PODCAST · society
Big Little Small Talk
by Megan O'Hara Sullivan and 102.7 FM Toowoomba
Megan O'Hara Sullivan has interviewed countless Toowoomba region locals. Megan feels that everyone has their own story to tell and every one is worth listening to and you'll hear it all on Big Little Small Talk.
Episodes
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Katrina Marsh
Katrina Marsh is a family counsellor and author of You Are My Whole World, Did You Know That? — a book written for grown-ups, with an important message about seeing the world through a child’s eyes. Katrina explores how children’s behaviour is often a way of communicating big feelings they don’t...
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Tim Hair
Tim Hair is a Paramedic and Enrolled Nurse. He spent many years in the Australian Defence Force where he learnt to practice what’s known as “austere medicine”. Essentially, it is medical care delivered in resource-constrained, remote, or hostile environments. Tim currently works for LifeFlight’s...
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Pauline Rogers
Today on Big Little Small Talk, I’m talking to Pauline Rogers from Pauline’s Quilting World — a woman who has turned a love of fabric, creativity and quilting into something much bigger than making beautiful quilts. Pauline’s story is about creativity, community and the joy of sharing a skill…
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The people who live and work in regional, remote and rural Australia
Adi Francis is an Australian journalist, broadcaster, and TV news anchor for the ABC. She was appointed an ambassador for Dementia Australia in 2026. Adi shares her personal experience as a carer for her mother who has dementia. Mark Cartner is the founder and director of Walkabout Training, an...
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Graham S. Green
Graham S. Green, much like his namesake is an author. However, Graham is much more; he is also a cultural advocate and TESOL (Teaching English to Other Languages) teacher. Asia is a long way from the central west of NSW where Graham grew up on a farm. After his first degree at university in...
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Alecia Staines
Alecia Staines grew up on a farm at The Gums 200 kms west of Toowoomba. She knew that pregnancy and birth was a normal part of the life cycle, it didn’t need to be hard. As a mother of 6 children Alecia felt that birthing was becoming the forgotten feminist issue and decided in 2021 to create the...
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Karen Makkai
Karen Makkai didn’t start her working life teaching meditation, in fact she studied to be a speech pathologist. In 2020 Karen was plunged into the world of breast cancer - she was diagnosed with an aggressive lobular carcinoma. What followed was the usual chaos of cancer; mastectomy…
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Jade Hubbard
Jade Hubbard is a young woman, wise beyond her years. When the opportunity came up to play rugby union in the UK, she was mature enough to seize the opportunity. Despite the fact she had to make the agonising decision to leave her young son and partner behind in Australia, she knew had to go.…
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Marty Hollis
How AI describes Marty Hollis: Marty Hollis brings the skies to Saint Mary's halls, Where aerospace dreams take flight within the walls. With passion for flight and the mechanics of space, He guides every student at their own steady pace. Inspiring young minds to reach for the stars, From the...
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Paddy Long
Paddy Long is a true creative, and he’s lucky enough to make a living from his talents. He is one half of Rare Squid Creative; a digital marketing agency, based in Toowoomba. After a rocky start to his working career, Paddy decided to study a Bachelor of Visual Arts at UniSQ. He thought he wanted...
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Heather Smith
No matter what topic Heather Smith starts speaking about, it mostly ends up being about gardening. She loves her garden, other people’s gardens, public gardens and gardeners too of course. That is how she came to meet and lose a dear friend. Today Heather shares with Megan the tragic story of her...
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Phil Loxley
In 2023 Phil Loxley was diagnosed with prostate cancer. While he accepts that Antigen Deprivation Therapy (ADT) is a necessary part of the treatment, he wishes he could have been better prepared for the side effects. Phil felt completely blindsided by the mental and physical challenges ADT...
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Jane Smith
Jane Smith is an author, librarian/archivist and editor with a love of history. Her latest book “One Free Woman” tells the compelling true story of Hannah Rigby. Hannah was the only female convict to stay in Moreton Bay when the penal settlement closed – a woman who notoriously served three...
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Brendan Keal
Brendan Keal is a content creator. In his beautiful and unique way he reviews all things Toowoomba. From restaurants, pubs, shit parks, public transport to the cheapest basket of essential groceries….. it’s all vlogged with dead pan humour. Brendan explains to Megan that young people don’t trust...
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Dr Barb Ryan
Dr Barb Ryan is the founder of “Cicada Research and Communication” a company that specialises in how communities prepare for, respond to, and recover from natural hazards. Barb’s PHD thesis explored the concept of where people seek information in a natural disaster. She talks about the notion of...
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Dave Wallis
Dave Wallis started his working life as a carpenter but after his son was born profoundly deaf, his life took a completely different turn. When Dave realised that only about 10% of parents with a deaf child learn sign language, he went about bucking the trend. Dave not only learnt Auslan, he...
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Peter Castles
Peter Castles wanted to be a saddler from the time he was a boy in short pants riding his pony to school. When he couldn’t get his hands on the tools he needed to be a sadde maker, he decided to became a blacksmith. He had a talent and passion for both. These trades are in peril of being lost to...
