On the show today is Iain Walker, Executive Director at the newDemocracy Foundation, a Sydney-based organisation that works to develop and deliver alternative decision making processes and outcomes that aim to uphold Australia’s and other nations healthy functioning. I’m coming to appreciate that how we relate to each other - or maybe more appropriately how we don’t relate to each other - is one of the most substantial issues this country and many other nations face in not only upholding civil order and long held societal norms, but what are we to do if we can’t come together to participate in ways to address issues both large and small? From local issues around housing supply and planning decisions, to structural shifts like the energy transition, in the organisations that we work in and are trying to evolve some sustainability practice and outcome, to the infamous family get togethers where fear of conflict and tension seems pernicious? If there is just one common theme from doing 100 episodes of this show, it’s that there is a major bottle neck in our democratic system that is holding back the evolution and reform of Australia’s policy settings - from health and housing to climate and environmental protection, gender-based violence and how to regulate artificial intelligence. There’s no doubt there is a growing frustration and despair in the inertia at a system many have lost faith in.

Iain’s work for more than 15 years has centred on exactly this - how can deliberative processes create the space to have more rational, respectful and reasonable dialogues on how to make decisions? We cover a fair bit in this chat - from his diagnosis of why inertia now seems the status quo, his stories and evidence of how citizens assemblies drive change, the reasons politicians do and don’t appreciate the idea of these seemingly complimentary structures, and what all of us can do to play an active role in our democracy beyond voting and scrolling through soundbites and election promises.

Democracy, trust and having a sense of agency in the society that you live are some of the most vital aspects required to maintain a healthy, functioning group of people, and Iain is someone we can all learn from to protect and promote each of them.

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Imagine if there was a way to improve your quality of living and wellbeing - from your sense of creativity to feelings of clarity, boost the performance of your immune system and reduce stress, enhance your sleep and gain insights into your subconscious, and it was all available right now to you, free of cost? It’s too to be true isn’t it? Well, today’s conversation with hypnobreath practitioner Dave Murphy debunks myths and provides the facts on how breathing, hypnosis, visioning and meditation can help unlock a new way of being and living. My name’s Nathan Robertson-Ball, and welcome to or welcome back to the Finding Nature podcast, my show where each week I go longer form to help me and you better understand how we can all live lives that contribute to a healthier, safer and more just world.

I started this show coming up on two years ago after realising I wanted to broaden and deepen my understanding of how I could make shifts in my life and through the work I do and have done in and around corporates and sustainable business. Before starting it I listed out all the topics I wanted to learn about, and that included high performance, cognitive clarity and creativity - areas I suspected were vital to my ability to make the type of contribution on the world and the people around me, but wasn’t sure how to access it. I’ve been fortunate to speak with experts in the fields of psychology, neuroscience and cognitive behaviour, but chatting with Dave made me realise that the portal to any and all activity, change and performance is dependent on the physiology of the breath. And today we get into this.

Dave is a certified hypnobreathwork and flow state coach, as well as certified in breathing sciences and intrinsic health, after spending the first portion of his career following a path he thought would make him happy. Like many, that gnawing inner knock that started as a light tap slowly but surely became a thunderous banging, and in his 30s changed just about everything about his life - where he lived, what he did and who he wanted to be. Now he’s one of Australia’s most sought after experts in the science and practice of breath work, and he works with businesses, small groups and individuals to help them identify and pursue what truly matters to them.

This conversation was a revelation for me - as was doing Dave’s extraordinary online hypnobreathwork course. The science backs the practices - the list of benefits of better breathing isn’t too good to be true - but the experiential aspect of Dave’s coaching is remarkable. The insights and epiphany I had from just one sitting was extraordinary, which I share in this episode. We cover lots in this session, from the science of breath and hypnosis and addressing the scepticism of the latter, his own journey, his time with Zach Bush and Farmers Footprint, and how each of us have available at any moment the opportunity to consciously engage with one of the 25,000 breaths we’ll take today, and for everyday to come until we take that final one.

