Steve Axford likes a difficult challenge. His photographic feats include massive volcanoes, snakes and the tiniest of fungi. Steve now sets out to document one of the world's most elusive creatures - the Australian platypus.

ABC Open presents a collection of the best stories from around regional Australia, made by people who live there.

By day Peter Terren is a prasticing medical doctor from Bunbury, WA. By night, as the sun drops and the wind calms, Dr Electric appears from the back shed with Tesla coil in tow.

Aerobics enthusiast Phillippa may be almost 80 years old, but you won't find her slowing down anytime soon.

Darren Cabillo has been a Night Patrol Officer with Larrakia Nation for many years. Darren talks about why his job is important to the Darwin community in providing crucial support to Darwin's homeless people and the police.

By day, Travis Hague is a pest controller. By night he transforms himself into a filmmaker who creates elaborate motion time-lapse sequences that are undeniably gobsmacking.

Waking up before the sun to walk around some sewerage ponds isn't everyone's idea of fun. But for keen bird photographer, Henry Cook, it's the ideal start to the day.

Father and son team Tom and Kodi Driscoll are keeping the profession of being a farrier alive in their family, with the art now spanning four generations.

A chance meeting with Caloundra writer and artist Peter Rowe inspired filmmaker Tony Bryant to create this story about a man who has overcome numerous challenges to do what he always wanted; to communicate with other people.

Ian McGilvray is the chaplain of the Seafarers Centre in Dampier, Western Australia. Ian climbs the ladders to board the huge iron ore ships that visit the Pilbara region, checking on the wellbeing of seafarers.

Tasmanian photographer Francois Fourie likes taking night photographs of star-filled skies but when he accidentally captured the green glow of an Aurora Australis he developed a new night photographic passion.

For the last 38 years Stephen and Jan Johnson have been breeding and working Clydesdales and Australian Draughthorses on their stud farm on the sunny shores of Lake Cargelligo.

Robynn Cook is a midwife at Coffs Harbour Hospital. After 40 years on the job, she's lost count of the number of babies she's helped enter the world but she continues to bring her warmth to the birthing rooms.

A chance meeting with Caloundra writer and artist Peter Rowe inspired filmmaker Tony Bryant to create this story about a man who has overcome numerous challenges to do what he always wanted - to communicate with other people.

Zoe became an audiologist because she wanted to let children with hearing loss know that they can participate in everything a hearing person can.

ABC Open presents a collection of the best stories from around regional Australia, made by people who live there.

Glenda Scrase is the Principal at St. Francis Primary School in Hughenden, Queensland. Glenda is young, she wears bright dresses and designer shoes and her top priority is making the school a happy place.

Mount Isa sporting fans would recognise Phil Makkai as "The guy on the gate; the bloke with the cheeky grin'. Phil has overcome a serious brain injury and is making the most of his second chance at life.

Imagine doing a job that involves feeding hungry crocodiles and handling some of the world's deadliest snakes. It's all in a day's work for park ranger Robbie Basham from far north Queensland.

John Riddell's workspace is dimly lit and smells of popcorn. Welcome to a day in the life of a cinema projectionist.

Rob Chapman spends his days driving books and magazines all over the Riverina, in a semi-trailer that acts as the region's mobile library. For Rob, it's a job that combines two things he loves, driving and reading.

Lola is a very fussy eater, she won't eat mushrooms, or peas or fishfingers and she will never ever eat a tomato! Charlie helps her to discover that peas are really green drops from Green Land and mashed potato is cloud fluff from the pointiest peak of Mount Fuji. But will she eat that tiny weeny tomato? Never! But she might just eat a moonsquirter.

The little boy makes a mistake in his drawing and colours in his shorts the wrong colour, so decides not to draw himself at all. However, his friends want to find him.

The little boy loves feeling the breeze as he swings on the swing. When it's someone else's turn, Pablo enters the Art World and draws a bigger swing, before drawing an aeroplane.

Genesis formed in 1967, when Peter Gabriel met Tony Banks at the exclusive Charterhouse School. When audiences went to a Genesis show, it was a huge spectacle and an exciting experience that wasn't just about the music.

Daria, a 16-year-old girl who is a little too smart and funny to fit in with the crowd. It's summertime and the livin' is hard. Daria finds herself forced into volunteering at the OK to Cry Corral, a summer camp for the overly sensitive and those who'd like to be. Quinn submits to tutoring in hopes of getting into the party school of her choice, while Jane is holed up at an artist's colony trying to get in touch with her muse. Then there's the heat rash, the mosquitoes, the runny ice cream - is it fall yet?

