Sandy Ryan, Big Wave Surfer (Cowes)

If you’re listening to this in South Gippsland or Bass Coast, you’re most likely aware of the significant beach erosion that’s occurring at Inverloch. Over the past 10 years or so, the shoreline’s retreated by more than 70 metres, and the Surf Life Saving Club’s now under threat from storms, high tides, and powerful surges.And it’s causing a great deal of anxiety among locals.  Well, I’ve just heard a public information webinar by government agency DEECA about major dune reconstruction works that will start at the end of February 2026.  Glenn Arnold is the President of the Inverloch Surf Lifesaving Club. I wanted to get to know him, learn about the works, how he feels about them – and his thoughts about action in the future for the beloved beach and Surf Club at Inverloch.

Looking for some help with motivation and mindset? …Today's guest is Olympic athlete Drew Ginn, who lives part-time on their family farm in Cape Paterson. You might remember Drew as part of the famous ‘Oarsome Foursome’ ….. they became household names - and we watched them on TV when in 1996 they won the Olympic Gold Medal for rowing. Drew’s a triple Olympic Gold medalist and a five-time World Champion rower – and one of the most decorated people in Australian sport.Drew's had a remarkable career. These days he’s a facilitator, AND a passionate teacher about values - and how they can play a big part in driving your success.

Let’s not talk about palliative care! Palliative care, death and dying is a subject that’s taboo in Australia. So, why should we learn about it? Today’s guest answers that question in an informative, elevating, and beneficial way. On the eve of her retirement, Mary Ross-Heazlewood from Gippsland Southern Health Service in Leongatha, believes palliative care is misunderstood in the community. Having witnessed hundreds of people’s final moments, she’s driven to get the message out about what palliative care is, what it can offer, and what we need to know. I found Mary fascinating to speak to. She shares beautiful stories about how it can make a difference in people’s lives when it really counts. I hope you enjoy listening to this important conversation … Cathie-----My guest today is Mary Ross-Heazlewood. She’s been a nurse for 46 years, and has spent most of her career on the front line. She’s worked in intensive care for many years, and helped to establish an AIDS unit in Vancouver at the height of the epidemic. Then, 25 years ago, Mary stepped into the field of Palliative Care, and became Team Leader at Gippsland Southern Health Service in Leongatha. She’s also worked with the Gippsland Region Palliative Care Consortium in education for professionals, and has been as an adjunct lecturer at Monash University.As you’ll see, Mary’s a very strong advocate for people to learn about palliative care, and to not have a negative feeling about it. But palliative care, death and dying is a subject that’s taboo in Australia. So, WHY SHOULD we learn about it? Here are THREE reasons: •                The first reason is that having a better understanding of what actually happens as we die can reduce our fear.  •                Secondly, some knowledge and planning towards end-of-life care can MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE for our loved one in those final days and months. And as Mary says it can be possible to arrange a beautiful goodbye for them. •                And the third reason that I hope you’ll listen, is that ….. Coming to terms with the inevitability of death can make us appreciate, and live life more fully in the here and now. “It’s life affirming,” Mary says.

Here are some sneaky highlights from my Love Your Work interviews - some of the best advice from South Gippsland and Bass Coast locals! Enjoying this podcast? Follow this page! 😀If you have a recommendation for a really interesting local to interview, let us know in the Comments! 😀 Cathie

Saving the world for 81 year old Betty McLaughlin was a very good thing, she says, but it wasn’t much fun! That is, not until she found her song in South Gippsland.  Betty and her partner certainly had some reservations about leaving their spacious five acre block in the hills of Thorpdale South, to move into a retirement village. It was a pretty big change, but now in their 80s, the property had become harder to manage. A former social worker, administrator and facilitator, Betty has worked to help empower women farmers in Africa. She is also one of the founders of a group that aims to spread singing around the South Gipsland region.I hope you enjoy this lively conversation with one of our wonderful South Gippsland elders.

