Holiday Wishes 2025 and Season Three Wrap Up

Join Nicola and Di this week as they reflect on 2025 and their favourite moments and highlights from some of the incredible guests they’ve had on the podcast this year. They’ve been lucky enough to chat to psychics, actors, comedians, journalists, authors, Olympians, world champions, psychologists, entrepreneurs, and the list goes on. It’s true what they say, variety really is the spice of life. Share in some laughs and stories, as we remember some of our favourite moments from Season 3.  We want to thank all of our guests for sharing their stories (and their hearts), our team at DM podcasts for their constant support, and most importantly our listeners - we love creating this show for you and we’re thrilled that you tune in each week. We wish you all a very happy and healthy holiday season and we can’t wait to be back in 2026 with even more amazing conversations for you to enjoy. Thanks for being part of our Over The Back Fence community.  This episode is proudly supported by Montgomery Investment Management, trusted experts helping you build and protect your financial future. For further information, please contact David Buckland, Chief Executive Officer or Rhodri Taylor, Account Manager on (02) 8046 5000 or [email protected] Donate to the Northern Beaches Women’s Shelter Christmas Appeal here - https://nbws.supporterhub.net.au/donations/christmas-appeal-2025 Follow Nicola and Di on IG here - https://www.instagram.com/overthebackfencepodcast/ Watch Over The Back Fence on YouTube here - https://www.youtube.com/@Overthebackfencepodcast/podcastsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week Nicola and Di chat with the incredible Mary Coustas. Mary is one of Australia’s most loved actors and comedians, best known for her character Effie Stephanides. She’s been performing and entertaining audiences for over 35 years, and became known as part of the groundbreaking stage show Wogs out of Work in the 80s, which led to the sitcom, Acropolis Now. Mary also has one of the most amazing personal stories of determination, persevering through 23 IVF attempts with her husband George, before finally giving birth to her daughter at the age of 49. Mary wrote about this in a beautifully honest book, All I Know, and her most recent book Mary Pause, is a funny physical memoir about menopause.  In this episode, we chat to Mary about what it was like growing up as a Greek Australian in the 70s, and how she turned her cultural background, which had been a liability at school and the source of a lot of bullying, into an asset and created one of the most iconic characters on stage and screen in Australia, Effie Stephanides. Mary also shares about her incredible journey to motherhood, which took 23 IVF attempts, a miscarriage and a stillborn, before she finally got her miracle baby girl at the age of 49. This story is like nothing you’ve ever heard and Mary tells it with such openness and honesty - there were plenty of goosebumps and tears in the studio that day.  We also chat to Mary about her latest book Mary Pause, which is a hilarious memoir about Mary’s experience with menopause. Mary wants to give everyone more knowledge about what menopause is really like, as well as help them with access to excellent care - which is why she’s set up the telehealth platform UnPause to provide Peri and Menopause care across Australia.  We cannot wait for Mary’s next stage show, Frigid to Feral, where Effie is going through Peri!  This was such an amazing conversation with Mary, who generously shared about so many parts of her life with us. We cried, we laughed and were enthralled by her stories. We hope you love this episode as much as we did.   This episode is proudly supported by Montgomery Investment Management, trusted experts helping you build and protect your financial future. For further information, please contact David Buckland, Chief Executive Officer or Rhodri Taylor, Account Manager on (02) 8046 5000 or [email protected] For more on UnPause (Mary’s Peri and Menopause Care platform) go here -  https://unpause.com.au/ To buy tickets to Mary’s next show and for more on her work go here - https://www.maryandeffie.com/ Buy Mary’s latest book Mary Pause here - https://unpause.com.au/marypause Buy Mary’s book All I Know here - https://www.maryandeffie.com/books/all-i-know Follow UnPause on IG here - https://www.instagram.com/unpauseposse Follow UnPause on TikTok here - https://www.tiktok.com/@unpauseposse Follow Mary (Effie) on IG here - https://www.instagram.com/effiegoodthanks/ Follow Nicola and Di on IG here - https://www.instagram.com/overthebackfencepodcast/ Watch Over The Back Fence on YouTube here - https://www.youtube.com/@Overthebackfencepodcast/podcastsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week Nicola and Di are back with an end-of-year Christmas episode of Over The Money Fence with Roger Montgomery. This series aims to help you take control of your finances with clarity and confidence. Roger is the Founder and Chairman of Montgomery Investment Management, has over 30 years’ investing experience and is a highly respected financial commentator featuring on various ABC programs, as well as his popular column in The Australian newspaper. He is also the author of best-selling investment guidebook Value.able. In this episode, we take a look at what really shaped investment markets in 2025 and what we should all think about as we head into 2026. We chat about the impact that Trump has had on the world of finance and what the main themes were from the year - the big one being artificial intelligence (AI), along with increased interest in Gold and Bitcoin.  Roger talks about the impact that AI technologies have had on the markets, and why he believes there isn’t enough money to provide a return on the amount of investment being funnelled into AI, so the bubble will either burst or gradually deflate over time.  We also wrap up the key takeaways from the 6 episodes of Over The Money Fence this year, answer some listener questions, and talk about what may be in store for investors in 2026.  As always, we loved having this conversation with Roger in the studio. We are so grateful to have found someone that makes us feel safe and relaxed to talk about our finances and empowers us with the tools to take control and feel more confident. We hope you enjoy this episode as much as we did and we can’t wait to welcome Roger back to Over The Money Fence in 2026. This episode is proudly supported by Montgomery Investment Management, trusted experts helping you build and protect your financial future. For further information, please contact David Buckland, Chief Executive Officer or Rhodri Taylor, Account Manager on (02) 8046 5000 or [email protected] Find out more about Montgomery Investment Management here - https://montinvest.com Find out more about Montgomery private credit funds here -    https://www.montinvest.com/privatecredit Learn more about Roger and read his articles here - https://rogermontgomery.com Buy Roger's book Value.able here - https://rogermontgomery.com/valueable-book/ Follow Roger on IG here - https://www.instagram.com/rogerjmontgomery/ Follow Roger’s YouTube channel here  - https://www.youtube.com/user/rogerjmontgomeryFollow Roger on X here - https://x.com/rjmontgomery Follow Roger on Facebook here - https://www.facebook.com/montgomeryroger/Follow Roger on LinkedIn here - https://www.linkedin.com/in/rogermontgomery/ Follow Nicola and Di on IG here - https://www.instagram.com/overthebackfencepodcast/ Follow Nicola and Di on YouTube here - https://www.youtube.com/@Overthebackfencepodcast/podcastsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week Nicola and Di chat with an internationally recognised expert on imposter syndrome, Alison Shamir. Alison is a former tech exec turned global speaker, coach and author. She has a clear, science-backed approach to help you recognise, understand and overcome imposter syndrome and we loved chatting through the tools in her book, Conquer Your Imposter, in this powerful episode.  We chat to Alison about what imposter syndrome really is, the differences between imposter syndrome, masking and self-doubt, and understanding why these things may show up in our lives. We learn how 70% of people are affected by imposter syndrome, so if this conversation resonates with you it’s because you’re certainly not alone! We also hear Alison’s personal story of what it was like to be a high-achieving tech executive in her 30s, being overwhelmed by imposter syndrome, having panic attacks and feeling like a fraud. Alison’s research into uncovering what was going on for her and why she was struggling, is what led to her fascination with imposter syndrome and giving people the tools they can use to overcome it and be able to realise their own worth and unlock their true potential.  We talk about the power of language and the words you say to yourself and we go through the simple 3-step process you can use to conquer your imposter - you’ll want to tune in for this!  We were blown away by Alison’s knowledge on this topic and the way she shared such practical tips for anyone who may be challenged by feelings of imposter syndrome or self-doubt. We hope you enjoy this episode as much as we did.  