A Country Podcast

21/11/2023

Everybody say “Awwwwww” for Grant Dodwell and his lovely mum, featured in the New Idea, May 12 1984 😍

14/11/2023

A tribute to the creator of A Country Practice (and many other Australian TV shows), James Davern OAM, with audio from A Country Podcast.

14/11/2023

Incredibly sad news today that the creator of A Country Practice, James Davern, has died.

We'll share more tributes as they come to hand, but we send our love to his wife Philippa Davern and their family.

Many, many times on the podcast we heard about what a happy, nourishing place ACP was - and how that came right from the top - from Jim.

What a huge contribution he made to so many lives.

These pictures were taken only a few months ago at Jim's home, where he was generously welcoming with coffee and chocolate biscuits, and full of the most incredible positive energy, sharing stories about ACP.

Love, Team A Country Podcast

17/10/2023

Hey friends - happy news! We're back on iTunes.

‎Society & Culture · 2022

14/08/2023

A COUNTRY PALS!

GUESS WHO'S IN A PLAY TOGETHER NEXT YEAR AT Ensemble Theatre SYDNEY?!

Georgie Parker and Kate Raison!

https://www.ensemble.com.au/shows/the-great-divide/

M x

ps. I also have a new play on, but I'll tell you about it another time when I get over the excitement of Georgie and Kate being in a play together xx

25/07/2023

Mates. Melanie here. I went to a fab play a few days ago at THE NEW THEATRE in Newtown - 'Off the Record' by Chris Aronsten.

If you're in Sydney, check it out. I don't want to give too much away, but it was a finely crafted play about some pretty current and perrennial issues.

I got talking to Chris before the show - he's a big fan of ACP and guess who he met once in the very lobby we were talking in?!

Wasn't she a stunner?!

12/07/2023

⭐️⭐️ CHECK THIS OUT PODPALS! ⭐️⭐️

Our very own Mel has written a play that’s been turned into a MOVIE! You can watch it on Channel 10 or Stream it on Paramount+!

Hooray for Mel!

05/07/2023

A Country Pals,

I spent this morning with JNP (James and Philippa Davern). Jim, of course, is the creator of A COUNTRY PRACTICE. What an absolute delight/honour/all the things.

1. Jim and I
2. Jim and Philippa
3. Jim holds an award from the UN for the Bon Hawke eps
4. The '3rd place' award that started it all!

I also had the most wonderful chat yesterday with Forrest Redlich which I stupidly forgot to get a photo of.

The more I learn about this beautiful show we all love, the more I'm sure it was our golden age of television - for audiences and the people who made it.

Am cooking up something I hope you'll love, that I'll be able to let you know about... in about a year.

Much love -

Melanie xx

24/06/2023

Hey A Country Pals!

Wow, I sure have something special to share. I've spent the last few days in Melbourne, visiting with Australia's most beloved 'serial killer'.

1. The actual desk where Molly met her end. Way back in 1985, when the desk lived in Mallacoota, a writer sat at it crying while she typed up Molly's last moments.

2. Judith Colquhoun, the ACP writer whose beautiful words sent off Molly, Sophie, Alex's baby (to name but three) into the next realm. Jude is an absolute legend of TV, as you all know - she wrote hundreds of eps of Australia's most loved shows - including ACP, Bellbird, Blue Heelers, Neighbours, Home and Away, Flying Doctors, Something in the Air and many more. She was a founding member of the AWG and has 5 AWGIES (or maybe 6?!). The bozo in the rainbow jumper is me.

Melanie xx

04/06/2023

In a turn of events that would make Esme glow with pride, my little crocheted portrait of our favourite Wandin Valley busybody is hanging in the Pine Rivers Gallery as one of the finalists in the Moreton Bay Region Art Prize for 2023!

If you happen to live around the north of Brisbane, the exhibition runs til the 19th of August, so feel free to drop in and visit Esme (and maybe cast a vote for the People’s Choice award!).

More details here:
https://www.moretonbay.qld.gov.au/Galleries-Museums/Events/PRAG/Moreton-Bay-Region-Art-Prize-2023

20/05/2023

❤️

11/05/2023

Hey Podpals! It’s International Nurses Day! So, maybe go thank a real nurse!

03/05/2023

The lads from Talking Prisoner recently interviewed Shane Withington and discussed all aspects of Shane’s career. Have a look at the post below!

Welcome to Episode 7 of Talking Prisoner Presents, where hosts Ken Mulholland and Matt Batten had an engaging conversation with the legendary Australian TV a...

30/03/2023

Um, try again sweetie - WE are Grant Dodwell’s biggest fans! ❤️

This is without question, the BEST fan letter I’ve yet seen in my perusal of old TV magazines. Love ya work Jodie from Carina Heights!

And also, if Nikki Twomey is out there, can Kim and I join your ACP fan club??

