A pig hunt doubles as a first date. 

 

Territory by Laura Jean McKay

read by Ben de Pagter

 

Synopsis
Territory takes listeners inside an Australia that few of us ever get to see: from the dried creek beds of the Northern Territory, to a Sunday afternoon at the pub unlike any other.

It's a visceral story, that captures a sense of heat, violence, and tension of a place, that makes us reconsider the relationships with have with animals, and each other.  

 

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. 

 

A pig hunt doubles as a first date.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
Territory&nbsp;by Laura Jean McKay
read by Ben de Pagter
&nbsp;
Synopsis Territory takes listeners inside an Australia that few of us ever get to see: from the dried creek beds of the Northern Territory, to a Sunday afternoon at the pub unlike any other.
It's a visceral story, that captures a sense of heat, violence, and tension of a place, that makes us reconsider the relationships with have with animals, and each other.&nbsp;&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>&nbsp;which won the 2021 Arthur C. Clarke Award and The Victorian Prize for Literature. Her latest collection is&nbsp;<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;
&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;

Advertisement