This episode is proudly supported by Montgomery Investment Management, trusted experts helping you build and protect your financial future. For further information, please contact David Buckland, Chief Executive Officer or Rhodri Taylor, Account Manager on (02) 8046 5000 or [email protected]   Follow Alison on IG here - https://www.instagram.com/alisonshamir/ Buy Alison’s book Conquer Your Imposter here - https://www.amazon.com.au/Conquer-Your-Imposter-undermines-potential/dp/1925452972/ Find out more about Alison’s work and coaching here - https://alisonshamir.com/ Follow Nicola and Di on IG here - https://www.instagram.com/overthebackfencepodcast/ Watch Over The Back Fence on YouTube here - https://www.youtube.com/@Overthebackfencepodcast/podcastsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week Nicola and Di chat with the warm and charming Nelson Aspen. Nelson is one of the most popular and well-known entertainment reporters, having spent three decades on morning television shows around the world, bringing the latest in entertainment, celebrity news and pop culture to millions of viewers. He has interviewed just about everyone in Hollywood, from Robin Williams to Merryl Streep, Lady Gaga, Tom Cruise, Brad Pitt, Joan Rivers and the list goes on and on. Nelson is also a talented cabaret performer and the author of 10 books, including his latest book Kindred Spirits: A Titanic Tale.  In this episode, we get to hear about some of the more memorable moments from Nelson’s career as a Hollywood reporter - including the stars who were rude and disrespectful, his favourite celebrities to interview, what it was like to interview Robin Williams, and why Nelson loves older stars in their 60s, 70s and beyond! We also hear the incredible story of how Nelson got his start on breakfast television - it involves teaching step aerobics to Princess Diana! We talk to Nelson about his funny obsession with Titanic, including his podcast, his latest book Kindred Spirits: A Titanic Tale, and a trip he took to Belfast to visit the Titanic museum, which has now turned into Nelson leading a tour of Ireland next year.  We also chat to Nelson about his cabaret career and he treats us to a little sing-a-long! We had so much fun chatting to Nelson and hearing all of his Hollywood stories. He’s so friendly and such an entertainer and we hope you love this episode as much as we did.  This episode is proudly supported by Montgomery Investment Management, trusted experts helping you build and protect your financial future. For further information, please contact David Buckland, Chief Executive Officer or Rhodri Taylor, Account Manager on (02) 8046 5000 or [email protected] Follow Nelson on IG here - https://www.instagram.com/nelsonaspen/ Buy Nelson’s book Kindred Spirits: A Titanic Tale here - http://www.nelsonaspen.com/KindredSpirits/ Travel with Nelson to Ireland in 2026! - http://nelsonaspen.com/TravelWithNelson/ Brekky with Nelson on line, Wed Feb 4.  9-10am Register here: https://events.teams.microsoft.com/event/dd394281-dc0d-489d-b25f-2f933fde48b9@d1a98fdf-2a28-4e76-892d-6aefaf259c79 Nelson's Steamy Semi-Autobiographical Series (Adults Only!) Dancing Between the Raindrops - http://nelsonaspen.com/dancingBetweenTheRaindrops/ Dancing Between the Raindrops: The Hollywood Years - http://nelsonaspen.com/DancingBetweenTheRainDrops-HollywoodYears Follow Nicola and Di on IG here - https://www.instagram.com/overthebackfencepodcast/ Watch Over The Back Fence on YouTube here - https://www.youtube.com/@Overthebackfencepodcast/podcastsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week Nicola and Di chat with the fearless trailblazer, Ita Buttrose. From Cleo to The Australian Women’s Weekly and beyond, Ita has shaped media, championed women, and inspired a nation. In her new memoir, Unapologetically Ita, she shares her incredible story. At just 23, Ita became editor of the Sunday Telegraph and The Daily Telegraph. At 30 years old, she launched Cleo magazine and at 33, Ita became the youngest ever editor of the Australian Women’s Weekly. In her extraordinary career, Ita has won countless awards, including Australian of the year In 2013, the highest national honour, Companion of the Order of Australia, along with AO, OBE, 3 honorary doctorates, a place in the Australian Media Hall of Fame, and an Outstanding Lifetime Achievement award for excellence in journalism. She served as Chair of the ABC and is also a passionate advocate for dementia awareness, brain health, HIV education and macular eye disease. Not only that, Ita is also a proud mum of 2 and grandma of 5. In this episode we get to hear some of the most extraordinary stories from Ita’s career. We go all the way back to when she got her start in journalism at just 15 and how she was determined to dream big and go after those dreams. We chat to Ita about what it was like to work alongside the biggest names in media - Sir Frank Packer, Kerry Packer and Rupert Murdoch - and what she learnt along the way.  