Australian Story

For the first time on television, David Hicks tells his story. On Tuesday 20th September at 8.30pm on ABC1, David Hicks speaks about his life and journey in David Hicks: Australian Story Special. Over several months, award winning Australian Story reporter/producer Helen Grasswill has explored the Hicks case, encouraging him to reflect on his past and the actions that resulted in six years detention at the controversial US prison at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba. In this revealing program, Hicks sheds light on his childhood and the steps that brought him to embrace Islam and become involved with fundamentalist groups in Pakistan and Afghanistan. Grasswill also poses the difficult questions, pressing Hicks about his now infamous letters to his family after he spent time in a militant training camp in Pakistan and his differing explanations about why he returned to Afghanistan after the events of September 11, 2001. As well, the program features interviews with members of Hicks's family, key representatives of the Australian government of the day, and a number of experts who give their view on the veracity of Hicks's claims about his time in Guantanamo and the legal case against him.

Despite being born with a hare lip and double cleft palate, Wendy Harmer has become one of Australia's best known performers. Last year she was invited by the Interplast organisation to share her knowledge about overcoming a facial deformity by visiting children in Fiji born with the same condition.

When Ian Thorpe won his two gold medals at the Athens Olympics, it was a personal triumph for him - and a vindication for a former art teacher called Tracey Menzies. Two years earlier, Menzies was at the centre of controversy when Thorpe appointed her to replace his long time coach and mentor, Doug Frost.

Debbie Singh was running a Perth boutique and juggling marriage and three children, when out of the blue in 1998, she discovered that her brother had been locked up in Thailand's notorious hell hole, the Klong Prem prison, or the "Bangkok Hilton".

Dr Michael Buist is an intensive care specialist with a unique perspective from both sides of the hospital curtain who's now emerged as a world leader in the push to improve patient care.

Radio and TV personality Ian 'Dano' Rogerson and his wife Nicole gave up their home, careers and an exciting lifestyle for the love of their son, Jack.

Ric Richardson is an inventor who took on the might of Microsoft and scored a remarkable victory.

Maggie MacKellar was a city dweller who seemed to have it all – a successful academic career, a devoted husband, a young daughter and another baby on the way.

When Doug Sunderland succumbed to the blues after losing his wife and being diagnosed with cancer, his GP told him to 'get back on his bike'. He did... and it 'saved his life', so much so, that he decided to ride around Australia solo, surviving on tinned food and sleeping by the road.

For the last 48 years Jacki Weaver has been one of Australia's best loved actors. Now 63, she has achieved a stunning career high by being chosen as one of the Best Supporting Actress nominees for this year's Oscars.

Part 1 of our story on Di Gicrist, the woman taking on the big end of town and changing the face of justice in South Australia after her husband was killed in a hit-and-run cyclist incident.

The conclusion to our story on Di Gilcrist and her fight for justice after her husband was killed in a hit-and-run cyclist incident.

Kath Evans was diagnosed with lung cancer that had spread to her brain and given only weeks to live. She attributes her sudden, extraordinary recovery to the then Blessed Mary MacKillop and the event was accepted by the Vatican as a miracle.

In 2004 Sam Cullen and his wife Janet bought a rare collection of photographs at a London auction. They were captivated by the haunting faces in the photos. The couple began piecing together a puzzle few thought could ever be solved. Their quest took them to the beautiful Clarence River region of NSW and into some of the most troubling aspects of our history. Now, eight years down the track, the Cullens' labour of love has turned up some astonishing and surprising results which are revealed for the first time on Monday night...

Scott Johnson was a young man with everything going for him - a maths genius with a bright future. But on a trip to a Sydney beach one sunny day in 1988, everything changed. The search for the truth of what happened that day has brought together a wealthy internet pioneer, an international super sleuth, and the NSW Police Cold Case Unit. This week, the story of their quest to solve a twenty-five-year-old-mystery.

Stevie Wright became a superstar at the age of sixteen, with the iconic 1960s rock band The Easybeats - the first Australian group to achieve chart success in the UK, US and Europe. He went on to win another generation of fans as a solo artist with hits like 'Evie', 'Hard Road' and 'Black Eyed Bruiser'. But along with the exhilarating highs, he has experienced devastating lows - which on several occasions could have been fatal. Now the legend of Stevie Wright is being rekindled with help from fellow musician and lifelong fan, Scott McRae who has created a 'rockumentary' live show of his idol's extraordinary life. Australian Story has recorded Stevie Wright's last public performance - a special poignant encore in Scott McRae's stage show.

In 1996 Matthew Reilly, aged 22, self-published his first book. Now he has a list of international best sellers. In his books heroes prevail against impossible odds. But in his own life he's faced unexpected adversity from the most unlikely quarter. When, as a consequence, he lost his wife Natalie, Matthew Reilly's world collapsed. He says he thought he would never write again. As he reveals on Australian Story, the loss drove him to the brink of disaster.

Three years ago, 35 year old fashion photographer David Murrell was told he had just months to live. A tumour the size of an orange was removed from his brain. It was the worst kind of highly aggressive cancer. But in a lucky coincidence his own father, a cell biologist, emerged as a possible saviour. Dr Wayne Murrell just happened to be part of a team in Norway working on an experimental vaccine for exactly that kind of tumour. "I'm a scientist, I don't believe in coincidence!" Dr Murrell says. But what happened next defied the odds...

This week's Australian Story charts Torah Bright's remarkable comeback from a year of setbacks and struggles, culminating in an euphoric medal win at the Sochi Winter Olympics. Bright grabbed Australia's first medal with a nail biting silver in the Women's Half Pipe final. The latest win makes her our greatest female winter Olympian. For the family oriented snowboarder, the achievement is remarkable, given a supremely difficult preparation year marked by tough personal and professional challenges. Australian Story viewers first met Torah Bright two years ago. This program documents the behind the scenes role of unusually strong family ties as Bright pushes through every possible obstacle on the path to Sochi...