Behind the Headlines
From the long hunt for a serial killer and an ambush in the African jungle to “death knocks” and emotionally fraught interviews, these are the unseen events and unforgettable moments that Age reporters will never shake.
Special series
I went for a walk in the footsteps of a killer – then cried at my desk
Days after the Bourke Street massacre, my editors gave me a simple, but important assignment. Among the flowers and candles, the story of a tragedy revealed itself in unexpected ways.
- by Chip Le Grand
Special series
Why one small detail in my story about a murdered woman still haunts me
Some of the hardest things I’ve done as a reporter have involved conversations with mothers. But there was one mum I let down.
- by Melissa Fyfe
Special series
A war raged outside and IS militants lurked in the darkness. Then our fellow Aussies turned on us
Heavy artillery was firing when two nervous American soldiers came to the tent with bad news. It’s a war zone story I’ve always itched to tell, and still infuriates me six years on.
- by Michael Bachelard
Special series
I’ve written more than 5 million words on crime. But one story taught me good can trump evil
The case against Peter Dupas was strong, but not strong enough for charges to be laid – then one of the fresh investigators made a phone call more in hope than expectation.
- by John Silvester
Special series
A man stepped out on the road with an AK-47. I traded my life back with cigarettes – and a desperate joke
Everyone in Rwanda knew travelling after dark was inviting trouble. I’d taken a risk for a trivial reason, and now a large man with an assault rifle was at the window of the car, making demands.
- by Tony Wright
Special series
We gave a celeb a ‘halo’ on this magazine cover. Then came the social media pile-on
As journalists, we dish it out and we take it. We can’t – and shouldn’t – complain. But I’d be lying if I said this story didn’t shake me.
- by Katrina Strickland
Special series
I was about to get married. Then my phone exploded with calls from one person
He called four times in four minutes. It must be important, I thought – but I’d sworn to myself I wouldn’t answer my phone. Not today, of all days.
- by Nick McKenzie
Original URL: https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/behind-the-headlines-20231219-p5esgs.html