We hear the incredible story of how Cleo magazine got started almost by accident, after the Packers lost the rights to Cosmopolitan magazine to their rivals. We talk about how Cleo broke so many boundaries, including the first nude centrefolds and Ita shares who her favourite centrefold was.  Ita talks about her time as Chair of the ABC which she found quite challenging and we also talk about the really important work she’s doing for dementia awareness, brain health and macular eye disease. We get to hear another side of Ita too when she opens up about how much she loves being a grandma.  Ita has some great life advice and tips for us all and she is truly a role model and inspiration. We were so honoured and thrilled to get to speak with Ita and we hope you love this episode as much as we did.  This episode is proudly supported by Montgomery Investment Management, trusted experts helping you build and protect your financial future. For further information, please contact David Buckland, Chief Executive Officer or Rhodri Taylor, Account Manager on (02) 8046 5000 or [email protected] Buy Ita’s book Unapologetically Ita here - https://www.simonandschuster.com.au/books/Unapologetically-Ita/Ita-Buttrose/9781761428739 Follow Nicola and Di on IG here - https://www.instagram.com/overthebackfencepodcast/ Watch Over The Back Fence on YouTube here - https://www.youtube.com/@Overthebackfencepodcast/podcastsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week Nicola and Di chat with the entertaining and genuine Ben Fordham. Ben is one of Australia’s most well-known media personalities, hosting the incredibly popular Breakfast Show for 2GB. Ben started working in radio when he was just 15, and he’s built an incredibly successful career over the past 30 years, with no signs of that stopping. In 1997, Ben became the youngest reporter in history to win a Walkley-Award double in the same year, for his coverage of the Thredbo landslide disaster and excellence in journalism. Ben’s also known for his work on TV, including for Sky News, the Today Show, A Current Affair and Nine News. When he’s not working, Ben is a huge family man, married to his beautiful wife Jodie and proud father of their 3 kids, Freddy, Pearl and Goldie. In this episode Ben tells us so many great stories from his career and family life. We hear how Ben started in the industry as a work experience kid, and always found great mentors to help him in his career. This is one of the reasons why Ben loves doing the same for young people entering the industry - he talks about some of the amazing people who’ve started as work experience kids for him, including Nicola’s daughter, Gabriella, and the way he continues to mentor them and loves seeing them succeed.  We find out about the time when Ben was the most nervous interviewing someone, and the bombshell that he dropped in that interview, not knowing how his guest was going to react. He also shares the behind-the-scenes details of one of the most difficult stories he’s ever had to cover. Ben opens up about his family life, the incredibly close relationships he has with his mum and siblings, and the fact that not once, but twice, his family members shared a back fence. And you’ll need to stay tuned to hear the advice Ben gave to his son Freddy about dealing with a school bully - it’s gold!  We also hear all about Ben’s relationship with the late John Laws, some of the funny lunches they shared in recent years as well as Lawsie’s last words to Ben.  As Nicola says in this episode, Ben is one of the greatest storytellers around, and this chat was so much fun - Ben kept us entertained and enthralled the entire time! We hope you love it as much as we did.  