I met Richard Heinberg by the clear running waters of a restored Santa Rosa creek a couple of years ago. Though it feels like yesterday, such was its impact. So my heart sank when I saw the subject line in an email, ‘In memoriam, Richard Heinberg’.

Richard is widely regarded as one of the world’s foremost advocates on the urgent need, and inviting prospects, of a transition away from fossil fuels. He’s the author of 14 books including some of the seminal works on our current energy, economic and environmental crises.

I had already been feeling like our conversation by the creek that day was worth re-releasing, even before hearing the sad news. Especially the last 20 minutes or so, where our podcast culminates in Richard’s clear framing of the unprecedented challenge facing us, and how we could pull it off. So here they are for you today.

If you’d like to hear the rest of this conversation, listen to episode 205. It starts with the story of the creek you can hear. And delves more into Richard’s life journey through music, agriculture, energy, economy, psychedelics, Aboriginal Australia, Native America, and all that his decades of work have taught him.

And if you’d like to read more about Richard’s personal story, including his magnificent musical journey, with some photos and videos, have a read of this tribute article I wrote back in July.

If you’d like to go straight to a particular part of this episode, essentially viewing a table of contents, you can navigate via the chapter markers & transcript.

Originally recorded 30 April 2024.

Title image: the restored creek from where we sat.

Thanks for listening.

Music:

Time to Go, by Tristan Barton (from Artlist).

Regeneration, by Amelia Barden.

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Please share this episode or the trailer with a friend, follow the podcast, and subscribe if you can.

The RegenNarration is independent and ad-free, with hundreds of episodes freely available, thanks to the generous support of listeners like you. If you're enjoying the podcast, I hope you'll consider becoming a paid subscriber, from as little as around $1 a week, to gain access to a great community, subscriber events and giveaways, and to help keep the show going, on Patreon or Substack (where you'll find some writing, photography and tunes too).

You can also donate directly via the website (avoiding fees) or PayPal.

I hope to see you at an event soon, even the shop. Thanks so much for your support!

The revered farmer, poet and prophet, Wendell Berry, died a little over a month ago. This special tribute episode, featuring the voices of Wendell himself, his daughter Mary, and friends, is one I feel extremely privileged to make and share with you.

With heart-felt thanks and sympathies to Mary Berry, the broader Berry family and team at The Berry Center, Cole Mannix, with Gillian Kennedy, Lizzy Duffy Anderson and team at Old Salt Co-Op and Festival, Laura Dunn and Jef Sewell at Two Birds Film, and writer and land steward Meriwether Lewis Hardie, for your kind permission and assistance to be able to include the audio you’re about to hear.

You can find photos and videos, related to what you’re hearing, in a tribute I wrote last month, that came to inspire this episode. They include the extraordinary opening sequence from the cinematic portrait of Wendell by Two Birds Film, called Look & See (also opening this episode); and Mary Berry in riveting conversation with Meriwether Lewis Hardie at the Old Salt Festival back in June, introduced by Old Salt President, and previous podcast guest, Cole Mannix.

If you’d like to go straight to a particular part of this episode, essentially viewing a table of contents, you can navigate via the chapter markers & transcript.

Title image supplied by Laura Dunn and Jef Sewell at Two Birds Film. To see more photos from Look & See, and to buy or rent the film, head to their website.

You can hear more from Di and Ian Haggerty, the 2025 West Australians of the Year, in episode 234.

And from Tanya and Charlie Massy in episodes 115 and 103 respectively.

Thank you for listening.

Music:

Working the Fields, by Falconer (from Artlist).

Regeneration, by Amelia Barden.

If this moves you, subscribe, share it with a friend who needs steadying words, and leave a review so more people can find these stories of land stewardship, homecoming, and regeneration.

Send us a voicemail

Support the show

Please share this episode or the trailer with a friend, follow the podcast, and subscribe if you can.

The RegenNarration is independent and ad-free, with hundreds of episodes freely available, thanks to the generous support of listeners like you. If you're enjoying the podcast, I hope you'll consider becoming a paid subscriber, from as little as around $1 a week, to gain access to a great community, subscriber events and giveaways, and to help keep the show going, on Patreon or Substack (where you'll find some writing, photography and tunes too).

You can also donate directly via the website (avoiding fees) or PayPal.

I hope to see you at an event soon, even the shop. Thanks so much for your support!

Welcome to a bonus episode bringing home the special series with Michael Gooden, President of the just launched Farmers Helping Farmers.

We’re back by the Murray River, this time featuring Goodo being questioned in depth by his fellow paddlers on the first Confluence river journey back in March. This was recorded riverside at dusk, having just enjoyed an incredible dinner supplied by Goodo from his farm. Now he tells us about it – how it’s farmed, what sets it apart, and how there could be so much more of it.

And throughout, we hear more about Michael’s personal journey; the things I didn’t ask him about in part one of this series, because I knew they were talked about so perfectly here. Like the 8 Families group, upbringing and family, rugby life, mentors, heartbreak, change, creating direct markets outside disastrous commodity markets, virtual fencing in a way I didn’t expect (managed from the river!), and it all culminates with his guiding mantra.

If you haven’t yet heard parts 1 and 2 of this series yet, you can find them in episode 320, A Farmer-Led Movement Goes National, on that big news, and 321, riverside with me, on what would, could or should be even bigger news, How To Drink From The River Again. They’re at those links on the website (with some photos) or wherever you listen to podcasts.

If you’d like to go straight to a particular part of this episode, essentially viewing a table of contents, you can navigate via the chapter markers & transcript.

Recorded 22 March 2026.

