Two Bays Podcast

Two Bays Podcast

Regeneration Projects is a small business that sees Nature as our most important stakeholder. Born at a kitchen table during Melbourne’s COVID-19 lockdown, Regeneration Projects has grown into a B Corp and a official Actor in the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration. The Two Bays Podcast, co-hosted by Matt Sykes (Regeneration Projects’ Aussie founder) and Claire Wild (a Kiwi consultant), explores stories of hope, grit and determination, inspiring the Planet’s next generation of ecological leaders and entrepreneurs. What began as conversations sparked at an online event in 2020 has evolved into a platform for sharing honest truths, bold visions and practical solutions. Season 3 - Transforming Youth #EcoAnxiety2Action - addresses the alarming youth mental health crisis and its intersection with climate change. In partnership with UN Youth Australia and RMIT University, Matt creates space for vital intergenerational conversations with younger and older voices from across Australia. We explore the solutions needed to empower the next generation of eco-leaders. It is an urgent call to action for decision-makers in government, business, and education.

Episodes

November 17, 2024 61 mins

Get Ready! It’s time to walk through the Transforming Youth #EcoAnxiety2Action Handbook together.

 

In this final episode of the series, we’ll unpack the highlights and outline key recommendations, which we’ve already shared with Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, our Climate Minister Chris Bowen and our Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek.

 

Two Bays host Matt Sykes is joined by Vasil Samarjiev, the Chief Youth Represen...

Mark as Played

Just like Kung Fu Panda movies, there comes a time when a Master passes the baton to an Apprentice. A similar intergenerational process is happening in Australia. Let’s find out how it’s going!

 

Jess Vize is the State Coordinator for Roots & Shoots Victoria, an initiative of the Jane Goodall Institute. She’s currently studying a Bachelor of Environmental Science at Deakin University.

 

Emily Alexander is the Education Manager ...

Mark as Played

Let’s talk about investing in Australia’s future leaders. When government funding and philanthropy meet aspiring young leaders and bold ideas, new opportunities are unlocked. 

Aru Narayan is a super passionate and proactive young tourism professional. She was a 2022 graduate of the Launchpad program offered by Youth Tourism Network and Regeneration Projects, and is now a Team Lead at Reeho Study Tours.

 Yee Zhao and Cooper Tealen a...

Mark as Played
October 27, 2024 51 mins

Getting the narrative right is critical to addressing youth eco-anxiety … We’re about to deep dive into inspiring organisational change and ways of closing intergenerational relationship gaps.

Janet Connor is the Nursing Laboratory Manager in the Diploma and Bachelor of Nursing at Holmesglen Tafe.

 Craig Hyde-Smith is a Provisional Psychologist at Blokes Psychology having completed his Master of Professional Psychology at the Unive...

Mark as Played

We’re still navigating the legacy of COVID-19. Schools, Universities, Tafe’s and other Education institutions have found themselves at the frontline of youth mental health. Let’s go behind the scenes!

- Mark Ashmore is the Principal at Salesian College Chadstone, and his school has become an early adopter of Regeneration Projects’ ecological literacy, leadership and entrepreneurship programs.

- Dr Jana Menssink is a Project Coordin...

Mark as Played

When you’re facing a mammoth challenge, like climate change, you want your strongest allies by your side. For young Australians, there’s so much to learn & share with our friends across the Tasman.

  1. Pok Wei-Heng also lives in the Land of the Long White Cloud - Aotearoa New Zealand. He’s the Curator of the WEF Global Shapers Community Auckland Hub and a Sustainability Consultant at Edge Impact.
Mark as Played

Heads Up! When you hear the statistics, this is going to hit home. But don’t worry … there’s good people doing good things to transform #EcoAnxiety2Action. You’re in safe hands in Episode 2!

This week’s sensational  line up includes:

Maureen Pillon is the Co-Chair of the Young Tourism Network and works as a City Economy Coordinator at the City of Melbourne.

Dora Marinova is a Professor at Curtin University of Technology, and like o...

Mark as Played
September 29, 2024 34 mins

In this first episode of the new Two Bays Podcast series ‘Transforming Youth #EcoAnxiety2Action’, we’re setting the scene on the connection between youth mental health and climate change. 

Our incredible special guests include:

  1. Vasil Samarjiev was born in Bulgaria and now calls tarntanya / Adelaide home, he’s the Chief Youth Representation Officer at UN Youth Australia.
  2. ...
Mark as Played
August 18, 2024 30 mins

Are you ready to hear about local political leaders transforming climate anxiety into action?!

 The international Swimmable Cities Charter has now launched! Inspired by the example of Paris cleaning up the River Seine for the Olympic Games, civic leaders around the world are starting new conversations about climate resilience with their local communities.

 Our final episode for the ’10 Steps towards a swimmable Birrarung / Yarra Ri...

Mark as Played

During your childhood, did you get to play in Nature? You know, along creek lines, in gardens or even on farms. Well, if you did, you were super lucky. But not everyone gets this opportunity.

Episode #9 of this series focuses on the power of education in growing the next generation of civic-minded leaders. We talk about ‘ecological literacy’ and spotlight the example of one school community that works with the Birrarung in innovati...

Mark as Played
August 4, 2024 39 mins

Haven’t we all had to learn about resilience these few past years?!

