5 podcasts to help you connect with nature
By Jennifer McMillan 12 January 2023
There’s nothing quite like the sounds of the Australian wilderness. The roar of cicadas in the summertime, male frogs serenading their lady friends from nearby creeks, and the songs of Australia’s beautiful bird species.
These natural soundscapes connect us to the ecology of a place and calm our minds. Studies have found listening to the sounds of nature can have therapeutic benefits and help people recover from the stress of urban living.
These podcasts will help to connect with nature wherever you are.
Nature Track
Produced by Dr Ann Jones, Nature Track opens a window to uninterrupted soundscapes perfect for work, exercise, meditation or sleep.
Listen to the sounds of the mountain ash forest and the array of wildlife who call it home. If you’re unsure of what you’re hearing, there’s a list under each podcast with the species and the time they’re heard. Perfect for adults and kids!
Listen to Life in a forest of giants on Nature Track.
Branch Out
Hungry for plant knowledge? Listen to the science and stories from the Royal Botanic Garden. Learn about the life-saving chemicals found in plants, be inspired by community greening programs or find out how a cow paddock was transformed into the biggest botanic garden in Australia.
Listen to Branch Out.
Costa Georgiadis: Heart and Soil
We love a story from Costa! In this interview Costa describes his priority of doing it together – an idea from his memories of helping his grandfather in his market garden.
Listen here.
If trees could talk, what would they tell you?
Take a trip into the sensory world of plants with author Peter Wohlleben (The Hidden Life of Trees & The Heartbeat of Trees), plant biologist Daniel Chamovitz (What A Plant Knows) and behavioural ecologist Monica Gagliano (Thus Spoke the Plant), and others.
Listen here.
Australian Frog Calls, Songs of disappearance
Is there anything more soothing than a frog call? Songs of disappearance features 43 of Australia’s most threatened frogs. The album concludes with the moving calls of several species we have already lost to extinction, as well as a selection of amphibian soundscapes captured by master nature recordist, Andrew Skeoch of Listening Earth.
Find streaming links here.
Jen worked as a vet nurse while studying environmental science and completing her master's degree in Journalism. She loves bushwalking, storytelling, caring for baby animals, Australian birds and river red gums. Jen works on the National Tree Day campaign and Planet Ark's Seedling Bank.