It's time for the seventh grade elections and CJ and the boys decide to make their voices heard. But when the kids' friendly competition turns negative, can their friendship survive?

Determined to leave a mark on their middle school years CJ, Fen and Crispo try to find their own unique ways of creating lasting mementos of their time at Pootatuck.

Pablo's old crayons are running out, but his new ones are the wrong shade, design and smell. The Book Animals are worried. Without them, Pablo will not be able to draw any more.

The little boy's tummy makes funny noises. Noa thinks he might have swallowed something odd. They realise it is his tummy, but nobody knows what it is trying to say.

Crispo has to serve as the eyes, ears, and legs for sick-at-home Fenwick, while CJ makes the most of her sick day by sneaking out of the house for a lab session with her school crush.

Marty has Fragile X and wants workplaces to see that he is an employable man. Cain's insight about his autism and its impact on his life is stirring and Jessica offers up her IT skills to companies targeting neurodiversity.

Lola and Lotta both love their tricycles but when Lotta is given her big cousin's bike, Lola wants a big bike too. She gets Charlie's old one and is delighted.

Andrew Denton sits opposite a range of fascinating people and try to find out what makes them tick. Guests include Cate and Bronte Campbell, plus Robert Plant.

When Charlie and Lola visit Granny and Grandpa they always build an extremely special sandcastle on the beach and they always do it together. This time a little girl, followed by her whole family, is determined to join in and Lola's not too happy about it.

Thomas Morton visits Alaska to meet America's last frontiersman, Heimo Korth and his wife, Edna. An accomplished hunter and trapper, Heimo braves endless winter where being mauled by a bear on your way to the outhouse is a legitimate concern.

Veteran performer, Noni Hazlehurst, goes in search of the secrets her parents held so tightly. This journey will be a revelation to Noni. She'll come to understand the impact of war on her immediate family, and why she knows so little about her world-renowned performing ancestors.

Having begged Granny and Grandpa for a scooter, Lola suddenly decides that she now wants a pair of real, actual ice-skates. Everyone is dubious. Charlie reminds her she felt the same about her old yo-yo and Dad warns her that he doesn't want to find the ice-skates in the bottom of her cupboard. But Lola is adamant she needs actual ice-skates because they are sparkly and white, and when she gets them, she will be the best ice-skaterer in the whole school. But it's not quite that simple.

The youngster is horrified to learn he has outgrown his coat, and he tries to draw himself small again so that it will still fit.

Brisbane woman Emma Betts was living her dream as an aid worker in East Timor when someone suggested she have a mole on her back checked. A year after she had it removed, melanoma showed up in most of her major organs. At 22 years of age, she was given only months to live. Reeling from the diagnosis, Emma was shocked to learn that melanoma is now the most common cancer killer in 20- to 39-year-olds. Emma fell in love, got married and then devoted herself to a blog called Dear Melanoma (http://www.dearmelanoma.com). Her honest account of living with terminal cancer and her candid acceptance of her impending death endeared her to tens of thousands. Using her newfound fame she began campaigning for better awareness of the disease among her generation and in the process has helped save others' lives. Introduced by radio host Sarah Wills.

As Ben's lucrative revenue stream through footy umpiring and a side business at school dries up, he wonders how he'll be able to afford to maintain his expensive wardrobe. Title also stylised as My Year Seven Life.

The delicate order of the school's lunch table system is thrown into chaos when CJ and the boys decide to sit different tables for one day.

Charlie and Mary have to come up with an invention for a school project by tomorrow.

Annie Lennox and Dave Stewart came from very different backgrounds. After releasing their first album, they began to work with synthesisers, a choice which led them to their breakthrough hit.

Marv's Mum says Sizzles really is a very naughty dog but Lola knows this isn't true. Sizzle just needs some practice! Charlie and Lola take Sizzles back to their flat and set about 'training' him. Things aren't going well and then they discover that Sizzles will do anything for a sausage. Which is fine until Morten, Marv's little brother, eats Sizzles Sausage by accident!

The sharpest tools in the comedy shed will once again take to the stage for the ultimate competition of minds and mirth. Two teams battle it out using laughs and logic to prove their team supreme. Moderated by Magda Szubanski.