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So imagine swimming with humpback whales in the tropical waters of Tonga. Now imagine spending enough time swimming with them over five years to end up with 11,000 portrait photographs of them. Not wide angle shots from afar, but up close and personally, feelings their fins, watching the movement of an eye, hearing the sound and power of their voice and song. Imagine swimming with tiger sharks, whale sharks, what about Australian fur seals or manta rays? That’s what Jem Cresswell has built a career and life around over the last 20 years. His mastery of craft as an underwater photographer is near peerless internationally, and recently he released his first book, Giants, which captures his time in Tonga with thousands of humpback whales. It’s a stunning book, reflective of his broader skills and experiences where for two decades he has captured the wonder and beauty of life underwater.

As I said at the top, we all hope for greater, grander results and outcomes in many parts of our lives at the beginning of a new year, but Jem is here to remind us all that time in nature and with wildlife is a sure path to greater satisfaction, contentment and joy. I can think of few better things to aspire to this year than to spend more time in parks or beaches, in the bush or on mountains. Jem’s work showcases the spectacular beauty of life underwater, and his work on Giants is nothing short of extraordinary. I was moved sitting and spending time with the 100 plus images the book contains - from mothers with new born calf to vertically upright males and the playful curiosity of sub adults - this book captures the brilliance of the natural world.

We chat about many of Jem’s trips around the world capturing the sights of life underwater, but we also get into the role and necessity of creativity and how he approaches making great works of art, how to take better photos ourselves and the role of evocative imagery as a tool for the change maker.

Jem Cresswell brings a wonderful underwater world to each and every one of us. I hope you’re inspired by this to go seek out nature where you can this year.

This show and Finding Nature wouldn’t be the operation it is without the help, support and the creation of the theme song by Rob Rogers. Thanks also to Leah Mazzone who built the finding nature website. For everything Finding Nature head to findingnature.com.au, plus give us a follow on Instagram, LinkedIn, Substack and Humanitix - because too many digital platforms are barely enough.

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This best of anthology is about showcasing the year that was on this show, as well as offering snippets from some of the brilliant people I had the pleasure of speaking with this year - either to be reminded of their wisdom or to discover who you may not have heard.

Today’s best of captures insights and wisdom from ten truly great professionals and people who do this work. From a new era of fire and heat everyone and everything is already grappling with, to the necessity to champion boys in the face of mounting cultural and economic pressures, to hearing from two of the world’s greatest ever environmentalists. The topics and subjects covered in this show are deliberately broad, understanding and appreciating the reality of systemic inter-connectedness in our world and existence, and having regard that lessons in bringing about change in one domain offers lessons that are likely relevant and helpful in others.

I love doing this each week, thank you for tuning in, for listening, for subscribing and for sharing episodes. It’s a treat to spend time each week preparing for, spending time with and creating a platform for every person that comes on the show.

Episode list:

John Vaillant - Apple / Spotify

Emma Bacon - Apple / Spotify

Daniel Principe - Apple / Spotify

Victoria Whitaker - Apple / Spotify

Andy Marlow - Apple / Spotify

Anastasia Hronis - Apple / Spotify

Marco Lambertini - Apple / Spotify

Licia Heath - Apple / Spotify

Kaylene Langford - Apple / Spotify

Bob Brown - Apple / Spotify

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I’ve had 50 incredible guests in 2025, and you guys, the audience, have been there throughout, I’m grateful for that and for your support and for everything that I've had the good fortune of experiencing as a result of going on this podcast journey.

Over the year, we covered a wide variety of topics and subject matters. And as a sustainability podcast, I pride myself on trying to embrace and contemplate a wide range of perspectives, opinions and attitudes. And as you listen to this episode and to part two next week, I think you'll see that we really accomplish that.

