actor and author William McInnes, former Governor-General Peter Hollingworth, fashion designers Sass & Bide, art activist Van Rudd, Crocodile Hunter Steve Irwin, and actress and singer Belinda Emmett. The series also shines a light on lesser-known Australians, such as Sabina Wolanski, a Holocaust survivor who was chosen to represent the six million Jews who perished, at the inauguration of the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe.

The program is unique in that it does not use reporter narration; instead, the stories are conveyed through the voices of the subjects themselves, along with input from their friends, family, colleagues, and critics. The goal is to offer a diverse and multifaceted view of modern Australia and its people, whether they are famous or not.

Overall, this personal storytelling approach has been highly praised, earning the program numerous accolades, including seven Walkley Awards for journalistic excellence and four consecutive Logie Awards.