The Australian Bite

The desert gets a drenching

15 April 2010

Listen and download: MP3

This week on the Australian Bite, we take a trip to the central Australian desert following recent drenching rains. Australian author and filmmaker Malla Nunn talks about the inspiration for her new crime fiction novel, set in 1950′s South Africa. And we hear about a homeshare program that pairs up elderley or disabled homeowners with people looking for affordable accomodation. 

Rain turns desert into a carpet of green

Earlier this year big summer rains saturated large parts of central Australia and Alice Springs received more than its average yearly rainfall in just one week.  The water has transformed the usually arid bush landscape and as reporter Sara Everingham discovered, the red centre now has a carpet of green and the desert is full of life. 

Homeshare program makes a good match

Lin is 25 years old. She’s an international student, who lives in Melbourne and doesn’t pay rent. No she doesn’t live with relatives, but there is a catch. Her housemate Jan is 80 years old. They met through a homeshare program run by the Uniting Church’s Wesley Mission that pairs up elderly or disabled householders with people looking for affordable accommodation. Irene Scott talked to Lin and Jan about how it works for them.

Check out photos of Jan and Lin at home on the Triple J Hack website

More on the Wesley Homeshare program here

Crime fiction author Malla Nunn

Author and filmmaker Malla Nunn lives in Sydney and grew up in Swaziland before moving with her parents to Perth in the 1970’s. Her “mixed-race” parents left apartheid South Africa for a better life, and Malla has drawn upon her own family’s experiences to her two novels set in 1950’s South Africa, and featuring Detective Sergeant Emmanuel Cooper. Malla Nunn joins me to talk about her latest book, Let the Dead Lie, published by Pan Macmillan Australia.

Music (not in podcast)

The Public Opinion Afro Orchestra is a 19 piece funk/afro beat outfit whose line up includes African expats, along with Melbourne hip hop, funk and jazz artists. Do Anything Go Anywhere is the title track from their debut album released in March 2010.

Artist: The Public Opinion Afro Orchestra

Track: Do Anything Go Anywhere

Album: Do Anything Go Anywhere (2010)

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