Come visit the Territory with Laura Jean McKay.

Hear how a visit to community on Australia's fringes and a real – stranger than fiction – experience inspired this story, how giving voice to the voiceless has become part of Laura's practice, and why the voice we gave her story caught her off guard. 

 

Listeners are advised that this episode of Unfolded comes with a language and content warning. 

 

About Laura Jean McKay

Laura Jean McKay is the author of The Animals in That Country which won the 2021 Arthur C. Clarke Award and The Victorian Prize for Literature.

Her latest collection is Gunflower.

She is the 2025 Frank O’Connor International Short Story Fellow and teaches Creative Writing at Massey University.

 

Unfolded is produced with support from the Melbourne Public Humanities Initiative, on the unceded lands of the Wurundjeri people of the Eastern Kulin Nation.

The producers would like to pay their respects to the traditional owners, to their Elders past and present, and to acknowledge their storytelling history, which goes back tens of thousands of years. 

Come visit the&nbsp;Territory&nbsp;with Laura Jean McKay.
Hear how a visit to community on Australia's fringes and a real &ndash; stranger than fiction &ndash; experience inspired this story, how giving voice to the voiceless has become part of Laura's practice, and why the voice we gave her story caught her off guard.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
Listeners are advised that this episode of&nbsp;Unfolded&nbsp;comes with a language and content warning.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
About Laura Jean McKay
Laura Jean McKay is the author of&nbsp;<a href="https://url.au.m.mimecastprotect.com/s/deEGCp8AxKs9WQP34UPfPiG4jjQ?domain=scribepublications.com.au">The Animals in That Country</a> which won the 2021 Arthur C. Clarke Award and The Victorian Prize for Literature.
Her latest collection is <a href="https://url.au.m.mimecastprotect.com/s/wC1dCq7By5s13LGjYSXhqiEGrKJ?domain=scribepublications.com.au">Gunflower</a>.
She is the 2025 Frank O&rsquo;Connor International Short Story Fellow and teaches Creative Writing at Massey University.
&nbsp;
Unfolded&nbsp;is produced with support from the Melbourne Public Humanities Initiative, on the unceded lands of the Wurundjeri people of the Eastern Kulin Nation.
The producers would like to pay their respects to the traditional owners, to their Elders past and present, and to acknowledge their storytelling history, which goes back tens of thousands of years.&nbsp;

A gardener seeks solace in the earth. A pig hunt doubles as a first date. A young mother wrestles with what’s possible. A man is bitten by a fox. A table speaks. A navigator finds her destiny amongst the stars. 

We’ve all read stories that changed our lives. We’ve all imagined places that feel like home. We’ve all met characters who feel like family.

Now, we’ll hear the stories, then go to the source. We’ll speak with the authors, to find out what makes a story great, where they come from, and why they connect.

These are stories: Unpacked. Understood. Unfolded.

Join us for season 1 of Unfolded as Seth Robinson and Tony Birch speak with authors Chris Flynn, Claire G. Coleman, Frankey Chung-Kok-Lun, Miriam Webster, Paige Clark, and Laura Jean McKay.

 

Unfolded is produced with support from the Melbourne Public Humanities Initiative, on the unceded lands of the Wurundjeri people of the Eastern Kulin Nation.

The producers would like to pay their respects to the traditional owners, to their Elders past and present, and to acknowledge their history, which go back tens of thousands of years. 

