This week Nicola and Di chat with the delightful Middle Age Goddess, Jane McCann. Jane is a woman who’s turned midlife into a statement. She’s confident, stylish and completely unapologetic. Jane, known as the Middle Age Goddess, has built a loyal Instagram following by rejecting the idea that life slows down after a certain age and proving instead that it only gets better. From fashion, beauty, travel and reinvention, she represents a new kind of woman - one who isn’t interested in playing small, fading quietly or asking for permission. Whether she’s fronting curated experiences abroad or sharing her take on modern femininity, Jane embodies a life that is bold, visible and entirely self-defined. Midlife isn’t the end of the story for Jane, it’s the main event.

In this episode we chat to Jane about what life was like before she became the Middle Age Goddess, and what inspired her to share this chapter of her life online and create such a wonderful community. We talk about why people resonate so much with her message, which is really because of Jane’s honesty and authenticity.

Jane opens up about what it was like to be brought up by a mother who was suffering from bipolar and the way that affected her confidence and self-belief. Jane also shares about the painful loss of her sister a few years ago, and gives us some beautiful suggestions of the things that have helped her process her grief. We talk about the power of being in nature, going for a walk, calling a girlfriend and leaning into the simple things that make you feel good.

We also have fun talking about some of the topics Jane covers on her Instagram - from her middle age rage to her outfits du jour, it’s so entertaining following her story.

We absolutely loved chatting with Jane. It was so refreshing to talk about how life keeps getting better as we age and the ways we can keep reinventing ourselves and experiencing new things. We hope you enjoy this episode as much as we did.

This episode is proudly supported by Montgomery Investment Management, trusted experts helping you build and protect your financial future. For further information, please contact David Buckland, Chief Executive Officer or Rhodri Taylor, Account Manager on (02) 8046 5000 or investor@montinvest.com

Follow Nicola and Di on IG here - https://www.instagram.com/overthebackfencepodcast/

Follow Jane aka The Middle Age Goddess on IG here - https://www.instagram.com/themiddleagedgoddess/

Watch Over The Back Fence on YouTube here - https://www.youtube.com/@Overthebackfencepodcast/podcasts

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week Nicola and Di chat with racing royalty Gai Waterhouse. Known as the first lady of Australian Racing, Gai is the daughter of the legendary Tommy J. Smith and is one of Australia’s most recognised and successful horse trainers, including training horses for the late Queen Elizabeth and the Queen Mother. Gai also had an early life in the arts, appearing in TV shows like The Young Doctors and Doctor Who, before returning to the stables and forging an extraordinary career in racing.

In this episode we talk to Gai about what it was like to train horses for Queen Elizabeth and the Queen Mother, what her favourite race is, what a day in the life of a trainer is like and whether or not she has any superstitions and rituals on race day - you’ll want to hear the one thing that Gai swears by!

We also chat about Gai’s hilarious new fashion critic videos that she does with her daughter Kate on Instagram. It’s so much fun to get Gai’s take on the latest looks from the red carpet. Gai talks to us about the importance of making a good first impression, not dropping your standards and dressing the part.

Gai also shares about her beautiful family life - the loving marriage she has with her husband of more than 45 years, Robbie, their 2 children Tom and Kate and the joy she feels as a grandma of 5.

We absolutely loved chatting with Gai and we hope you enjoy this episode as much as we did!

This episode is proudly supported by Montgomery Investment Management, trusted experts helping you build and protect your financial future. For further information, please contact David Buckland, Chief Executive Officer or Rhodri Taylor, Account Manager on (02) 8046 5000 or investor@montinvest.com

Follow Nicola and Di on IG here - https://www.instagram.com/overthebackfencepodcast/

Follow Gai on IG here - https://www.instagram.com/gai_waterhouse/

Watch Over The Back Fence on YouTube here - https://www.youtube.com/@Overthebackfencepodcast/podcasts

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week Nicola and Di chat with the fascinating and authentic Amanda Goff. From journalist to living a secret double life behind closed doors, Amanda was once Australia’s Highest-Paid Escort, Samantha X. In this explosive episode, she steps into the spotlight and owns every headline, every whisper, every scandal. This is a story of courage, controversy, vulnerability and the search for authenticity. Since revealing her identity, Amanda has become an author, speaker and an advocate sharing honest conversations about women, stigma, relationships and reinvention.

In this episode, we get to know the woman behind Samantha X and what led to one of the most extraordinary career changes - from being an award-winning journalist to entering the sex work industry as a high-end escort at the age of 38. Amanda talks openly and honestly about what her time as an escort was like - how she got the gig, what her first client encounter was like, what she’s learnt about men and why she doesn’t regret any of it.

