If These Trees Could Talk
With a deep-rooted passion for the forest, Shannon emotionally and hilariously guides listeners on a captivating exploration of the past, uncovering the forgotten narratives and hidden treasures buried beneath the earth’s surface. Shannon ventures into the realms of adventure, history, crime and unexplained phenomena. She pays homage to the wisdom of the land and its original custodians, honoring their deep connection to the earth and the timeless stories etched into its soil. Listen closely, for amidst the rustling leaves and whispering winds, the secrets of the past are waiting to be revealed. Welcome to ”If These Trees Could Talk.”
Episodes
4 days ago
The Bubonic Plague Hits Sydney
4 days ago
4 days ago
In this episode, we uncover the forgotten stories of the first plague victims, the struggles of Sydney’s working poor, and the city’s sluggish response to a looming health crisis. As we look back, we ask: what has really changed? From 1900 to 2019, from the Black Death to COVID—have we learned from history, or are we doomed to repeat it?
Sunday Mar 16, 2025
Q Station
Sunday Mar 16, 2025
Sunday Mar 16, 2025
For over 150 years, Manly’s Q Station served as a quarantine site for those arriving in Australia, isolating the sick to prevent deadly diseases from spreading. Thousands of people passed through its doors, many never leaving, their final moments spent in its eerie hospital wards and secluded burial sites. Today, its historic sandstone buildings and abandoned corridors stand as a chilling reminder of its haunted past, with countless stories of ghostly encounters and unexplained phenomena.
We experienced this history firsthand on a ghost tour, walking through the shadowy hallways and dimly lit rooms where spirits are said to linger. From strange whispers in the darkness to sudden drops in temperature, the atmosphere was thick with an unsettling energy. Whether it was our imagination or something truly otherworldly, one thing was certain—Q Station’s past is far from silent.
Sunday Mar 02, 2025
Eugenia Falleni - Part 2
Sunday Mar 02, 2025
Sunday Mar 02, 2025
In 1917, Harry was convicted of murdering his first wife, Annie Birkett. The case was sensationalised, his gender identity exploited for scandal, and public discourse was shaped not by justice, but by shock and misunderstanding. At a time when even the most basic conversations about gender were unheard of, Eugene’s life was a painful testament to the cost of forced secrecy.
But as we examine his life and the events that led to that fateful moment, we must ask, how much of this tragedy was shaped by the world around him?
In a society where he could have lived openly, without fear, without persecution, would things have taken a different path? Would his life, and Annie’s, have reached a different ending?
Sunday Feb 16, 2025
Eugenia Falleni - Part 1
Sunday Feb 16, 2025
Sunday Feb 16, 2025
History often remembers its outlaws, its murderers, and its tragic figures, but it rarely asks - what could have been different? In this episode, we step back over a century to tell the story of Eugenia Falleni, who lived a life defined by secrecy, survival, and society’s rigid boundaries. Born in Italy in 1875 and later making his way to Australia, Eugenia lived as Harry Leo Crawford, a transgender man navigating a world that had no language, no acceptance, and no space for the truth of his identity.
Sunday Feb 02, 2025
The Button Man
Sunday Feb 02, 2025
Sunday Feb 02, 2025
For years stories have circulated about a mysterious man who roams Victoria's High Country known only as The Button Man. In this episode we ponder is he actually the Australian version of the Boogie Man as he has often been depicted, with people trying to connect him to the many disapearences in the remote region or is he just a man who we should all really look up to.
Sunday Jan 19, 2025
The Brutal Murder of Nigel McAree - A Family Seeks Justice
Sunday Jan 19, 2025
Sunday Jan 19, 2025
In 1975, Nigel McAree was shot in the back of the head and then decapitated at Governor Game Lookout in Sydney's Royal National Park. In this powerful episode, we speak with Nigel's niece Narelle Spencer about the enduring pain of her family's loss and their unwavering hope for answers.
Sunday Dec 22, 2024
J Ward
Sunday Dec 22, 2024
Sunday Dec 22, 2024
In this episode we head to Ararat and take a look inside J Ward which began it's life as the Ararat County Gaol and later became apart of the Aradale Lunatic Asylum and was used to house the Criminally Insane.
Sunday Dec 08, 2024
The Yowie: Fact or Fiction
Sunday Dec 08, 2024
Sunday Dec 08, 2024
In this episode we chat with River Morris. River, a proud Wiradjuri man, shared with us some of his personal knowledge and experiences with The Hairy Man.
Sunday Nov 24, 2024
Aireys Inlet
Sunday Nov 24, 2024
Sunday Nov 24, 2024
In this week's episode, we head along the Great Ocean Road to Aireys Inlet for a trip down memory lane. It's our first time back in the studio for a few weeks, so there is a little unhinged madness as we catch up, as well as ‘more than a couple’ of side quests as we revisit some of our childhood obsessions, explore Split Point Lighthouse, and take a peek into the life of convict William Buckley and how his dash to freedom left a marked impression on all of us without us even knowing it. For more information on today's topics, links, photographs, and more, head over to the show notes section on the website: www.ifthesetreescouldtalk.com.au.
Sunday Nov 10, 2024
Anne Hamilton-Byrne and The Family - Part 2
Sunday Nov 10, 2024
Sunday Nov 10, 2024
This episode is the second part of the story about The Family. We learn about the incredible survivors and cycle breakers of the Australian cult, ran by Anne-Hamilton Byrne.