Hosts: Seth Robinson and Tony Birch

Creator and Executive Producer: Seth Robinson

Recording: Gavin Nebauer, Horwood Recording Studio, University of Melbourne

Editing and Sound Design: Nick King and Courtney Carthy, Nearly Media

Artwork: Tim Baker

A gardener seeks solace in the earth. A pig hunt doubles as a first date. A young mother wrestles with what&rsquo;s possible. A man is bitten by a fox. A table speaks. A navigator finds her destiny amongst the stars. 
We&rsquo;ve all read stories that changed our lives. We&rsquo;ve all imagined places that feel like home. We&rsquo;ve all met characters who feel like family.
Now, we&rsquo;ll hear the stories, then go to the source. We&rsquo;ll speak with the authors, to find out what makes a story great, where they come from, and why they connect.
These are stories: Unpacked. Understood. Unfolded.
Join us for season 1 of Unfolded as <a href="https://sethrobinson.com.au/">Seth Robinson</a> and <a href="https://findanexpert.unimelb.edu.au/profile/13630-tony-birch">Tony Birch</a> speak with authors Chris Flynn, Claire G. Coleman, Frankey Chung-Kok-Lun, Miriam Webster, Paige Clark, and Laura Jean McKay.
&nbsp;
Unfolded&nbsp;is produced with support from the Melbourne Public Humanities Initiative, on the unceded lands of the Wurundjeri people of the Eastern Kulin Nation.
The producers would like to pay their respects to the traditional owners, to their Elders past and present, and to acknowledge their history, which go back tens of thousands of years.&nbsp;
Hosts: Seth Robinson and Tony Birch
Creator and Executive Producer:&nbsp;Seth Robinson
Recording:&nbsp;Gavin Nebauer, Horwood Recording Studio, University of Melbourne
Editing and Sound Design:&nbsp;Nick King and Courtney Carthy, Nearly Media
Artwork:&nbsp;Tim Baker

Unfolded

A gardener seeks solace in the earth. A pig hunt doubles as a first date. A young mother wrestles with what’s possible. A fox bite changes a life. A table speaks. A navigator reckons with the gift, and burden, of ancient knowledge.  

We’ve all read stories that changed our lives. We’ve all imagined places that feel like home. We’ve all met characters who feel like family.

Now, we’ll hear the stories, then go to the source. We’ll speak with the authors, to find out what makes a story great, where they come from, and why they connect.

These are stories: Unpacked. Understood. Unfolded.

Join us for season 1 of Unfolded as Seth Robinson and Tony Birch speak with authors Chris Flynn, Claire G. Coleman, Frankey Chung-Kok-Lun, Miriam Webster, Paige Clark, and Laura Jean McKay.

 

Unfolded is produced with support from the Melbourne Public Humanities Initiative, on the unceded lands of the Wurundjeri people of the Eastern Kulin Nation.

The producers would like to pay their respects to the traditional owners, to their Elders past and present, and to acknowledge their storytelling history, which goes back tens of thousands of years. 

 

Hosts: Seth Robinson and Tony Birch

Creator and Producer: Seth Robinson

Recording: Gavin Nebauer, Horwood Recording Studio, University of Melbourne

Editing and Sound Design: Nick King and Courtney Carthy, Nearly Media

Artwork: Tim Baker

 

A gardener seeks solace in the earth. A pig hunt doubles as a first date. A young mother wrestles with what&rsquo;s possible. A fox bite changes a life. A table speaks. A navigator reckons with the gift, and burden, of ancient knowledge. &nbsp;
We&rsquo;ve all read stories that changed our lives. We&rsquo;ve all imagined places that feel like home. We&rsquo;ve all met characters who feel like family.
Now, we&rsquo;ll hear the stories, then go to the source. We&rsquo;ll speak with the authors, to find out what makes a story great, where they come from, and why they connect.
These are stories: Unpacked. Understood. Unfolded.
Join us for season 1 of Unfolded as <a href="https://sethrobinson.com.au/">Seth Robinson</a> and <a href="https://findanexpert.unimelb.edu.au/profile/13630-tony-birch">Tony Birch</a> speak with authors Chris Flynn, Claire G. Coleman, Frankey Chung-Kok-Lun, Miriam Webster, Paige Clark, and Laura Jean McKay.
&nbsp;
Unfolded&nbsp;is produced with support from the Melbourne Public Humanities Initiative, on the unceded lands of the Wurundjeri people of the Eastern Kulin Nation.
The producers would like to pay their respects to the traditional owners, to their Elders past and present, and to acknowledge their storytelling history, which goes back tens of thousands of years.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
Hosts: Seth Robinson and Tony Birch
Creator and Producer: Seth Robinson
Recording:&nbsp;Gavin Nebauer, Horwood Recording Studio, University of Melbourne
Editing and Sound Design:&nbsp;Nick King and Courtney Carthy, Nearly Media
Artwork:&nbsp;Tim Baker
&nbsp;

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