Hey, podcasters. This is Christian O'Connell. We drop back in today, Jack and I, to do a one-off special show because, well, you know why, because of everything that's happening in Australia. And as you're about to hear, we were blessed with the most amazing stories that have come out of this. So thank you very much to download them podcast. The show returns in full on January the 20th. As always, if you want to send me an email for early to the party or late to the party

about anything that's happened to you over Christmas and New Year,

I'm reading your emails, Christian at gold1043.com.a.u.

And if there's any way you need support for anything you're doing

or you want to do or you've got an idea of what the show could do

to try and raise money

for the bushfire victims, please email me on the same email address. Stay safe, speak to you

soon. Take care. And happy New Year.

Christian. Hi, hey, hello. Hello. Good morning. The Christian O'Connell Breakfast Show podcast.

Good morning. It's the Christian O'Connell Breakfast Show, Gold 104.3. Just coming up for seven minutes past six Monday morning.

So the show is meant to return on the 20th and two weeks' time. But over the last couple of days, I'm sure I speak for a lot of you listening right now.

Just been sat there, slack-jawed, watching the endless news coverage of what looks like a war zone in this amazing country.

You know, the scenes from Malacuta and all over New South Wales and here in Victoria,

it looks like at times you're looking like an atomic bomb has been dropped on so much of this beautiful bushland.

And the stats are just getting bigger and bigger and bigger, you know, looking at half a billion species now.

Scientists are saying half a billion species have been wiped out and their habitats wiped out, 1,600 homes.

People have been displaced from.

And so Friday morning, I was up.

I couldn't sleep and I was up and I was watching the news and

it was about 8 o'clock in the morning and I was also just seeing all the the volunteers not just the

paid firefighters doing all the amazing selfless and brave work that they've been doing and will be for

quite a while yet but all of these volunteers all over Australia doing what they can to try and raise

...