
Siobhan McHugh, consulting producer, Richard Baker, host, and Rachael Dexter, Executive Producer, at a production meeting for The Last Voyage of the Pong Su podcast, 2019
“RadioDoc Review is invaluable!” (Alan Hall, Falling Tree Productions, UK)
In 2013, Siobhan founded the first journal of radio documentary and podcast studies, RadioDoc Review. Its board comprises top international audio producers and scholars, who periodically select the best audio documentaries, storytelling podcasts and features from around the world. These works receive in-depth reviews, from different cultural perspectives, written by top producers or scholars. The aim is to develop critical analysis of this poorly understood form: to articulate the principles that underpin the best audio storytelling and soundworks.
NEW EDITION of THE SNOWY in 2019!
Siobhan is also the author of six social history books, over 60 radio documentaries made mostly at the ABC (now available as podcasts), numerous print features and a short memoir. She has also scripted international television documentary. Her best known book (Winner, NSW Premier’s Literary Award) is a social history of the Snowy Mountains HydroElectric Scheme, birthplace of Australian multiculturalism. A new updated edition, The Snowy – A History (New South) was published for the 70th anniversary of the scheme in 2019. Siobhan was delighted to be interviewed about it by Richard Fidler, the most popular podcaster in Australia. Her associated children’s book, Snowy (Scholastic) has also been republished in 2019. Aimed at ages 9-13, it is a rollicking adventure story featuring two feisty twelve-year-old girls who try to save a treasured home from being inundated by a Snowy dam.

Siobhan McHugh with Richard Fidler, OzPod 2017

Siobhan at the Library of Congress, Washington DC, 2011. Pleased to see they hold my books – among their 33 million!
‘MARRYING OUT’, a radio series about mixed marriage and sectarianism, WINS GOLD AT NEW YORK RADIO FESTIVAL 2010! AUDIO of 2 x 53min series is HERE
Siobhan’s POWER of VOICE essay on TRANSOM Public Radio USA
This audio and text of a female Vietnam veteran I recorded shows how much more emotional impact SOUND has compared to printed words.
IRANSiobhan gave KEYNOTE at the 3rd International Radio Festival of Iran, 2010
A memorable occasion – my talk on the making of the Snowy Scheme documentary showed how grand national narratives can be told through personal interviews. The oral histories of refugees and migrants trying to make a start in a new country resonated, despite the language and cultural differences. Iranians – or Persians as they call themselves – are warm and hospitable: a nation of poets and picnickers!
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MITCHELL LIBRARY CENTENARY
Siobhan was one of the ‘well-known Australians’ associated with the internationally renowned Mitchell Library who was invited to select an item for its Living Collection exhibition, at the State Library of NSW from March-June 2009. Siobhan selected recordings from the Oral History Collection.
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Snowy Mountains Hydro-electric Scheme
Snowy 60th Anniversary August 2009
National Archives of Australia Siobhan’s talk at the National Archives of Australia was part of the celebration of the 60th anniversary of the Snowy Mountains Hydroelectric Scheme on the 17th of October.
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7 comments
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September 16, 2016 at 11:08 am
Michael Mulligan
Siobhan,We did meet at the snowy reunion in Talbingo. Just noticed on page 83 of The Snowy book a couple of other names which I only just recognised. 4th guy from left with fag in mouth is Zigmund Matuzewski and the guy 6th from left beside Trevor Mille is Dusan Gavrilovich. Regards Michael
September 16, 2016 at 12:55 pm
Siobhan McHugh
Great to know! Thanks, Michael
September 18, 2016 at 6:59 pm
Alison Howell
Hi Siobhan, I just spent a wet Sunday immersed in “My Story Snowy”. Thank you – a wonderful read for all kinds of reasons. Alison Howell, Cooma.
September 18, 2016 at 8:52 pm
Siobhan McHugh
So nice to hear, Alison! Thanks for posting.
August 15, 2017 at 7:25 am
Ruby Davies
I am rereading with great interest your book Cottoning On. Extremely topical atm since Four Corners, Pumped was aired.
Your book sets out the interplay of forces involved in the setting up of cotton is Australia – its location to Australia after the US government tightened environmental use of various pesticides and defoliants. Me thinks if it was mooted today to park WATER in such vast and shallow dams laced along OUR river systems – that there would be a huge outcry.
Thanking you for such great research and a very readable, page-turning even publication
Warm regards
Ruby Davies
August 15, 2017 at 4:37 pm
Siobhan McHugh
Thanks, Ruby. It is indeed hard to believe how lax the regulation of pesticides was then – and how easy it was for the early irrigators to get those water licences. I put my science degree, from another life, to good use researching the book. I’m glad it resonates still and has placed vital information on the record. In fact, Four Corners contacted me about that very program.
Best wishes,
Siobhan
October 16, 2018 at 1:07 pm
Don Punnett
Hi ,Just finished reading your Snowy book a great read . However it may be of interest to you that in the listing of men killed during construction is my brother who was working for Kaiser under the alias David Burns. His real name was Max Alexander Punnett dob 19 June 1944. As you can see five days before his 21 st ..