14/03/2023

Alright Podpals, ‘fess up: who had this hunk o’ s***k adorning their school books back in the day?

27/02/2023

Podpals.

I can’t stop laughing.

I just asked Chat GTP to write a scene from A Country Practice set in the hospital. This epic opener is what it came up with. Enjoy!

PS: I think the Judith Colquhouns, Forrest Redlichs and John Hanlons of the world are safe for a bit longer 🤣😂🤣

…

Fade in:

INT: WANDIN VALLEY HOSPITAL - DAY

We see VICKI DEVLIN, the town vet, and DR. HARRY MORRISON, the local GP, in the hospital examining room. VICKI is holding a syringe while DR. HARRY is looking at a clipboard.

DR. HARRY: So what have we got here?

VICKI: (smiling) It’s Doris the pig. She’s got a bit of a cough and I thought I’d bring her in for a check-up.

DR. HARRY looks surprised but amused.

DR. HARRY: (chuckling) I never thought I’d be treating a pig in the hospital.

VICKI: (laughing) Well, you never know what you’re going to get in this job.

DR. HARRY nods, still chuckling. VICKI approaches Doris and gently strokes her back.

VICKI: (to Doris) Alright sweetie, let’s get you checked out.

VICKI proceeds to administer the syringe to Doris, who oinks contentedly.

DR. HARRY: (smiling) I don’t think I’ve ever seen a happier pig.

VICKI: (grinning) That’s Doris for you. She’s the town’s beloved mascot.

….

TO BE CONTINUED, just as soon as I can get CHATGTP to write the next bit 🐷

13/02/2023

Happy Palentine’s, Podpals! 💐 We love you!

03/02/2023

HEY LOOK EVERYONE, ISN’T THAT EX-BIG-POTATO-HEIRESS MELANIE TAIT ON THE TELLY??

Here’s Mel looking fabulous on Studio Ten discussing her new play, A Broadcast Coup, which is now showing!

Thanks to Bree for the tip-off 🙂

19/01/2023

Anyone heading to Flickerfest this weekend? If you are, don’t miss the incomparable Wendy Strehlow in Wonder Down Under ❤️

Check out the link below for details or visit on Insta!

06/01/2023

She is strong, she is invincible, she is woman!

Joan Sydney, you are adored by the Pod - thank you for bringing us Matron Maggie Sloan ❤️

To honour the fabulousness of Joan, we've put together a few clips from the Pod featuring some of Joan's colleagues talking about how she touched their lives, spliced with some of Maggie's finest moments from ACP.

30/12/2022

Simply Maggie-nificent 🤩

18/12/2022

Esme Watson, Wandin Valley's star and angel, is the perfect festive decoration, don't you think?

This card is our gift to you Podpals - feel free to save, print, or share.

10/12/2022

Hiya Podpals!

It’s been two years to the day since the finale of our first ever season of the Podcast, wherein we got to hear the comforting bass of Australia’s most trusted GP for the first time in a long time…

Listen again and enjoy here:

Since the beginning of A Country Podcast, there's been one guest who's been the star of each episode, like he was the star of each episode of A Country Practice: Shane Porteous. Dr Terence Elliot was the nucleus of the ACP world, and today Shane Porteous joins Mel and Kim to talk about his time on t...

29/11/2022

Following on from Melanie’s star encounter yesterday, I feel we should all take the legendary Grant Dodwell’s advice from a 1983 TV Week article, entitled “TV’s Super Hunks”, on board.

28/11/2022

Hey A Country Pals,

I was in the Australian Theatre Live Office today talking with this lovely bloke (and his completely lovely team!) you might all recognise!

Love Melanie xx

22/11/2022

Morning A Country Pals,

My sister is off to be an extra today for a movie*... in several scenes set in a doctor's waiting room.

I told her to take it very seriously as someone we know and love started out as an extra in a waiting room we know and love and became a star on the show we know and love!

😂😂😂😂

Melanie xx

*my movie, but shhhhhh it's still a secret but I thought you'd enjoy this so much

17/11/2022

Schedule in a Gemfish Cleopatra in commemoration, Podpals!

On This Day in 1981 the highly successful series A Country Practice debuted on Seven.

07/11/2022

A country pals!

Can anyone identify this gorgeous guestie actor from Season 9?

I'm at a party hearing about how wonderful Joan Sydney was.

Melanie xx

07/11/2022

Well what else would you expect me to do with nine fabbo screen caps?

These are all from a 1984 Channel 7 network promo. You can see the whole thing here: https://youtu.be/-Xk5vkly4sQ

Enjoy!

04/11/2022

It’s Blow Your Own Trumpet Friday 🎺 which is hugely coincidental because I have something to barp-barp-barrrrp about!

My crocheted A Country Practice dolls got a feature in the current issue of Yarnologie Magazine 🎉🎉🎉