Legendary actor Jack Thompson was 48 hours away from death when his kidneys failed, forcing him into a lifetime of dialysis treatment. A purple truck from the desert kept him alive to film his most important role yet.

A disillusioned young outback doctor experiences a series of traumatic events that lead to the most positive and unexpected of outcomes.

Survivors of the morning sickness drug Thalidomide take their fight for justice to Canberra's Parliament House in a last-ditch battle for recognition, compensation and an apology.

Remember the life of legendary broadcaster Mike Willesee who died of throat cancer in March 2019. Mike's career spanned five decades, shaping current affairs in Australia and was known as the best interviewer in the business.

Follow the triumphant story of Bhutanese conjoined twins Nima and Dawa after the ground-breaking Australian operation to separate them. With exclusive vision and interviews as they return to their remote Himalayan home.

Writer and comedian Rosie Waterland has made a successful career out of seeing the funny side of her traumatic childhood. The darker things get in Rosie's life, the funnier she becomes.

The extraordinary story of Behrouz Boochani, the stateless refugee who won Australia's richest literary award while living on Manus Island, but remains unable to set foot in this country.

The Seekers blazed a trail for Australian music during the 1960's. In a television first, all four members come together to reminisce about their ride to the top and reveal the pain behind their famous break-up.

In an intimate portrait movie directors Jocelyn Moorhouse and PJ Hogan speak candidly about the challenges, heartbreak and unexpected joys of raising two severely autistic children and the sacrifices they have willingly made.

How far would you push yourself for a cause you believe in? Mina Guli attempted 100 marathons in 100 days, showing the extent someone will push their body to raise awareness to the global water crisis and create change.

When 21-year-old Menindee farmer Kate McBride found thousands of dying fish in the Darling River she was determined to tell what was happening and become a fierce advocate, testing the water and documenting locals' concerns.

Vocal gymnast Kate Miller-Heidke opens up to Australian Story about the private pain behind the very personal song 'Zero Gravity', which she will perform at the Eurovision semi-finals in Tel Aviv on Wednesday 15 May.

Australian Story celebrates the extraordinary life of former PM Bob Hawke, who died aged 89. Featuring rare photos from the family's private collection and revealing interviews with Hawke and those who knew and loved him.

The victim of a miscarriage of justice, Andrew Mallard spent 12 years in jail for murder. His conviction was quashed after uncovering a trail of deception and police misconduct, but his life ended in a cruel twist of fate.

The history-making fall and rise of Debbie Kilroy, from high security prisoner to high profile lawyer and her freedom fight that's taking a new and novel direction.

When Malaysian airlines flight MH17 was shot down over the Ukraine, the loss of Perth children Mo, Evie, Otis and granddad Nick touched the nation. For the first time, their parents reveal how they rebuilt their world.

Australian Story returns with a two-part exclusive program on the shocking story of Yoshe Taylor - a Queensland mother duped into smuggling drugs for an international syndicate.

Part 2 of Yoshe Taylor's incredible fight for justice as she speaks out for the first time since being released from a Cambodian prison to warn others of the scam that's turning innocent people into unsuspecting drug mules.

We look at the life of Former Deputy PM Tim Fischer, who inspired deep affection from the public and across the political divide. Just weeks before he died, his family invited us to his last public engagement in his hometown.

The Choir of Hard Knocks took homeless people and turned them into a choir. Charismatic choirmaster Jonathon Welch guided them through thick and thin, but after a decade he's moving on, to concentrate on his foster children.

When ABC broadcaster Jill Emberson was told she had ovarian cancer, she opted to go public and go loud. Fighting the deadliest of all women's cancers, Jill decided to advocate for more awareness and funding.

As Paul Hogan prepares to celebrate his 80th birthday next month, he sits down with Australian Story for a look back over his remarkable life and career.

After the success of Crocodile Dundee, Paul Hogan had the world at his feet. But when he left his wife of 30 years for co-star Linda Kozlowski the media turned. Candid insights from Paul, his family, friends and colleagues.

Emma and Richard Austin endured ten years of gruelling fertility treatment in their quest for a baby. But a surprise offer came from a couple facing the dilemma of managing their leftover embryos. The gift became baby Henry.

Brothel madam Shirley Finn was shot through the head on a Perth golf course in 1975. After her daughter's 10-year battle to discover who killed her mother, an inquest hears fresh allegations of possible police involvement.

More than 70 years after an unidentified body was found on an Adelaide beach, a solution may be in sight to the long running mystery of the Somerton Man. Will modern DNA testing finally give him a name and unearth the truth?

Released on parole after 12 years incarcerated in Bulgaria for murder, Jock Palfreeman's fight for justice saw him caught up in bitter political struggle threatening the Bulgaria's diplomatic relationship with Australia.

Craig Foster built a formidable reputation as a football player and broadcaster. But when Bahraini footballer and refugee Hakeem Al-Araibi, was imprisoned in Thailand, he led a global media campaign to fight for his freedom.

In the NSW mid-north coast town of Kempsey, principal Mark Morrison brushes close to the rules to give troubled teens their last chance at a high school education. He seems headed for a record number of student graduations.

Vincent Fantauzzo went from menial jobs and petty crime to painting portraits of Heath Ledger, Julia Gillard and wife Asher Keddie. He describes his dyslexia as a gift allowing him to see the world from a unique perspective.

After almost killing herself through alcohol abuse, Shanna Whan started a movement to change the pervasive culture of alcohol in rural Australia. Now she travels the country with the message "It's OK to say no to a beer."

17-year-old Ursula Barwick vanished without a trace in 1987, leaving her family in limbo for three decades. When the truth was finally revealed it raised serious questions about the police investigation.