Doing the work of pulling this all together, I was reminded at how interesting and extraordinary the guest list this year has been. UN Environment Ambassadors, Pulitzer nominated authors, successful entrepreneurs, global human rights leaders, Time Magazine Top 100 AI influencers, each and every guest an Australian and global expert in their field. And each week I get to sit with them and bring their wisdom to you through your earbuds. It’s nothing short of a pleasure and privilege.

This best of series is a snapshot of something like 90 hours of conversation. Capsules of inspiration to reflect on and consider as you get ready for another year ahead. If you’ve been listening all along, I hope you’re reminded of each guests brilliance all over again, and if you’re new to the show, I hope this gives you an insight into the show as a whole and what Finding Nature is all about exploring and pursuing.

Episode list:

Catherine Fitzpatrick (Apple / Spotify)

Hugh White (Apple / Spotify)

Jocelyn King (Apple / Spotify)

Richard Boele (Apple / Spotify)

Emily M. Bender (Apple / Spotify)

Ben Rennie (Apple / Spotify)

Elaine Johnson (Apple / Spotify)

Zack Schofield (Apple / Spotify)

Nadya Hutagalung (Apple / Spotify)

Ken Roth (Apple /

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Now today’s guest has experienced the despairing lows of being an exile from his home country, and the terrifying traumas of torture, being disappeared and the murder of his family and closest friends. When the daily going’s on seem overwhelming, the story of the life of Hector Aristizabal is remarkable in what he has endured, what he has evolved through and how he shows up in service and with compassion for the same people who brought violence upon his family and country.

Hector is a Colombian man who grew up in Medellin in Colombia when it was the most violent place in the world and was defined by conflict, violence and criminality. Hector himself was captured and disappeared in 1982, his bother murdered by the paramilitary, another brother died of HIV/AIDS, and he lived in exile in the United States for nearly three decades. His life’s work has been to support people in periods of crisis - initially as a therapist helping people with marriage breakdowns and everyday mental health issues before over time developing a renowned form of trauma healing he has practiced in many of the places where astonishing violence and unimaginable trauma are common.

Hector is on the show today to not only share the experiences of his life, but how over four decades he has evolved and honed practices of social theatre, deep ecology and healing rituals to re-connect people to their true selves, to re-discover relationships with others and to come back to Mother Nature. His life is beyond belief, and the opportunity to spend some time with Hector on his recent trip to Sydney will live long in the memory. His work though is not just for the severely traumatised but for all of us as we seek an existence of meaning and curiosity in a world of systems that disconnect and dehumanise us, that reduces us to agents in a growth machine and distracts us from what truly matters - our health, our relationships and our connection to place.

This conversation was a gift, and I think the perfect antidote to so much of what is occurring around us at the moment. We chat about the practices and processes of coming back to ourselves, the ways by which our collective grief and intergenerational trauma lies in all of our histories and affects us today, the notion of compulsive repetition, hope, courage, compassion, the shift from the ego to eco, and lastly, a reminder that ultimately our existence is an unlikely miracle and the duty we all have to re-wild ourselves and reprise our star dust origins. I absolutely loved this conversation, I was deeply moved and resonated with so much of what we Hector shared.

You can learn more about hector and his work at Imaginaction that I’ve linked in the show.

Support for today's show comes from Altiorem - use code FindingNature25 for 25% off an annual plan.

Support for today's show comes from Jamberoo Mountain Tiny Home - add Finding Nature to the comments in your booking to receive the hot tub sunset package added for free.

Thanks to Leah Mazzone for website, brand and social media assets and Rob Rogers for theme song.

For all things Finding Nature, go to our website.

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This week’s guest is an icon of Australia’s environmental movement and someone I was both thrilled and daunted getting to spend some time with recently. Bob Brown is on the show and he is someone who needs little introduction. Politician, environmentalist, doctor, activist - few in this country have done as much to protect and preserve wild places, to advocate for same sex rights and challenge political orthodoxy over the last 50 years.

