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Program: Expanse

Presented by

Danielle O'Neal

Series 4: Uncropped

In 1966 a salt of the earth banana farmer in far north Queensland saw something he couldn't explain. It looked like a flying saucer and it left behind a circular mark in some reeds, which he called a 'saucer nest'.

That moment became the inspiration for an international alien hoax,

Host Danielle O'Neal goes from a mosquito-laden lagoon in far north Queensland to the Australian government's classified UFO files, to the US Congress as she seeks to understand what happened, its legacy and why believable people say seemingly unbelievable things.

The Expanse podcast explores big stories from across Australia — a vast continent where anything can happen.

Spies in the Outback (Series 3) won the Excellence in Radio Broadcasting award at the Northern Territory Media Awards in 2024 for the story of Pine Gap, a secret US/Australian defence base hidden in the outback.

From the Dead (Series 2) won silver in the Documentary: History category at the New York Radio Festival awards. It delves into a wild tale of survival at sea off Tasmania's rugged southwest coast.

Pink Diamond Heist (Series 1) was shortlisted in the New York Radio Awards, Documentary: History category. This season takes you on a rollicking ride through Western Australia on the trail of a diamond heist.

Episodes

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05 Uncropped | The legacy

A bombshell is dropped in US Congress that makes a lot of people start thinking about UFOs, now called UAP, differently. Danielle O’Neal tries to understand the implications of everything she’s heard and grapples with the unanswered questions.

Published: 25 Nov 2024Mon 25 Nov 2024 at 3:02pmwith Danielle O'Neal

Duration: 38 minutes 36 seconds

04 Uncropped | UAP in the USA

Despite an alarming coincidence being uncovered in the government’s UFO files, a young intelligence officer recommends the files are closed and investigations shut down. Decades on, while the U.S.

Published: 25 Nov 2024Mon 25 Nov 2024 at 3:01pmwith Danielle O'Neal

Duration: 31 minutes 57 seconds

03 Uncropped | The UFO files

The Tully phenomena spreads, with unexplained circles starting to crop up around the country. Reports of them all are filed away by the RAAF in the secret UFO files.

Published: 25 Nov 2024Mon 25 Nov 2024 at 3:00pmwith Danielle O'Neal

Duration: 35 minutes 45 seconds

02 Uncropped | Who is visiting?

Hoards of people descend on the Pennisi property to take a look at this ‘saucer nest’, sending the family running for cover. Turns out, in the years to come that would be the least of their worries.

Published: 18 Nov 2024Mon 18 Nov 2024 at 7:01pmwith Danielle O'Neal

Duration: 35 minutes 25 seconds

01 Uncropped | The sighting

On a hot morning under blue skies, a young banana farmer saw something he couldn’t explain that sent his pulse racing. It looked like a flying saucer and it left behind a mysterious mark. The chain of events it set off would change everything.

Published: 18 Nov 2024Mon 18 Nov 2024 at 7:00pmwith Danielle O'Neal

Duration: 26 minutes 53 seconds

INTRODUCING – Expanse S4: Uncropped

In 1966 a Queensland farmer thought he saw a UFO that left behind a real physical mark in some reeds. That sighting set off a chain of events that would haunt him for decades and leave a lot of unanswered questions.

Published: 11 Nov 2024Mon 11 Nov 2024 at 7:00pmwith Danielle O'Neal

Duration: 3 minutes 31 seconds

05: Spies in the Outback | The secrets of Pine Gap

Host Alex Barwick hears just how far Pine Gap’s reach is today, uncovers the secrets of stolen land and explores what it means for Australia to have a spy base hidden in the heart of the country. Host: Alex Barwick

Published: 14 May 2024Tue 14 May 2024 at 8:00pmwith Alex Barwick

Duration: 43 minutes 44 seconds

04 Spies in the Outback | The spy who loved Alice

The Cold War has finally ended but Pine Gap, or ‘The Base’ as it’s become known, is expanding and it’s getting involved in conflicts across the world.

Published: 7 May 2024Tue 7 May 2024 at 8:00pmwith Alex Barwick

Duration: 30 minutes 5 seconds

03 Spies in the Outback | The women get wild

Nuclear fear prompts thousands to flood to Alice Springs in the 1980s to try and close Pine Gap and reveal its secrets. This time the woman are in charge and they don't want Australia involved in nuclear war.

Published: 30 Apr 2024Tue 30 Apr 2024 at 8:00pmwith Alex Barwick

Duration: 31 minutes 1 second

02 Spies in the Outback | Politics, pressure and protest

As the Cold War enters the 70s, it becomes clear that Pine Gap is really a spy base with eyes on the Soviets – and it's putting Alice Springs in the nuclear crosshairs.