This episode is proudly supported by Montgomery Investment Management, trusted experts helping you build and protect your financial future. For further information, please contact David Buckland, Chief Executive Officer or Rhodri Taylor, Account Manager on (02) 8046 5000 or [email protected] Follow Ben on IG here - https://www.instagram.com/benfordham9/ Listen to the Ben Fordham Live podcast here - https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/ben-fordham-live-on-2gb-breakfast/id157670116 Follow Nicola and Di on IG here - https://www.instagram.com/overthebackfencepodcast/ Watch Over The Back Fence on YouTube here - https://www.youtube.com/@Overthebackfencepodcast/podcastsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week Nicola and Di chat with the passionate and inspiring Sarah Rusbatch. Sarah is the best-selling author of Beyond Booze, an award-winning health and wellness coach, and an accredited grey area drinking coach. Through her programs, Sarah helps women in midlife to live with more confidence, energy and purpose. Since quitting booze in 2019, Sarah has coached more than 10,000 women, hosting sober parties and showing that life can be healthier and lots of fun.  In this conversation, we chat to Sarah about the moment that made her realise that it was time to go from ‘Party Girl’ Sarah, always with a drink in her hand, to giving up alcohol completely. Sarah shares how even though she was never an alcoholic, it came to a point where she realised alcohol and drinking had become her go-to way to spend her free time and she was noticing the negative effects it was having on her life.  Sarah explains what grey area drinking means and talks about why it’s important not to associate drinking alcohol with stress relief. Stay tuned for some great tips for what you can do in those moments when it’s 5pm and you might be craving a drink.   We also talk about the specific challenges for women when it comes to alcohol, and what can happen during menopause if you have a habit of drinking regularly. The good news is, Sarah shares all the positive things that she’s experienced since quitting booze in 2019, the way she feels like she’s aging backwards, the hobbies she’s rediscovered and the new sense of energy and vitality she has.  This is such a good episode to learn more about alcohol and to bring awareness to your own relationship with drinking. This isn’t about telling anyone to stop drinking, we love a glass of champers, it’s about being more informed so we can make empowered choices that help us to live our best lives.  We loved chatting with Sarah and we hope you enjoy this episode as much as we did.  This episode is proudly supported by Montgomery Investment Management, trusted experts helping you build and protect your financial future. For further information, please contact David Buckland, Chief Executive Officer or Rhodri Taylor, Account Manager on (02) 8046 5000 or [email protected] Follow Sarah on IG here - https://www.instagram.com/sarahrusbatch/ Find out more about Sarah’s work here - https://sarahrusbatch.com/ Buy Sarah’s book Beyond Booze here - https://sarahrusbatch.com/beyond-booze Join the Womens Wellbeing Collective Facebook group here - https://www.facebook.com/groups/342319476897067/ Special Offer: Free linen Laguna towel (valued at $149) with code OTBF on all purchases - https://coastnewzealand.com/discount/OTBF Follow Coast New Zealand on IG here - https://www.instagram.com/coastnewzealand/ Follow Nicola and Di on IG here - https://www.instagram.com/overthebackfencepodcast/ Watch Over The Back Fence on YouTube here - https://www.youtube.com/@Overthebackfencepodcast/podcastsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week Nicola and Di chat with Australia’s golden girl of swimming Lisa Curry AO. Lisa is a triple Olympian and Commonwealth Games champion. She’s been a household name for decades, appearing on everything from Uncle Toby’s health bars, to her own Hot Curry swimwear line. Lisa has lived a very full life already - raising her beautiful family, achieving incredible sporting and business success, and navigating both the highs and heartbreaking lows of losing her daughter Jaimi. She’s written a moving memoir, where she shares her story Lisa - Life, Love & Loss. As if that wasn’t enough, Lisa also supports the health and wellbeing of millions of women through her company and community Happy Healthy You. In this episode we chat to Lisa about what it was like to be a triple Olympian and Commonwealth Games champion, and how it felt to stand on that podium. Lisa talks about the deep respect she has for her coaches and the way the things she learnt in her swimming career and the strategies she used back then to become successful are still tools she uses today.  We also talk about her marriage to Grant Kenny and what it was like to suddenly become Australia’s golden couple, with so much media attention, and how difficult it was years later when they separated and went through a divorce in the public eye.  