Simon White has been a successful journo in newspapers and online … for many years … all around Australia.

He spent some of his journey in South Australia, working as the racing writer for the Adelaide Advertiser, and it was during his time there he got to meet … and become friends with, a particularly colourful horse racing identity.

Following a suggestion from an editor at the paper and since it was the 25th anniversary of the “Fine Cotton” affair … the infamous horse substitution ring-in, at Eagle Farm Racecourse in Queensland, Simon started to look for one of the key characters in this ‘affair’, Hayden Haitana. The trainer of Fine Cotton was now living in and around the fringes of Adelaide, and leading quite a mysterious life.

Dean Margetts played footy from the ‘under 7’s” until he was 21 years old. He then retired.

After trying his hand at coaching an under 13’s team, and with two mates taking them to a grand final, he responded to an add in the local paper … to become an umpire.

This began a speedy journey to the AFL, where he eventually umpired 376 games (after 110 league games in the WAFL), across a career spanning more than 20 seasons. He featured in 12 finals (2 Prelim’s) and is an AFL Life Member.

During his time umpiring, whilst still based in the west, he travelled well over 200 times to the east coast to umpire games. This weekly traverse across the country was just in a day’s work for a self defined footy-head who saw umpiring as ‘his sport’.

It was on one of these trips back from the east when a dramatic mid air incident occurred. If it wasn’t for a chance meeting with someone on board, his life could have changed forever.

Defend our NDIS

The NDIS provides necessary supports to more than half a million Australians with disability. It is something we are all proud of.

Investing in a strong NDIS also has flow-on benefit to all Australians – in fact for every dollar spent on the NDIS, the scheme delivers $2.25 back into Australian communities.

Despite all of these benefits for people with disability, the broader community and the economy, we are seeing over and over again that people are having their NDIS plans slashed – leaving them without the essential supports they need.

This episode revisits Natalia Hodgins story and her life with a severe health condition and the resulting disability. Her story gives incredible insight into the challenges faced by a person with disability and how schemes like the NDIS should be so important for their future.

Sadly, Natalia struggles to have her disability recognised and is currently not supported with an NDIS plan. This must change.

This is not the NDIS we fought for, and it is not the NDIS Australians deserve.

“How I found my voice” is the way Kim Landers describes her decision to leave a relationship, become free of expectations, use her life lessons and ultimately re-discover her passions. But to rebuild and find her purpose and meaning, this meant filling a small bag … with some borrowed clothes … and zero dollars (she took her dad’s credit card) and move to another state in Australia.

As a kid, one of her biggest goals was to have an adventure and live overseas … somewhere like Canada, however in this case it was to land in Canberra with few people she knew.

This new clarity in life was initially sparked after a meeting with a clairvoyant and has been developed further by using consistent mentors to keep her “accountable” and creating a safe network of friends.

Jules had planned for a year to tackle the 124km Cape to Cape trek in the South West of WA and spent 7 days with 11 women … it was a magical experience for her. It was her way to push herself, reclaim her “me”, as she puts it, and just connect with other women.

On return to the comfort of her home, she had time to reflect on what the trek meant, absorb the feeling of achievement, and thinking about what was next … something special happened.

A “Facebook message” request alert to connect with someone she did not know … appeared from nowhere.

It was a request from a woman who was asking … if she would be willing … quite randomly … to take a DNA tests because she thought they may be related … Was it scam?

This has opened the door to a growing relationship with this woman through a common paternal bond.

After 50 years, two sisters are now connected.

Greg McKenna was focused and driven to be the best in the world of currency trading and financial markets. It wasn’t long before this career became all consuming and achieving a significant level of corporate success was a feature of his life.

But with the birth of his son he made the decision to shelve this perceived dream international corporate lifestyle and to live a life which was featured by being with his family at home … in Australia.

After trying his hand at a few things … with varied success … Greg connected to the mentoring advice from a colleague (and close friend), and directed his personal focus to just being “a better human”. He returned to the world of banking, but this time it was being part of a community and he realised that creating human connection with those he met in this world was the greatest benefit of all.

He is now CEO of a mutual bank and strives to contribute to the lives of all his customers in a positive way.

Tait Oliver embraced an early career direction working in retail. It meant he moved locations across New Zealand as he progressed up through the ranks … until he realised that climbing that corporate ladder wasn’t the thing that drove him.

A desire to impact on other people through a role in “service” led him to stretch himself outside his comfort zone and take on a role, still in retail, as a People Performance Coach.

This job was doing what he loved … he was in the business of growing people. He describes this role as like a Thermos filled with the warmest, silkiest, smoothest hot chocolate you could think of … something that warned his soul.

But life is never always straight forward, so when Tait’s wife Kat became pregnant, a desire to be near family meant he needed to leave that Thermos behind and take on a new job in the city of Auckland. But this job was just another “cup” to drink from … it was not his Thermos. With various circumstances occurring and subsequently being made redundant, Tait looked at his “being” for future motivation.

A realisation came that as a family they could actually live on one healthy salary … even with a baby. So, with Kat taking a full time role … Tait was released to follow his dream.

Raman Moodley’s life started in a separated Indian community in a tough South African neighbourhood. After a challenging start to life … and leaving school at grade 7 … he amazingly had a meaningful career in finance and banking.

