🌞 The 11-year-old innovator

Happy Sunday!

Happy long weekend! A good news story in its own right!

🦻Community innovation

This week’s community good news story is courtesy of my partner Olly, who was asked to judge a community ‘shark tank’ event. He came home raving about one of the pitches he heard, which was from 11-year-old Eden.

Eden has created a company, Hibbitz, which recycles Jibbitz (in case you don’t have children in your life, Jibbitz are charms for your Crocs) into fun hearing aid accessories.

According to Eden, Hibbitz are designed to “help kids with hearing loss feel confident and proud to express their unique style”.

In his pitch, Eden said: “Over 11,000 children aged under 12 in Australia have hearing aids. And I bet you all my pocket money that they don't want to wear them. They don’t feel comfortable. However, wearing [Hibbitz] acts like a shield… They get to protect them from bullies.”

You can check out his amazing idea here!

🐕 Doggie rescue

A Victorian family has been reunited with their missing pet dog after a Country Fire Authority-led rescue operation.

Ted the Labrador and Penny the Labradoodle wandered from their Trentham home in West Central Victoria on Tuesday. The pair’s adventure took a scary turn when Ted fell down an old mineshaft. Thankfully, Penny avoided the fall and was able to keep a safe eye on her mate from above ground. A CFA Victoria rescue team traversed the 8-metre mine shaft, with the support of Trentham Fire Brigade and Forest Fire Management Victoria. Ted was winched to safety and returned to his owners, uninjured.

The CFA acknowledged the “incredible work from all involved in the search and rescue” of Penny and Ted, who they said “might think twice before heading off on any more adventures,” after a “ruff” situation.

📸 Photo of the week

“Diamond Beach Emerald Sky” – Brent Martin

Here’s what photographer Brent Martin said of his photograph: “With a clear night forecast and the Milky Way core returning for 2025, I set out to explore the Great Ocean Road. After a few setbacks—such as a failed composition and getting the car stuck on a sandy track—I almost gave up. However, I pushed on and found a great spot above the beach to capture the scene.

The night was full of colour, with Comet C/2024 G3 Atlas and a pink aurora in the early hours, followed by the Milky Way rising amid intense green airglow near dawn. Despite the challenges, the reward of this stunning image and the memory of the view made it all worthwhile.”

🎵 Feel good song of the week

Wildfire breakthrough

Sticking with the theme of animals, researchers from the University of New South Wales have launched the second phase of a conservation program to restore platypuses in the wild.

They’ve just introduced three more platypuses in the Royal National Park, two years after the historic return of the founding population in 2023. At least nine of the 10 animals introduced in 2023 have survived the critical first year, with researchers saying it is a “deeply moving affirmation of what targeted conservation can achieve”. Dr Gilad Bino, lead researcher, added: “To now see them surviving, breeding and reclaiming this landscape is extraordinary. It’s not just a scientific success - it’s a restoration of what was lost.”

This is still the beginning of the project, with 10 new platypuses set to be reintroduced to the National Park over the next three years. The overall aim is to strengthen genetic diversity and support a thriving, long-term population.

So good!

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👧 Anju’s rec!

Bonus story from TDA journo Anju, who has recommended this Instagram account as one of her favourites!

She explains: "Little kids are asked the Big Questions Of Life, and the way they answer is the most sincere, funny and real advice you could get. This channel actually popularised The Corn Kid a couple of years ago, and has since featured multiple children dancing, talking about science, providing advice or simply enjoying life. One of the account’s iconic characters, Miles, has his own podcast with Julian Shapiro-Barnum, the creator and host of Recess Therapy."

Enjoy!

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