As the City of Paris’ leadership in cleaning up the River Seine before the 2024 Olympics shows, restoring urban waterways and building urban swimming culture takes decades.

So, could adopting the practices of endurance athletes give us the resilience we need to achieve a swimmable Birrarung? Listen now!

As far as we know, Karin Traeger, is the only person who has s...

Mark as Played
July 28, 2024 34 mins

Sometimes, you need to go upstream to find the true causes of environmental issues. We’re about to meet three grassroots leaders who educate Melbournians on what makes healthy urban waterways.

April Seymore is incredibly passionate about the Planet! She’s a responsible dog walker and the Executive Officer of Port Phillip Eco Centre.

Liam Higgins represents a new generation of environmental leaders! He’s the Co-Founder & COO at ...

Mark as Played
July 21, 2024 41 mins

Time to dial up the community vibes! Join us on the Two Bays Podcast, where we dive into skills, knowledge and practices to improve Melbourne’s liveability and sense of connectedness and belonging.

In this episode, our special guests talk about how they and their organisations’ are chipping in and how you can too! 

We will meet a quiet advocate for the Birrarung who draws on her experiences as a former Mayor to inspire others to fa...

Mark as Played

It’s time to go global folks! In this episode, we’re guiding Two Bays listeners on a virtual tour through Copenhagen, London and Vienna to get our finger on the pulse on the very latest from the urban swimming movement.

Melbourne may sit on a remote island ‘Down Under’ but that doesn’t stop Regeneration Projects from collaborating with international pioneers, people like:

Mark as Played
July 7, 2024 45 mins

Why have one swimming spot in the lower Yarra, when you could have a whole corridor of swimming experiences?! That’s the vision for a Birrarung / Yarra River Swimming Trail between Deep Rock, Dights Falls and the Bay.

In this episode, you’re going to meet three talent professionals who know how to transform urban design visions into clear, deliverable masterplans.

Mark as Played
June 30, 2024 43 mins

Recognising the rights of Nature is an idea that many people find really challenging, but today’s special guest is a Pro at explaining why giving rights to the Yarra River is just common sense. 

Dr Erin O’Donnell tirelessly works with waterways worldwide, from communities in Aotearoa New Zealand to the United States. This is all part of her role as a Senior Lecturer and ARC Research Fellow at Melbourne Law School.

Protecting urban ...

Mark as Played

Join us on the Two Bays Podcast, where we dive into water and wellbeing!

In this episode, we meet another two amazing ambassadors for Melbourne’s beloved Birrarung / Yarra River, who hold a wealth of community leadership experience.

Amanda Donohoe fearlessly plunges into the Birrarung all year round! She’s a member of the Yarra Yabbies swimming group and also the CEO of Servants Community Housing, Hawthorn.

Andrew Kelly is well kno...

Mark as Played

In the first episode of our "10 Steps towards a Swimmable Birrarung" series, we meet two pioneers of Melbourne's urban bathing culture, who developed some incredible wellbeing skills during COVID-19. 

Meg Elkins started swimming in the Yarra River during Lockdown! She’s a member of the Yarra Yabbies swimming group, she’s also a Behavioural and Cultural Economist at RMIT University. 

James Mugavin built a sauna in his parent’s backy...

Mark as Played

Before we dive into our NEW "10 Steps towards a swimmable Birrarung" series, let’s set the scene by exploring the story of Melbourne's iconic Yarra River, known as the Birrarung to the Kulin First Peoples.

Are you ready to discover how a growing social movement aims to renegotiate and reconcile our relationship with the Birrarung, by drawing inspiration from Indigenous wisdom – Burndap Birrarung, burndap markoo (What's good for the...

Mark as Played
April 30, 2024 39 mins

In the finale of Two Bays Podcast Series #1, Cam Hines (Co-Founder of Southern Sea Greens, and Co-Founder of Mountain Goat brewery) shares the incredible story of how he’s helped make seaweed a successful business that is good for people and the Planet. He talks Matt and Claire through the growth of climate action and sustainability on the Mornington Peninsula and explains how Southern Sea Greens are working to create nutritious fo...

Mark as Played

Popular Podcasts

    The latest news in 4 minutes updated every hour, every day.

    True Crime Tonight

    If you eat, sleep, and breathe true crime, TRUE CRIME TONIGHT is serving up your nightly fix. Five nights a week, KT STUDIOS & iHEART RADIO invite listeners to pull up a seat for an unfiltered look at the biggest cases making headlines, celebrity scandals, and the trials everyone is watching. With a mix of expert analysis, hot takes, and listener call-ins, TRUE CRIME TONIGHT goes beyond the headlines to uncover the twists, turns, and unanswered questions that keep us all obsessed—because, at TRUE CRIME TONIGHT, there’s a seat for everyone. Whether breaking down crime scene forensics, scrutinizing serial killers, or debating the most binge-worthy true crime docs, True Crime Tonight is the fresh, fast-paced, and slightly addictive home for true crime lovers.

    Dateline NBC

    Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com

    The Bobby Bones Show

    Listen to 'The Bobby Bones Show' by downloading the daily full replay.

    Stuff You Should Know

    If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.

Advertise With Us
Music, radio and podcasts, all free. Listen online or download the iHeart App.

Connect

© 2025 iHeartMedia, Inc.