Catherine Watson is the Editor and Publisher of The Bass Coast Post. She’s had a long career in journalism, and is well known for giving us this alternative source of news and commentary. It’s an online magazine written by and for residents of the Bass Coast. The Post strives to deliver a balanced perspective of the issues we have here. It tends to attract left-leaning people, however in this interview Catherine puts out an invitation for more right-wing readers and writers, because she loves hearing an intelligent, well-informed person arguing for something in a way she hasn’t thought about before. The ‘Andrew Bolt’ of the Bass Coast – "I would love to hear from them,” she says.In the meantime, Catherine has unwittingly become involved in a six year community campaign to preserve Western Port Woodlands. This is Bass Coast’s last functional forest – and she says that despite all odds, the 500 members are about to succeed in protecting it.I hope you enjoy this conversation in Wonthaggi with Catherine Watson.

In healthcare, often mighty achievements happen under the surface, beyond our sight. Andrea Curtis, a Diabetes Educator in Leongatha, is driven by the need for regional communities to have access to excellent care. Andrea has created unique programs to support local children, their families, and pregnant mothers with diabetes. Meanwhile, "AI technology is now exceeding what we can do as humans to manage diabetes," she says, which is pretty mind blowing! She also provides great advice for anyone with a pre-diabetes or diabetes diagnosis.In a separate non-related initiative, in the second half of the interview, Andrea discusses how she's leading a local fundraising push for the McGrath Foundation. She explains that while the McGrath Foundation was initially intended to help people with breast cancer, they've expanded the program and are now rolling out care nurses who provide free support by partnering with anyone with ANY TYPE OF CANCER, Australia-wide. This is enormous – as it will give people clinical and emotional support, while helping them to navigate their whole journey through the health system. Huge.FOLLOW: 'Love Your Work Listen' on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61573970821839

How can we best look after ourselves as we age? In this conversation, highly experienced Myotherapist, Marsha Livingstone provides advice as well as exercises we can follow along to, in order to improve our posture, and balance our strength. She also has some great motivational words to help keep us all moving.Marsha has treated musculoskeletal pain and dysfunction for nearly 30 years. Based in Leongatha (Vic), she is passionate about empowering us to help our bodies.

The first thing that strikes me about Sandy Ryan is his humility. He’s a self-confessed water addict, in particular for surfing massive waves. Well known on Phillip Island and to surfers around the world as a big wave surfer, Sandy’s always been drawn to a great surf break. In his humble style, he’s uncomfortable to put a size on the waves (but confesses they’d be up to 60 feet high). You see, to Sandy, it’s not about the height of the wave, it’s about the lived experience. So without even dipping a toe in the water, I had a chance to hear first-hand what it’s actually like to be out there - as the adrenalin kicks in, and the jet-ski whiplashes you onto a big wave. He tells us what happens next.

Marty has the magic sauce to help transform a regional town. It's an insightful and personal conversation with the wonderful Marty 'Moo', widely known as the Unofficial Mayor of Meeniyan. He's just an extraordinary community builder. In Meeniyan and beyond, Marty ‘Moo’ Thomas is a household name. In fact, it’s hard for me to think about the Meeniyan community without thinking of Marty. His kind, spirited nature reflects a range of meaningful community achievements, and it’s no surprise he was nominated for citizen of the year in 2021.Over the last 16 years, Marty’s helped to shape Meeniyan with his award-winning restaurant Moo’s. It’s success has helped attract other businesses to the town, where his enthusiasm and dedication led him to being President of the Tourism & Traders Association. Not to mention Marty Gras …. his annual sparkling fundraiser that attracts people from far and wide. He's been in hospitality his whole life – and says that it’s always been his passion to make people feel happy and special.We spoke on the phone before this interview - and my impression was that he’s very community focused, modest, kind, and with an infectious enthusiasm. I couldn't wait to get to know him better, to hear his story, and find out what it is that makes him tick.