Cobden, Now We’re Talking!

After an extended break, we bring you the latest Cobden, Now We’re Talking podcast.

Earlier this year we interviewed the Cobden Tech School captains and this month we are able to bring you that interview.  Hear what our young leaders are expecting in 2021.

We also continue a theme we started early in the life of our podcasts - having a look at the Cobden Story trail and picking up some of the interesting elements of our town’s history and anecdotes.  This time it’s the Cobden Miniature Railway and Mini Golf Park.

And we remind you of the Alma MacDonald story which will shortly be running as a complete podcast in our new Cobden, Now We’re Talking History series.

Good Listening and Keep Talking, Cobden!

This month we have a special Anzac Day podcast.

With Cobden Technical School launching an Anzac Day commemoration project to raise flags at each gravesite of a past serviceman, and with the regular Anzac Day commemoration organised by Cobden Scouts at the cenotaph at the Civic Hall, Cobden can remember and celebrate in a number of ways.

This podcast brings to life some of the memories of war service from World War 1 through to Vietnam from servicemen and family members.

What a wonderful story of this important part of Australia’s history!

So it’s an episode jam-packed with interesting information and stories.

Good Listening and Keep Talking, Cobden!

In our latest episode we have a real variety magazine of articles and features.

With the new school year in full swing we caught up with the Cobden Technical School Principal Rohan Keert and Teacher Andrea Stoddart to discuss the Tech Schools future involvement with the Cobden, Now We’re Talking! Podcast and how students will be able to connect far greater with the local Cobden community in 2021.

The Alma Macdonald Story is back on the agenda - part 4 comes to you this month with more reflections on the Cobden that Alma grew up in.

Cobden’s streetscape plans have now been approved and a contractor to carry out construction has been awarded and works have begun along Curdie Street.  So what can you expect?  Chelsea talked with Councillor Jo Beard to find out and bring you the details.

Many podcast listeners will recall the days when Alan Hart was the Police Sergeant in Cobden.  Alan’s love for history was a major part of his life and he dug deep into the stories about illicit whiskey stills in south west Victoria.  We talked with Alan at some length about why this caught his interest and some of the stories attached to the era.  Catch excerpts from this conversation in this month’s podcast.

Australia Day was somewhat affected by Covid-19.  But we take a moment to recognise Cobden’s awardees

So it’s an episode jam-packed with interesting information and stories.

Good Listening and Keep Talking, Cobden!

January brings our fifth episode, with a variety of summer listening.

Hopefully, our community will begin the return to more normal activities after the disruption of the 2020 pandemic.  For this reason we had a chat with Gary Kimber who is President of the Corangamite U3A.  If you are not sure what that is or what it does, or if you just want an update on what is likely to happen in 2021, have a listen to Gary as he talks about all that and more.

Before Trevor Gardner took off on holidays he caught up with a couple of our sporting characters.  Ash Couch provided exciting and useful information about Cobden’s “Week of Golf”.  Adam Courtney, coach of Cobden’s senior football team, talked about what is happening in the lead up to, hopefully, a more normal season of footy.

And, for your easy summer listening, we continue with Part 3 of the “Alma MacDonald Story”.

Good Listening and Keep Talking, Cobden!

In our fourth episode, we feature an interview with Scott Wilkinson, the founder of Alderwood Speakers in Cobden, and his business partners.  Scott was a finalist in two categories in the recent Regional Business Achievement Awards, as well as in the People’s Choice award, and is a great role model in leadership in a high-quality technical field of manufacture.  He and his partner Chelsea are restoring the old Cobden picture theatre as an arts venue.

A number of Cobden residents encountered our roving microphones in Curdie Street and shared their expectations for Christmas with us - let’s hope Santa still comes for them!

Roberts Builders are our featured business this month.   Hear about how they are staying ahead of the game in this Business Snippet segment.

Locals involved in the Emergency Services from the ambulance service, and the CFA shared summer safety messages with us.   Please heed their thoughts and stay safe over the Christmas and New Year period.

And finally, the podcast team put their own Christmas greetings together for you.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all our listeners - we’ll be back in January.

Good listening!

Our third episode is our Christmas Special!

Frank talks with a number of businesses to find out what they are doing in the run up to Christmas, or what offerings they have to tempt you as Christmas approaches.

Chelsea and Garry talk about what is happening about our Cobden community Christmas celebration.   It’s our Cobden Christmas with a Difference!   There’s a different feel about Christmas following our Covid-19 year.   But there will be Santa and the elves, and there will still be a big Christmas Prize draw.

And then we have a Christmas surprise - a Mystery Voice competition for everyone to guess whose voices have been recorded.   You could win a $100 shopping voucher just for guessing the most correct voices!

We hope you enjoy this special episode and what it contains.   Good listening!

In this second edition of “Cobden, Now We’re Talking” we bring you a variety of segments across the activities of Cobden and the region.

The wonderful conversation between Alma MacDonald and Denise Butler continues exploring Alma’s life story in Cobden.

What do you do when the local footy season is unlikely to go ahead and you’re young and want to keep playing?  You head for north Queensland and play a season in Port Douglas.  Not only that, you win a premiership.   Oh - what a feeling!  But will they ever return?   Trevor Gardner gets the inside story from the guys.

Chelsea talks with Tess and Georgia from the Corangamite Youth Council.   Find out who they are and what makes them tick in this month’s podcast.   Just maybe this will inspire more young people to take the opportunity to get involved.

We have a new segment where a couple of business owners give us an update about who they are and what is happening in their business lives.

"Cobden, Now We're Talking!" is the official Podcast of Progressing Cobden.

Plenty to follow and enjoy.   Good listening!

The “Cobden – Now We’re Talking” podcast is intended to give listeners – local community, visitors, and former Cobden residents – the opportunity to learn about Cobden. It is hoped it will stimulate a desire to delve further into various aspects of Cobden’ history, culture, sport and community activities.

In this first podcast we bring you insights from two very active Cobden residents.

First you can be fascinated by the recollections of one of our elder “statespersons”, Alma McDonald, whose 90 years have been spent growing up and living in Cobden. Alma has been one of our most influential residents over that time, and this is the first of several segments from an extended conversation with Alma. Some of Alma’s recollections will stir memories for our older folk and have our younger people scratching their heads – what is a “thunder-box?”

Then, in contrast with Alma’s insights, we have a chat with a young mum who talks about the impact of the coronavirus on herself and her family living and working in Cobden. Jo Beard, mother of two boys and our local Corangamite Shire councillor, talks openly about the challenges the pandemic and the associated restrictions have created for an active family in 2020.

We are proud to present Cobden’s first podcast on behalf of Progressing Cobden Inc.