DEAD AIR #182 / August 31, 2026 by The Departure

NEW SHOW SPONSOR - BARKERS CREEK AUTO REPAIRS!

Historic vote completes VAD journey – but NT law falls short – Go Gentle Australia

Where does the artist begin and end? At Revivification at Now or Never, the answer’s far from simple – ArtsHub

Importing human remains and biosecurity – Dept of Health, Disability & Ageing

Also see: Importing human remains or ashes – Australian Border Force

Fact vs. Myth: Rigor Mortis Is Not Permanent – Home Funeral Alliance Substack

Make-up on corpses – Trish & Tracey from Are You Dying To Know Instagram

Are you an early career professional working in or alongside Voluntary Assisted Dying (VAD) in Victoria? DWDV is offering one fully funded 2-day pass to attend the VAD Conference (VADCON 2026) in Melbourne on 19–20 Oct, plus a travel bursary for regional applicants. Apps close: Fri 11 Sept, details HERE

NDAN Presents - How Mushrooms Are Changing the Way We Say Goodbye with Bob Hendrikx, founder & CEO of Loop Biotech, award-winning inventor, architect and bio designer. Fri 18 Sept 7-8pm AEST. Details HERE book HERE

This year’s Spring Ball theme is ‘Castlemaine Gothic.’ Spring Ball is a major annual fundraiser for Castlemaine Community House and a highlight of the local calendar. Don’t miss it. Sat 12 Sept, Castlemaine Town Hall Tickets: $50 (full price); $35 (conc.) Purchase tickets HERE

A weekend immersion into shrouding and weaving hosted by master weaver of 30+ years Zimmi Forest from NSW and facilitated by local, independent death worker Hayley West of The Departure (and host of Mainfm show DEAD AIR). Together, we will weave a shroud carrier and/or a coffin out of the invasive Cats Claw vine. An opportunity to learn and share curiosities and questions around the practice of shrouding and open up conversations anything death, dying and grieving. All materials and morning teas are provided. Book via Humantix, search for 'Coffin Weaving Castlemaine' or contact Hayley directly at hello@thedeparture.com.au Sat 10 Oct, 9:30am – 4pm & Sun 11 Oct, 10am-3.30pm. Venue: The Old Gaol, Castlemaine. Book HERE

TRACKS: Did you ever want to go to your own funeral? – James Ellis Ford / Man is like a spring flower demo – Lingua Ignota

DEAD AIR #179 / August 10, 2026 by The Departure

REMINDER: Weaving a Coffin/Shroud Carrier - a weekend immersion into shrouding Castlemaine. Join us in Castlemaine for a weekend immersion into the art of shrouding and weaving. Led by Zimmi Forest, d’Vine Creations and facilitated by Hayley West of The Departure. All materials and morning teas are provided; bring your own lunch, your questions, and your personal experiences. Sat 10 Oct, 9:30am–4pm & Sun 11 Oct, 10am-3.30pm. Venue tbc, Castlemaine. $380/ $730 if booking for 2 people. Book HERE

When I am dying by Gabrielle Elise Jimenez – The Hospice Heart

What to say when someone is dying, according to hospice workers – TIME

BOOK: Curious Coffins and Riveting Rituals, Death Practices Around the World - Booktopia

Why We Don't Feed Our Dead to Vultures – Taboo Education

A Words in Winter event - The Last Good Conversation: Death, Ritual and What Comes Next. E A Gleeson and Hannah Gould with Amy Pagett. Sun 30 Aug 11:30am - 12:30pm, Daylesford Town Hall. Book HERE

Today, Mon 10 Aug is the 40th day after the death of the much loved artist Petrus Spronk. The Convent Gallery in Daylesford invites you to visit their Chapel to light a candle for Petrus, open from 10am-4pm. In Eastern European traditions, the 40th day after death is a vital milestone when the soul's earthly journey concludes.

Adam Rutinya (Voluntary Assisted Dying (VAD) Care Navigator for central Victoria) will be at the Dying To Ask event hosted by Amanda Collins tomorrow Tues 11 Aug 10.30am-12pm, morning tea provided. Call Heathcote Community House ph.5433 2820. Now moved to a bigger space!

Great Stupa Death Festival A day to come together as a community to reflect, connect and celebrate life. Sat 19 Sept, 11am-3pm, Great Stupa of Universal Compassion, Myers Flat, FREE.

The Final Course - a guided online workshop in end of life and death care planning, Thurs 27 August 7-9pm AEST– Nyx Funerals

TRACKS: Into The Ground – Acid King / Sparrow - Windhand

DEAD AIR #177 / July 27, 2026 by The Departure

Labor endorses voluntary assisted dying telehealth access in platform shift – ABC News

Anthony Albanese personally opposed to Labor's push on telehealth voluntary assisted dying – ABC News

The women running death salons for people of color to process grief: ‘It allows for freedom’ - The Guardian US

The Death Letter Project - Keith Quayle, Writer, Advocate for Trans and Gender Diverse People in Prison.

The Collective for Radical Death Studies - CRDS serves as a source of knowledge for how death practitioners, death care professionals, students and scholars alike can all better understand death ways of people of colour and marginalised groups. The literary canon is a collection of source material.

Beholden - on sanity, grace, and the barely there space... Chloe Hope, Death & Birds

Weaving a Shroud Carrier - a weekend immersion into shrouding Castlemaine. Join us in Castlemaine for a weekend immersion into the art of shrouding, where we will collectively weave a shroud carrier from invasive Cats Claw vine. Led by master weaver Zimmi Forest, d’Vine Creations and facilitated by Hayley West of The Departure, this open and inclusive workshop explores the how, why, and when of shrouding, alongside broader conversations about death, dying, and grief, with an optional opportunity to experience being shrouded. All materials and morning teas are provided; bring your own lunch, your questions, and your personal experiences. Sat 10 Oct, 9:30am – 4pm & Sun 11 Oct, 10am-3.30pm. Venue tbc, Castlemaine. $380/ $730 if booking for 2 people. Book HERE

The Australian Hearse Nationals hearse parade is happening this Sunday 2 August for the Goldfields Gothic: Festival of Dark Ideas! Stand on the Main Street at 10.30am, and cheer us on! We'll be leaving from the Machinery Shed Museum for a couple of laps around town. The hearses will then park in the grass area just above the Machinery Shed for perusal and chats. I'll have either a shrouded body in a carrier in the back, or my hand woven coffin, I haven't decided yet... Come and vote for your favourite hearse - The Death Star! We recently starred in the LOCALS film made by Liz Geddes at Castlemaine Documentary Festival. I've entered in two categories - Best Hearse Post 1980 & Best Display

Community & Care - Death & Grief: Practical, artful ways to show up for the end of life. Starts this Sunday - 4 online sessions held on Sundays from 6-8pm (Aug 2, Aug 23, Sep 13, Oct 4). COST: $240 early bird / $270. A special $30 community discount using the code CARE has been created.

TRACKS: Doorway – Kathryn Mohr / I Don’t Know Why – Yoko Ono