Podcast Host

Karli Florisson

I grew up in a small town in Western Australia called Esperance. Growing up, I heard about some of the local history stories from this area, but I wasn’t really interested. I wanted to learn about big, sweeping historical events – revolutions, world wars, empires, and the rise and fall of civilisations. I studied history at university, which I loved, but I soon discovered that I had an even greater passion for writing and literature.
After some travel, a number of different jobs, and lots of other adventures, I settled into life on a farm just out of Esperance. While veggie gardens, animals, foster kids, and a baby all kept me pretty busy, I managed to find time for some writing. Around this time, I rediscovered local Esperance history, which included lots of amazing stories. I started writing a local history column for our local magazine, the Esperance Tide. I also wrote some longer manuscripts, including a fictionalised account of the life of Sarah Brooks, a woman who lived at remote Israelite Bay, east of Esperance.
My obsession with the ‘micro-history’ of Western Australia was growing, and I loved sharing these stories with anyone who would listen. Starting a podcast just seemed like a natural progression from there, and the idea for Wild: Stories from Western Australia’s past was born.

For more information about my writing, you can check out my other website, www.karliflorisson.com.