Published: 23 Apr 2024Tue 23 Apr 2024 at 8:00pmwith Alex Barwick

Duration: 31 minutes 5 seconds

Series 1: Pink Diamond Heist

01 Pink Diamond Heist | The Argyle Intrigue

In all my years of journalism, there is one story that's stuck with me. Twenty years ago I was out bush chatting to diamond explorers about a heist that happened in the remote Kimberley region of Western Australia.

Duration: 22 minutes 24 seconds

Published: 12 Jun 2024Wed 12 Jun 2024 at 3:47amby Sinéad Mangan

02 Pink Diamond Heist | A Heist is Born

How do you pull off the perfect heist? Would you believe there's actually a recipe for it? While some heists are of Mission Impossible proportions, our caper is a little more domestic.

Duration: 30 minutes

Published: 12 Jun 2024Wed 12 Jun 2024 at 3:47amwith Sinéad Mangan

03 Pink Diamond Heist | Lynette

What would you do if you found your husband washing diamonds in the sink? For the woman at the centre of our story this was a life changing moment. How did Lynette go from lipstick sales to diamond courier?

Duration: 33 minutes

Published: 14 Jun 2024Fri 14 Jun 2024 at 3:39amby Sinéad Mangan

04 Pink Diamond Heist | How to catch a Thief

Our less than smooth criminals managed to out-fox and outlast their police pursuers for about four years, helped by suspect dealings. How did they manage it? Was it in fact the ultimate inside job?

Duration: 39 minutes

Published: 12 Jun 2024Wed 12 Jun 2024 at 6:08amby Sinéad Mangan

Series 2: From The Dead

01 From the Dead | The Blythe Star

As 18-year-old Mick Doleman farewelled young love to set sail on the Blythe Star, he could never have seen what was coming.

Duration: 28 minutes

Published: 4 Jun 2024Tue 4 Jun 2024 at 6:28amwith Piia Wirsu

02 From the Dead | Lost at Sea

When the Blythe Star fails to turn up at port as scheduled, the authorities are left scratching their heads. Meanwhile, the families of the crew reel at the news the ship is missing.

Duration: 32 minutes

Published: 4 Jun 2024Tue 4 Jun 2024 at 6:29amwith Piia Wirsu

03 From the Dead | The Search

When the Blythe Star fails to turn up at port as scheduled, the authorities are left scratching their heads. Meanwhile, the families of the crew reel at the news the ship is missing.

Duration: 32 minutes

Published: 4 Jun 2024Tue 4 Jun 2024 at 6:30amwith Piia Wirsu

04 From the Dead | Missing: Presumed Dead

The search is called off and the men are declared dead, leaving loved ones reeling. But on the raft, the men have one final hope for salvation. In this episode time runs out for the men, as they have a make-or-break opportunity.

Duration: 27 minutes

Published: 4 Jun 2024Tue 4 Jun 2024 at 6:32amwith Piia Wirsu

Series 3: Spies In The Outback

01 Spies in the Outback | Selling a space base

In the grip of a crippling drought in the 1960s, Alice Springs sees an economic lifeline when America promises to build a 'space base' on the edge of town.

Duration: 30 minutes 7 seconds

Published: 4 Jun 2024Tue 4 Jun 2024 at 6:42amwith Alex Barwick

02 Spies in the Outback | Politics, pressure and protest

As the Cold War enters the 70s, it becomes clear that Pine Gap is really a spy base with eyes on the Soviets – and it's putting Alice Springs in the nuclear crosshairs.

Duration: 31 minutes 5 seconds

Published: 4 Jun 2024Tue 4 Jun 2024 at 6:42amwith Alex Barwick

03 Spies in the Outback | The women get wild

Nuclear fear prompts thousands to flood to Alice Springs in the 1980s to try and close Pine Gap and reveal its secrets. This time the woman are in charge and they don't want Australia involved in nuclear war.

Duration: 31 minutes 1 second

Published: 4 Jun 2024Tue 4 Jun 2024 at 6:41amwith Alex Barwick

04 Spies in the Outback | The spy who loved Alice

The Cold War has finally ended but Pine Gap, or ‘The Base’ as it’s become known, is expanding and it’s getting involved in conflicts across the world.

Duration: 30 minutes 5 seconds

Published: 4 Jun 2024Tue 4 Jun 2024 at 6:41amwith Alex Barwick

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