But he was unfulfilled, so with his wife and two young children, they moved to the USA.

Ultimately, a chance meeting with a school teacher called Josh totally changed his direction in life. Josh invited him to began working with kids who had experienced tough upbringings and after the initial 1 hour meeting … that went for 3 hours … a passion was released.

“One moment of Fate” was all it took to change the lives of 3 guys.

It’s not uncommon to discover a purpose in life when you have strong beliefs, an unwavering faith and the drive to always look for a better life.

Nevellene and Amy are two women with a strong foundation to their ideas and thoughts on how to achieve the best for themselves, their families and others in general.

In this second of our current summer series on Max’s Island, we will revisit their personal experiences and understand what makes them see the world in a way that may be a little different.

What happens when you’re living the dream and achieving your goals … and then you are struck down with a devastating illness. And what if this happens when you are in your early thirties.

Natalia and Jacinta both know what it takes to face a challenge like this and how too mentally and physically deal with it. They are both strong willed women, who’s stories will inspire.

Enjoy the excerpts from their stories and to listen to the entire episode, look back through the library of episodes on the home page.

David Maddocks loves music … even his car rego plate is the name of one of his favourite artists from the 70’s.

So it was no surprise in 2019 when he travelled to the USA for three weeks, just to see artists, performers and bands … almost every day.

He says travelling alone as an Aussie in the US was easy. Whilst driving around in his classic American car … a Hyundai Elantra … to places like New Jersey, New York, Chicago, Des Moines and many more, David’s trip featured just going to concerts, staying in Flag Inn’s, meeting "‘real’ Americans and discovering the culinary delicacies of “slider burgers” in White Castle fast food outlets. On this classic tour, David got to see Billy Joel, Bob Seger, Paul McCartney, Cheap Trick … and even the NSW group The Teskey Brothers.

Katrina Mirco works with people who have experienced trauma in their lives, but to embrace a native Australian canine … dingo Marlee … who also had a difficult start to life, is testament to someone who values all life.

Providing a safe and loving home for this challenged little dingo was an example of genuine love. But it wasn’t easy, especially when it meant being part of a family that included two older, and sometimes cranky cats, and a young, enthusiastically welcoming cattle dog.

The household has now settled over the past 6 months and Marlee has begun to live her best life.

Born in Zimbabwe but with an Aussie passport, Julie Ann Chapman (Jac) has lived in many places around the world, but her decision to leave her entire family behind in Zimbabwe and move to Australia in 2007 gave her the sense of “being home”.

On her arrival in Perth and a visit to the beautiful Cottesloe Beach she encountered “that” feeling which confirmed she had made the right move. Additionally, the strong ancestral connection to the beginnings of WA and the University of WA was compelling. In her own words: “My great grandfather started UWA … Hackett Hall named after him”.

David came into Adam Brown’s life at time when he was facing the challenges of being a self-confessed alcoholic.

What happens when he did, changed it all…for both of them.

This is the first part of a double episode. Two distinct parts to an amazing story…you won’t be disappointed.

Adam Brown says he was a full blown alcoholic. His San Franciscan lifestyle was full of fun, friends … but also booze. AND lot’s of it.

Once he was confronted with the reality of the consequences of this lifestyle for the second time … that included possible death and a DUI costing a “good 12 grand” , he realised - “I was not paying attention to me … my growth”.

During his career, seasoned TV personality Simon Reeve traveled too many places around the world presenting television shows…but it was Africa, especially South Africa, that really captured his heart.

From the moment he first visited Zimbabwe in the 1990’s, he was captured by the smells, the air … the charms. So much so, that in the late 1990’s he moved his family to Botswana and formed a production company attached to a safari operation.

This obsession continues for Simon to this day. Experience this feeling from some great imagery and stories at www.simonreeve.com.au

Courtnee Nichols may only be in her late twenties but she has made a multitude of mature decisions to reshape her life … and career. Many of these decisions occurred when she considered going to University as a mature aged student, after originally qualifying as a Jewellery Designer from TAFE and then 10 years working in retail.

The compelling influence behind this decision to go to Uni is summed up in her own words:-

“I still wanted that “ME” coming through … that possibility of a career lurking in the distant to come back to after children … it was driving me”p in her own words:-

“I still wanted that “ME” coming through … that possibility of a career lurking in the distant to come back to after children … it was driving me”

Disability is best defined as … “A physical or mental condition you have to plan around … EVERY DAY”

Natalia Hodgins future continues to take shape, even with the challenges around chronic and invisible illness and the acknowledgement of her disability. In her own words, the view of a bright future has been set after … “accepting that I was disabled and leaning into that community and that word”

Natalia had just turned 30 and was living the dream … achieving the #1 thing on her bucket list.

She found herself living and working in New York City. Working for the Australian Consulate and hanging out in a share house in SOHO, Manhattan. Daily life involved going too many incredible cultural experiences and this included one where she was “standing next to Nicole Kidman … and with Bill Clinton in the aisle across from her”.

BUT, then the dream turned into a nightmare.

Natalia caught a virus and was exposed to “toxic mould” … this triggered an illness where she got sick … and never got better.