In her later teen years, Jayne Bryant was given a positive affirmation that she was good at singing and performing. It came from a comment made by her brother, to her dad, whilst they were on a family summer holiday.From that moment she had t

"Don't worry, he's her favourite dog ... and she doesn't think you're good enough"

20 days ago

Being a lover of pets, and dogs in particular, is something familiar to many of us on Max’s Island. However, few of us go so far as to dedicate a big part of our lives to making sure ALL dogs have the best possible life.Karen Rhodes was int

"He's the only boy in the world with Duchenne and PHPV ... there is no other person in the world ...got both conditions"

Apr 2nd, 2024

Barry Mone is just like any dad … he’ll do anything for his children.Since late 2017, when his son Charlie had just turned 8, Barry and his family have been on a crusade. Around this time, through a series of circumstances and even observat

"It was the 9/9/99 ... as Dame Edna would say ... a very spooky date, darling"

Mar 19th, 2024

Charlie Gunningham was a little uncertain about the long term future of his teaching career in the late 1990’s. But, like many changes in life, there was a sequence of events … some unplanned and generally not expected, that eventually catap

"I was given the opportunity ... I was allowed to go into the police files"

Mar 5th, 2024

Estelle Blackburn OAM, is an acclaimed journalist with a career that has included working for WA Newspapers, the ABC and as a media advisor for Carmen Lawrence, Western Australia’s first female State Premier.However, for this Walkley Award

"Oh, they weren't shocked ... I don't think I can do anything to shock them"

Feb 20th, 2024

Pat O’Donnell is a couple of years through her graduate degree at Notre Dame University in Fremantle WA. Like many new university students, she started with an initial subject choice, but also like many, that has now evolved and a double maj

"I had continuity of care ... from a midwife"

Feb 6th, 2024

Brooke Jones experienced a strong career, which was most recently within the health policy and research sector in WA. With the necessary academic qualifications, she was a knowledgeable policy maker. This allowed her to be involved in the mo

Values Episode #2 - "Dare to be Human - Unique"

Jan 23rd, 2024

We are all confident in what we believe and know that our life experiences are true to us.Thanks again to all the regular listeners to Max’s Island for your loyal support. Continuing our reflection of recent special moments on Max’s Isla

Values Episode #1 – “Believe in Everyone”

Jan 9th, 2024

For this years reflection of special moments on Max’s Island we are highlighting the important Values we follow on the island.So … to begin with this year … we’ll feature some stories from last year, where visitors to Max’s Island truly ref

"There's no filler there ... it's all KILLER"

Dec 27th, 2023

David Maddocks recently travelled to New York with many “diehards” to see the final Kiss concert at Madison Square Gardens… all dressed in their favourite black Kiss t-shirts.This was Kiss concert number 69 for David and it delivered exactl

" and my children have never been to school ... ever"

Dec 12th, 2023

Laura has 4 children who have never been to school, that is, in the formal sense of learning. But this does not mean they haven’t experienced an education process that has prepared them for life and their future endeavours.Initially throug

"I paint for me ... there's a reason one colour goes next to another colour"

Nov 28th, 2023

After suffering from a work related head trauma, Mark Ewing developed an acquired brain injury that needed to be managed as he attempted to return to work. But this was challenging when colleagues kept saying “you look fine to me” … and his

"We're all dreamers in some way"

Nov 14th, 2023

Rutchi Kaushal was embedded in her chosen career in accounting and finance … and behind the closed door of her CBD office, she had the confidence and skill to successfully be herself and achieve peer recognition.However, whilst always maint

"It was like 7 periods all before breakfast ... BOOM, that's your day in the school of life"

Oct 31st, 2023

Cynthia Bartolomei and her husband decided it was really important for their family to experience a journey around Australia together. So taking their two boys out of school, with the blessing of the headmaster, they chose to follow the sun

"I lost me ... I lived through my own death"

Oct 16th, 2023

In her own words, Jay Wood got a “bop on the head” in a motor vehicle accident. But this was really serious … and resulted in a major “invisible injury” … a catastrophic traumatic brain injury.The symptoms are so unique and specific to Jay

"I even did an audition remotely ... in a hospital waiting room"

Oct 3rd, 2023

Suzie Aries … actor, performer and someone with a positive outlook on life.Her world was shattered following the removal of a “mass” from her body and the realisation she had to acknowledge the diagnosis of cancer.Her acting career was sti

"He just had to pee all over it ... to make it his own"

Sep 19th, 2023

Paul Hansen is a confident, well educated and strong professional, who has built a successful career for herself in organisational development and leadership. This has been both as a senior manager in major mining companies and as an indepen

"Because ... I was bringing her into my world for once!"

Sep 5th, 2023

Tara Ulrich went on a years travel following high school. This gave her a chance to reflect on the career expectations she had to be an Auslan interpreter … and those encouraged by close friends and family. Whilst this expected career direct

"These songs ... it's the most honest I've ever been ... lyrically"

Aug 22nd, 2023

Stefan West is a solo artist from Melbourne Australia. Pulling from his own life experiences he uses music as a canvas to paint the experiences of his own life. His previous project, The Velvet Addiction, saw many successes with the likes of

"...being able to come away with a funny little name of "Rainbow Beetle Moonchild"

Aug 9th, 2023

Shaun Williams was well entrenched and purposefully building on the foundations he had already laid in his corporate life.Then, following a chat with a friend at a party, he became aware of a “nature quest on Noongar Boodja”, run by Claire

"But you'll be high in the sky on medication ... and then you die"

Jul 25th, 2023

James Hoare was born with a brain injury called hydrocephalus and had 4 brain surgeries before he was 7 years old. However, that didn’t hold back his inherent competitive nature to try challenging and exciting past times during his life.He

He put his finger up to his face and said "She's not quite right"

Jul 11th, 2023

Clare Allen has been a successful C-Suite executive for many years. Her intensity to performing at the highest CEO level comes from self-confessed personality traits … but also has been complimented by strong philosophies toward life and wor

"It's probably best described as a spiritual emergency"

Jun 28th, 2023

Dylan Lamb had a recent experience that he finds difficult to explain.This mentally challenging episode may have been influenced by drugs … it may have been influenced by his state of mind at the time … or it might have been influenced by d

"He gave us cheques ... we took the cheques and they bounced"

Jun 14th, 2023

Sally Grandy and her family’s relocation to Perth Western Australia came from a promise of a job, a new opportunity and the thought that “their stars were aligning”. But, it didn’t happen the way it was meant to.Literally 1 week before leav

"I was given the keys to the airport"

May 30th, 2023

Shane Landers is an educator … a leader in his community. He is passionate about leading young people to become educated and to use this to become meaningful contributors in society.So, when he had the opportunity to be a relief Principal a