Healesville Tales

18/09/2026

How great to catch up with the Hon Ros Bates, QLD Minister for Trade, and of course a born and bred Healesvillian.

25/08/2026

What a night Healesville!

If you were in town for Nocturne, Healesville After Dark, you would have seen our streets absolutely packed with locals and visitors enjoying everything our town has to offer.

The event was organised by the Healesville Traders, and what an incredible job they did bringing our town to life.

In the latest episode of Healesville Tales, I chat with Nina Sturgess, one of the organisers behind Nocturne, about how the event came together, the work that went on behind the scenes, the fantastic response from our local traders and what could be next.

Some businesses had one of their biggest nights ever, which is brilliant for Healesville.

Have a listen and hear what it takes to put on an event like Nocturne, and why supporting our local traders matters.

In this episode of Healesville Tales, Kersten sits down with Nina Sturgess, local business owner and one of the organisers behind Nocturne, Healesville After Dark.After an incredible night that saw Healesville’s streets packed with locals and visi...

10/08/2026

HEALESVILLE TALES, EPISODE ONE

From Healesville to London, Chasing the Dream

Well, it's finally here!

For the very first episode of Healesville Tales, I'm joined by someone very special to me, my cousin's daughter, Grace Clinton.
Born and raised in Healesville and one of six children, Grace grew up surrounded by a close-knit family and a love of gymnastics, dance, performing and filmmaking.

At just 17, she took a huge leap, leaving home to study at the Australian Film Television & Radio School in Sydney. That decision has since taken her from Healesville to London, working behind the scenes on some incredible productions, including Wicked: For Good, Sonic the Hedgehog 4, Colin From Accounts and, most recently, Spider-Man: Brand New Day.

But perhaps one of the most exciting chapters is still to come.
Grace is now working on her own feature film, Tongue Tide, which will be set right here in Healesville, bringing her filmmaking journey back to where it all began.

We chat about growing up in Healesville, leaving home at such a young age, breaking into the film industry, what it's really like working behind the scenes on major movie productions, the importance of family, taking chances and having the courage to chase your dreams.

I'm so pleased to have Grace as our first guest, and I hope her story inspires other young people from Healesville to realise that growing up in a small town doesn't mean you can't dream big.

🎧 So, how do you listen?

If you're reading this on Facebook and you've never listened to a podcast before, it's really easy. Simply click the link below, turn up the volume on your computer or put your phone on speaker, then sit back and listen. That's all you need to do.

If you already listen to podcasts, you can also find Healesville Tales on your favourite podcast platform. Make sure you follow or subscribe so you don't miss any future episodes.

And please feel free to share this with your family and friends.
This is only the beginning. There are so many wonderful people and stories in our community, and I can't wait to share more of them with you.

For our very first episode of Healesville Tales, I'm joined by someone very special to me, my cousin's daughter, Grace Clinton.Born and raised in Healesville and one of six children, Grace grew up surrounded by a close-knit family, with a love of ...

05/08/2026

We're almost ready, so thank you for your patience.

Unfortunately, our planned first episode of Healesville Tales ran into some unexpected technical issues. Rather than keep everyone waiting as we sort through the issue, I decided to record a different conversation.

Our very first guest is someone with a fantastic story. They grew up in Healesville, took a leap of faith to follow their dream, and are now building an exciting career overseas.

It's a conversation about courage, perseverance, family, and never forgetting where you come from.

I can't wait to share it with you over the next few days.

Stay tuned, Healesville Tales is almost here.

07/07/2026

Tonight, I am looking forward to recording a Healesville Tales Podcast with Garry Christie. This is a story from the Mountain Views Honours Recipients 1992 (published on 28 December 92).

The easiest way is to visit this page and simply click on the podcast link, as I will upload every new episode. It will open and start playing on your phone, tablet or computer.

If you enjoy the podcast, you can also search for Healesville Tales on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or your favourite podcast app. Just search for Healesville Tales, click Follow or Subscribe, and each new episode will automatically appear in your podcast library as soon as it's released.

05/07/2026

Robbie Heritage was a passionate local, who I was lucky enough to interview him as part of Healesville Tall Tales a few years ago.

He truly was one of the funniest people I've had the honour of meeting. Loved you Robbie, and miss you greatly.

A beautiful song and video by his family.

The motion picture that follows the story in picture and animation

16/06/2026

A lot of people are asking who's behind Healesville Tales.

Kersten Gentle is my name. Born and bred locally, raised our 3 children (now adults) locally, who were all fortunate to be born at local hospital

I've been involved in the Healesville Agriculture & Horticulture Show, Healesville Gateway Festival, East End Alfresco and the Healesville Timber Festival.

I love this community. This is about sharing what I love about my home town.

15/06/2026

More than 35 years ago, I launched Healesville Tall Tales, a live event that celebrated the stories of local people who helped shape our community. Over six years, we interviewed 36 incredible locals, capturing memories, experiences and a unique piece of Healesville's history.

Since then, I've occasionally done interviews with local identities, sporting clubs or community groups, and I'm excited to announce the next chapter...

Healesville Tall Tales is becoming Healesville Tales.

Healesville Tales will be a podcast dedicated to continuing to share the stories of the people, businesses, sporting clubs, community groups and events that make our town such a special place to live.

As a lifelong Healesville local, I've always believed there is far more to our community than the negative stories that sometimes dominate the conversation. We have amazing people doing amazing things, and their stories deserve to be heard.

The podcast will be recorded at Habitat 1, Healesville's innovative coworking and business hub, a fantastic space bringing together people from across the Yarra Valley to connect, collaborate and grow.

Our very first episode in July, will feature Garry Christie, sharing why Healesville Matters to him.

I already have a growing list of future guests. To start it will be monthly, with the hope of making these fortnightly.