Emily Bissland

3 weeks ago | abc.net.au | Emily Bissland |Jeremy Lee

London plane trees provide shade and colour in many Australian urban centres, but they have come under fire in recent years due to potential health impacts and the damage their roots can cause to infrastructure. The south-west Victorian town of Hamilton, which has a population of 10,000, is deciding whether to keep its 100 or so plane trees and deal with the impact or use an upcoming CBD makeover to remove them and endure the loss of shade until replacements can grow.

2 months ago | abc.net.au | Emily Bissland

Sea sponges are ancient animals that filter ocean water. Researchers are creating sponge nurseries to revitalise Apollo Marine Park. Scientists hope the technique will be employed to offset damage caused by the construction of offshore wind farms and oil and gas extraction. In the dark of the deep ocean floor, where sunlight seldom reaches, sponge gardens flourish in spectacular colours and formations.

Jan 22, 2025 | abc.net.au | Emily Bissland

On a sunny day in Victoria's far west, 96-year-old Joy Davis stands on the edge of Portland's public pool ready for her daily swim. Without warning, she cries, "Ready? Go!" then leaps into the cold water feet first, sinks to the bottom of the shallow end and bobs back up wearing a swashbuckling smile. This is how Joy begins her swim every day of the working week. "I don't swim on weekends, those are for family," she said.

Dec 12, 2024 | abc.net.au | Emily Bissland

Friday is market day at the Colac Salvos. People stream out of the town's community centre in south-west Victoria laden with shopping bags full of free groceries that will feed their families for a week. Between 2,000 and 3,000 kilograms of groceries go out each Friday — enough food and essentials to sustain about 100 households. On the nature strip outside, Michael Tiller feeds his tiny dog, Cody, and chats to people as they leave.

Nov 8, 2024 | abc.net.au | Emily Bissland

Every morning, Elisha and Matt Nettleton leave their small country town to tackle a massive plastic problem that for decades has been buried deep underground. On the edge of country towns right around Australia about 100,000 tonnes, equal to 100 million kilograms, of agricultural plastic is buried in landfill every year. It's the waste most of us never see and wouldn't know of: silage wrap, baling twine and grain tarps that could cover half a football field.