Expanse
ABC listen
In 1999 a young American dumped his bicycle and walked out into the Great Sandy Desert in remote northern Australia. He was an Alaskan firefighter, seemingly with everything to live for. So why did he risk it all to go into the wilderness alone? And how do you search for someone who doesn't want to be found?
In 2022, host Erin Parke became obsessed with the saga of Robert Bogucki, which became a media circus and prompted everyone involved to think about life, death and who we are when everything easy is stripped away. It's a story that spans three decades, two continents and a bizarre cast of characters. From booty-wearing bloodhounds, to a larger-than-life, cigar-chomping American named Gunslinger, the search for the missing man became a spectacle in itself.
In season 5, Expanse: Nowhere Man, Erin sets out to discover why some people are pushed to lose themselves in the wilderness on a search for meaning. At a time when so many of us feel lost, just how far would you go to feel found?
New episodes released each Wednesday.
Expanse is an internationally award-winning podcast that explores big stories from across Australia — a vast continent where anything can happen.
In Series 4: Uncropped, host Danielle O'Neal goes from a mosquito-laden lagoon in far north Queensland to the Australian government's classified UFO files, to the US Congress as she seeks to understand what happened, its legacy and why believable people say seemingly unbelievable things.
Spies in the Outback (Series 3) won the Excellence in Radio Broadcasting award at the Northern Territory Media Awards in 2024 for the story of Pine Gap, a secret US/Australian defence base hidden in the outback.
From the Dead (Series 2) won silver in the Documentary: History category at the New York Radio Festival awards. It delves into a wild tale of survival at sea off Tasmania's rugged southwest coast.
Pink Diamond Heist (Series 1) was shortlisted in the New York Radio Awards, Documentary: History category. This season takes you on a rollicking ride through Western Australia on the trail of a diamond heist.
In 2022, host Erin Parke became obsessed with the saga of Robert Bogucki, which became a media circus and prompted everyone involved to think about life, death and who we are when everything easy is stripped away. It's a story that spans three decades, two continents and a bizarre cast of characters. From booty-wearing bloodhounds, to a larger-than-life, cigar-chomping American named Gunslinger, the search for the missing man became a spectacle in itself.
In season 5, Expanse: Nowhere Man, Erin sets out to discover why some people are pushed to lose themselves in the wilderness on a search for meaning. At a time when so many of us feel lost, just how far would you go to feel found?
New episodes released each Wednesday.
Expanse is an internationally award-winning podcast that explores big stories from across Australia — a vast continent where anything can happen.
In Series 4: Uncropped, host Danielle O'Neal goes from a mosquito-laden lagoon in far north Queensland to the Australian government's classified UFO files, to the US Congress as she seeks to understand what happened, its legacy and why believable people say seemingly unbelievable things.
Spies in the Outback (Series 3) won the Excellence in Radio Broadcasting award at the Northern Territory Media Awards in 2024 for the story of Pine Gap, a secret US/Australian defence base hidden in the outback.
From the Dead (Series 2) won silver in the Documentary: History category at the New York Radio Festival awards. It delves into a wild tale of survival at sea off Tasmania's rugged southwest coast.
Pink Diamond Heist (Series 1) was shortlisted in the New York Radio Awards, Documentary: History category. This season takes you on a rollicking ride through Western Australia on the trail of a diamond heist.
Episodes
Mentioned books
Nov 14, 2023 • 44min
05 From the Dead | Back From The Dead
Three of the remaining crewmen set off on a do-or die mission to find help, and fate steps in.In this final episode of From the Dead, the impacts of the disaster are felt long after the event.
Nov 7, 2023 • 27min
04 From the Dead | Missing: Presumed Dead
The search is called off and the men are declared dead, leaving loved ones reeling.But on the raft, the men have one final hope for salvation.In this episode time runs out for the men, as they have a make-or-break opportunity.
Oct 31, 2023 • 32min
03 From the Dead | The Search
When the Blythe Star fails to turn up at port as scheduled, the authorities are left scratching their heads.Meanwhile, the families of the crew reel at the news the ship is missing.In this episode, bungles, bickering and birthday cards create mayhem on land.
Oct 24, 2023 • 32min
02 From the Dead | Lost at Sea
When the Blythe Star fails to turn up at port as scheduled, the authorities are left scratching their heads. Meanwhile, the families of the crew reel at the news the ship is missing. In this episode, bungles, bickering and birthday cards create mayhem on land.
Oct 17, 2023 • 28min
01 From the Dead | The Blythe Star
As 18-year-old Mick Doleman farewelled young love to set sail on the Blythe Star, he could never have seen what was coming. Just 14 hours into their journey, Mick’s life – along with those of his rag tag crew of shipmates – would change forever as they scrambled to save themselves from a sinking ship. In this episode of From the Dead, host Piia Wirsu discovers the uneasy signs that all was not right when the Blythe Star set sail.
Oct 10, 2023 • 4min
INTRODUCING – Expanse S2: From the Dead
When a ship called the Blythe Star disappeared without a trace in 1973, it kicked off the largest sea and air search Australia had ever seen. Ten men were left clinging to life in an emergency raft, at the mercy of the wind and currents. In the days to come they were pushed to the extremes of endurance.
Aug 22, 2022 • 31min
05 Pink Diamond Heist | Roddan's Diamonds
Imagine finding a diamond in your roof? Unexplained diamonds have turned up in odd places, but the tech has come a long way since our heist and scientists can now figure out where they come from. Diamonds are the ultimate stealth wealth but tracing is making it tougher for thieves. Our Argyle diamonds went on a wild ride but in the end, some were recovered. Why have they reappeared all these years later and where is the rest of the multi-million dollar haul?
Aug 15, 2022 • 39min
04 Pink Diamond Heist | How to Catch a Thief
Our less than smooth criminals managed to out-fox and outlast their police pursuers for about four years, helped by suspect dealings. How did they manage it? Was it in fact the ultimate inside job? This time we dive deep into the bent security guard, the mouthy crook and the dodgy coppers as numerous investigations try to put a full stop to this crime. From the remote Argyle mine to the ateliers of Europe, this heist required brains, bluster and bravado to pull it off.
Aug 8, 2022 • 33min
03 Pink Diamond Heist | Lynette
What would you do if you found your husband washing diamonds in the sink? For the woman at the centre of our story this was a life changing moment. How did Lynette go from lipstick sales to diamond courier?
Aug 1, 2022 • 30min
02 Pink Diamond Heist | A Heist is Born
How do you pull off the perfect heist? Would you believe there's actually a recipe for it? While some heists are of Mission Impossible proportions, our caper is a little more domestic. Less motion sensors, infrared beams and seismic instruments; more shampoo bottles, kitchen sieves and lipstick. But what it lacked in high tech it made up for in sheer daring. So what goes into the anatomy of a heist and how did ours get started?