A catastrophic workplace accident brings together a labourer and a renowned surgeon in a world-first medical procedure. Despite their differences, the two men share remarkable parallel journeys.

Minutes after entering the water in the Whitsundays, Tasmanian woman Justine Barwick was fighting for life following a shark bite. As the shark control debate continues, she tells her remarkable story for the first time.

From a homeless alcoholic living in the wild to academic success and a book deal, the next chapter in the amazing comeback story of forest dweller Gregory Smith.

16-year-old teen Bob Bramley takes to the skies to break a solo flying record and shine a light on youth mental health, galvanised by the desperate struggles of his two friends.

There's a hidden danger lurking in every home and these are the two mothers who've achieved a world first to protect our children.

Scientist Veena Sahajwalla is a recycling revolutionary whose bold new ideas are helping reduce landfill. Now she's unveiling her latest brainchild, an invention which turns the discarded into the designer.

Unique and outrageous, Jeanne Little was the comedy dah-ling of daytime television in the 70s and 80s. Four months after her death from Alzheimers, daughter Katie reveals some intimate family secrets.

Promising young swimmer Shayna Jack was destined for the Olympics until she failed a routine drug test. But is the evidence against her justified or has she been caught up in an over-zealous anti-doping dragnet?

Drawing on her own experience of trauma, comedian Magda Szubanski forms an unlikely alliance with teenager Will Connelly, aka Eggboy, to help combat mental health issues in bushfire-ravaged communities.

She's the glamorous lawyer representing high-profile clients like Julian Assange and Amber Heard. Jennifer Robinson charts her meteoric rise from small town public schoolgirl to the pinnacle of legal life in London.

Sexual slurs, baseless rumours, harassment and abuse - former Federal Labor minister Kate Ellis looks into Canberra's toxic culture, speaking to female politicians from all parties to call out systemic misogyny in parliament.

Mao's Last Dancer Li Cunxin and his wife and daughter's dramatic story of sacrifice, questioning and the painful journey towards reconciliation.

Identical twins Brigette and Paula Powers are so close they live and work together and even speak in unison. After a chance meeting with Steve Irwin, they now use their unique connection to save injured seabirds.

A recent coronial inquest reveals the catastrophic errors made by NSW Police which left teenager Ursula Barwick's fate a mystery for almost 30 years.

He's one of Australia's most successful and famous painters. But what has been the cost of fame for the children of acclaimed artist John Olsen?

Part two of an inside look at one of Australia's greatest artistic dynasties. In this concluding episode, a court case threatens to derail the family of acclaimed painter John Olsen.

The Seekers blazed a trail for Australian music in the 1960s with a number of chart topping international hits. But fame led to fallout and they split at the height of their success. They reunite to reminisce about the ride.

Dr Michelle Telfer is a world leader in providing treatment for children and teens with gender dysphoria, guiding them through their first steps towards transitioning. But her work isn't without its critics and controversies.

When women's soccer star Rhali Dobson received an on-field marriage proposal, the pictures went viral around the world. It was a story of love, sport and sacrifice – and a heart-wrenching plot.

After his wife was murdered while working on call as a nurse in South Australia's remote APY Lands, Keith Woodford has campaigned for a coronial inquest which has delivered some breakthrough findings.

An unlikely friendship forged on the tennis court between a homeless man and famous tennis pro leads to lifechanging events and a new beginning.

In the first of a two part special, we find out how a gentle kid from Fremantle ended up playing alongside Michael Jordan in the world's greatest team, the Chicago Bulls. Luc Longley's extraordinary story One Giant Leap.

From running with the Chicago Bulls to his omission from The Last Dance documentary, Luc Longley sets the record straight.

A mother's battle to bring her daughter's killer to account pays off when a coroner's inquest leads to a breakthrough.

A daring sea rescue led by the Australian Navy saved 99 people from certain death. Forty years later, the survivors meet their saviours in an emotional reunion.

In a case of life imitating art, iconic Aussie actor Michael Caton channels his beloved character from The Castle to fight for the underdog. Caton knows he's in the home straight of his life and wants to make the most of it.

One of the nation's biggest cold case mysteries takes a new turn when 'Somerton Man' is unearthed from an Adelaide cemetery in the hope that his DNA might finally reveal the secrets he took to his grave.

Dr Jamal Rifi has given up his retirement dreams to fight COVID from his front yard in the middle of the nation's Delta outbreak.

The story behind the story of the family at the centre of a tug of war between a small country town and the big end of government.

Behind the scenes of the AFP investigation into Australia's biggest insider trading case, where two young men united by deception are brought down by greed.

Charlie Veron has spent his career underwater charting the world's coral wonderlands. Now, as the Great Barrier Reef faces its biggest threat, he reveals an audacious rescue plan.

Like the characters in his blockbuster novels, author Matthew Reilly is no stranger to persevering through loss and setback. Now he's realising the childhood dream that inspired his career - directing an action movie.

Funnyman Max Gillies has been making people laugh all his life. Now at almost 80, he reveals the hidden family grief he has carried with him, and how comic acting became a welcome escape from his troubles at home as a child.

The heartwarming next chapter of Australian Story's most popular program ever proves love really does conquer all. Checking in with Gayle and Mac Shann.

Athlete, mother of four and reality TV star Jana Pittman talks about her new life as a doctor and her regrets about the period when she was labelled 'Drama Jana'.

A Sydney family takes on the Minneapolis police department in a long-running court battle to hold officer Mohamed Noor accountable for the death of Justine Ruszczyk.

Lauren Burns fought to find her anonymous sperm donor father. As she becomes a parent, she's back campaigning to make it easier for donor-conceived children to find their biological family, and make donations more accessible.

Outspoken Australian of the Year Grace Tame looks back over a tumultuous and life-changing 12 months.