Episode 410 - Aussie Aussie Aussie
2025-01-30
— open the full-size coverHostsMelissa Ellis Tony O'Connell
Roving reportersAlison Fraser (King) Calum Burrell Lyndell Murray
Show notes
From the Facebook post
We're feeling patriotic this week! Mel revisits Sale (opens in a new tab) parkrun and TOC adventures north to grab a new event at Huskisson (opens in a new tab) parkrun. We have NZ stats, Royal news from the UK, plus roving reports from Beverley Westwood (opens in a new tab), Hanmer Forest (opens in a new tab) and Birtinya Island (opens in a new tab) parkruns. Reginald is feeling passionate, Charles emails with a Tassie update and the launches roll in. Oi Oi Oi!
Rex Gream jumps for his country (whilst chatting to an American) at Coburg (opens in a new tab) parkrun.
From the podcast feed
We’re feeling patriotic this week! Mel revisits Sale (opens in a new tab) parkrun and TOC adventures north to grab a new event at Huskisson. We have NZ stats, Royal news from the UK, plus roving reports from Beverley Westwood (opens in a new tab), Hanmer Forest (opens in a new tab) and Birtinya Island (opens in a new tab) parkruns. Reginald is feeling passionate, Charles emails with a Tassie update and the launches roll in. Oi Oi Oi!
Listen
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Enhanced transcript
Speakers named, sound described and segments marked by the editing pass — not yet checked by a person.
Read the transcriptRoving reports
In this episode
Welcome starts at 0:24
Melissa Ellis on Wurundjeri Country and Tony O'Connell on Boon Wurrung Country, recording on the Australia Day public holiday in 38-40 degree heat after TOC's day on surf lifesaving patrol. TOC and Jackie drove 800km each way for an H at Huskisson; Mel returned to Sale, where TOC was the launch ambassador and got the permit in seven minutes; Budgie's whereabouts are unknown (Alex Turner, please report in); Charlie Pearce's stats on Sir James Mitchell forming the world's closest triad of events with Burswood Peninsula and Claisebrook Cove; baby news that Hadley Elizabeth Stevens was born to Sarah and Matt on 24 January; Australia Day community awards for many events; an Australian finishes record of 87,966 with 22 event records including Menai and Bibra Lake; and an email from Alison in New Zealand with a NZ attendance record and ten event records including Kapiti Coast and Russell Park.
Roving reports & the Channel 5 News crew starts at 25:55
TOC hands over - 'Let's crack on with a couple of roving reports.' Three reports follow back to back: Calum at Beverley Westwood (UK), Alison at Hanmer Forest (NZ) and Lyndell at Birtinya Island (QLD). Mel recaps all three.
Dazza's starts at 52:34
Weekly listener posts, this week on the theme 'Observe the Weather Day'. Posts from Rex Gream (Coburg), Janet Reid (South Australia, celebrating her V250 after being surprised mid-run-brief as RD), Yvette Turner (Darwin), Stephen Cox (Avondale University College, with Paris Lawrence), Billo (Beaufort Lake), Dean Warrick (Gainsborough Greens), Leanne Evans (Pembroke, Tasmania), Gareth Arnold (Galup Reserve, WA), Ian Thompson (Broadwater, UK) and Sheridan Davis (Cardwell).
the Obi Award — Rex Gream starts at 1:02:23
Mel opens the envelope: the Obi goes to Rex Gream, for engaging with the show and sharing his holiday travels throughout a long visit to Victoria.
Emails starts at 1:03:11
'You've got mail' - Charles Gregory, the show's Tasmanian correspondent, writes in with Tasmanian attendance records: Launceston 507 (a state record), Bellerive 415, Montrose Foreshore 279, Windsor Precinct 224, O'Connors Beach 176, Port Sorell 209 then 233, Zeehan Golf Club 68. Earlier in the episode two further pieces of correspondence are read: Alison's New Zealand attendance-records email and Carolyn McRae's feedback about Løvstien, Bergen.
Club Corner starts at 1:05:17
TOC crosses to Reginald. Reginald Yardley Pomphrey III on the Passionista parkrun Club - a club dating back to parkrun show days for people who have only ever recorded a result at a single event. He notes at least one Australian in the 500 club who has done every one at the same course, and Mel picks up his idea of a 'volunteer passionista' afterwards.
Consolidated Club Report starts at 1:08:12
For Saturday 25 January 2025: of 741 members, 565 took part in 11 countries across 276 locations. UK 56 events, South Africa 8, one each in Poland, Sweden, Austria, Denmark, Germany, Ireland and the USA. In Australia: 54 in Victoria, 48 NSW, 45 Queensland, 17 SA, 16 WA, 8 each ACT and Tasmania, 2 NT; 6 on the North Island and 1 on the South Island.
the Frond — Wentworth Common parkrun - frond of 11 starts at 1:09:16
Largest international frond was 4 at Peel (Phil Caulker, Lee Stott, Juliette Colville and Gabby Lipchin); Jenny Dimmick was at Bushy. Largest frond overall was 11 at Wentworth Common, NSW (Gavin Howarth, Mark Hibbard, Mark Weber, Leanne Rontondo, Andrew Blanda, Joanne Timbrey, Sue Bannister, Amy Kent, Eva Blanda, Renata Koch and Kathleen Hicks). Fronds of 10 at Shellharbour and 9 at Surat Memorial Park.
Launches and anniversaries starts at 1:11:56"Where is the cake?"
This week's launches: Europapark (Austria, 52 finishers, with a German course description read by Sarah Jantscher), Egham Orbit (UK), Surat Memorial Park (Queensland, 113 finishers), Hattori Ryokuchi (Japan, 72 participants and 14 volunteers) and Vermuyden Way (UK, 17 attendees). TOC wraps up January with 20 launches for the year to date: 7 Australia, 6 UK, 3 South Africa, 1 each Austria, Poland, Japan and Germany.
parkrun adventure challenge — Stephen Cox starts at 1:17:19listener challenge
This week's challenge, taken from Stephen Cox's Dazza's post: photobomb a fellow adventurer's photo-frame picture and submit it, with bonus points if they had no idea at the time.
Sign-off starts at 1:18:16
The hosts' closing where-next exchange: Mel is going back to Coburg parkrun for her fourth visit, to celebrate Christine's birthday; TOC is heading to Aintree (Rockbank, Melton) to reclaim his statesman status.