Title image by Dominique Hes.

See more photos on the episode web page, and for more behind the scenes, become a supporting listener below.

Please share this episode where you can. And thanks for listening!

Music:

Golden Awakening, by Russo feat. Roy Dotan (from Artlist).

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Support the show

Please share this episode or the trailer with a friend, follow the podcast, subscribe if you can, from as little as about $1 a week, and enjoy the hundreds of episodes available.

The RegenNarration is independent, ad-free and freely available, thanks to the generous support of listeners like you. If you're enjoying the podcast, I hope you'll consider becoming a paid subscriber, gain access to a great community, subscriber events and give aways, and help keep the show going - on Patreon or Substack (where you'll find writing too).

You can also donate directly via the website (avoiding fees) or PayPal.

I hope to see you at an event soon, even the shop. Thanks for your support!

We Can’t Fix A River with Water Alone. Welcome to part 2 of a special series with the President of the just launched Farmers Helping Farmers, Michael Gooden. Last week’s episode, A Farmer-Led Movement Goes National, focused on that launch, along with of course some of Michael’s story, in what was a powerful and emotional conversation about a significant moment here in this country.

I’ve still got Mick’s words in mind from the opening of that episode, on whether we can feed the world with regenerative practices? ‘We’ll do it on our ear’, he said, if we focus on solving the real problems.

So with that in mind, this week, a really special episode sitting on the banks of the Murray River, Australia’s longest, and arguably most mythologised and politicised river. We grabbed this half hour at the end of a day’s paddle back in March, on the first group river journey my friend Katie Ross and I organised, that we called Confluence.

Goodo and I start with how it feels on the river, including why he’s even there. Then we explore the key question arising for him – what would it take to be able to drink from the river again?

That’s no abstract question for this irrigator farmer approximate to a region becoming known as ‘MND Alley’ in the Murray Darling Basin. He’s got runs on the board, in terms of successful land and business management, and bringing people together, and has a very clear vision and strategy for how a drinkable river could become a reality once again.

With thanks to Henry Smith for filming this conversation.

More shout outs and listener mail feature at the end too.

If you’d like to go straight to a particular part of our conversation, essentially viewing a table of contents, you can navigate via the chapter markers & transcript.

Recorded 26 March 2026.

Title image by Henry Smith.

See more photos on the episode web page, and for more behind the scenes, become a supporting listener below.

Please share this episode where you can. And thanks for listening!

Music:

Down the River, by Ran Raiten (from Artlist).

Regeneration, by Amelia Barden.

Send us a voicemail

Support the show

Please share this episode or the trailer with a friend, follow the podcast, and subscribe if you can.

The RegenNarration is independent and ad-free, with hundreds of episodes freely available, thanks to the generous support of listeners like you. If you're enjoying the podcast, I hope you'll consider becoming a paid subscriber, from as little as around $1 a week, to gain access to a great community, subscriber events and giveaways, and help keep the show going, on Patreon or Substack (where you'll find some writing, photography and tunes too).

You can also donate directly via the website (avoiding fees) or PayPal.

I hope to see you at an event soon, even the shop. Thanks so much for your support!

This week kicks off a hybrid episode of sorts. First up today, a big launch as a farmer-led movement goes national here in Australia. Which of course isn’t just news for them, but for all of us who eat food, drink water and generally thrive of healthy living systems.

So I speak with the President of Farmers Helping Farmers, and a farmer himself at Old Man Creek, Michael Gooden, about the bold launch, its daring conference, the big vision, and of course the huge heart behind it all. There’s plenty of emotion and guts in this one, spurring a compelling vision.

I’ve been looking forward to speaking to Goodo on the podcast for ages. He introduced himself to me with a phone call and a paid subscription to the podcast five years ago now. We’ve since become good friends, and our Confluence river journey back in March wouldn’t have been the same without him and his incredible food straight off the farm.

We catch him at home today, on the back of all the recent action. And next week, we catch him on the banks of the Murray River. But more on that then. For now, join us for a cuppa in the kitchen.

More shout outs and listener mail feature at the end.

If you’d like to go straight to a particular part of our conversation, essentially viewing a table of contents, you can navigate via the chapter markers & transcript.

Recorded 10 September 2026.

Title image: Goodo is on the left, with the speakers at the recent launch and conference of Farmers Helping Farmers (supplied).

See more photos on the episode web page, and for more behind the scenes, become a supporting listener below.

For the conversation with Jonathan Lundgren, head to last week’s episode 319, You Want Evidence for Regen Ag? Here It Is (where you’ll also find a highlight excerpt, What If More Life On Farms Solves Everything?).

Last week’s latest on the situation at Kachana Station, as a bid is launched to save the donkeys. Thanks to everyone who has responded with your support.

Music:

Working the Fields, by Falconer (from Artlist).

Regeneration, by Amelia Barden.

If this conversation sparks something, share it with a farmer or food-lover in your life, subscribe so you don’t miss the riverside follow-up, and leave a review to help more people find the show. What part of farming’s future do you most want to see changed next?

Send us a voicemail

Support the show

Please share this episode or the trailer with a friend, follow the podcast, subscribe if you can, from as little as about $1 a week, and enjoy the hundreds of episodes available.

The RegenNarration is independent, ad-free and freely available, thanks to the generous support of listeners like you. If you're enjoying the podcast, I hope you'll consider becoming a paid subscriber, gain access to a great community, subscriber events and give aways, and help keep the show going - on Patreon or Substack (where you'll find writing too).

You can also donate directly via the website (avoiding fees) or PayPal.

I hope to see you at an event soon, even the shop. Thanks for your support!