She tells us about the agency that she then opened, hiring escorts over 40 and she busts some myths about the sex work industry and the type of people who do this work.

Amanda also opens up about her struggles with mental health, how she was living with undiagnosed bipolar, and how much better she is now that she’s medicated and has more clarity.

This was an absolutely fascinating conversation and we’re so grateful to Amanda for her honesty and giving us a peek inside an industry that so many of us are curious to know more about. We hope you enjoy this chat as much as we did.

This episode is proudly supported by Montgomery Investment Management, trusted experts helping you build and protect your financial future. For further information, please contact David Buckland, Chief Executive Officer or Rhodri Taylor, Account Manager on (02) 8046 5000 or investor@montinvest.com

Follow Nicola and Di on IG here - https://www.instagram.com/overthebackfencepodcast/

Follow Amanda on IG here - https://www.instagram.com/amandagoffofficial/?hl=en

Buy Amanda’s book Misfit here - https://www.booktopia.com.au/misfit-amanda-goff/book/9781760688608.html?

Watch Over The Back Fence on YouTube here - https://www.youtube.com/@Overthebackfencepodcast/podcasts

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week Nicola and Di chat with the inspiring and heart-centred Tess Brouwer. Tess is the CEO and co-founder of the Awake Academy alongside world champion surfer Layne Beachley, and together they wrote the book, Awake Academy. She’s a practitioner of positive psychology, a mental wellness mentor and someone who knows the corporate life inside and out. Tess has rebuilt her life from a serious spinal injury, survived burnout several times and helps people to reset, recharge and thrive at work and in life. She’s also a mum, a podcaster and the creator of the new supplement Wake Up.

In this episode we hear Tess’ incredible story of the skiing accident that changed her life, what it was like to recover from a serious spinal injury and what she learnt about herself along the way. She shares with us the remarkable words of wisdom that Layne gave her during that time, and how Tess realised that by changing your mindset, you change your life.

Tess talks to us about positive psychology and some really practical tools that we can all use to feel better in our lives, shift our mindset in a positive direction and be open to what the universe has to offer.

This is a deeply personal episode where Tess opens up about some difficult times in her life, shares the negative stories she used to have about herself and reflects on how beautiful and meaningful her life has become. There were lots of tears in the studio (as well as laughs) and hugs all around.

It was a real joy to have Tess join us and we hope you love this beautiful, open and honest conversation as much as we did!

This episode is proudly supported by Montgomery Investment Management, trusted experts helping you build and protect your financial future. For further information, please contact David Buckland, Chief Executive Officer or Rhodri Taylor, Account Manager on (02) 8046 5000 or investor@montinvest.com

Follow Nicola and Di on IG here - https://www.instagram.com/overthebackfencepodcast/

Follow Tess on IG here - https://www.instagram.com/tesscbrouwer/

Follow Awake Academy on IG here - https://www.instagram.com/awake_academy/

Buy Tess and Layne’s book Awake Academy here - https://www.penguin.com.au/books/awake-academy-9781761345869

Join the Awake Collective here - https://www.awakeacademy.com.au/store

Watch Over The Back Fence on YouTube here - https://www.youtube.com/@Overthebackfencepodcast/podcasts

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week Nicola and Di chat with an Australian icon, Joh Bailey. Joh is the hairdresser to the stars, a business visionary and the man who turned the blowdry into an empire. From styling global legends like the late Princess Diana and Kylie Minogue, to creating a brand that’s reshaped Australian hair care, Joh has influenced style, culture and confidence for decades.

In this episode we chat to Joh about what it’s been like to work with some of the most incredible celebrities, from Princess Diana to Kim Kardashian. Joh tells us the story of when he received a call from Buckingham Palace asking him if he would be Princess Di’s official hairdresser on her trip to Sydney in 1996. He gives us the inside scoop on all the royal protocols and what it was like to hang out with Princess Di.

We talk about the fashion and hairstyle trends of the past, the various celebrities that defined each decade, and what it’s like these days where anything really goes.

We also chat about how Joh got started in business and the incredible relationship he has with his business partner Marilyn. He gives us his thoughts on what he believes to be the secrets to his success.

It’s not only his business partnership that Joh shares about, he also opens up about his relationship with his husband Michael and the simple life they share in Bowral with their beloved horses.

This was a really fun conversation and we were thrilled to have Joh style our hair for the episode - tune in to our YouTube channel to see the looks he created for us!

