YARNS Magazine & Podcast

08/06/2026

08/06/2026

Book Lore

The Heart of Canberra's Book Community: A Second-Hand Bookshop's Story.

https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/f65a7fa6-ee8d-4239-999a-e9d1f47e027a/episodes/332d1b9e-c4fb-4315-9abb-08dac836f4b7/17-yarn-with-michael-johnsonhttps://www.yarns.today/

08/06/2026

Ever wondered what a community bookshop really is?

Spoiler: It’s more than just a place to buy books — it’s a hub for stories, connections, and a bit of Canberra history 📚✨
Drop a 📖 if you love discovering hidden gems in your local shop!
I chatted with the owner of a 44-year-old local bookstore in Canberra — a place that’s been part of the fabric for nearly five decades.

It’s not just about selling books, but about creating a space where stories flow through the community — biographies, Indigenous publications, and even those intriguing coffee table books designed to catch your eye.
What really struck me? How this shop is a living history of Canberra’s changing interests, from colonial narratives to Indigenous stories, to the rise of women’s fiction.

It’s a reminder: small businesses like these are the pulse of a community — full of stories worth sharing.
Still curious?

What’s your favourite local spot that feels like a community heartbeat?

Share or tag someone who loves their local bookstore!

https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/yarns/id1896856082?i=1000771647788
https://youtu.be/z2DCwy_bD84?si=1teSl0v6yGzsZDX3

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01/06/2026

For this yarn I've visited Phil Bevan aka Majura the Magician in his Queanbeyan castle, filled with hundreds of magical books and props. There are not many magicians around, especially as funny and engaging as Phil and seeing the cards on the kitchen table while Phil was magicking up a cup of coffee for me, I was excited to see some fun card tricks! It's like being transported to another world and I loved every bit of it! Majura Comedy Magic has won numerous awards for close up strolling magic at the Crown Casino in performed at the lodge and parliament house for two Australian Prime Ministers. Phil travels to international conventions for magicians and is a rockstar teacher who brings joy and magic to everyone who knows him. We talked about the business of happiness, schools, parties and Disneyland.

http://majuramagic.com.au/
https://youtu.be/cIISefqtXco?si=70ijbMcmX0oEczv0

Go to episode:
https://open.spotify.com/episode/0fecs42DYOqEbpJF0jaeEi?si=27f8abee2bbf4f56
https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/yarns/id1896856082?i=1000770547052
https://youtu.be/ZKPZSoCLT3I?si=K0_WLlNvw9DJnSYT

26/05/2026

I was fortunate to visit the first Jervis Bay Portrait prize (JBPP) held at the Jervis Bay Brewing & co and interview Randall Sinnamon and participating artists with their muses! The co-organisers of this new art prize, Randall Sinnamon and Vanessa Harries, were inspired by a now defunct exhibition that had been a favourite component of the region’s former SeeChange Festival, The Little Archies (named of course in honour of the much loved Archibald Prize for Australian portraiture). Randall is himself a past Archibald Prize finalist – his portrait of Egyptian-Australian oud virtuoso Joseph Tawadros was selected in 2023, at the Art Gallery of NSW. You can hear Vanessa on 927FM each Wednesday from 4.30pm-5.30pm. Her program the SLAM profiles local artists, musicians, bands, exhibitions and festivals. The works had to portray a Shoalhaven resident, but the artist could be from anywhere. This yarn has 8 various interviews and was recorded with background music, so the sound quality is slightly compromised.
* Randall Sinnamon 0:00 - 0:48
* Clayton Campion 6:59 - 12:14
* Allana Valentine 1st Prize 12:31 - 24:15
* Sarah Yee 2nd Prize 24:26 - 28:38
* Alfie Campion (12 years) Brewers Choice 28:48 - 31:38
* Glenn and Giuseppina (Pina) Miller 32:02 - 38:39
* Catherine Woods 3rd Prize 38:50 - 47:09
* Vanessa Barbey 47:21 - 53:47

Listen here on Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/episode/5XIPoX5ZoFoLvUhGk8kJyh?si=1bccb82ab228486d

Jervis Bay Brewing Co.

26/05/2026

Send a message to learn more

24/11/2024

https://youtu.be/aB6OGlDMtHg?si=GSn9joLxa8axXgj5

I feel so grateful for the 2XX Community Radio YARNS radio show experience, where I met so many wonderful people.

24/11/2024

YARNS podcast coming soon!

Inspiring cultural stories of Australians and people from all over the Globe living their best lives.

Petra x

31/12/2023

Happy New Year and may your dreams take flight! Cheers to a fresh start and a year filled with exciting adventures. May the New Year bring you prosperity and success in all your endeavors. May the upcoming year be a chapter of joy, a verse of success, and a tale of prosperity.

Petra x