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Uma Kumar
Uma Kumar is a local GP who focuses on the holistic care of her patients. To this end she volunteers with the Heartfulness Institute - an organisation that offers meditation practices and lifestyle tips. Each week, Uma takes at least two free classes to guide people to search for a happy and...
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Chris Meyer
Chris Meyer is a Christian Cowboy. With a degree in theology and a history of rodeo bronc riding, he managed to combine his two passions; horses and Jesus. Chris was appointed the first official Chaplain of the National Rodeo Association of Australia, a job he did for 25 years. He conducted...
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Gunter Glaser
Gunter Glaser is a snake catcher. He even wears a shirt with the inscription “Keep Calm - Let Gunter handle it”. Gunter tells Megan some incredible stories of close encounters with reptiles. One story involved Gunter being called out to collect a snake which turned out to be the neighbour’s pet....
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Trish Mullins
Trish Mullins is passionate about her work as the coordinator of the Kath Dickson Community Toy Library and Mobile Library. She drives a van, kitted out with over 1600 toys, on a 1500km round trip to bring joy to western Queensland families. Trish was born and raised in the bucolic Norfolk (UK)...
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Louis Gilshenan
Louis Gilshenan is one of Toowoomba’s much loved and hard working veterinarians. He’s been guilty of calling people by their pet names but there’s nothing he loves more than having a genuine friendship with their owners. Louis’ enthusiasm for his work is infectious and he tells Megan stories that...
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Helen Crowley
Helen Cowley has written a book “Behind Every Great Tradie is a Woman Rolling her Eyes”. She describes it as a love letter to the women holding businesses together behind the scenes. Helen tells Megan how she balanced babies, business and board meetings. It was at times, all consuming and she…
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Catherine Nielsen
Senior Constable Catherine Nielsen’s story is a chilling one. On 29 May 2017, she and her work partner, Brett Forte were in the Lockyer Valley pursuing a fugitive killer. They followed him down a dirt track only for him to stop his vehicle, get out and open fire upon them. Brett was fatally shot....
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The Knitting Nanna's
What motivates a group of mild mannered older Australian women to protest outside their local member of parliament’s office every week? Rhonda Allen, Morley Grainger & Franziska Charteris explain to Megan; it’s the fear of what coal and gas mining is doing to our precious planet and what our…
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Sharyn Howard
Sharyn Howard has lead an incredible life and she’s written a book; “What’s in the Box” to document her journey so far.From a childhood marred by trauma and loss, Sharyn embarked on a path of liberation that would take her to the farthest corners of the world and into the depths of her own soul....
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Ahri Tallon
Ahri Tallon is the coordinator of Darling Downs Environment Council. He grew up in the Northern Rivers region of NSW with parents who valued the environment. Ahri has a strong sense of community and the components that make a “rich” one. From his youth work to programs around healthy masculinity,...
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Michael Harrison
In his own words Michael Harrison is a Brisbane-based community advocate, husband, and dad who has found his purpose in supporting people with Down Syndrome and Intellectual Disabilities. His life has been shaped by family, career, and the journey he’s been on since becoming a father 18 years…
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Eliza Lebsanft
Eliza Lebsanft describes herself as empathetic, passionate and loyal. After completing an economics degree she thought she had to get a “serious” job. But what Eliza really wanted to do was keeping working and learning about her part-time job as a dog behaviour therapist. Everything from pack...
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Ian Stewart Koster
Ian Stewart Koster is passionate about many things. Painting, horses, timber craftsmanship, the story of Cobb and Co. are but a few.Thankfully for the people of this region, Ian was able to combine all these loves. Funded by community supporters, Ian painted an incredible 15 x 4 metre mural on…
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Tabitha Wordsworth
Tabitha Wordsworth is a biology honours graduate whose life has seen many twists and turns.From writing a book on intensive early intervention for children with autism to selling healing stone jewellery, Tabitha has walked down a lot of roads.She’s honest and raw about her mental health journey…
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Peter Ellis
Peter Ellis worked on the coldest, driest, windiest continent on earth - Antartica. In fact he did two tours of duty, each time spending a year living and working at a place known as “the final frontier”. Peter was originally employed as a carpenter but ended up being in charge of the dogs and…
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Steven Paull
Steven Paull is the president of 102.7 FM Toowoomba, the community radio station who broadcasts Big Little Small Talk. Effectively Megan’s boss! The list of Steven’s achievements is long. His family business Big Dog Disability Support Services has empowered countless individuals to thrive within...
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Peter Collins
Peter Collins is the closest thing to a living legend that Megan has ever met. He has been working in the media for over 40 years, sometimes in front of the camera and sometimes behind. It could be said he’s looked at life from both sides (now). Peter had seen every type of human behaviour; every...
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Hugh Wilson
Hugh Wilson is passionate about many things but active transport, particularly cycling is right up there. He Is President of the Toowoomba Region Bicycle User Group. They organise social rides and work to improve cycling within the Toowoomba region. Hugh was a stay at home father for his three...