Bob is a legend to me. He entered my consciousness in high school modern history along with Jack Mundy and their respective campaigns to prevent the damming of the Franklin River in the 1980s and the Green Bans in Sydney in the late 1970s respectively. Both represented efforts to avoid the destruction of natural beauty and cultural heritage. At the time of my schooling, Bob was a Senator in the Australian Parliament and leader of the Greens Party. His writings and speeches spoke to me - a kid who grew up confused by ecological destruction and determined to play a role in the injustice of human behaviour on landscape and other species.

When the opportunity to chat with Bob came up and even though he only had 30 minutes, I had to say yes. If this endeavour has taught me anything, it’s to say yes to what is daunting as on the other side of that fear and insecurity lies an experience both memorable and meaningful. Meeting one of my heroes was exactly that. We chat about Bob’s latest book - Defiance - as well as his history activating others, interrupting the US President in the Australian Parliament and what the campaign to save the Franklin Dam and what seemed like a near-hopeless effort teaches us in this moment.

So Bob Brown. This was an honour that I know will stay with me for a long time. I hope it resonates with you too.

Support for today's show comes from Altiorem - use code FindingNature25 for 25% off an annual plan.

Support for today's show comes from Jamberoo Mountain Tiny Home - add Finding Nature to the comments in your booking to receive the hot tub sunset package added for free.

Thanks to Leah Mazzone for website, brand and social media assets and Rob Rogers for theme song.

For all things Finding Nature, go to our website.

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Welcome to or welcome back to the Finding Nature podcast. My name is Nathan Robertson-Ball and this is my show where each week I go longer form with the people who are on the vanguard of driving and delivering work that matters in pursuit of safer, healthier and more just futures. This show is about examining and exploring our inner nature, our relationships to others and our place in the world as custodians of the future to come and the ancestors we follow. I love getting to do this, having conversations with and learning from brilliant people every week, and sharing their stories and successes, mindsets and mistakes as part of our collective desire to be the change we want to see in the world.

Amanda Sturgeon is today’s guest. She is the CEO of the Biomimicry Institute, as well as a Ted speaker, book author and one of the world’s foremost experts and practitioners on biophilic design and biomimicry. Amanda describes her mission as to connect people with nature, and over the course of her career as an architect and then as the CEO of multiple not-for-profit organisations looking to scale the integration of nature and natural systems into the urban landscape, she has and continues to grow her influence and the impact of her work.

It’s easy to talk about ideas and concepts like natural capital or circularity, and the proliferation of reports and talks and consulting services offering to help you and whoever else will listen how their latest series of boxes and arrows and speculative economic forecasts are a panacea to environmental degradation and offer commercial booms. I’m not opposed to legitimate win-win propositions, and today Amanda and I get into the deep scientific and R&D processes that are often needed to re-define or even revolutionise an entire supply chain - from fashion to building materials to how we organise systems of collaboration and information sharing. The work required to re-naturalise assets, communities and entire regions doesn’t sit on the pages of documents but in the real and challenging work of investigation, applying the scientific method and the process of bringing a new technology to market. Amanda and I talk at length about that today and the enormous source of inspiration and wisdom the non human world holds for how we live, and what’s possible if we appreciate nature as both guide and teacher.

We cover a lot of ground in this chat, from Amanda’s quest in her early 20s to explore Australia and the profound effects that’s had on her life since, the remarkable breakthroughs that are possible when we learn from nature’s three plus billion years of evolution, the emerging ecosystem of investment in biophilic design and how all of us need and benefit from re-connecting with nature, each other and ourselves.

Amanda’s work fundamentally is about encouraging us to appreciate our place in the world, our relationships to others and the ways we want to live and be. I hope you enjoy the conversation.

Support for today's show comes from Altiorem - use code FindingNature25 for 25% off an annual plan.

Support for today's show comes from Jamberoo Mountain Tiny Home - add Finding Nature to the comments in your booking to receive the hot tub sunset package added for free.

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