This episode is proudly supported by Montgomery Investment Management, trusted experts helping you build and protect your financial future. For further information, please contact David Buckland, Chief Executive Officer or Rhodri Taylor, Account Manager on (02) 8046 5000 or investor@montinvest.com

Follow Nicola and Di on IG here - https://www.instagram.com/overthebackfencepodcast/

Follow Joh on IG here - https://www.instagram.com/johbaileyofficial/

Buy Joh’s hair products or book a salon appointment here - https://johbailey.com.au

Watch Over The Back Fence on YouTube here - https://www.youtube.com/@Overthebackfencepodcast/podcasts

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week Nicola and Di chat with the remarkable and entertaining Claire Parkinson. Claire began her career as a Prison Officer in the UK, working at the frontlines of human dynamics at their most intense. At 30 years of age she became the Head Of Operations for all prisons and probation in London, overseeing 9000 staff and 33,000 inmates! From there Claire had an opportunity to move to Australia and work in the prison system in Adelaide before stepping into the mining sector where she helped lead a $9.6billion dollar merger between 2 major global corporations. Claire has written a hilarious memoir, Shitty Grit, which captures the remarkable journey that has shaped her.

In this episode we hear about Claire’s early life, growing up in social housing in the UK and what it was like to find out at 16 that she was 18 weeks pregnant. Claire shares about the tough time she went through trying to raise a child, when she was just a child herself, and the wild years that followed when she moved back in with her parents and started playing catch-up on the partying she'd missed out on as a teenager.

After a sliding doors moment where she had to choose between being a flight attendant or a prison officer, Claire chose the latter. She tells us about the fascinating world of prisons and how she was assigned one of Britain’s most notorious child killers as her inmate when she first began her career. The stories she tells us of those prison days are pretty incredible, and we hope you love getting an insight into a world that most of us know nothing about.

We also talk about Claire’s move to Australia and how she was able to transition into the world of mining and lead a huge global merger. When you hear about the way Claire’s determination and initiative have led to incredible opportunities in her life, you can’t help but be inspired. Talk about a woman who’s been through a lot of shit and has a lot of grit!

We laughed so much throughout this chat and we hope you’ll find it as entertaining as we did.

This episode is proudly supported by Montgomery Investment Management, trusted experts helping you build and protect your financial future. For further information, please contact David Buckland, Chief Executive Officer or Rhodri Taylor, Account Manager on (02) 8046 5000 or investor@montinvest.com

Follow Nicola and Di on IG here - https://www.instagram.com/overthebackfencepodcast/

Follow Clarie on IG here - https://www.instagram.com/shittygrit/

Buy Claire’s Book Shitty Grit here - https://www.amazon.com.au/SHiTTY-GRiT-Resilience-Teenager-Non-linear-ebook/dp/B0DZJ5MM16

Watch Over The Back Fence on YouTube here - https://www.youtube.com/@Overthebackfencepodcast/podcasts

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome back to Over The Back Fence! It’s 2026 and we’re so excited to be kicking off Season 4 with you all. This week Nicola and Di chat about their summer break - what they got up to over the silly season, the holiday fun, including the trips they took and what they have in store for the podcast and some exciting events in 2026.

After Nicola and Di have their summer catch-up, they interview our most popular guest, David The Medium, who’s back for a fourth time!

We check-in with David and get him to give us the latest on what he’s predicting for 2026. His word of the year is initiation because David tells us it’s all about stripping away what’s no longer working to initiate ourselves into a new world. He also points out the similarities between what’s happening now, and what was happening in 2020. This year will be full of change, upheaval and momentum.

You’ll also get to listen in on a powerful reading that David does for Nicola and Di where he’s able to connect with their mothers who have passed, and they have some thoughts and guidance to pass on to the ladies about their relationships.

We always love having David The Medium join us on the show and we continue to be blown away by his spiritual readings and psychic predictions. We hope you enjoy this episode as much as we did!

This episode is proudly supported by Montgomery Investment Management, trusted experts helping you build and protect your financial future. For further information, please contact David Buckland, Chief Executive Officer or Rhodri Taylor, Account Manager on (02) 8046 5000 or investor@montinvest.com

Follow Nicola and Di on IG here - https://www.instagram.com/overthebackfencepodcast/

Follow David The Medium on IG here - https://www.instagram.com/davidthemedium/

Visit David’s website here to join his manifestation events, book a private reading or buy his daily guidance cards - https://www.davidthemedium.com/

Watch Over The Back Fence on YouTube here - https://www.youtube.com/@Overthebackfencepodcast/podcasts

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.