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Jacqui Walker
Jacqui Walker is a well known face in Toowoomba and surrounds. She is a highly respected real estate agent who works hard. She has built a formidable reputation by living by the three golden rules: have passion, be loving and care for others.Jacqui grew up the youngest of five siblings in…
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Rojin Rash - 3 Years Later
Megan checks in again with Rojin Rash who first featured on Big Little Small Talk in 2022.Rojin, along with her husband and young son fled war torn Syria to move to Toowoomba in 2017. They have settled here in Australia, had two more children and contributed greatly to the community.Rojin now…
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John Randall
John Randall has lived a big and varied life. Once a jackaroo he now owns a Botanical Design company. In between he’s done many things including working as a development officer in Vanuatu and Western Australia. Lady Flo Bjelke Petersen once mistook John for the entertainer Simon Gallagher and...
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Cindy Nicollet
Cindy Nicollet is the founder of the Not-for-Profit organisation called Kindher Threads.Kindher Threads uses personal styling to walk alongside women doing it tough—whether they are navigating hardship, rebuilding their lives, or simply in need of a confidence boost.Cindy has a background in...
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James O'Shea
James O’Shea is a well known local figure. Currently he serves as a Councillor on the Toowoomba Regional Council. Prior to this, he was chief of staff at WIN News. James had the pleasure of working there with his well-known racing identity father, Pat O’Shea. James is the product of Pat and…
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Lisa Herbert
Lisa Herbert says you can tell a lot about a town from its cemetery. She should know; she’s become somewhat an expert on death.From conducting tours of the local cemetery, to appearing at a Government inquiry into missing graves, to writing a book to help us navigate our own death and funeral…
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Marina Elliott
Marina Elliott is a young female apiarist. Marina says there aren’t many people in the bee industry who look and feel like her - meaning truck-driving, machine-operating, heavy-lifting female beekeepers. It is for this reason, and because she loves it of course, Marina thinks she’ll hang...
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Mark Copland
Dr Mark Copland is first and foremost a humanitarian. His core values revolve around compassion, empathy and solidarity with others. He donates his time to charity, raises awareness about social issues and constantly offers a helping hand to someone in need. No, he’s not Jesus…in fact his friends...
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Margaret Turnbull
Margaret Turnbull is the President of 'Friends of The Empire Theatre'. She leads a merry band of over 200 volunteers who provide services to keep the Empire Theatre functioning. From ushering to catering to backstage tours, The Friends provide over 8000 volunteer hours per year. More than just a...
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Chris Black
Chris Black is only just 40, and yet he has achieved so much in his short life. In 2018 he was announced as one of Australia’s 50 most influential financial planners. He is currently the Chair of a local facility Momentum Mental Health and he is personally invested in its continued success. He…
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Nicole Morris
Nicole Morris is an author and the Director of the Australian Missing Persons Register, which she founded in 2005. Incredibly, over 38,000 people are reported missing in Australia each year. 99% are found within three months. The remainder are championed by Nicole with her advocacy and awareness...
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Bridget Chant
Bridget Chant aka @chantyb97 on TikTok is a remarkable young woman. For want of a better word Bridget is an “influencer”. She makes videos, captioning what her Indian blue ringneck parrot, Hamlet has to say about the ordinary things in their lives. She has over 4 million followers on TikTok but…
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Denny Edwards
When Megan asked Denny Edwards to describe himself in three words he said “tenacious, optimistic advocate”.Denny seems to have lived his life at breakneck speed; motorbikes, Defence Force postings overseas, scuba diving and veteran’s hockey. Even a recent brain bleed has only slowed him down...
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Maud Bagnall
Maud Bagnall grew up in rural France, raised by her loving grandparents. For some unknown reason, they were fascinated with Australia, its landscapes and indigenous culture. Sadly neither of her grandparents got to visit but Maud did and she ended up becoming an Australian citizen. She has two...
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Dr Maree Toombs
Dr Maree Toombs has lead an extraordinary life. From dropping out of high school and falling pregnant as a teenager to becoming a highly respected Professor and Deputy Dean. Her never ending advocacy for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people is exemplary and a credit to her mob. She is...
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
Megan O'Hara Sullivan has interviewed countless Toowoomba region locals. Megan feels that everyone has their own story to tell and every one is worth listening to and you'll hear it all on Big Little Small Talk.
HOSTED BY
Megan O'Hara Sullivan and 102.7 FM Toowoomba
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Big Little Small Talk have?
Big Little Small Talk currently has 174 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Big Little Small Talk about?
Megan O'Hara Sullivan has interviewed countless Toowoomba region locals. Megan feels that everyone has their own story to tell and every one is worth listening to and you'll hear it all on Big Little Small Talk.
How often does Big Little Small Talk release new episodes?
Big Little Small Talk publishes regularly with 174 episodes available. Check the episode list for the typical release schedule.
Where can I listen to Big Little Small Talk?
You can listen to Big Little Small Talk on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Big Little Small Talk?
Big Little Small Talk is created and hosted by Megan O'Hara Sullivan and 102.7 FM Toowoomba.
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