The Toilet Plume, 106kg of Meatloaf & Dick Johnson’s Bathurst Secret

Danny Hoyland is joined by Sparkdog for another action-packed edition of *Wake Up With Dr Dan*, with Damien away broadcasting from Nobby. It’s Wallaby Saturday, but there’s also fishing, food science, medical research, Ipswich history, ghosts, Bathurst and possibly more toilet talk than anyone expected at breakfast. Shane “Shocking Jock” Bowering kicks things off with his views on proposed changes to disaster relief funding, arguing that shifting more responsibility onto councils and state governments is the wrong place to look for budget savings. There’s also some good news for Red Tape Busters after the business was named Queensland Supplier of the Year at the golf industry awards. Craig “Stinkbomb” Charlton introduces the revamped Nomad Madscad, now featuring an auto-tune system designed to keep the lure swimming straight whether it’s retrieved quickly or slowly. With Spanish mackerel beginning to appear, Craig also has reports of snapper, pearl perch, amberjack, squid, flathead, whiting, mangrove jack, threadfin salmon, bass and even plenty of mud crabs. Ranger Nick returns after his huge weekend at the Australian Camp Oven Festival with an unofficial Australian record under his belt. His enormous Australia-shaped meatloaf weighed in at 106.1 kilograms cooked, with the evidence now heading to the Australian Book of Records for confirmation. He also serves up this week’s much smaller camp-oven creation — pâté pinwheels made with puff pastry, pâté and egg. Dr Deb Mills looks at fascinating research into the interaction between sugar, antibiotics and the gut microbiome. A study of patients undergoing stem-cell treatment found diets higher in sugar were associated with a greater deterioration in gut bacteria while patients were receiving antibiotics, while follow-up animal research produced similarly striking results. Dr Deb stresses that antibiotics remain vital medicines, but the research highlights just how complicated the bacterial ecosystem inside our gut really is. Horticulturist Paul Plant has a warning for gardeners: “one year of seeds equals seven years of weeds.” His advice is to tackle weeds before they flower and produce seed, potentially saving years of work later. Paul also explains why combined weed-and-feed products aren’t always the best option and previews his upcoming gardening presentations. Then Dr Janine Young brings perhaps the morning’s most memorable scientific discovery — the toilet plume. Research reviewing 22 studies found flushing a toilet can send microscopic aerosols containing bacteria and viruses into the surrounding air, and simply closing the lid may not completely stop them escaping. Her practical advice? Keep toilets clean, wash your hands and definitely stop taking your mobile phone into the bathroom. Food scientist Jeremy Ryland checks in from the Australian Grand Dairy Awards, where he’s been helping judge some of the best dairy products in the country. Jeremy looks at the decline in Australian dairy farms before tackling a much happier subject — research suggesting people who ate real dairy ice cream twice a week showed a lower diabetes risk than those who didn’t. Importantly, he says that doesn’t mean everyone should start demolishing tubs of ice cream; the broader message is about choosing real, less-processed foods as part of a balanced diet. History Out There’s Harold Peacock heads back around 150 years for the tale of George Frost, whose tumultuous Ipswich family life apparently continued to cause him trouble even after his death. The story features a runaway stepson, an assault involving several women, a move to Central Queensland to escape the chaos and an estate dispute after George died — proving domestic drama certainly wasn’t invented in the modern era. Ghost historian Jack Sim previews his new book *Haunted Redlands*, featuring 13 legends and ghost stories from the Redlands Coast. One story explores the historic Grand View Hotel at Cleveland and its unexpected connection to Ipswich, when both communities were among the places being considered as possible capitals before Brisbane eventually won out. There’s even a mysterious lost well and a rumoured body — but Jack is keeping the full story for the book. Sam Ingham-Meyer brings the latest Pub Goss from the Normanby and Rocklea Hotels, with the Bledisloe Cup, upcoming rugby league internationals, racing, comedy and live entertainment all on the agenda. And right at the finish, Australian motorsport legend Dick Johnson joins Danny ahead of Bathurst. Dick reflects on his extraordinary 50-year association with Ford, including receiving a personal letter from Henry Ford’s great-grandson, recalls the ex-police Falcon that helped launch his famous Bathurst story and gives his thoughts on the modern science and technology behind finding speed around Mount Panorama. Plus there’s Wallabies versus All Blacks, the Bledisloe Cup, a Canadian grandmother’s five-hour planking record, fishing, Wheelie Clean, plenty of sport and the usual collection of completely unexpected detours. It’s *Wake Up With Dr Dan* — where toilet aerosols, haunted pubs, 106 kilograms of meatloaf and a Bathurst legend can somehow all belong in the same Saturday morning.