Lisa shares very openly and honestly about the devastating loss of her daughter Jaimi. She talks about Jaimi’s tragic battle with an eating disorder and alcohol addiction that would eventually take her life. We talk about the grieving process and what Lisa does these days to calm her mind when things feel overwhelming.  We also get to hear about the positive things in her life at the moment, including her beautiful love story with her husband Mark and the work she does for women’s wellbeing through her company Happy Healthy You. This was such an incredibly honest and moving conversation with Lisa and it felt like we were having a cup of coffee and a chat over the back fence with a girlfriend. We hope you love it as much as we did.  This episode is proudly supported by Montgomery Investment Management, trusted experts helping you build and protect your financial future. For further information, please contact David Buckland, Chief Executive Officer or Rhodri Taylor, Account Manager on (02) 8046 5000 or [email protected]   Follow Lisa on IG here - https://www.instagram.com/lisacurry/ Take the Happy Healthy You assessment here - https://happyhealthyyou.com.au/pages/assessment Join the Happy Healthy You Facebook group here - https://www.facebook.com/groups/happyhormones/ Follow Happy Healthy You on IG here - https://www.instagram.com/hhyhappyhealthyyou/ Buy Lisa’s memoir 60 years of life, love & loss here - https://www.amazon.com.au/Lisa-memoir-years-life-love/dp/1460761405 Special Offer: Free linen Laguna towel (valued at $149) with code OTBF on all purchases - https://coastnewzealand.com/discount/OTBF Follow Coast New Zealand on IG here - https://www.instagram.com/coastnewzealand/ Follow Nicola and Di on IG here - https://www.instagram.com/overthebackfencepodcast/ Watch Over The Back Fence on YouTube here - https://www.youtube.com/@Overthebackfencepodcast/podcastsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week Nicola and Di chat with the energetic and inspiring Amelia Phillips. Amelia has spent more than 2 decades helping Australians live healthier, more balanced lives. Amelia is a nutritionist, exercise scientist, TV presenter, entrepreneur and health advocate who has guided over half a million women toward better health. From owning her own gym when she was just 24, to co-founding the Michelle Bridges 12 Week Body Transformation and being named one of BRW’s top 50 places to work, Amelia has seen every side of the health industry - the good, the hype and the hard earned truth. These days she’s focused on helping women in midlife cut through the noise from the so-called longevity hacks.  In this episode we get to hear Amelia’s story of when her fascination with the human body, nutrition and exercise started, which was all the way back in year 3. Amelia shares the challenges she had in her teenage years, struggling to fit in, which led to an eating disorder as she tried to be as thin as she could.  A story that unfortunately, many women can relate to. Amelia gives us some great tips on everything women in midlife need to know to be healthier, have more energy and feel their best. We talk about the 4 different types of exercise that are important to incorporate into your routine, the 3 best supplements you can take to supercharge your health as well as the particular diet that’s the best for longevity.  We also talk about sugar addiction, Amelia’s personal struggle with this, and her best tips for how you can get a sugar addiction under control so that it doesn’t have a hold over you.  This was an episode packed full of super practical tips for anyone that wants to feel healthier and more energised. Amelia is so passionate about supporting women with their health and we loved chatting to her in the studio. We hope you enjoy it as much as we did.  This episode is proudly supported by Montgomery Investment Management, trusted experts helping you build and protect your financial future. For further information, please contact David Buckland, Chief Executive Officer or Rhodri Taylor, Account Manager on (02) 8046 5000 or [email protected] Follow Amelia on IG here - https://www.instagram.com/_amelia_phillips/ Find out more about Amelia and her work here - https://www.ameliaphillips.com.au/ Listen to Amelia’s podcast Healthy Her here - https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/healthy-her/id1477160157 Follow Coast New Zealand on IG here - https://www.instagram.com/coastnewzealand/ Find out more about Coast New Zealand’s Products and enjoy $50 off here - coastnewzealand.com Follow Nicola and Di on IG here - https://www.instagram.com/overthebackfencepodcast/ Watch Over The Back Fence on YouTube here - https://www.youtube.com/@Overthebackfencepodcast/podcastsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.